April 01st, 2018

Good Words from God’s Word
 

RESURRECTION!

The New Testament church is grounded in the truth of the Resurrection. As Paul said, the preaching of the cross;
 
“…is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)
 
As necessary as preaching the truth about the death and burial of Jesus is, our message is incomplete without the reality of the bodily Resurrection of Jesus. We are forgiven through the cross on which Jesus shed His sinless blood for us, and we are saved because the tomb is empty. When saved people are baptized, the picture of death by the immersion of the repentant sinner in water is always followed by the glorious symbol of the resurrection by which the person is raised from the water to:
 
“…walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4)
 
Watchman Nee said, “The greatest negative in the world is the cross, for with it God wiped out all that was not of himself; the greatest positive in the universe is the resurrection, for through it God brought into being all.”
 
The Bible says;
 
“…if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain” (1 Corinthians 15:14)
 
Without the Resurrection, what you believe really does not matter.  Paul goes on to say;
 
“…if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in you sins” (I Corinthians 15:17)
 
We at Grace are people of the EMPTY TOMB. We are saved because Jesus was

RAISED FROM THE DEAD!

 
He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. As the hymn writer wrote:
 

I serve a risen Savior,
He’s in the world today;
I know that He is living,
Whatever men may say.
 
I see His hand of mercy,
I hear His voice of cheer;
And just the time I need Him’
He’s always near.
 
He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today,
He walks with me, He talks with me along life’s narrow way;
He lives, He lives, Salvation to impart,
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart.

I Serve A Risen Savior (1933) by Alfred Henry Ackley (1887-1960)

 
PRAISE GOD! We worship today a living savior. We brought Him to church with us. He resides in us and moves among us. Our worship is not empty. It is filled with the power and eternal hope of our Resurrected Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.