A Easter Sunrise Service Devotion - Three Early Sunday Mornings

Introduction:

    As we celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, I'll be conducting a sunrise service for our church. At that service I plan to deliver a short message I'm entitling "Three Early Sunday Mornings". One may wonder about the title? As you will see in this post, the three Sunday mornings I refer to occurred on each of their respective first days of the week or "Sunday". What I find remarkable is when we align the timing of the landing of Noah's Ark, the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, and the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, they all fall on the same day, and what would be the same month! This is intentional on God's part in the revealing of His Scriptures, telegraphing to us important theological truths that point to the meaning of Christ's physical resurrection. Let's look briefly at these three early Sunday mornings.

1. The morning of a new life. 

    Genesis 8:1-4

    We begin with Genesis 8:1-4,

"But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water subsided. 2 Also the fountains of the deep and the floodgates of the sky were closed, and the rain from the sky was restrained; 3 and the water receded steadily from the earth, and at the end of one hundred and fifty days the water decreased. 4 In the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat."

     The seventeenth day of the tenth month was per the common civil calendar used by Israel and its neighbors all over the Ancient Near East. That date would correspond to the religious calendar of Israel, revealed by God to her in Exodus 12, when the tenth month (called later "Nisan" by the Jews in the Babylonian Exile a millennium after the Exodus) became the first month for the observances of the festivals God revealed to Israel following her Exodus from Egypt. God revealed to His people that even how they reckoned time was going to be different. The Jews would still use the civil calendar (which is the calendar Moses used in explaining the landing of the Ark, with the tenth month corresponding to what would be the first month for the Israelites in their religious calendar. 

    When Noah and his family in the Ark landed on top of Mount Ararat, the world as they knew it was no more. All flesh was destroyed. The physical features of earth were permanently altered. God had in effect begun a new creation. When Noah and his family stepped out of the ark, they were literally beginning a new life, in a new world, so-to-speak. F.B. Meyer notes in his commentary on this passage:

"Through God’s grace Noah stepped out into the new world-the world of resurrection. His first act was the burned-offering of consecration, which was followed immediately by promise."

    When Jesus raised from the dead, He was indicating a new era of human history had broken into this current age. Although the new era is not a full one yet, it indicates that Christ’s return could be at anytime, with His resurrection heralding the forthcoming new creation. Anyone born again in saving faith is spiritually part of the new creation, as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17 - "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."

2. The morning of a new redemption. Exodus 14:24-31; 15:1-21

    Our next early Sunday morning features the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. We pick up the text in Exodus 14:24-27,

"At the morning watch, the Lord looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion. 25 He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”

"Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing right into it; then the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea."

    You may recall the short discussion earlier about the civil and religious calendars of the Jewish people. In that conversation, we saw how the dates on each shed light on understanding what was going on in the timing of the landing of the Ark and what would be later the religious calendar month of Nisan or March/April. We now see the relevance of that discussion unfold here. 

    The Passover Eve was the Jewish month of Nisan 14 (our March/April). The Jews left Egypt on the 15th crossed the Red Sea on the 16th and saw Pharaoh and their armies around on the morning of the 17th (See Exodus 12, giving us the specific time frame). Moses expounds on this particular order of days in Leviticus. 23:4-6 

“In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover. 6 Then on the fifteenth day of the same month there is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.” 

    

     We have Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The day after the Sabbath, the 17th, would be the Feast of First Fruits, as Moses wrote again in Leviticus 23:9-11,

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord for you to be accepted; on the day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.” 

    The whole point of the Exodus and Passover was to convey God's redemptive act. No doubt the Israelites saved out of Egypt were beginning a new life and new era in their history. We see what theologians call a "typological connection", whereby an event, people group, person, or institution in the Old Testament pictures or foreshadows something about Jesus and salvation in the New Testament. Noah and the Ark do this "typological" messaging (compare 1 Peter 3:18-21). The Exodus from Egypt does the same, pointing ahead to Christ's redemptive work on Calvary, as well as His resurrection. 

    We see the Old Testament festivals like First-fruits and Passover used of Jesus in the New Testament. For example, redemption once and for all accomplished is done so by Christ our Passover, as relayed by Paul in 1 Corinthians 5:7, as well as His resurrection from the dead as detailed in the image of Jesus as our first fruit (1 Cor 15:20-23).

3. The morning of a victorious 

    announcement. Matthew 28:1-7

    We've seen our first two Sunday mornings, with the landing of the Ark of Noah on the 17th day of the tenth month, corresponding to the Jewish religious calendar month of Nisan (our March/April) and hence the whole Passover/Feast of Unleavened Bread/Feast of First Fruits festivals. The landing of the Ark conveyed the beginning of new life. Then, with the Passover/Feast of Unleavened Bread/Feast of First Fruits festivals begun in Exodus and Leviticus, we see those festivals, along with the earlier revelation about the Ark telegraphing not only the theme of "new life", but also "redemption". After all, the Exodus is the standout example of a typological or foreshadowing connection to Jesus death and resurrection. We now come to our final early Sunday morning, the main fulfillment of those two earlier ones. 

