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Rising from the dead or returning to life    
Sunday April 29, 31AD - Resurrection Day

The women brought the prepared spices early in the morning while it was still dark -

They found that Jesus had already risen -

Jesus may have risen just after sunset the evening before (Saturday evening).   

The Resurrection is the greatest event in human history.   Before the Resurrection of Christ Jesus people only speculated about the possibility of coming back to life after the body dies.   

The Hope , Peace and even Joy that the Resurrection made possible is beyond our ability to grasp fully.   The concept of Death is mysterious.   Do we cease to exist?   Do we just pass into a deep sleep?   Do we enter directly into a new existence?   
And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
People who live in fear are in bondage.     They are victims of thievery.     They are being robbed of life.     

Fear is evidence of unbelief.     

Jesus came to make us Free Indeed so that we can enjoy eternal, Abundant Life right now.     

Fear Steals the moment.     It steals `now` leaving us hoping for a tomorrow that never comes.     
Recognize it for what it is and be set free In Christ Jesus.

The Bible tells us some things but there is a lot that can only be spoken of in these terms:
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which the Lord hath prepared for them that love him.
This does not just speak to what awaits us at the End Of The Age.     It also speaks to what is now available in heavenly places In Christ Jesus.     

We cannot see with our physical eyes what is available to us in Heavenly Places.     But we see them clearly with spiritual eyes - eyes that see the Word Of The Lord as the Truth about our existence and His provision for us.     

Jesus came that we might have Abundant Life .     

What did Jesus say about the Resurrection ?   

But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
There is no reason for genders in heaven because there is no need for procreation.

Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of the Lord, being the children of the resurrection.
So, the Law of Moses regarding death and responsibility to bring up seed to the deceased does not apply in heaven.

Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the Lord of Abraham, and the Lord of Isaac, and the Lord of Jacob.

For he is not a god of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.

And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
There are two resurrections ahead:
   → Resurrection of the just at the appearing of our Lord in the sky
   → Resurrection of the damned at the end of the Millennial Kingdom

What is the good that we can do?     
   → Receive Christ Jesus as Creator, Lord and Savior.     

What is the evil that men do?     
They reject Jesus as Creator, Lord and Saviour.

Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
Even though she confessed that Jesus could do anyting, she did not expect a miracle.

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Jesus is life and He has the keys of death and hell in His hands.     

There is therefore no reason for a disciple to fear anything.

What did Jesus do to prove His Resurrection?   - 6 appearances

  1. The first appearance to Mary Magdalene.   
  2. The 2nd to Cleopas on the road to Emmaus.   
  3. The 3rd to the 10 apostles excluding Thomas who left just before he came and some other disciples.   
  4. The 4th to the disciples and Thomas.   
  5. The 5th at the sea of Tiberias
  6. The 6th and final appearance when he ascended into heaven:

Other scriptures relating to the Resurrection :

Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
Peter was muddying up their doctrine by associating those doctrines with Jesus.

And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
The Holy Spirit is our comforter, our teacher, our helper and our power.     

In order for us to effectively witness for Christ we must use His authority and the power of His Holy Spirit working in us and through us.     

Because of the fear of death that keeps all unbelievers in bondage we ought to make the testimony of Jesus` resurrection our main thrust.

And have hope toward the Lord, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

And declared to be the Son of the Holy Spirit with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
The Holy Spirit begat Jesus.     

The fact that Jesus rose from the dead is the seal of his deity.

For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
We must give up the memory of the Old Man and focus on the New Man.     

As we understand and accept the implications of our death In Christ and the implications of our resurrection In Christ we will manifest His nature and His power.

After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
Eye witnesses to the resurrection made powerfully convincing ministers of the Gospel

For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
Adam caused death.     Jesus defeated death.

So also is the resurrection of the dead.     It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
Stop trying to imagine what the incorruptible looks like by gazing at the corruptible,

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
We can only know Christ through spending time with Him - listening to Him and meditating on His words .     

The Power of His resurrection eliminates fear .      In this fearlessness we are able to testify of Him to every man and so come to experience rejection, hatred and persecution .     

Such knowledge, power and sacrifice makes us conformable unto His death.     We are living sacrifices .     

The world that Paul lived in needed Him as such.     The world that we live in is no different.     

