Stingray: Happy Resurrection Day: What Jesus Christ means to you

Happy Easter to everyone! Easter can be a time of fun and celebration — I have no problem with Easter Egg hunts and the like. But the real message of the resurrection is that Jesus Christ died for our sins on the cross, lay in the grave for 3 days, and then was resurrected with a glorified body. It’s notable that the first to see Jesus did not recognize him in his new body.

John 20:1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

“You may feel like a failure, but you’re not worth less than the price that Christ paid for you.”

If you are not a Christian, then Christ’s resurrection is for you. First, you must understand what sin is, and sincerely repent of it. Next, you need to know how much God loves you. Next, you must understand that all you need to do to be saved is to ask for it. It’s a gift from God and is not something that you can work for. In fact, if you try to work for your salvation, you will surely fail. Believe on Jesus and believe that God raised him from the the dead and you will be saved. Pray a prayer to God similar to one that I’ve posted here and you will be saved, you will be transformed in this life, and will go to heaven when you die. Being saved is a gift from God and it’s a very easy gift to accept. Look at what the Bible says about what one must do to be saved:

And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Acts 16:29–31

Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Romans 10:9-10

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. John 5:24

If you have failed in life, then Jesus is for you. He doesn’t require you to be perfect, only to love him and obey his call for your life. Jesus loves you and will be your friend even when no one else will.

If your marriage is a wreck, then Jesus is for you. Jesus Christ restored the relationship between God the Father and us — he can restore your marriage, too.

If you have been laid off from work and your bills are piling up, then Jesus is for you. I have seen many miracles where someone lays their troubles at the feet of Christ so that he can carry them for them, and their life situation improves dramatically.

Jesus can set you free
“If you have committed crimes and are sitting in jail, then Jesus will make you more free in jail than you would be if you were outside of jail.”

If you are sick, then Jesus is for you. At our Life Group the other night, the pastor’s wife told how she and a group of ladies from the church had prayed last week over a woman who was having persistent eye problems and was scheduled to go in for a corneal scrape the next morning. Two different eye doctors had told her that she needed to have this procedure done. When she went in to the office for the procedure, the eye surgeon examined her and said that her corneas looked perfect and there was no need for the operation. He sent her home and she can see fine now. Jesus still heals and performs miracles.

If you have committed crimes and are sitting in jail, then Jesus will make you more free in jail than you would be if you were outside of jail. Jesus Christ can set you free!

Jesus gave his life on the cross and took our sins upon himself so that you may be re-united with God. You may feel like a failure, but you’re not worth less than the price that Christ paid for you — and he paid for you with his life. If you are not a Christian, then give your life to him on this Resurrection Day. If you are a Christian, thank God for what he has done for you.

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