    I call that first Easter morning "the morning of victorious announcement" because of what we read in Matthew 28:1-7,

“Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. 2 And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. 3 And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. 6 He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. 7 Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”

    Notice how the text begins "early on the first day of the week". It is after the Sabbath, which would have been a Saturday of course. Passover began on Thursday evening and carried into Friday according to the Jewish custom of the first century. Jesus was crucified on Friday or at Passover time, fulfilling the typology of the Passover Lamb of the Exodus. He then on Saturday did quite a bit in proclaiming victory and salvation to the fallen angels in Hades (who had by the way been part of rebellion preceding the flood! See 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6; 1 Peter 3:18-20).  

    It was then on Sunday, the 17th of Nisan (again our "March/April" time frame) our Lord arose. This 17th day of the month is the same date as the landing of Noah's ark and that of the Israelites setting foot on the other side of the Red Sea.  In other words, this final Sunday morning fulfilled the typology or foreshadowing symbolism of the landing of Noah's Ark and the Exodus. New life. Redemption. The two themes are brought together at the empty tomb! Christ physically raised from the dead. All who by grace through faith trust in Him begin anew and are redeemed. May that be said of you dear reader. Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Defending The Resurrection Of Jesus From The Dead And Noting Its Importance For Today

 

Matthew 28:6 "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. 7 Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”

Note to reader: I have included links to videos in this post which readers can click on and view to visualize what I have written in the post below.

Introduction:

    

      No other event or Christian doctrine is more proclaimed, more attacked, and more crucial than Christ's resurrection. We will first note four key areas of consideration when talking about the event of the empty tomb. Afterwards, we will then consider how three top "Christian apologists" or "defenders of the faith" handle the resurrection of Jesus in their communication of the Christian faith. Then lastly, we will consider why the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus are crucial to connecting the Christian faith today to what followed from the empty tomb during that first Easter morning.

Four key areas involved in discussing the resurrection of Jesus from the dead

1. Jesus' burial

2. The empty tomb

3. Jesus' post resurrection appearances to His followers

4. Changed lives of Jesus' followers

       Now why are the four above categories important? Whether one is a committed Christian or a skeptic, the four above areas are those which the majority New Testament scholars (whether conservative, non-conservative or skeptical alike) agree as those events which require explanation. It is one thing to find a majority consensus on "what happened". Yet, it is quite another matter when exploring the explanations for what happened. Readers may check out two videos which lay out the events associated with the empty tomb here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qhQRMhUK1o&t=26s and the explanations given for the empty tomb here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SbJ4p6WiZE Both videos together provide a compelling example of how one could present the historical argument for Jesus' resurrection. 

Explanations of what brought about the empty tomb, and the only one which show itself superior to all the others.

       There are only two sorts of explanations for the empty tomb on that first Easter. First, there are naturalistic explanations (examples being: Jesus fainted and was revived in the tomb; Jesus' body was stolen; a look-alike was placed on the cross; the disciples hallucinated; the location of the tomb was mis-identified). Then the second sort of explanations is the supernatural explanation (God raised Jesus from the dead). When anyone puts forth an explanation, the way to test each of these is to see which one explains the four facts above and which one outperforms the rival explanations. I won't go any further but to say the above summary is typical of how the event of Jesus' resurrection is approached as a historical event. 

What top Christian apologists or defenders of the Christian faith say about Jesus' resurrection from the dead

       Apologetics is that branch of Christian doctrine which expresses why a Christian believes what they believe and defends the Christian faith against common objections. Three top Christian Apologists today list the above four areas in their short list of what lies at the core of the Biblical narrative of Jesus' resurrection from the dead.  I want the reader to note the last element in each of their listings, since the importance of Jesus' post-resurrected appearances will be discussed toward the end of this post.

       First, Josh McDowell in his book: "Evidence that Demands a Verdict" lists the following elements of what he calls "the resurrection scene":1

1. Jesus was dead

2. The tomb

3. The burial

4. The stone

5. The seal

6. The guard

7. The disciples

8. The post-resurrection appearances 

        The second Christian apologist, Liberty University Professor Gary Habermas, lists out a very similar short list in the argument he gives for the resurrection that he calls the "minimal facts argument":2

1. The burial

2. The empty tomb

3. Post resurrection appearances

4. Changed lives (especially of the Apostle Paul).

       Dr. Habermas' argument leans heavily on Paul's statements in 1 Corinthians 15:1-10, noting that the material represents early information that takes the reader back to within a year after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.  

       The third Christian Apologist who argues for the historicity and reliability of the resurrection accounts of Jesus Christ is Dr. William Lane Craig, a world renowned expert and debater who frequently engages with formidable opponents of the Christian faith.  In his presentations, I have heard Dr. Craig list in a similar fashion the following essential elements to the account of Jesus' resurrection from the dead:

1. The burial

2. The empty tomb

3. The post resurrection appearances

4. The changed lives of the disciples

5. The conversion of the Apostle Paul

The one area among these elements that merits further focus and explanation: Jesus' post-resurrection appearances to various people.

