Verse of the Day 3/12

Verse of the Day 3/12

1 Corinthians 15:3-4   For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,    English Standard Version (ESV)

We have several weeks to go before we celebrate Easter and the resurrection of Jesus Christ but today's verses serve as a reminder of what He did leading up to that great day and what He has been doing since.  Paul points out that "of first importance that we remember" that Christ died for our sins" but He didn't stop there.  Each of these things are equally important, including "that He was raised on the third day".

We often sang a hymn in church and it is one that I have quoted very often in these posts, "He Lives" which starts out by saying "I serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today".  We need to remember that every day of this Lent season and every day of the year.  Good Friday will come but thankfully we know that all of those events lead to the resurrection.

J.R. Miller writes, "If your faith stops at the cross--it misses the blessing of the fullest revealing of Christ!

You need a Savior who not merely two thousand years ago went to death to redeem you--but one who also is alive to walk by your side in loving companionship!

You need a Savior . . .

who can hear your prayers,

to whose feet you can creep in penitence when you have sinned,

to whom you can call for help when the battle is going against you.

You need a Savior who is interested in all the affairs of your common life, and who can assist you in every time of need.

You need a Christ who can be a real friend--loving you, keeping close beside you, able to sympathize with your weaknesses.

You need a Savior who will come into your life, and will save you, not by one great act of centuries past--but by a life warm and throbbing with love today, and living again in you. "

That is my hope and prayer to you that you have and may experience that life, that Paul said  was "placed so emphatically before me" (The Message) , that is "warm and throbbing with love today, and living again in you."

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

1 Corinthians 15:3-9The Message (MSG)

^3-9 The first thing I did was place before you what was placed so emphatically before me: that the Messiah died for our sins, exactly as Scripture tells it; that he was buried; that he was raised from death on the third day, again exactly as Scripture says; that he presented himself alive to Peter, then to his closest followers, and later to more than five hundred of his followers all at the same time, most of them still around (although a few have since died); that he then spent time with James and the rest of those he commissioned to represent him; and that he finally presented himself alive to me. It was fitting that I bring up the rear. I don't deserve to be included in that inner circle, as you well know, having spent all those early years trying my best to stamp God's church right out of existence.