New Life in Christ — Do you believe?
Two of the most important events of human history are the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because sin had entered and brought judgment and death on all mankind, we needed a Savior Who could redeem our souls from destruction. For this reason, Christ Jesus came into the world. If Christ had not died on the cross for our sins, we would be doomed to eternal judgment. If He remained in the grave, His vicarious sacrifice would have no saving power. His resurrection proves that His death was of sufficient value to God to cover our sins. For believers, the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus is the power of God unto salvation and we have forgiveness of sins, hope and new life in Christ. The resurrection of Christ is certified and documented in the scriptures with such clarity that there is no doubt that the Lord Jesus Christ arose from the dead and is alive.
Mark 16:9-10 NKJV Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.
Mark 16:11-13 NKJV And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.
Mark 16:14 NKJV Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
1 Corinthians 15:5-8 NKJV He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
Do you believe?
The Bible gives testimony of individuals who were raised from the dead, but not in the manner that Jesus was. In the Old Testament, Elisha came into the house where the child was lying dead, and after much prayer, the child sneezed seven times and open his eyes. Later when Elisha was buried, raiding bands from Moab were burying a man, and as soon as his dead body touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet. While Jesus Christ was ministering, the widow of Nain’s son was brought back to life and Lazarus was raised after four days.
The resurrection of Jesus is unique.
In every other case where an individual was raised from the dead, they had to die again. Jesus made it clear that He was freely giving His life for the sins of man and that He had the power to take up His life again. After three days in the grave, Jesus Christ arose from the dead. When Christ arose, He had conquered death and then ascended back to the Father in heaven where He ever lives to make intercession for our sins. When Christ arose, He was recognizable and showed Himself alive so they could see Him, (Matthew 28:9-10).
He bore the visible imprint of the wounds in His hands, feet, and side and told His disciples to touch Him and they believed, (John 20:27-29,Matthew 28:9-10; Luke 24:39; John 20:27). He ate and drank with them, (Luke 24:40-43), walked and talked with them, (Luke 24:29-33, Mark 16:12-14), and knew them, (John 20:11-17). He spoke clearly with them and gave them instructions about what they were to do and what would happen, (Matthew 28:16-20). He had a physical body that was similar to what they had known, but He could appear and disappear in a locked room with them, John 20:19-23.
Jesus the Christ did this so that you may have new life in Him and be set free from your sins.
Do you believe?
Do you believe that Jesus took and bore your sins away?
As a result of what Jesus did for you, God will never remember your sins against you again.
In Psalms 25:7, the Psalmist prayed, “Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; according to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.”
You may remember your sins and other people may remember them, but through Jesus Christ, God can take your sins away from you.
Hebrews 10:17 NKJV According to His new covenant, God says: “I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them, and, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
The same power that brought Jesus Christ out of the grave is the power that gives us new life.
Romans 8:11 NKJV But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
If Christ is not raised from the dead, your faith is in vain. If Christ is not raised, you are still dead in your sins. If Christ is not raised, you do not have life in you.
Do You Believe?
After He was buried and lay in the grave for three days, Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene, (Mark 16:9).
Jesus told her to go and tell His disciples. Those she told did not believe her.
Then He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country, (Mark 16:12).
When they told it to the rest of them, they did not believe.
Later, He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table and He rebuked their unbelief.
Do you believe?
If you are going to experience new life in Christ, you must believe. When you believe, you open the window of God’s blessings. God has a specific and expected end in mind for you.
Jeremiah 29:11-14 NKJV For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope (KJV – “to give you an expected end”). Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord…
Do you believe it?
God knows the plans that He has for you and He has expectations for your future.
God has taken the necessary steps to bring you to His expected end. We rejoice today in the fact that God has good plans and an expected end for us.
Listen to what Jesus says those plans are.
John 15:1-5 NKJV “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.” “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
Christ’s resurrection life is going to produce fruit in you.
God has some great expectations for your life. He expects the Spirit of life to bear much fruit in you. This “expected end” produces great hope in us.
What expectation and what end does God have for us?
1 Thessalonians 2:19 NKJV For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?
“You in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming” is our “expected end.”
Paul was telling the church that God has an expectation for all of us. God expects us to be “in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming.”
God did not send His Son to die on the cross for nothing.
God’s redemption plan is to redeem the lost and put away their sins. He plans to give you life more abundantly and bring you into His presence.
God has an expectation of you.
There is glory awaiting you. There is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. There is life everlasting.
God expects something out of you.
God has done everything that He could do to bring about His expectation in you. To insure this, to guarantee this, God has planted you in Christ.
John 15:2 NKJV Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
Since God has done what He has done for you, He expects fruit out of you.
God has specific expectations for your life and future. He expects the Word that has been put in you will produce evidence of life and fruit. He expects righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. You should know that God has certain expectations. Since God has given His only begotten Son to save and redeem your eternal soul, He has great expectations for your life. By God’s grace and divine mercy, you have been grafted into Christ and He has given you the Holy Spirit to cause you to produce fruit. God expects the fruit of righteousness, obedience and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. He expects fruit from a sanctified and clean life. Since God has given you extra time to produce, you should know that He has some expectation.
When you said you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, God gave you grace.
When you believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, God brought you into resurrection life and expectation. God brought you into the life and power of this new life so that you could bear expected fruit. God has an expected end for you. He has prepared a place for you in His holy home.
Look closely at this.
Ephesians 5:25-27 NKJV Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Did you know that He loves you so much that He will sanctify and cleanse you? Do you know that He expects His church to be spotless and without wrinkle?
Jeremiah 29:11 KJV 1900 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
God has an expected end for you. His expectation, plan, ground of hope is to present you to Himself in a particular way. God is going to present you to Himself in purity and holiness. He is going to present you to Himself in victory and glory.
Hebrews 12:12-14 NKJV Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
God does not want you to be dislocated. He wants you to be healed. He has some expectations for you.