         The particular matter of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances, and how to explain the dramatic change in the disciples' lives will be reserved for the end of this post. For now, the reader should know that, in the last 30 years, academic scholarship has shown increasing interest in testing explanations for what took place on that first Easter morning. 

       For any Christian, the explanation or hypothesis: "God raised Jesus from the dead", not only represents the Biblical position but also has shown itself the most able to explain the four areas above and to consistently outperform its naturalistic rivals.  Exploring how the post resurrected Jesus radically changed the lives of his disciples in the wake of His resurrection, as well as how He is still changing lives today lends immense credibility to the truth of the resurrection narratives. 

What we observe in the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus

         Whenever we consider the four Gospel records, the Book of Acts and 1 Corinthians 15, we find a dozen episodes featuring Christ's post- resurrection appearances.  Furthermore, we find three common themes among them all:

1. Desperate condition of the people before His appearances.

2. Direct encounter with the Risen Christ during the appearances.

3. Dramatic change that resulted from the appearances.

        Eight individuals or groups stand out in these post-resurrection appearance narratives, what we could call "post-resurrection profiles". 

1. Mary Magdalene

2. Peter

3. Emmaus Road Disciples

4. Thomas

5. The Disciples in general

6. Group of 500 people

7. James, the half brother of Jesus 

8. Paul

        In scanning over these eight people or groups, we discover that in each case, their lives before, during and after each post-resurrection appearance leads to the conclusion that Christ indeed not only raised from the dead, but is alive and operating among His people. Such post-resurrection power is the basis for the salvation and Christian growth of every Christian living today.

Closing thought

        The importance of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances cannot be over-estimated.  Not only is such a truth a vital component in communicating and defending the truth of Jesus' resurrection from the dead, but also is vital in explaining how Jesus is able to change lives today. In closing, this is why we come across such statements as 1 Peter 1:3. 

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 

      May we think on such truths and live our lives for the living, risen and exalted Jesus Christ!

Endnotes:

1. Josh McDowell. Evidence that Demands a Verdict - Volume 1. Here's Life Publishers. Page 189.

2. Dr. Habermas' minimal facts presentation can be found at the following link at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay_Db4RwZ_M

Six Reasons Why Jesus' Resurrection Is Significant For You Today

1 Corinthians 15:19-20 "If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep."

Introduction:

      Happy Resurrection Sunday! Below are some reflections on the significance of the Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead. Notice the follow reasons why the resurrection of Jesus is the most important truth of Christianity, life, and existence...

1. The resurrection provides the basis for truth, meaning and life's purpose

      To begin, the clearest statement found in the Bible on the significance of Christ’s resurrection from the dead is found in 1 Corinthians 15:19-20a 

“If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most pitied. (20) But now Christ has been raised from the dead…” 

    All Christianity, and life, and the entirety of existence rises or falls with this doctrinal and historical reality.

2. The resurrection is the best explanation for the beginnings and spread of Christianity

      The historical, physical, supernatural resurrection of Jesus from the dead and physical post-mortem appearances best explain why the disciples switched from skepticism to robust faith. Additionally, unless Jesus had physically resurrected from the dead and had made post-mortem appearances, the early church would not had begun.

3. The resurrection of Jesus is the power-source behind the preaching of the Bible

      Christian doctrine would be jeopardized (1 Corinthians 15:1-11) were it not for Jesus' resurrection. Christian preaching and the church itself would have no reason for being practiced if Christ had not risen from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:12-19). Moreover, any ability to gain abiding hope in this present life must be abandoned if Jesus Christ had never risen from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20-28, 29-58). 

4. Jesus' resurrection is the basis for worship and adoration of God

       But praise be to God – Jesus has risen – and thus we serve a risen, exalted Savior! The existence, reality, and identity of the true and living God of the Bible is verified by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead (Romans 6:4-11; Romans 8:11; 1 Peter 1:3). Jesus’ own Deity and true humanity are both verified by this event (John 10:17; Romans 1:1-3; Romans 9:5). Christ’s resurrection from the dead – deemed “firstfruits” in 1 Corinthians 15:20b - guarantees the Christian’s future, glorified, transformed resurrection body at His return (1 Thessalonians 4:13-16; 1 Corinthians 15:42-58). 

5. Jesus' resurrection validates the truth of the Bible

         Christ’s resurrection also paved the way with regards to the prophecies and predictions about the Old Testament saints in the resurrection of the righteous, of which Jesus' followers will have a part (Job 14:14; Daniel 12). The Kingdom of darkness and Satan himself stand condemned and defeated as a result of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead (Colossians 2:11-12; Hebrews 2:11-14; 1 Peter 3:18-20). 

6. The resurrection of Jesus is relevant for the power to live the Christian life today

        To summarize – Jesus’ resurrection stands as the epicenter of Christian experience, doctrine, history, the present and future hope for all who trust in Him. The Bible makes the invitation for you, if you have not done so, to entrust your life to Jesus as your Savior, Lord and Treasure. Romans 10:9 states:

"If you will confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved". 