When we deny ourselves and share the Gospel of Christ Jesus we enter into a level of fellowship with Him that those who do not submit never experience.     

If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Paul wants to experience the power that was manifested in Christ`s body when He was resurrected.

Blessed be the Holy Spirit Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
The Holy Spirit is:
   → the Father of Christ Jesus
   → Spirit Of Christ Jesus
   → the essence of whom we worship in Jesus` name.     

A Lively Hope is one that is energized by the Word and Holy Spirit.     

A Lively Hope is one of anticipation and expectation of the manifestation of the supernatural.     

Lively Hope springs from the realization of the implications of Christ`s resurrection.     His power over death is proof that He has destroyed the works of Satan.     

We now have access to victory found in those spiritual blessings in heavenly places.     By faith we appropriate those blessings.     

Such is a Lively Hope.

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.     This is the first resurrection.
Those whose names are not in the Book Of Life will stand before Christ in The Judgment at the end of the Millennial Kingdom.

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of the Lord and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
We who are translated at Christ`s return will be forever with the Lord.     

We will reign with Him to create a kingdom based on love, faith, freedom and responsibility.     That kingdom will flourish in accordance with the Law Of The Lord.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
The thief is Satan who is the inspiration for all the evil in the world.     
Whereas the `I` is Jesus who offers us Eternal Life and Abundant Life.     

This verse is a powerful statement contrasting the nature of the enemy with the nature of our Lord Jesus Christ.     

Note that the enemy takes by force what is ours, while we must appropriate by faith what is ours in Christ Jesus.     
The appropriation is not a `one and done` thing.     Rather, it is an ongoing process throughout our lives on this earth.     

Jesus has given us His life in giving us His Holy Spirit who is in every believer who has asked to be filled.     We aught to invoke His life into every aspect of our walk in the earth.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of the Holy Spirit is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The sin that condemns to the Lake Of Fire is rejection of Jesus Christ .     

The gift of the Lord Jesus is His own Eternal Life, which is relationship with His Holy Spirit .     

There are two types of death:
   → physical death
   → spiritual death .     

Adam and Eve did not immediately die physically when they sinned.     However, they immediately died spiritually .     

When a person sins, whether believer or unbeliever, the result is an aspect of death.     Somethings shrinks or shrivels instead of growing when sin occurs .     

Jesus gives us His life.     

What is His life?     
   → His Holy Spirit .     

Eternal Life is another name for His Holy Spirit.     

To reject the Holy Spirit Of Christ Jesus is to reject Christ Jesus Himself .     

We don`t receive Jesus when we believe on Him.     Rather, we receive His Holy Spirit in the Name Of Jesus who manifests Eternal Life in and through us .     

The Holy Spirit Of Christ Jesus is who will raise us at Christ`s return .     

The gift of Himself is irrevokable .     

However, if we let sin reign in our mortal bodies we will suffer the consequences of that sin destroying our physical lives, our testimonies and our walk with the Lord .     

Instead of us living a victorious, productive life with treasure laid up in heaven, we will be saved as by fire .     

What did the early church preach?    by Barry Bennett The message of the early church was the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.   But God hath raised Him up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.   

The apostles recognized the power of His resurrection.   The early preachers of the gospel gave great prominence to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.   The Apostle Paul declared that he sought to "know him and the power of his resurrection.” They recognized the power of his resurrection.   

In Paul said that Christ was "declared to be the Son of God with power.....   by the resurrection from the dead.” The resurrection from the dead was a conclusive demonstration that Jesus Christ was the Son of God.   

Paul makes it clear in 1 Corinthians 15 that there is no remission of sin without the resurrection.   If Jesus has been raised, then we too have hope for a future resurrection.   If Jesus has not been raised, then there is no hope.   We are still in our sins.   Jesus is just a false messiah.   Jesus’ disciples are false witnesses.   

Our salvation was not provided only by Jesus’ cross.   Jesus’ resurrection was absolutely necessary.   It wasn’t enough for Jesus to die.   He had to defeat the final enemy, death itself.   

And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.   -

Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.    -

In our day the thought of life after death has been diluted.   Hollywood has given us zombies, the living dead, vampires, reincarnation, ghost whisperers, mediums who speak with the dead, etc.   

The impact has been lost on our generation.   Nevertheless, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is unique in history and has never been claimed by the followers of another religion or religious figure.   It is the central message of the church.