Saturday after Easter, 4/21/01

Acts 26:22, 23 But I have had God's help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen--that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to His own people and to the Gentiles. --NIV

In the name of the One Who was the first to rise from the dead, amen.

The resurrection is what it is all about. There is no Christianity without it. In fact, Christ would not even have been preached if He had not risen from the dead. The disciples cowered behind locked doors until they had seen Jesus risen from the dead.

We too would cower behind locked doors, except that Jesus rose from the dead, and has proclaimed light to us. Since we have the light of life, we are not afraid. What real, lasting harm can anyone or anything do to us? We have the resurrection to eternal life. The real thing to fear is eternal death in hell. But hell cannot harm those who are in Christ Jesus. Praise be to His holy name forever. Amen.

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, You rose from the dead and proclaimed light to us. Help us to live in that light and not fear. Take us to be with You in paradise, so that we may spend eternity praising and thanking You for all that You have done for us, amen.

copyright 2001 Reformation Lutheran Church http://ReformationChurch.org