May all who read this have a wonderful Resurrection day!

Death's Obituary - An Easter Sunday Meditation On Christ's Victory Over Death

 

1 Corinthians 15:54-57 "But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Jesus Christ won the cosmic battle, resulting in Death's obituary

       When one reads the above closing text of 1 Corinthians 15, it has the ring of an "obituary about death". Paul's whole point in 1 Corinthians 15 is to detail how we can know not only the historicity of Jesus' resurrection from the dead, but also its life-practical and eternal implications. When it is all said and done, what Christ achieved on that first Easter morning not only had historical significance and life-changing power, but cosmic implications. When I say "cosmic", I mean the supernatural war that the kingdom of darkness has waged against God since Lucifer's cosmic rebellion in heaven at the near beginning of creation (see Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28). Satan's introduction of sin to Adam and Eve, and their compliance to his temptation, resulted in curse, sin and death on the whole physical creation (see Romans 5:12-21; 8:20-25). 

         Would Death have the final word? So it would seem. One population statistic I read of years ago suggests that over 12 billion human beings have lived on our planet since its creation. All human beings since Adam have faced death in one way or another and lost. Yes, we can note of course two exceptions in the Old Testament in which God directly took Enoch to Heaven (Genesis 5:24) and the prophet Elijah to Heaven in a fiery chariot (2 Kings 2:12). Nevertheless, God forestalled what otherwise would had been Enoch's and Elijah's appointments with physical death (Hebrews 9:27). Death keeps its appointments. No one had ever died and came back by their own power, let alone experienced a physical transformation of their body as Jesus did. 

          God's curse on creation would result in death's seeming permanence. Old Testament prophecy predicted a time will come when death's universal pattern will be reversed (see Job 19:25-27; Daniel 12:1-3). Still, these prophecies indicate that such reversal would not happen until the end of history. Would death itself ever fail to take even one human being? 

           On Easter morning Death was dealt a major loss. Jesus Christ did not merely cheat death of a victory, He conquered it. Furthermore, His resurrection included the transformation of His physical body in the grave, meaning He would never die again. We see roughly half a dozen instances in the Bible where prophets, and even Christ Himself, would rescucitate people by bringing them back from the dead (Lazarus is the most famous of these in John 11). But eventually, Lazarus would die, since his body had not experienced the transformation to glory and immortality that accompanies resurrection. Jesus on the otherhand experienced this glorious transformation. As Sovereign God in human flesh, Jesus took the end of history and inserted it into the middle of this present age by His resurrection from the dead. Death lost! Christ will never die again! He is risen! What this means is the beginning of the reversal of Death's dominion, as described by Paul's term for Jesus as being the "first fruits" of such a reversal (see 1 Corinthians 15:20,23). Every Christ-follower looks forward to the day when they will experience a resurrection of their own from the dead or, if still alive at Christ's appearing, be taken up into Heaven with their bodies transformed like Enoch and Elijah (see 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

         In thinking on what Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, the thought came to mind concerning "death's obituary". It appears Paul had in mind the words of Isaiah the prophet in Isaiah 25:8-9 

"He will swallow up death for all time,

And the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken.

9 And it will be said in that day, “Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited;

Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

      What Jesus achieved on that first Easter morning made Him the first to conquer death! We certainly find evidence of Christ's victory over death issuing forth on that first Easter morning, as found in Luke 24:1-8 - 

"But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; 5 and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? 6 He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, 7 saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” 8 And they remembered His words."

        Such words ought to always be remembered by Christ-followers everywhere when faced with doubt, fear or worry. As I prayed about what it must had been like on that first Easter morning, as well as what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, this theme of "Death's Obituary" kept coming up in my heart. So, I shared this thought with my wife, and what she wrote below goes wonderfully with what Paul seems to be communicating in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57. I close today's post with her wonderful piece entitled: "Death's Obituary".

Death's Obituary - By Debi Smith

Death, formerly from the region of Hades, died on Easter morning surrounded by legions of stunned and terrified demons. Death lived a long life. Some of His biggest claims to fame included scaring and immobilizing people from living; killing people that thought they had tomorrow; and separating people from loved ones until Death decided it was there time as well. Death leaves behind no one to mourn him. There will be no services, but there will be a celebration held at a later date when Jesus Christ comes back to claim His followers. At that time, there will be a burial as Death will be cast into the lake of fire never to be seen again. In lieu of flowers or donations, we ask that everyone seek the Lord while He may be found and embrace eternal life."

Holy Saturday - An Explanation Of What Jesus Did Between His Death And Resurrection

 

1 Peter 3:18-20 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.

Introduction:

       I was once asked a rather interesting question: "What Jesus did between the time He died until He raised from the dead?" This post aims to answer that question. The question concerning what Jesus did between His crucifixion and resurrection is relevant to what is historically known in the Christian Church as "Holy Saturday". Central to this post is the notion that Jesus proclaimed victory over the powers of Hell. Furthermore, once Jesus declared His triumph, He then presented His once and for all sacrifice for sin to the Father between His death and resurrection.

