“The third day He rose again from the dead.”
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.
Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:30-32)
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Risen Saviour, Jesus Christ!
Are your eyes opened?
Would you recognize Christ if He showed up in your life today?
Your ability to recognize the Lord is really hinged upon the extent of your reality of the Risen Saviour.
One of the most important questions that must guide us as Christ’s disciples is this,
‘Is the fact of our Lord’s Resurrection absolutely central and substantial to me, my faith, and my life’s work?’
The Apostle Paul tells us, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” (1 Corinthians 15:14)
Our Lord Jesus Christ is alive today!
This is the truth that is more existential than life itself.
By His suffering and death on the Cross, Christ frees us from the penalty and power of Sin. By His resurrection, Christ has ushered us onto God’s way to a new and eternal life.
The big question here is: Is this your truth? Is this your reality?
If you have ever struggled with your Christian faith, or over nagging questions about how you should live your life as a Christian, or perhaps even with prolonged bouts of doubts regarding why you chose to be a Christian in the first place, what you are experiencing, is a bad case of ‘useless faith.’
And the only reason why your faith would be useless is because in your mind, Christ’s Resurrection is either inconsequential or irrelevant to you.
You may be convinced that Christ has indeed rose from the grave on the third day, but you are not convinced that Christ’s Resurrection has anything to do with your life today.
Stop encumbering yourself. Actually, stop destroying yourself.
If ever there was a self-destruct sequence in the human life, the countdown would most certainly be triggered by any disregard for the reality of Christ’s Resurrection.
Don't destroy yourself. The thief does that. (John 10:10) Don't rob from yourself what Christ desires for you – life to the full!
Christ has rose for the dead, and He is alive today!
This is either your reality or not at all.
You cannot pick and choose the degree of your belief.
Ambivalence and apathy has no place in the Christian’s reality of Christ’s Resurrection, and it must not have a place in yours.
Consider carefully now the significance of Christ’s Resurrection.
May the Holy Spirit to deepen your understanding and embrace of the eternal reality of Christ’s Resurrection.
The Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is irrefutable evidence that confirms His Divinity, Work and Teachings, and is absolutely central to our Christian faith, hope and witness.
If Christ had not resurrected from the dead, our faith would be useless.
Do not deny yourself the very foundation and substance of your Christian faith, because if you do, you are in fact, denying Christ Himself.
Never be deceived.
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is eternally central and acutely significant to our lives as Christians.
Christ’s Resurrection proved everything that Jesus claimed about Himself – being the Son of God and the Son of Man – fully human, and fully God.
Christ’s Resurrection confirms all of His Words, His Works and His Worth as the perfect Lamb of God send by the Father to suffer and die in substitutionary atonement of the sins of the world – my sin, and yours.
Christ’s Resurrection justifies and fulfills every one of God’s promises, ‘For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ.’ (2 Corinthians 1:20a)
In other words, if we are conscientious about aligning our lives to God’s promises, we can be sure that God’s response to us will be consistently be “Yes” in Christ.
When was the last time you prayed a prayer and were 100% certain that God’s answer to you would be “YES”?
Well, try it. Pray according and aligned to the promises of God. Hear Him say to you, “Yes. You are beginning to understand My Heart, My Will and My Kingdom purpose for you. Well done, My good and faithful servant.”
Our prayers are never, and must never be, for ourselves, or for our own purposes.
Our prayers, even if we find ourselves as subject, must be about how we would fit into God’s Kingdom purposes.
Christ’s Resurrection may effect that profound and eternal transformation of our personal lives, but His Resurrection transcends the individual to affect the ultimate purpose of God – the in-breaking of His Kingdom with the participation of believers with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as His children, disciples, and agents.
And it is for this Kingdom purpose, that Christ’s Resurrection justifies and fulfills His Power, Purpose and Presence in our lives – it is a done deal.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
When the disciples heard Christ’s commission to them for the very first time, they were utterly convicted to the fact that Jesus held utter and ultimate authority in heaven and on earth.
