LAST week on Good Friday, we remembered the sacrificial death of our LORD and Saviour on the Cross of Calvary for our sins and on Sunday we celebrated His Resurrection. To the world, this is the most outstanding events besides Christmas. They cry over the death of Jesus and continue to mourn on "Black Sabbath" and suddenly on "Easter Sunday" they celebrate it with decorated eggs and rabbits. Let us not be carried away from the true meaning of this celebration.
John 10:10 MKJV (Jesus said) The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
The enemy of the Truth, comes to deceive the people in so many ways. Let us be extra vigilant and know for sure that the devil always comes to steal, kill and destroy our focus on Jesus, our faith in His saving grace and our lives. But, the good news is, Jesus come to us without an ulterior motive except to give us LIFE & LIFE, MORE ABUNDANTLY. Amen!
(11) I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. (14) I am the Good Shepherd, and I know those that are Mine, and I am known by those who are Mine. (15) Even as the Father knows Me, I also know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep. (16) And I have other sheep who are not of this fold. I must also lead those, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, one Shepherd.
(17) Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I might take it again. (18) No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down from Myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it again. I have received this commandment from My Father.
Let's see
What happened to Jesus?
Jesus was beaten:
John 19:1 MKJV Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and flogged Him. (2) And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns and put it on His head. And they put a purple robe on Him, (3) and said, Hail, King of the Jews! And they struck Him with their hands.
Jesus spoke out His authority:
(10) Then Pilate said to him, Do you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to crucify you, and I have authority to release you? (11) Jesus answered, You could have no authority against Me unless it were given to you from above.
Pilate recognizes Jesus's authority:
John 19: (19) And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. (20) Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. (21) Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, Do not write, the king of the Jews, but that he said, I am king of the Jews. (22) Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.
Jesus was crucified:
John 19:(37) And again another Scripture says, "They shall look upon Him whom they pierced."
(40) Then they took the body of Jesus and wound it with linens with the spices, as is the custom of the Jews to bury. (41) And in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one yet had been placed. (42) There, then, because of the Preparation of the Jews, because the tomb was near, they laid Jesus.
(I believe the Garden here symbolizes the Garden of Eden and the Cross where Jesus was crucified symbolizes the Tree of Life, whereas the New Tomb speaks about New hope through the death of Jesus that paid the full price for the death sentence that fell upon men for the sin caused by Adam & Eve) Read Gen 3.
Gen 3:3 MKJV But of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.
Yes, Jesus, the second Adam died a sacrificial death and rose again in power for each one of us. Truly we have Hope to rope in His glory. Do you Believe this?
What happened to us who believed?
1) Received God's mercy and were regenerated
1Pe 1:3-5 MKJV Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has regenerated us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (4) to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and unfading, reserved in Heaven for you (5) by the power of God, having been kept through faith to a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time;
2) Received life and power to reign
2Ti 2:11-12 MKJV For faithful is the Word, for if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. (12) If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
3) Received kingship and priesthood
(a) Rev 5:9-10 MKJV And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals, for You were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. (10) And You made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign over the earth.
(b) Rev 22:4-5 MKJV And they will see His face, and His name will be in their foreheads. (5) And there will be no night there. And they need no lamp, or light of the sun; for the Lord God gives them light. And they will reign forever and ever.
What must we do now?
Act 2: (29) Men, brothers, it is permitted to say to you with plainness as to the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. (30) Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, He would raise up Christ to sit upon his throne, (31) seeing this beforehand, he spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor would His flesh see corruption,
(32) God raised up this Jesus, of which we all are witnesses. (33) Therefore being exalted to the right of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this which you now see and hear. (34) For David has not ascended into the heavens, but he says himself, "The LORD said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand (35) until I place Your enemies as a footstool to Your feet." (36) Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God made this same Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.
(37) And hearing this, they were stabbed in the heart, and said to Peter and to the other apostles, Men, brothers, what shall we do? (38) Then Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ to remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (39) For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all those afar off, as many as the Lord our God shall call. (40) And with many other words he earnestly testified and exhorted, saying, Be saved from this perverse generation. (41) Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. And the same day there were added about three thousand souls.
(Ref: Luk 1:32-33 MKJV He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God shall give Him the throne of His father David. (33) And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end.
(Rom 15:12 MKJV And again Isaiah says, "There shall be a root of Jesse, and He who shall rise to reign over the nations, in Him shall the nations trust.")
1) Believe in Jesus and receive His Resurrection Power over your life
John 11:25-26 MKJV Jesus said to her, I am the Resurrection and the Life! He who believes in Me, though he die, yet he shall live. (26) And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?
2) Look to Jesus who's seated on the throne - put your 100% faith in Him
Heb 12:2 MKJV looking to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right of the throne of God.
3) Be a witness for Jesus
Act 4:33 MKJV And the apostles gave witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power. And great grace was on them all.
Declare with me: God who raised Jesus from the Tomb to the Throne has regenerated me again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ to receive an inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled and unfading. As I died with Him, I shall also live with Him. I will sing a new song for God who has made me a king and a priest to reign with Him over the earth forever and ever. Amen!
The end.
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