The significance of the Saturday the falls between "Good Friday" and "Easter Sunday"

       Today is the Saturday that lies between "Good Friday" and "Easter Sunday". This day, simply called "Holy Saturday", considers what all was potentially taking place during the interment of Jesus' body in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. In the book "Preaching through the Christian Year", an ancient practice of the early church is recounted: 

"In the ancient church, the tradition of the Easter Vigil played an important role. Catechumens (young converts to the Christian faith), after remaining awake and watchful throughout Saturday night, were baptized early on Easter morning and then joined the Christian community in Holy communion." 1 

        I'm sure some readers, for instance, can recall "Easter Sunrise Services" and other Christian traditions that urge the church to recall her central identity in Jesus' death, burial and resurrection. As a boy, whenever our family would attend such sunrise services, the anticipation, the excitement, hung in the air. The great thing about Holy Saturday is the expectation that builds-up in the Christ-follower's heart as the look forward to Easter Sunday. 

A reminder about the mystery of Christ's incarnation.

         Over 2,000 years ago, Christ's physical body laid at "rest" in the tomb while He, in His immaterial soul, presented His accomplishment to the Father and proclaimed victory. The mystery of the incarnation reminds us that the Eternal Person of the Son came to take unto Himself true humanity (see Matthew 1:21-23; John 1:14; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 10:5-7). As He ever remained truly "God with us", He came to be also "man for us" (see Matthew 1:21-23; John 1:14; Romans 1:1-3; 9:4-5; Titus 2:11-13). As truly God, the Person of the Son retained eternal perfections such as omnipresence, omniscience, and the inability to die. As truly man, the Person of the Son experienced the limitations that come with being man, including being in one place at a time (locality, Luke 2:49; Philippians 2:5-7), finite knowledge (Matthew 24:36), and the ability to die (mortality, Mark 10:45; John 10:11). In this post, the focus rests upon all Jesus would experience as "man for our sakes", reminding the reader that whenever we speak about Him, we distinguish between who He remained to be as "God with us" and "man for us".

Holy Saturday is all about "rest" and "victory"

        The Apostle's Creed, an ancient confession of faith still recited by Christians the world-over, includes this phrase: 

"He was crucified, dead and buried. He descended into hell, on the third day He raised from the dead." 

       Christians historically have emphasized this major theme of "rest" for Holy Saturday. Such rest, both spiritually and otherwise, could only be achieved as a result of Christ finished work on the cross and what was (then) His pending resurrection. The work Jesus did in-between death and resurrection cemented together the victory of the cross and what would be His victory over death. It honestly comforts me to think of how helpless the powers of darkness were in preventing Christ from these decisive actions. 

        Robert Webber in his book: "Ancient Future Time", comments on Holy Saturday in regards to the theme of "rest":

"Saturday is a day of rest and preparation for the great service of resurrection. It is a day to keep silence, to fast, to pray, to identify with Jesus in the tomb, and to prepare for the great resurrection feast."2

          So with the twin themes of "rest" and "victory", Holy Saturday gets the Christian ready for the glory of the resurrection that is central to Easter Sunday. What follows from here is an attempt to draw together the New Testament testimony of what Jesus did.

Stitching together the New Testament passages that reference Christ's proclamation of victory between that first Good Friday and Easter Sunday

         The four Gospels detail the events of Christ's death, burial and resurrection.  The remainder of the New Testament (Acts, 21 Epistles and Revelation) unfold the meaning what He achieved. The Apostle Peter in his first epistle aims to show how we as Christians ought to stand firm in God's grace (1 Peter 5:12). Peter's letter ties in our ability to stand in such grace to what Jesus Christ accomplished.  1 Peter 3:18-20 will act as our telescope to view the New Testament passages that reference the events of "Holy Saturday. To do this, we will consider the following two main thoughts about Christ's accomplished work:

A. The Purpose of Christ's Accomplished Work - reconciliation.  1 Peter 3:18

B. The Proclamation of Christ's Accomplished Work - Victory.  1 Peter 3:19-20

A. Purpose of Christ’s Victorious Work – Reconciliation 3:18 

i. What did He do? He died 

He died for sins.  As Dr. Danny Akin of South Western Baptist Theological Seminary once noted: "He lived the life I couldn't live and He died the death I should have died."

ii. Whom did He die for? The unjust 

Romans 5:6-8 states - "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." 

         Jesus' death on behalf of sinners accomplished two necessary effects required for reconciliation with God. The first necessary effect was expiation, that is, the removal of the cause of God's wrath upon us - our sin (Romans 5:10). The second effect had to do with propitiation, that is, the satisfaction of God's wrath (1 John 2:2). Below in the next thought (point "iii"), we see why expiation (taking away of sin) and propitiation (satisfying wrath) are necessary for reconciliation.

iii. Why did he die? To bring us to God (reconciliation) 

Dr. Michael Horton notes: 

"The result of God's wrath being satisfied is reconciliation. Just as we are first of all passive subjects of God's wrath when God propitiates, we are passive subjects of God's reconciliation at the cross.  We do not reconcile ourselves to God; God reconciles Himself to us and us to Him."3

iv. How did He do it? Death and resurrection

Christ's death, burial and resurrection are at the heart of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). The New Testament mostly focuses upon Christ's death and resurrection.  However, what went on during the three days He was buried is not explained in near as much detail as the two book-ends of the Gospel: namely Christ's death and resurrection.  

