Go Beyond

This Easter, Christ-followers around the globe will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. From house churches meeting in secret to humble village churches to mega-churches — pastors and parishioners will review the story of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. The passion and resurrection of Jesus will be the topic of the day.

The Via Dolorosa (The Way of Suffering) | 23 March 2009 | Jerusalem

The Apostle Paul wrote quite a lot about the resurrection and the implications of this grand event for those who place their faith in Christ for salvation. In his letter to the church at Corinth he wrote, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3-4).

Mosaic at Church of the Holy Sepulchre | 23 March 2009 | Jerusalem

Paul told the Corinthians that what he had received was rooted in history or was “according to the Scriptures.” The death of Christ was foretold in “the Scriptures” (for example, Isaiah 53:5-12). Many men died at the hands of the Romans, but His death was “for our sins.” And, Jesus “was raised” — the perfect tense in Greek indicates that He remains raised from the dead. His resurrection is a past event with results continuing to the present.

Mosaic at Church of the Holy Sepulchre | 23 March 2009 | Jerusalem

The earliest followers of Christ talked about Jesus. “In that age every Christian was a missionary,” wrote John Foxe. “The soldier tried to win recruits…; the prisoner sought to bring his jailer to Christ; the slave girl whispered the gospel in the ear of her mistress; the young wife begged her husband to be baptized…; every one who had experienced the joys of believing tried to bring others to the faith.” (Foxe’s Christian Martyrs of the World, p. 41)

What strikes me most about Foxe’s observation is how much and how often first-century believers talked about Jesus. The late Ray Stedman, a Christian pastor and author, agreed. Stedman wrote, “These early Christians never witnessed about the church at all; they witnessed about the Lord — what He could do, how He would work, what a fantastic person He was, how amazing His power was, and what He could do in human hearts” (Ray Stedman, “Acts 1-12: Birth of the Body,” p. 21).

Even historians like Josephus talked and wrote about Jesus. He noted that Jesus was “a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works.” And indeed He was — and indeed He is.

Those of us who are the beneficiaries of Jesus’ love and kindness have a responsibility to speak about Him. Psalm 107:2 says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so…” Like first-century believers, we must include Jesus in our daily conversations. We must tell others how wonderful He is, what He has done for us, how He helps us from day-to-day, and the assurance that we have of spending eternity with Him in heaven.

So, this Easter, I am first of all grateful for the resurrection of Christ, thankful for those who spoke to me about Jesus, and determined to speak of Jesus as often as I can throughout the year — to whomever God puts in my path and wherever the road takes me. Happy Easter. He is risen, indeed!