All Things New

This past Wednesday both us in the youth house and those in the adult Bible study talked about the new heavens and the new earth. I came across this quote today and thought it went along with the subject we are thinking through together.

"The world into which we shall enter in the Parousia of Jesus Christ is therefore not another world; it is this world, this heaven, this earth; both, however, passed away and renewed. It is these forests, these fields, these cities, these streets, these people, that will be the scene of redemption. At present they are battlefields, full of the strife and sorrow of the not-yet-accomplished consummation; then they will be fields of victory, fields of harvest, where out of seed that was sown with tears the everlasting sheaves will be reaped and brought home" -Edward Thurneysen (Zwischen den Zeiten, 1931, p. 209).

The Resurrection Means "Paid in Full"

After a criminal does his time in jail and fully satisfies the sentence, the law has no more claim on him and he walks out free. Jesus Christ came to pay the penalty for our sins. That was an infinite sentence, but he must have satisfied it fully, because on Easter Sunday he walked out free. The resurrection was God’s way of stamping PAID IN FULL right across history so that nobody could miss it (Tim Keller, King’s Cross, 219).

A Gracious Disturbance of the Present Age

I just began Mike Horton's new book and the very first lines of the introduction, no less, is worth the price of the book. Here is what Horton states:

A gracious disturbance is at work in the world today. With the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the age to come has broken into this present evil age. It’s not business as usual. God isn’t coming alongside us to empower us for our projects of personal and social transformation. God did not become flesh and suffer an ignominious death at our hands so that we could have sprawling church campuses, programs, and budgets. There’s something more profound—more radical—going on. But what is it?
In Christ, God has broken into our world of sin and death and is even now bringing the powers of the age to come into the present age by his Word and Spirit ( The Gospel Commission, 7).

As we approach worship on the Lord's Day, Horton's comments should remind us that we, the Lord's people, are taking part in this cosmic conflict. Preaching, teaching, evangelism, and missions are nothing less than a call to take on the domain of darkness with the "sword of the Spirit." And the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is the historical event and marker that our battle is secured. We are merely involved in the mop-up operation.

He Is Risen! Why It Matters

Jesus’ resurrection demonstrated his victory over death (Acts 2:24; 1 Cor. 15:54-57), vindicated him as righteous (John 16:10), and indicated his divine identity (Rom. 1:4). It led on to his ascension and enthronement (Acts 1:9-11; 2:34; Phil. 2:9-11; cf. Isa. 53:10-12) and his present heavenly reign. It guarantees the believer’s present forgiveness and justification (Rom. 4:25; 1 Cor. 15:17) and is the basis of resurrection life in Christ for the believer here and now (John 11:25-26; Rom. 6; Eph. 1:18-2:10; Col. 2:9-15; 3:1-4) From: "Resurrection" by J.I. Packer Concise Theology: A Guide To Historic Christian Beliefs .

Why is the resurrection good news?

The 45th question of the Heidelberg Catechism asks: "What does the 'resurrection' of Christ profit us?" and answers: "First, by his resurrection he has overcome death, that he might make us partakers of that righteousness which he had purchased for us by his death; secondly, we are also by his power raised up to a new life; and lastly, the resurrection of Christ is a sure pledge of our blessed resurrection."

12 Facts Historians Agree on Concerning the Resurrection (Both Believing and Unbelieving Historians)

Gary Habermas, a Christian apologist and philosopher, points out that there is now an amazing amount of agreement among ancient historians irrespective of their beliefs about Jesus' resurrection (The Historical Jesus, 158).

At least 12 facts are considered to be knowable history:

1. Jesus died by crucifixion.
2. Jesus was buried.
3. Jesus' death caused the disciples to despair and lose hope, believing that his life was ended.
4. Though not as widely accepted, many historians hold that the tomb in which Jesus was buried was discovered to be empty just a few days later.
5. Liberal scholars further agree that the disciples had experiences which they believed were literal appearances of the risen Jesus.
6. Because of these experiences, the disciples were transformed from doubters who were afraid to identify themselves with Jesus to bold proclaimers of his death/resurrection.
7. This message was the center of preaching in the early church
8. This message was especially proclaimed in Jerusalem where Jesus died and was buried shortly before.
9. As a result of this preaching the church was born and grew.
10. Sunday became the primary day of worship because on that day Christ rose from the dead.
11. James, who had been a skeptic, was converted to the faith when he also believed that he saw the resurrected Jesus.
12. A few years later, Paul was converted by an experience which he, likewise, believed to be an appearance of the risen Jesus.

What is a Christian?

A Christian is someone who believes in the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ and lives in light of the implications of that event (Rom 10:9) (Adrian Warnock, Raised With Christ, 20).

The Resurrection of Christ: Neutrality is Not An Option

Neutrality is not an option. Either Jesus rose and rightly demands your attention, repentance, trust and obedience, or he stayed dead. If he only became a rotting corpse why should you follow him? (John MacArthur's Preface, in Gerard Chrispin, The Resurrection: The Unopened Gift, 16).