         Death and Resurrection serve to explain how Christ accomplished what he achieved. What He did in His burial (down below) reveals some of the behind (and under) the scenes work He did in insuring our ability to walk as believers in His Victorious work. 

B. Proclamation of Christ’s Victorious Work – Victory 3:19-20 

i. What did He do between His death &    resurrection? Proclaimed victory 3:19 

John MacArthur has perhaps explained this text better than just about everyone I've read or heard: 

"He was announcing, proclaiming (and) heralding a triumph. About what? It must be pretty obvious, about His triumph over sin, about His triumph over death, about His triumph over hell, about His triumph over demons, about His triumph over Satan." 4

ii. To whom did He proclaim His victory? The  demons reserved for judgment. 3:19-20 

         If we were to attempt to offer a faint outline of what Jesus did between His death and resurrection, we could maybe understand why He went to proclaim His victory to the demonic realm.  Much activity was done by Christ in this short-span of time. 

         First He went immediately into the presence of His Father by way of the Holy Spirit in his human spirit to present His once and for all sacrifice (Hebrew 9:15). 

          Next, He went down into those regions of hell where some of the demons (especially those who rebelled in Noah's day) are being reserved for judgment. 

          Thirdly, Christ would had released the Old Testament saints from the righteous realm of the dead (i.e. paradise) to lead the captives out to where they could come with Him to where the saints go in this age (Ephesians 4:8-11). Some have connected this particular event to when the saints came out of their tombs in Matthew 27:52-53.

          Fourthly, Christ's proclamation of victory insures that hell will not prevail against the church (Matthew 16:18) as well as fulfilling the fact of His triumph over the demonic realm (Colossians 2:14-15). 

         Fifthly, Christ's resurrection from the dead meant He had completed His mission of proclamation and thus He arose as a victorious King, subduing all cosmic powers under Himself (Acts 2:24; 1 Peter 3:22).

iii. Why did he proclaim His victory? To  guarantee Christian victory 3:19-20 

         He did this to pave the way for what would be His ascension into Heaven 40 days after His resurrection from the dead (Ephesians 4:7-10). 

iv. What was His victory over? Sin (1 Pet 3:18), hell (1 Pet 3:19-20; Col 2:11-12), grave (3:18,21b)

Revelation 1:4-5 states - 

"John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood".

Closing thoughts

As we draw this post to a close, let's remember our two main thoughts for today's post:

1. The Purpose of Christ's Accomplished Work - reconciliation. 1 Peter 3:18

2. The Proclamation of Christ's Accomplished Work - Victory. 1 Peter 3:19-20

        What Jesus accomplished was proclaimed by Him both in heaven and to the defeated demonic realm. Such activities provided grounds for which future generations of Christian could stand who by grace through faith trusted in Jesus. The cross of Good Friday and the work of Holy Saturday pointed to what would be the great victory of Easter Sunday. He has risen! As Christians, we rest in these works of Jesus.

Endnotes:

1. Fred B. Craddock; John H. Hayes; Carl R. Holladay and Gene M. Tucker. Preaching Through the Christian Year - Part A. Trinity Press International. Harrisburg, PA. 1992. Page 227

2. Robert Webber. Ancient-Future Time: Forming Spirituality Through The Christian Year." Baker Books. 2004.

2. Michael Horton. The Christian Faith - A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way. Zondervan. 2011. Page 500

3. http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/60-37/the-triumph-of-christs-suffering-part-2

Six Reasons Why The Resurrection Of Jesus Is Significant For Today

 

1 Corinthians 15:19-20 "If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep."

Introduction:

       Happy resurrection Sunday! Below are some reflections on the significance of the Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead. Notice the follow reasons why the resurrection of Jesus is the most important truth of Christianity, life and existence...

1. The resurrection provides the basis for truth, meaning and life's purpose

      To begin, the clearest statement found in the Bible on the significance of Christ’s resurrection from the dead is found in 1 Corinthians 15:19-20a 

“If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most pitied. (20) But now Christ has been raised from the dead…” All Christianity, and life and the entirety of existence rises or falls with this doctrinal and historical reality.

2. The resurrection is the only explanation for the beginnings and spread of Christianity

      The historical, physical, supernatural resurrection of Jesus from the dead and physical post-mortem appearances best explain why the disciples switched from skepticism to robust faith. Additionally, unless Jesus had physically resurrected from the dead and had made post-mortem appearances, the early church would not had begun.

3. The resurrection of Jesus is the power-source behind the preaching of the Bible

      Christian doctrine would be jeopardized (1 Corinthians 15:1-11) were it not for Jesus' resurrection. Christian preaching and the church itself would have no reason for being practiced if Christ had not risen from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:12-19). Moreover, any ability to gain abiding hope in this present life must be abandoned if Jesus Christ had never risen from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20-28, 29-58). 

