Resurrection Power

A number of years ago the Department of Social Services in Greenville County, South Carolina, sent the following letter:

“Your food stamps will be stopped, effective immediately because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances.”

What an absurd letter to expect a reply from a dead person or to suggest that a dead person can change his circumstances!

Once a person is dead, that is the end of their earthly story.

But, the Resurrection story is the one exception; it announces to the entire world that death was conquered through Christ’s resurrection.

He defeated man’s last enemy.

Jesus broke the power of the grave and reappeared and added a post script to His life for another 40 days.

As it says in Acts 1:3;

“After his death, Jesus showed the apostles a lot of convincing evidence that he was alive.  For 40 days he appeared to them and talked with them about the kingdom of God.”

We see He convinced His doubting disciples that He was alive again.

The grave could not hold Him! 1 Peter 1:3 says,

“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.”

When Jesus rose from the grave He proved He was the God-Man and that His sacrifice on the cross paid the penalty for our sins forever.

The only thing someone needs to be eternally saved is trust in Christ alone for their salvation.

After we are saved, His resurrection is the only power source for us to live victoriously over the power of sin and to grow to maturity in Christ.

Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:19-20 that we would understand

“what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.”

We have His resurrection power to live life here no matter what comes our way.

A Christian author tells of a Muslim who became a Christian in Africa.

“Some of his friends asked him, ‘Why have you become a Christian?’  He answered, ‘Well, it’s like this.  Suppose you were going down the road and suddenly the road forked in 2 directions, and you didn’t know which way to go, and there at the fork in the road were 2 men, one dead and one alive – which one would you ask which way to go?’”

We have nothing to offer the world without the resurrection of Christ.

Christ died and rose again on the first Resurrection Sunday.

He is the power of God for salvation and the power to live victoriously!

May we trust His resurrection life through us!

Blessings!

Pastor Ken Keeler, Director of Church Ministries