Day 7: THE RELEVANCE OF THE RESURRECTION

Text: Hebrews 2:9-15

 What does a man dying on a cross over 2000 years ago have to do with you and me today? In this time of advanced technology and innovations, why should we be interested in an old Bible story about Jesus of Nazareth? With all the things we are going through in our families, in society, and all around the world, how does the story of the resurrection of Christ touch our lives? The answer is in knowing who this Jesus is. He’s not just any man, He is God in the flesh that came into this world, lived a sinless life, and took our place on a rugged cross as a lamb without spot or blemish.

One of the main truths for us to understand and embrace is that God is relevant to our lives. His Word and the pages of scripture are not old fashioned, outdated literature. The Bible is the Word of the God that contains life and transformational truth for daily living. Some struggle with coming to God because they fail to recognize that His Word has tremendous application to guide us for all the issues of life.

*** Relevance describes how pertinent or connected something is to a given matter; it is the measure of how related something is to a particular purpose. The failure to see God’s relevance prevents you from seeing the need to seek God in the first place.

As we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we should also give praise to Him for sacrificing His life to take our place. His death devastated His disciples and caused them to go into hiding (read St. John 20:19). Death is a subject that we don’t like to discuss. For many, if not most, it is a sobering, even sad subject.

*** NOTHING SEEMS TO TEST WHAT WE BELIEVE LIKE DEATH ***

The subject of death is neglected to the point that many don’t prepare for it. And as a result, people die and leave their loved one’s scrambling trying to find insurance policies that don’t exist. The Lord often spoke of His death. In St. Luke 9:22 He tells His disciples that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

In St. John 21:18, Jesus talked to Peter, telling him the type of death that he would glorify the Lord with. And Peter remembering the words of the Lord says to the saints in 2 Peter 1:14 says, Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.

The apostle Paul, knowing that he was to soon be executed for being faithful to God says in 2 Timothy 4:6-8, For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.

They were able to talk freely about death because they believed in the resurrection. Jesus rose with all power in His hand. Although He had to go through great anguish and agony in giving His life for us, He knew that on the third day He would rise again; and to all that trust in Christ, the Father hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6). His death, burial, and triumphant resurrection has everything to do with you and me today. The fact that He rose from the dead means salvation, hope, peace, joy, healing, and the abundant life that He promised.

From the heart and hand of Pastor Reginald Reaves

For additional resources and study materials, visit

COTNC.org

ReginaldReaves.com