4. Jesus' resurrection is the basis for worship and adoration of God

       But praise be to God – Jesus has risen – and thus we serve a risen, exalted Savior! The existence, reality and identity of the true and living God of the Bible is verified by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead (Romans 6:4-11; Romans 8:11; 1 Peter 1:3). Jesus’ own Deity and true humanity are both verified by this event (John 10:17; Romans 1:1-3; Romans 9:5). Christ’s resurrection from the dead – deemed “firstfruits” in 1 Corinthians 15:20b - guarantees the Christian’s future, glorified, transformed resurrection body at His return (1 Thessalonians 4:13-16; 1 Corinthians 15:42-58). 

5. Jesus' resurrection validates the truth of the Bible

         Christ’s resurrection also paved the way with regards to the prophecies and predictions about the Old Testament saints in the resurrection of the righteous, of which Jesus' followers will have a part (Job 14:14; Daniel 12). The Kingdom of darkness and Satan himself stand condemned and defeated as a result of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead (Colossians 2:11-12; Hebrews 2:11-14; 1 Peter 3:18-20). 

6. The resurrection of Jesus is relevant for the power to live the Christian life today

        To summarize – Jesus’ resurrection stands as the epicenter of Christian experience, doctrine, history, the present and future hope for all who trust in Him. The Bible makes the invitation for you, if you have not done so, to entrust your life to Jesus as your Savior, Lord and Treasure. Romans 10:9 states:

"If you will confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord", and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved". 

May all who read this have a wonderful Resurrection day!

Happy Holy Saturday - An Explanation Of What Jesus Did Between His Death And Resurrection

 

1 Peter 3:18-20 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.

Introduction:

       I was once asked a rather interesting question: "What Jesus did between the time He died until He raised from the dead?" This post aims to answer that question. The question concerning what Jesus did between His crucifixion and resurrection is relevant to "Holy Saturday". Central to this post is the notion that Jesus proclaimed victory over the powers of Hell. Furthermore, once Jesus exclaimed His triumph, He then presented His once and for all sacrifice for sin to the Father between His death and resurrection.

The significance of the Saturday the falls between "Good Friday" and "Easter Sunday"

       Today is the Saturday that lies between "Good Friday" and "Easter Sunday". This day, simply called "Holy Saturday", considers what all was potentially taking place during the interment of Jesus' body in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. In the book "Preaching through the Christian Year", an ancient practice of the early church is recounted: 

"In the ancient church, the tradition of the Easter Vigil played an important role. Catechumens (young converts to the Christian faith), after remaining awake and watchful throughout Saturday night, were baptized early on Easter morning and then joined the Christian community in Holy communion." 1 

        I'm sure some readers, for instance, can recall "Easter Sunrise Services" and other Christian traditions that urge the church to recall her central identity in Jesus' death, burial and resurrection. As a boy, whenever our family would attend such sunrise services, the anticipation, the excitement, hung in the air. The great thing about Holy Saturday is the expectation that builds-up in the Christ-follower's heart as the look forward to Easter Sunday. 

         Over 2,000 years ago, Christ's physical body laid at "rest" in the tomb while He, in His immaterial soul, presented His accomplishment to the Father and proclaimed victory. The Apostle's Creed, an ancient confession of faith still recited by Christians the world-over, includes this phrase: 

"He was crucified, dead and buried. He descended into hell, on the third day He raised from the dead." 

       Christians historically have emphasized this major theme of "rest" for Holy Saturday. Such rest, both spiritually and otherwise, could only be achieved as a result of Christ finished work on the cross and what was (then) His pending resurrection. The work Jesus did in-between death and resurrection cemented together the victory of the cross and what would be His victory over death. It honestly comforts me to think of how helpless the powers of darkness were in preventing Christ from these decisive actions. 

        Robert Webber in his book: Ancient Future Time", comments on Holy Saturday in regards to the theme of "rest":

"Saturday is a day of rest and preparation for the great service of resurrection. It is a day to keep silence, to fast, to pray, to identify with Jesus in the tomb, and to prepare for the great resurrection feast."2

          So with the twin themes of "rest" and "victory", Holy Saturday gets the Christian ready for the glory of the resurrection that is central to Easter Sunday. What follows from hereon is an attempt to draw together the New Testament testimony of what Jesus did.

Stitching together the New Testament passages that reference Christ's proclamation of victory between that first Good Friday and Easter Sunday

         The four Gospels detail the events of Christ's death, burial and resurrection.  The remainder of the New Testament (Acts, 21 Epistles and Revelation) unfold the meaning what He achieved.  The Apostle Peter in his first epistle aims to show how we as Christians ought to stand firm in God's grace (1 Peter 5:12). Peter's letter ties in our ability to stand in such grace to what Jesus Christ accomplished.  1 Peter 3:18-20 will act as our telescope to view the New Testament passages that reference the events of "Holy Saturday. To do this, we will consider the following two main thoughts about Christ's accomplished work:

A. The Purpose of Christ's Accomplished Work - reconciliation.  1 Peter 3:18

B. The Proclamation of Christ's Accomplished Work - Victory.  1 Peter 3:19-20

A. Purpose of Christ’s Victorious Work – Reconciliation 3:18 

i. What did He do? He died 

He died for sins.  As Dr. Danny Akin of South Western Baptist Theological Seminary once noted: "He lived the life I couldn't live and He died the death I should have died."

ii. Whom did He die for? The unjust 

Romans 5:6-8 states - "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." 

