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 19th
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
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Time with Jesus – Sunday, 06 May 2012
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY
LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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RAISED FROM THE
DEAD
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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
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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
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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 |
