Calvin Synod Herald, 2009 (110. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2009-03-01 / 3-4. szám

4

CALVIN SYNOD HERALD

An Everlasting Life

Isaiah 43:1-12; Luke 24:36-48 / Psalm 103:1-22

I. PEACE

A. The resurrected Jesus had a simple, direct message: PEACE. “And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.” (Luke 24:36)

B. This was not the only or even the first appearance of the risen Lord. “Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.” (Mark 16:9)

C. Many people saw the living Christ. Two other women - Matthew 28:9; Two disciples - Luke 24:15; Peter - 1 Corinthians 15:5; The 10 when Thomas was away - John 20:19; 500 brethren - 1 Corinthians 15:6; James - 1 Corinthians 15:7; Even Paul at his conversion — Acts 9:5

D. Confidence in resurrection from death is one of the oldest features of Biblical religion. “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” (Job 19:25-27)

E. The prophets spoke of life for the dead repeatedly. “I

will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.” (Hosea 13:14)

F. Anyone who actually knew Jesus understood that He expected to die, to rise from the grave, and to bring His friends back to life as well. “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:40) “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live,” (John 11:25)

II. GOOD NEWS DRAWS MIXED REACTIONS

A. When there should have been hope and joy, there was terror; what if Christianity is true and the Bible is the reliable guide to reality? “But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?” (Luke 24:37-38)

B. The evidence was detailed, appropriate, and irrefutable; Christians eat fish. “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them.” (Luke 24:39-43)

C. The key doctrine of Christianity - on which everything

else rests - is the resurrection; this is the fact that changed the weekly Sabbath and converted the Roman world. “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” (1 Corinthians 15:17-19)

III. JESUS THEN BROUGHT ALL THE OTHER DOCTRINES INTO CONTEXT

A. The Word Himself took the people to the Scriptures and showed the unity and focus of the gospel testimony; Jesus and the new hope He brings to sinful people fill the entire story from alpha to omega. “And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.” (Luke 24:44)

B. It takes a changed life to understand the new life; sin is far more deadly than bad attitudes or poor understanding. “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,” (Luke 24:45) “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be bom again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

C. Everything is stated and related in Scripture; don’t expect the resurrection without the revelation. “And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:” (Luke 24:46) “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7)

D. If that indeed was Jesus eating the broiled fish, everyone had better start being serious about the rest of what He said. “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:47)

E. By the way, telling the story is not just for someone else; if you believe, tell everyone about the empty grave, the fish-eating Savior, and the good news that life is renewable forever. “And ye are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:48)

Look, ye saints! the sight is glorious:

See the Man of Sorrows now;

From the fight returned victorious,

Every knee to Him shall bow;

Dr. Edwin P. Elliott

Celebrating the

500th Anniversary

of John Calvin’s Birth 1509-2009

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