(1 Cor. 15: 3-8)
Have you ever seen a dead person coming back to life? If not, have you ever been told by your grandparents/great grandparents such a story of a dead man who came to life and continued to live? I am sure your answer is No, because human eyes have not seen a dead person coming back to life and continued to live, except the Jesus of Nazareth. More than 2000 years ago, Jesus of Nazareth was crucified, died, buried but raised on the third day by the invisible power of God. The story of the Jesus of Nazareth is not a myth but a real historical presence. Even this morning He appears in spirit to every individual person, He appears to every home and to every nation. Are you welcoming Him? As we spend a day of remembrance of how Jesus came back to life on the third day after His crucifixion it is a spiritual call to prepare our heart and embrace the risen Lord who appears to you in spirit. “God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
As per William Barclay-The earliest few Jewish Christians held a view that resurrection was available to the righteous alone and would make him equal to God. It is testified that Jesus lived a righteous life. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth (1 Pet. 2:22). “…in Him is no sin (1 John 3: 5-6). Jesus lived a sinless life. However, with the draconic power of the godless hands, a sinless person was criticised, blamed, bruised, assaulted and crucified but Almighty God raised Him from the dead, because He lived a righteous life in whole. This risen Lord appears to your family in spirit today. “All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed” (Rev. 15:4).
Greeks held a similar view that only a man of exceptional merit could be exalted as equivalent to God after his death. Jesus lived a simple life as a son of carpenter (Matt. 13:55), but He lived the holiest of the holies life. Accordingly, Almighty God raised Him from the dead. This risen Lord appears in spirit to every home today. “Be holy as I am holy” (Lev. 11:44).
The earliest Church Fathers understood that Jesus was a son of man as well as son of God, who through his perfect obedience to God’s will, was resurrected and exalted to heaven ( Dan.7: 13-14). Jesus totally submitted to the will of His father. “Not my will but your will be done” (Mark 14:36). He died in the will of God, the invisible power of God rolled away the stone and brought him back to life. This risen Christ appears in spirit to every nation today. But the sad truth is worldly nation may not recognise His invisible presence today.
The scripture clearly tells us that the risen Lord appeared to Peter, and then to the twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles and last of all He appeared to Paul (1 Cor. 15: 5-8). Although in many towns and cities there are no corporate Easter Sunday Service today due to the order of lockdown, yet it is believed that in spirit the risen Lord appears to every individual, every home and every nation. May you prepare your Heart and invite the risen Lord today, and then He will come to your inn, home and to your personal life.
As the whole world is suffering now with coronavirus (Covid-19), and alongside as we spiritually celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ our hope and faith should be deepened in the truth that the Risen Lord will heal the wounded and bruised world and through this every humanity must have a testimony to testify His goodness.
Let us celebrate the risen Lord in our personal life and in our Home.
N Tialemba Phom
Mission Centre Nyengching, Longleng.
