Suddenly the strongest law in the universe was broken. The law of
gravity was relaxed. This law holds objects onto the surface of the
earth and keeps the earth and the planets in place. This law holds onto
the stars in heaven, but it could not hold onto the Bright and Morning
Star. This law keeps the sun in its place, but it could not keep the Sun of
Righteousness from arising with healing in His wings. He was taken
up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight (Acts 1:9). Jesus burst
the bonds of death and arose a mighty conqueror over death, hell and
the grave. He suspended the law of gravity and triumphantly ascended
into heaven.
“Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same
Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like
manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11) The same
body that ascended is the same body that will come again, the same
Jesus. “It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is
even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”
(Romans 8:34) Thanks be unto God for the intercessory prayers of
Jesus, made in divine compassion, and until the consummation of all
things, when He shall come again, to gather His ransomed people home.
“Now if Christ be preached that He rose from the dead, how say
some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? If Christ
be not risen, then is our preaching vain, our faith is vain, we are yet in
our sins and those that are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this
life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But
now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them
that slept. For since by man (Adam) came death, by man (Christ) came
also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all (that Adam
represented) die, even so in Christ shall all (that Christ represented) be
made alive.” (I Corinthians 15:12-22)
Jesus explained in Luke 20:35-36: “But they which shall be accounted
worthy (all those that God gave to Jesus Christ) to obtain that world,
and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in
marriage: (Man will not need to populate heaven, for all that Christ died
for will be there) neither can they die any more: for they are equal
unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the
resurrection.” Christ purchased, redeemed and ransomed the body, soul
and spirit of every child of God. Our bodies will be changed, purified,
glorified and carried to heaven. Jesus said, “I will raise them up again at
the last day.”
The resurrection of Christ is not merely a marvel; it is the glorious
seal of redemption, it is the splendid triumph of Jesus Christ over death
and it is proof of His divine mission. It was so important that our calen-
dar was changed! From the beginning of the world to the resurrection
of Christ, the Sabbath was the last day of the week. From the resur-
rection of Christ, the Lord’s Day was changed into the first day of the
week. To deny the resurrection is to deny the Lord’s Day. To deny the
resurrection is to deny Christ.
“The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in
Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air,
and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (I Thessalonians 4:16-17)
We know not what joys await us there, what radiancy of glory, what
bliss beyond compare, the everlasting duration of perfect happiness,
“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of
man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But
God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all
things, yea, the deep things of God. Now we have received, not the
spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the
things that are freely given to us of God.” (I Cor. 2:9-12)
There is no question about it, the Lord is real, the resurrection is real.
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, I am the resurrection.”
(John 14:6) Paul said, “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord, I count
all things but loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my
Lord that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the
fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. God shall
reveal even this unto you. For our conversation is in heaven; from
whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall
change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.”
(Philippians 3:1-21) John said, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and
it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall
appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (I John 3:2)
We shall see him face to face. What a day that will be!

Elder Bufrey Dean
Sylacauga, Alabama