One striking reoccurrence in the book of Acts is how often the disciples preach not just Christ crucified, but Christ resurrected. In fact, it seems the first disciples had not considered the gospel preached at all, unless their hearers were faced with the reality of Jesus’ resurrection. We would do well to consider why: It changes everything. If Christ is raised from the dead, then there is hope for humanity, one that has dogged us since the beginning. We know this, but think about it again: every human has faced this enemy, death, and lost. And everything we do in life is structured somehow around avoiding this inevitability. It means we have a King. This is good news or bad news, but either way, it’s true. If Jesus is raised from the dead, he’s the only person in history who has risen above and triumphed over our heretofore unbeatable enemies – sin and death. Thus he is King. This is true, whether you believe it or not. Thus we all must come face-to-face with this reality. It’s the loving thing to do – to proclaim his resurrection to a lost world. It will be called crazy, delusional or arrogant by many, but that didn’t seem to matter to the first disciples. What’s true is true, and it’s good for you. It means new life is coming – now, and then. Jesus will one day return for us, and raise everyone from the dead, either for glory or perdition. New life will come then. But it will also comes now. See Romans 6:4:
4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Those who have believed on Jesus have been united with him in all that he has. Jesus has new life? So do we, who have been “buried . . . with him.” His new life breaks in now, to us, by the same power that raised Jesus: the glory of the Father. We have the same need as the world. The world needs the resurrection proclaimed to it, with all its implications. And so do we. Everyday. When we proclaim the resurrection to ourselves, we are reminded of who we are: we are dead to sin and raised to life. We are new. This is truth, to be believed. As we preach the resurrection to ourselves, we see the glory of the Father. The fruit is “newness of life”.
Comments