         Jesus' death on behalf of sinners accomplished two necessary effects required for reconciliation with God. The first necessary effect was expiation or the removal of the cause of God's wrath upon us - our sin (Romans 5:10). The second effect had to do with propitiation - that is to say, the satisfaction of God's wrath (1 John 2:2). Below in the next thought (point "iii"), we see why expiation (taking away of sin) and propitiation (satisfying wrath) are necessary for reconciliation.

iii. Why did he die? To bring us to God (reconciliation) 

Dr. Michael Horton notes: 

"The result of God's wrath being satisfied is reconciliation. Just as we are first of all passive subjects of God's wrath when God propitiates, we are passive subjects of God's reconciliation at the cross.  We do not reconcile ourselves to God; God reconciles Himself to us and us to Him."3

iv. How did He do it? Death and resurrection

Christ's death, burial and resurrection are at the heart of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). The New Testament mostly focuses upon Christ's death and resurrection.  However, what went on during the three days He was buried is not explained in near as much detail as the two book-ends of the Gospel: namely Christ's death and resurrection.  

         Death and Resurrection serve to explain how Christ accomplished what he accomplished. What He did in His burial (down below) reveals some of the behind (and under) the scenes work He did in insuring our ability to walk as believers in His Victorious work. 

B. Proclamation of Christ’s Victorious Work – Victory 3:19-20 

i. What did He do between His death &    resurrection? Proclaimed victory 3:19 

John MacArthur has perhaps explained this text better than just about everyone I've read or heard: 

"He was announcing, proclaiming (and) heralding a triumph. About what? It must be pretty obvious, about His triumph over sin, about His triumph over death, about His triumph over hell, about His triumph over demons, about His triumph over Satan." 4

ii. To whom did He proclaim His victory? The  demons reserved for judgment. 3:19-20 

         If we were to attempt to offer a faint outline of what Jesus did between His death and resurrection, we could maybe understand why He went to proclaim His victory to the demonic realm.  Much activity was done by Christ in this short-span of time. 

         First He went immediately into the presence of His Father by way of the Holy Spirit in his human spirit to present His once and for all sacrifice (Hebrew 9:15). 

          Next, He went down into those regions of hell where some of the demons (especially those who rebelled in Noah's day) are being reserved for judgment. 

          Thirdly, Christ would had released the Old Testament saints from the righteous realm of the dead (i.e. paradise) to lead the captives out to where they could come with Him to where the saints go in this age (Ephesians 4:8-11). Some have connected this particular event to when the saints came out of their tombs in Matthew 27:52-53.

          Fourthly, Christ's proclamation of victory insures that hell will not prevail against the church (Matthew 16:18) as well as fulfilling the fact of His triumph over the demonic realm (Colossians 2:14-15). 

         Fifthly, Christ's resurrection from the dead meant He had completed His mission of proclamation and thus He arose as a victorious King, subduing all cosmic powers under Himself (Acts 2:24; 1 Peter 3:22).

iii. Why did he proclaim His victory? To  guarantee Christian victory 3:19-20 

         He did this to pave the way for what would be His ascension into Heaven 40 days after His resurrection from the dead (Ephesians 4:7-10). 

iv. What was His victory over? Sin (1 Pet 3:18), hell 1 Pet 3:19-20; Col 2:11-12) grave (3:18,21b)

Revelation 1:4-5 states - 

"John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood".

Closing thoughts

As we draw this post to a close, let's remember our two main thoughts for today's post:

1. The Purpose of Christ's Accomplished Work - reconciliation. 1 Peter 3:18

2. The Proclamation of Christ's Accomplished Work - Victory. 1 Peter 3:19-20

        What Jesus accomplished was proclaimed by Him both in heaven and to the defeated demonic realm. Such activities provided grounds for which future generations of Christian could stand who by grace through faith trusted in Jesus. The cross of Friday and the work of Saturday pointed to what would be the great victory of that early Sunday Morning: He has risen! As Christians, we rest in these works of Jesus.

Endnotes:

1. Fred B. Craddock; John H. Hayes; Carl R. Holladay and Gene M. Tucker. Preaching Through the Christian Year - Part A. Trinity Press International. Harrisburg, PA. 1992. Page 227

2. Robert Webber. Ancient-Future Time: Forming Spirituality Through The Christian Year." Baker Books. 2004.

2. Michael Horton. The Christian Faith - A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way. Zondervan. 2011. Page 500

3. http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/60-37/the-triumph-of-christs-suffering-part-2