Oh, happy day! Jesus’ resurrection is at the center of our faith, and we can rejoice over the marvelous, life-changing gift. Blessing and honor and power to the Lamb who was slain and arose from the grave for our sake.
ETERNAL PERSPECTIVES by Sally Bair
Resurrection Power
Warm winds and rains are melting the snow and the crocuses are being resurrected into beautiful flowers. Last autumn’s cocoons are morphing into colorful butterflies. Human spirits are being lifted from winter’s doldrums. How can such power make that happen? Though science can explain it, the human heart is awed by it.
Speaking of the human heart, sometimes resurrection happens to it, also. Patients have returned from death through heroic efforts of medical personnel, ordinary citizens, and even supernaturally.
The Bible gives several instances of people resurrected from death. A widow's only son was brought to life by Elisha the prophet. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead after the body had lain in a tomb for several days. He also raised the daughter of a synagogue ruler named Jairus. Eutychus fell out of a third-story window as he listened to Paul preach and was revived from death.
These people eventually died a second time, proving that though their resurrection constituted a miracle of God, it was not permanent.
Jesus' death on the cross, however, was not final. His resurrection proves He truly is the Son of God. His resurrection assures believers of their future inheritance in heaven and of their own resurrection when Jesus returns. He appeared before many people for 40 days following His resurrection and prior to His ascension to heaven.
God is a God of powerful and mighty acts, the resurrection of His only Son being the most power-filled act of all. The substantiated truth of Jesus’ resurrection has kept Christianity alive for centuries. Faith in His resurrection has brought about—and still brings about—the death of countless Christians willing to suffer and die for their Savior. All but one of Jesus' 12 apostles went to their death for His sake.
The apostle Paul spent his life spreading the Gospel of Christ. "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:10-11)
Christians are called to do the same today. When we have the hope and promise of being resurrected from death and given a new, incorruptible life with Christ, it becomes incumbent on us to share that good news. No other religion offers such hope and promise. Like Jesus' apostles and His followers throughout history, we can rejoice in the power of His resurrection.
Lord, we rejoice in Your resurrection power. We thank You for giving us the joyful choice of declaring, "He lives!" Bless us as we share the good news of Your resurrection. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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