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
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