To Encourage You

Hebrews 11:17-19 “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.’ He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.”

For the Christian, the resurrection is everything.  Since the time of the early church the Lord’s people have chosen what they have called “the Lord’s Day” to come together to worship God.  Why’s it called “the Lord’s Day”?  Because it was on this day, Sunday, the first day of the week, that the Author and Finisher of our faith rose from the dead.  It’s the foundation of our faith. The Son of God rose from the dead, and we who believe in Him are described as those who live all of life “knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence” (2 Corinthians 4:14). 

The resurrection is a historical fact, proved by eyewitnesses, many who gave their life rather than to deny the faith and the truth of the resurrection that they had personally witnessed.  It’s on this truth that we who know Christ know that He can do anything.  It’s the faith that can endure trials for we know that regardless of how hopeless things may appear, we have learned to “rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:9).  Abraham had that faith, as we see in the Scripture above. He believed that God would honor His promise regarding the nation that would arise from his son Isaac, even if God had to raise Isaac from the grave to do so. He was one who obeyed God, even if that obedience meant the death of his own son. 

And that’s what true faith is. It’s a faith that looks beyond the grave.  We know that all of God’s promises are “Yes and Amen” (2 Corinthians 1:20), even if the fulfillment of those promises is never realized in this life.  Every child of God has been promised healing from every sickness, freedom from all pain, the end of all sorrow, the knowledge of the “whys” behind all the unanswered questions, and life forevermore if we will but continue to follow the Lord. We have been promised that no matter the difficulties and trials we face now, in the resurrection it will be worth it all.  As Paul said about this fact, “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Corinthians 15:19).” For you see, if all our hopes are focused on this life only, we should join the rest of the world to “eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we may die” (1 Corinthians 15:32).  If it is in this life only that we have hope, think of the futility of those believers that have gone before who “were tortured, refusing to accept release” because they believed the Lord’s promise about the resurrection and that they would “rise again to a better life” (Hebrews 11:35). Think of those who “suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth” (Hebrews 11:36-38). And why did they do this? Why did they refuse to deny their God in the face of such relentless persecution? It was because of the resurrection. It’s because they were “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

So, what do you believe?  Do you believe in the resurrection?  If not, then live how you please, for why would you ever pay any attention to the Word of God? But if the resurrection is indeed true, it should change everything!  If the resurrection is true, it is the hope of the world.