In their minds, there was no doubt at all – for after all, He already achieved the impossible - Christ rose from the grave; Christ conquered death, and Christ proved once and for all that He was truly the Son of God.
Be clear on this.
Christ’s purpose for them to make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching them stemmed from His utter and ultimate power.
And their confidence and motivation to live out His purpose and in His power was due wholly on His promised presence in their lives.
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (POWER)
Make disciples. (PURPOSE)
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (PRESENCE)
The disciples believed in the Lord Jesus Christ so deeply and profoundly that most of them sacrificed their lives fulfilling the Great Commission.
We have heard the argument before – no one ever dies for a lie.
Christ’s Resurrection and Divinity was such a reality in the lives of the disciples that there was no other Way, no other Truth, and no other Life that they could possibly imagine themselves living for.
Is this your reality Christ’s Resurrection?
You may have been a committed Christian, or even a fulltime Christian minister for decades, but is Christ’s Resurrection real to you?
How much of Christ’s Power, Purpose and Presence do you recognize and live for today?
If you can’t sense the presence of God in your life, consider the possibility that you are not living out Christ’s purpose for you.
In reiterating the Great Commission, our Lord Jesus promises His disciples, then and now, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
If you desire the promised presence of God in your life, be Christ’s witness in everything that you do, whilst simultaneously anticipating the power of God in your live to fulfill His purpose of Kingdom in-breaking work.
It has to be God’s power because it is God’s work.
Always remember.
This is the key.
Always remember that you chose to be, and have become, Christ’s disciple.
Regardless of your challenges or struggles in life; at home, at the workplace, or at church – always remember that above all else, you have chosen and have become His disciple.
You are Christ’s disciple and you are Christ’s witness; and only in living out this calling makes you congruent with your Christian faith.
That is who you are in Christ.
All of which that substantiates our faith finds origin and substance in Christ’s Resurrection.
Therefore, Christ’s Resurrection must become our Christian identity.
Always remember.
“Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him.”
For it was at that table when our Lord Jesus – together with those disciples on the road to Emmaus – took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them, were their eyes opened. Only when they remembered, did they recognize Him as their God who had rose from the grave and who is now fully present to them.
Search your heart.
At our innermost beings, we all live with the deep desire to find favor with God. Reconcile with that desire this moment by remembering who Christ is to you, what Christ has done for you, and who you are called to be in Christ.
The embrace of reality starts with the endeavor to remember.
Endeavor to always remember the greatness of God and the greatness of a life in Christ.
Open your eyes this day and recognize that Christ is fully present to you.
Consider it your sacred joy in partaking the Lord’s Supper with your church family. That is how we remember.
Consider it your sacred duty to open your eyes to every opportunity to be Christ’s disciple and witness. That is how we remember.
Consider it your sacred privilege to live life today as the first of eternity. That is how we remember.
The fact of Christ’s Resurrection is truly worth remembering and embracing.
Remember. Never forget.
Remember. Let nothing rob you and make you forget.
Always remember that on “The third day He rose again from the dead.”
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Thank you Lord, for Your Revelation of the reality of Christ’s Resurrection in my life. I know that this is your gift of divine privilege. May I never be found outside of Your sacred trust.
May I always remember that Your Resurrection reality justifies and fulfills every promise that God has ever made to us.
Lord Jesus, may the fact of Your Resurrection become my impulse to live; and live to the full - in Your Promises, Presence, Power and Purposes for me.
Because I believe that You are present to me, may every moment of my life be sacred, for the purpose of revealing the power of God in and through my life.
Grant me Your power to fulfill Your tasks in my life. I know that there is no other way; for my life may only be fulfilled in Christ Jesus my Lord.
On the night You were betrayed, You took bread, and when You had given thanks, You broke it, saying “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way, after supper You took the cup and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Lord Jesus, I choose to live my life in remembrance of You. Thank you for the promise of Your power when the Holy Spirit comes upon me.
