RAISED FROM THE DEAD

Time with Jesus - Sunday, 06 May 2012

Hi all,

In the course of the past few months I've come across a comment from Dr Hort. He was one of the late 19^th century Theological scholars. His comment was that it would be immoral for Christ to die for me. In terms of human morality I must confess that I agree with Him. The issue at stake, is whether or not God thinks so! God would never do anything immoral. It then becomes a question of whether He thinks so or doesn't think so. Clearly He doesn’t see it our way. In other words God, has trumped Dr Hort’s (and my) ace. Hallelujah

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Time with Jesus – Sunday, 06 May 2012
INTRODUCTION	DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	RAISED FROM THE DEAD
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead separates the men from the boys, or the women from the girls. What are we going to do with it? Is it fact or fiction? This has been argued about for the past 2000 odd years. Believers like you and I have no problem with it. We believe! We cannot establish this as a scientific fact. God is the creator of everything. Thus science is the product of His design. In a way it’s a bit like asking a computer to prove the existence of its designer. It cannot. God could prove His existence very easily. A big TV in the sky saying, “This is God Speaking!” would put the fear of God into the hearts of countless thousands of people. One occasion where God spoke generally to the people is recorded for us in John’s gospel: 27 "Now My soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But this is the very reason I came! 28 Father, bring glory to Your name." Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, "I have brought glory to My name, and I will do so again." 29 When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to Him. John 12:27-29 NLT On this occasion there are three reactions listed. 1) Some believed. 2) Some said it thundered. 3) Some said an angel spoke to Him. What would happen today? In all probability there would be the same or a similar reaction. The real question is, “What would be your and my reaction?” We cannot “prove” Christ was raised from the grave. Not directly. What we can say is that lawyers who have studied the resurrection have declared that there is more evidence that Jesus was raised from the grave than there is evidence that Julius Caesar landed in the UK! Please note that His resurrection is a fact. You have a choice. The Lord leaves you free to accept it or deny it. He will not interfere. It’s entirely your choice. God refuses to stand before the bar of human reason. The facts are there. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. If you believe it, you will find that the Scripture will become a source of inspiration and guidance. If you don’t believe it, you are free to wander on down your path of deception and unbelief. Man says, “If I see it I will believe it”. God says, “If you believe it, you will see it”. It all boils down to faith or unbelief. The writer to the Hebrews states, 6 It's impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him. 6 Hebrews 11:6 MSG Do you have faith to believe Him? It’s up to you! Jim & Phyllida Strickland	35 Some sceptic is sure to ask, "Show me how resurrection works. Give me a diagram; draw me a picture. What does this 'resurrection body' look like?" 1 Corinthians 15:35 MSG 2 But friends, that's exactly who we are: children of God. And that's only the beginning. Who knows how we'll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we'll see him--and in seeing him, become like him. 1 John 3:2 MSG 49 As we have worn the likeness of the man who was made from the dust of the earth, we will also wear the likeness of the man who came from heaven. 1 Corinthians 15:49 GW 20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like His own, using the same power with which He will bring everything under His control. Philippians 3:20-21 NLT 36 And just as they were telling about it, Jesus Himself was suddenly standing there among them. "Peace be with you," He said. 37 But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! Luke 24:36-37 NLT 5 He appeared to Peter. Then he appeared to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than 500 believers at the same time. Most of them are still living. But some have died. 1 Corinthians 15:5-6 NIrV 11 It stands to reason, doesn't it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he'll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ's! Romans 8:11 MSG	There’s something totally unique in Christianity; Something which the world at large thinks cannot ever be. We speak of resurrection life; to them it makes no sense And all those who believe it, are somewhat rather dense. I can’t say that I blame them; it’s hard to understand, But I can no more acquiesce to their absurd demand Than fly into the heaven, on my own eagle wings! It’s just about impossible to prove these very things. Think for just a moment of that which you have seen. Do you think without the Lord they ever could have been? Wasn’t it impossible, in terms of what you know, For it to ever come to pass if Jesus didn’t show? Each one of us have been there at somewhere in our walk. They’ve said, “You are an idiot! Don’t kid me with that talk! Prove it scientifically in the Laboratory It you cannot do so, its pure psychology. You’ve wanted it so badly your mind is telling lies. Frankly it’s just nonsense wrapped up in a disguise, Of personal delusion. Your Jesus is a crutch, You use for self deception! It’s frankly Double Dutch.” It words like this that hurt us. We can’t believe our ears. Why can’t they believe it? God’s written Word is clear. There isn’t an experiment to prove that He is fact. There is no demonstration. By faith we have to act. Seeing is believing, can never demonstrate, The truth of God Almighty. Such folk have to wait, Until the Lord reveals to them the fact that He is true; Believe it and you’ll see it! That’s what they need to do. It’s like the resurrection. Put bulbs into the ground; A bit of warmth and water. What happens will astound, An honest unbeliever. A plant will soon appear As different from the planted bulb, as lemonade to beer! And as for resurrection, which he says is a lie. The only way to prove it, is first we have to die. We know that Jesus Christ our Lord has risen from the grave. We know that He was different and that He could behave In ways which are impossible for folk like me and you. But if the Lord could do it, I’m sure we’ll do it too! We’ll find it all together the moment he returns. We’ll all be raised together. For this, my spirit yearns. We know we will be like Him! He said that it is true. That’s what He said He’ll do for me. Will He do it for you? Jim Strickland Written 6th May 2012