Daily Study Mat 28:1-6
The resurrection of Jesus Christ should give us joy, exceeding joy. The resurrection gives us life and hope when we believe because Christ’s resurrection is the first but not the last. One day all those who have died in Christ will rise as well. But as joyous as this is, there’s even more joy traceable to the risen Christ than we might realize. Think of all of the things that exist because Jesus didn’t stay dead. If it weren’t for the resurrected Jesus, the New Testament wouldn’t exist. If Easter didn’t happen, Jesus of Nazareth would have faded into the background with all of the other people Rome crucified.
But we know the name of Jesus because He isn’t like anyone else who was crucified: He didn’t stay dead; He rose again. If it weren’t for the raised Lord, we probably wouldn’t know most of the people in our churches; we wouldn’t have any Christian friendships. If it weren’t for the resurrection, some of us would not have met our spouses, and kids from these marriages would not exist.
And if it weren’t for the resurrection, you would not be studying about the resurrection with your other group members. When we stop and think about it, we realize that everything in the Christian life comes back to the risen Christ. “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory” (2 Cor. 1:20). All the promises of God are a mega-ton “Yes!” in Jesus!
Question
What are some of the joys in your life that you can connect back to the resurrection of Jesus?