Tagged: message of the day
“At this Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid! Go and carry the news.’ ” –Matthew 28:10 The guards at Jesus’ tomb felt the earth quaking (Mt 28:2). Then an angel, who looked like “a flash of lightning,” rolled the stone away from Jesus’ tomb (Mt 28:2-3). “The guards grew paralyzed with fear of him and fell down like dead men” (Mt 28:4). Nevertheless, a few hours later these same guards were not afraid to take a bribe to lie about Jesus’ Resurrection (Mt 28:12-13). These lies have been so successful that they circulate “to this very day” (Mt...
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“He is not here; He has been raised up.” –Luke 24:6 Jesus is risen! “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Cor 15:54-55) Praise Jesus, “the Resurrection and the Life”! (Jn 11:25) A few years ago, I celebrated the Easter Vigil at an inner-city church about to be closed. After the church’s lights were turned on following the blessing of the new fire and the lighting of the Easter candle, I was shocked. There were almost as many people in the small choir as in the rest of...
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“Through baptism into His death we were buried with Him.” –Romans 6:4; see also Colossians 2:12 The only thing we know Jesus did while He was buried is “that He went to preach to the spirits in prison” (1 Pt 3:19). “The reason the gospel was preached even to the dead was that, although condemned in the flesh in the eyes of men, they might live in the spirit in the eyes of God” (1 Pt 4:6). At the beginning of His public ministry, Jesus stated that what He had “come to do” was to “proclaim the good news” (Mk...
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“He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.” John 1:11 If you love someone you allow him or her the freedom that their spirit needs. It is only by setting someone free the bonds of mutual love may be strengthened. The principle of generous love forms the basis of the Christian gospel. God allows you the freedom of choice to either believe in Him or reject Him. Christ does not want to compel you love Him. He invited you by grace to accept Him and associate with Him through a relationship of love....
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“He bowed His head, and delivered over His spirit.” –John 19:30 A few days before I wrote this, a man was executed by the state of Florida in its electric chair. Florida ordered that a mask be put on, “so marred was his look beyond that of man, and his appearance beyond that of mortals” (Is 52:14). The mask and the skin on his face caught fire. Even some of the most hardened observers hid their faces (see Is 53:3) as they smelled the burning flesh. The condemned man maintained before his electrocution that he was innocent. He probably was...
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