A little girl was standing in the foyer of her church, staring at a plaque on the wall. The pastor approached her and asked what had caught her attention. The child replied that she was looking at all the names on the wall. The pastor explained that those names belonged to the church members who had died in the service.
The girl paused for a moment and then asked, “Did they die during the morning or evening service?”
Resurrection Sunday is a time to celebrate Jesus’ life, not to memorialize his death. The resurrection of Christ is a foundation stone of our faith.
With its prophetic nature, the Old Testament foretold Christ’s resurrection. A key lesson we can glean from Jesus’ resurrection is that God is entirely in control. The assurance of Jesus’ resurrection is found in what many scholars consider the oldest book of Scripture: Job. In verse 19:25-27, Job says, "I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end, He will stand on the earth. After my skin has been destroyed, I will see God; I will see Him with my eyes — how my heart yearns within me."
Psalm 16:9-11 speaks about the resurrection, stating, "My whole being rejoices; for You will not abandon My soul, You make known to Me the path of life." These words were written approximately 1,000 years before the birth of Jesus.
Isaiah also made several prophecies concerning Jesus about 700 years before His birth. The Jewish historian Josephus confirmed Jesus’ resurrection in The Antiquities of the Jews, Book 18, Chapter 3:63-64. Again, one point about Jesus’ resurrection is that it shows God is totally in control. Why? Because only God could bring all these events together with pinpoint accuracy.
Resurrection power assures that God is trustworthy and transforms the believer from "glory to glory," as 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 states. People who believe in the resurrection power of God are saved.
The Greek word for "saved" in 1 Corinthians 1:18 is "Sozo." This word, used in the context of this verse, means "born again." However, sozo also carries additional meanings: healed, prosperous, delivered, preserved, whole, blessed, and protected. These multiple meanings of sozo deepen our understanding of the transformative power of God’s resurrection power, illustrating the comprehensive and all-encompassing nature of this transformation.
As believers, we experience spiritual rebirth. Our goal is to emulate Christ’s character and reflect His image, which requires a willingness to apply the teachings of Scripture to our daily lives. As we do, God transforms us from "glory to glory," helping us to grow in our faith.
After much time with God, you begin to understand that you are healed. Spiritually, you are prosperous. You have been delivered, preserved, and made whole. You discover you’re blessed and protected. Again, for this to happen, it is essential to renew our minds regularly with Scripture and spend time with God.
God’s resurrection power has a transformative effect over time. This change happens as we allow His Holy Spirit to heal the wounds of our past, present and future. Trust Him today and watch His resurrection power transform your life.
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