Easter Sunday Writing... 4-21-19... "RESURRECTED LIVES"

Good morning!  Happy Easter!

This morning's devotional, "RESURRECTED LIVES," talks about not only the resurrection of Jesus, but also of others who were raised from the dead that day, as well as before and after.  This is a part of the Easter story that isn't talked about very often.  Read on to find out the significance of these other lives that were raised from the dead and what it means for us today.

Blessed Easter,
Jan

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Today's Devotional: 

"RESURRECTED LIVES"

by

Jan Andersen

Resurrection means a rising again from the dead.  Today, on Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  He was nailed to a cross on a Friday, innocent and sinless, to pay the price for our sins.  That next Sunday morning some women went to the tomb where Jesus had been placed and discovered that He was not there and had come back to life!  But Jesus was not the only one who was raised from the dead that day.

We read about it only in the gospel of Matthew.  When Jesus gave up his spirit on the cross, there was an earthquake that opened the tombs.  Then when Jesus arose from the dead on Sunday, “many holy people” were also resurrected back to life:

Matthew 27:50-53 ESV  And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.  And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.  The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

This is a part of the Easter story that is often overlooked or forgotten.  Even though it is only in one of the four gospels, it still has significance for us as believers.  First, it is not to be confused with a zombie apocalypse!  These “many saints” came fully back to life.  The term “saints” means that they were faithful believers in the promise of a Savior when they died.  We also need to remain faithful until our death.  On that first Easter Day when these many saints were resurrected, they went to Jerusalem as witnesses to many people.  We, too, must be not only faithful but be witnesses and proclaim the gospel story to many others!

Every resurrection that occurred was an awesome miracle.  There were others who were raised from the dead throughout the Bible.  However, the most important resurrection of all was that of Jesus.  The resurrections of all others that we read about served to point to God as the source of life and to give Him glory.  When Jesus died, He remained in control and gave up his own spirit.  No one took his life from him without his permission.  He is the only one who never died again when He rose from the dead.  Because of His death and resurrection, we are forgiven and have the promise of eternal life with Him in heaven when we remain faithful believers.

John 3:16 NIV  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

As we go through this life on earth, there may be times when we feel dead, wish we were dead, or feel our faith is dying.  Let this be a reminder to us that God can resurrect our lives no matter how dead we feel!  Let us live our resurrected lives to the fullest glory of God.

Dear Lord in heaven, thank you for dying on the cross in our place and rising again to prepare a place for us in heaven.  Resurrect our dead or dying parts so that we present a living and life-giving faith and witness to others.  In Your name we pray,  Amen

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SONG:

RESURRECTING

Jess and Gabriel Conte

(in particular, the verse that says:)

By Your spirit I will rise
From the ashes of defeat
The resurrected king
Is resurrecting me
In Your name I come alive
To declare your victory
The resurrected king
Is resurrecting me

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Prayers are lifted up daily for you by the Devotional Writers and the Monthly Writing Staff of Women's Focus Ministries

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 Brother Thomas Ukwute, Jody Ward,  

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Jan Andersen and Corinne Mustafa

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