Even though my daughters and I went shopping for new dresses,and shoes today, the celebration of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection is not about new clothes, new shoes, Easter bunnies, and candy. It's about the good news of Jesus Christ coming to earth to save sinners from the wrath of God.
1Corinthians 15:1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,
1Corinthians 15:2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you--unless you believed in vain.
1Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
1Corinthians 15:4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
1Corinthians 15:5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
1Corinthians 15:6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
1Corinthians 15:7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
1Corinthians 15:8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
1Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
1Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
1Corinthians 15:11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
As we celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, let me end with this hymn:
Jesus, my Saviour,
Waiting the coming day—
Jesus, my Lord.
Up from the grave he arose
With a mighty triumph o'er his foes.
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
And he lives for ever with his saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!
Vainly they watch his bed—
Jesus, my Saviour;
Vainly they seal the dead—
Jesus, my Lord.
Death cannot keep his prey—
Jesus, my Saviour;
He tore the bars away—
May you and your family have a blessed Resurrection day.
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