Resurrection

READ: John 20: 19-20
MORE LESSONS: John 20: 1-20
Bible Reading in One Y ear: Luke 1-3

Resurrection from the dead began with Jesus Christ. Until Jesus died and resurrected there wasn't a record of anyone who died and resurrected. This is the reason the Bible calls Him the firstborn from the dead, (Rev 1: 5, Col 1: 18). Any one seen after his death before the resurrection of Jesus was a ghost. When, without passing through the door, Jesus entered the room where His disciples were gathered the second time after his resurrection, He said to Thomas, ''Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands and reach hither thy hands and thrust it to my side. . .v 27. This is to prove that He wasn't a ghost. Ghosts don't have physical bodies that can be touched. Jesus is the resurrection and the life; the first born from the dead. You might ask, ''What about the dead that were raised in the Old Testament including the ones Jesus raised?'' No, they were not the first, they only had a miracle. Jesus however fulfilled prophesy. All of them needed someone to raise them up; Lazarus died and needed Jesus to call him forth, the same with the widow of Nain's son. Nobody stood at the entrance of Jesus' tomb to call Him forth but by Himself, He did as He said, ...I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father: John 10:17-18.
Also all of the people that were raised finally died again, even if it was in their old age. But Jesus, after His resurrection lives forever. So Jesus is the first to resurrect; and by every standard, His resurrection was a new thing. What perfected the work of redemption was not His death but His resurrection. If Jesus had not resurrected His death would have been a waste, there would have been no difference between Him and Adam and other Old Testament prophets. But we thank Jesus because He rose again. Our victory is in the resurrection. It is in the resurrection that Jesus was able to say, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?: 1 Cor 15:55. By resurrection, He went beyond death which is the limit of mankind and removed the punishment placed upon man. He also collected the key of death and life from the devil by His resurrection.
Resurrection is what perfects redemption. It is the beginning of a new life. If the resurrected Jesus is in you, you should not be down. Everyone who has accepted Christ should live a resurrected life. This is your inheritance.

Prayer/Action
* Father, I claim my victory today by the power that rose Jesus from the dead
* Ask the Lord to remove every force that limits you today.
* Declare that henceforth, you will live a resurrected life in Christ Jesus.

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