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How would you proclaim Jesus' resurrection?
If Jesus rose from the dead today, how would you announce his resurrection?
"I would be screaming," says Meg, age 9, "'Jesus is not in the tomb.' I would be telling everyone in the world. I think everyone would be going crazy over that."
Meg, I would like to think everyone would join in your joyous scream, but only two disciples ran to the tomb upon hearing the news of Jesus' resurrection.
"I would get my mama, and I would tell her, 'Jesus is alive!' Then, I would take her for a ride on my bike, and we would go into the city and shout, 'Jesus is alive!'" says Jake, 5.
That's it, Jake. Tell your mama about the Lord, and then, take her for an evangelistic bike tour. When Jesus told a woman he had living water to quench her thirst, she went into town to tell everyone she had found the Messiah.
Have you ever considered the people Jesus empowered to tell others about him? There's not a single professional clergyman among them. The 12 disciples were known as unlearned men from Galilee.
I once met a Christian brother who said he was selling his boat and truck to proclaim the good news of Jesus' resurrection in Panama. The boat was his only means of livelihood, and the truck was the only other substantial possession he owned.
I asked him if he knew Spanish. He said he was teaching himself by listening to tapes. I didn't ask whether a mission board had approved his trip. Most Christian mission agencies wouldn't dream of sending this man out under their auspices.
As a Bible college and seminary graduate, I believe in preparation. But I also believe every Christian carries the hope of Jesus' resurrection and the responsibility to proclaim the Lord's victory over death. Christians don't need anyone's approval to proclaim Jesus' resurrection victory. Jesus gave his disciples a commission to preach the gospel to people of all nations.
"I might have ridden on a horse and shouted it out like Paul Revere shouted, 'The British are coming!'" says Kalen, 10.
Noah comes to mind as a Bible Paul Revere. Americans believed Paul Revere, but the people of Noah's day ridiculed his warning. Nevertheless, God vindicated Noah by saving his family in the ark. God will vindicate and reward Christians who faithfully proclaim Jesus' resurrection as the ark of safety from God's judgment.
Whether you sell a boat or build a boat, just don't miss the boat!
Kasey, 6, would be a spiritual Paul Revere by saying: "Jesus is alive! Jesus is alive! An angel appeared to me saying, 'He is risen!'"
I can see Kasey would like to have been at the tomb when the angel appeared to Mary Magdalene and declared, "He is risen." These three words summarize the Easter story and separate Jesus Christ from all other self-proclaimed messiahs.
Think about this: It's all or nothing. If Jesus remains in the grave, Christians should be pitied because they hoped, believed, preached and lived in vain. But if Jesus conquered death on Easter morning, all the other promises of heaven by some other means are nothing but pompous puffery.
Memorize this truth: "And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!" (I Corinthians 15:17)
Ask this question: If you know Jesus as your risen savior, do you have plans to tell anyone about his resurrection this Easter?
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"I would be screaming," says Meg, age 9, "'Jesus is not in the tomb.' I would be telling everyone in the world. I think everyone would be going crazy over that."
Meg, I would like to think everyone would join in your joyous scream, but only two disciples ran to the tomb upon hearing the news of Jesus' resurrection.
"I would get my mama, and I would tell her, 'Jesus is alive!' Then, I would take her for a ride on my bike, and we would go into the city and shout, 'Jesus is alive!'" says Jake, 5.
That's it, Jake. Tell your mama about the Lord, and then, take her for an evangelistic bike tour. When Jesus told a woman he had living water to quench her thirst, she went into town to tell everyone she had found the Messiah.
Have you ever considered the people Jesus empowered to tell others about him? There's not a single professional clergyman among them. The 12 disciples were known as unlearned men from Galilee.
I once met a Christian brother who said he was selling his boat and truck to proclaim the good news of Jesus' resurrection in Panama. The boat was his only means of livelihood, and the truck was the only other substantial possession he owned.
I asked him if he knew Spanish. He said he was teaching himself by listening to tapes. I didn't ask whether a mission board had approved his trip. Most Christian mission agencies wouldn't dream of sending this man out under their auspices.
As a Bible college and seminary graduate, I believe in preparation. But I also believe every Christian carries the hope of Jesus' resurrection and the responsibility to proclaim the Lord's victory over death. Christians don't need anyone's approval to proclaim Jesus' resurrection victory. Jesus gave his disciples a commission to preach the gospel to people of all nations.
"I might have ridden on a horse and shouted it out like Paul Revere shouted, 'The British are coming!'" says Kalen, 10.
Noah comes to mind as a Bible Paul Revere. Americans believed Paul Revere, but the people of Noah's day ridiculed his warning. Nevertheless, God vindicated Noah by saving his family in the ark. God will vindicate and reward Christians who faithfully proclaim Jesus' resurrection as the ark of safety from God's judgment.
Whether you sell a boat or build a boat, just don't miss the boat!
Kasey, 6, would be a spiritual Paul Revere by saying: "Jesus is alive! Jesus is alive! An angel appeared to me saying, 'He is risen!'"
I can see Kasey would like to have been at the tomb when the angel appeared to Mary Magdalene and declared, "He is risen." These three words summarize the Easter story and separate Jesus Christ from all other self-proclaimed messiahs.
Think about this: It's all or nothing. If Jesus remains in the grave, Christians should be pitied because they hoped, believed, preached and lived in vain. But if Jesus conquered death on Easter morning, all the other promises of heaven by some other means are nothing but pompous puffery.
Memorize this truth: "And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!" (I Corinthians 15:17)
Ask this question: If you know Jesus as your risen savior, do you have plans to tell anyone about his resurrection this Easter?
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COPYRIGHT 2021 CAREY KINSOLVING
COPYRIGHT 2021 CAREY KINSOLVING
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