Holy Spirit, come!
Holy Spirit, increase my faith in Jesus!
Continue to teach me to grow daily in understanding the extent of Christ’s power, authority and victory in all of Creation – so that I may live victoriously through my Lord Jesus Christ.
May I live out all of my days in the certainty that our Lord Jesus Christ is alive because of the fact that on “The third day He rose again from the dead.”
Lord Jesus, indeed, Your Resurrection opens new life to us all!
May I be Your agent of Resurrection life.
May the reality of Christ’s Resurrection impact every aspect of my life – to the glory of God our Father.
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our Risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.
Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:30-32)
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Risen Saviour, Jesus Christ!
Are your eyes opened?
Would you recognize Christ if He showed up in your life today?
Your ability to recognize the Lord is really hinged upon the extent of your reality of the Risen Saviour.
One of the most important questions that must guide us as Christ’s disciples is this,
‘Is the fact of our Lord’s Resurrection absolutely central and substantial to me, my faith, and my life’s work?’
The Apostle Paul tells us, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” (1 Corinthians 15:14)
Our Lord Jesus Christ is alive today!
This is the truth that is more existential than life itself.
By His suffering and death on the Cross, Christ frees us from the penalty and power of Sin. By His resurrection, Christ has ushered us onto God’s way to a new and eternal life.
The big question here is: Is this your truth? Is this your reality?
If you have ever struggled with your Christian faith, or over nagging questions about how you should live your life as a Christian, or perhaps even with prolonged bouts of doubts regarding why you chose to be a Christian in the first place, what you are experiencing, is a bad case of ‘useless faith.’
And the only reason why your faith would be useless is because in your mind, Christ’s Resurrection is either inconsequential or irrelevant to you.
You may be convinced that Christ has indeed rose from the grave on the third day, but you are not convinced that Christ’s Resurrection has anything to do with your life today.
Stop encumbering yourself. Actually, stop destroying yourself.
If ever there was a self-destruct sequence in the human life, the countdown would most certainly be triggered by any disregard for the reality of Christ’s Resurrection.
Don't destroy yourself. The thief does that. (John 10:10) Don't rob from yourself what Christ desires for you – life to the full!
Christ has rose for the dead, and He is alive today!
This is either your reality or not at all.
You cannot pick and choose the degree of your belief.
Ambivalence and apathy has no place in the Christian’s reality of Christ’s Resurrection, and it must not have a place in yours.
Consider carefully now the significance of Christ’s Resurrection.
May the Holy Spirit to deepen your understanding and embrace of the eternal reality of Christ’s Resurrection.
The Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is irrefutable evidence that confirms His Divinity, Work and Teachings, and is absolutely central to our Christian faith, hope and witness.
If Christ had not resurrected from the dead, our faith would be useless.
Do not deny yourself the very foundation and substance of your Christian faith, because if you do, you are in fact, denying Christ Himself.
Never be deceived.
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is eternally central and acutely significant to our lives as Christians.
Christ’s Resurrection proved everything that Jesus claimed about Himself – being the Son of God and the Son of Man – fully human, and fully God.
Christ’s Resurrection confirms all of His Words, His Works and His Worth as the perfect Lamb of God send by the Father to suffer and die in substitutionary atonement of the sins of the world – my sin, and yours.
Christ’s Resurrection justifies and fulfills every one of God’s promises, ‘For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ.’ (2 Corinthians 1:20a)
In other words, if we are conscientious about aligning our lives to God’s promises, we can be sure that God’s response to us will be consistently be “Yes” in Christ.
When was the last time you prayed a prayer and were 100% certain that God’s answer to you would be “YES”?
Well, try it. Pray according and aligned to the promises of God. Hear Him say to you, “Yes. You are beginning to understand My Heart, My Will and My Kingdom purpose for you. Well done, My good and faithful servant.”
Our prayers are never, and must never be, for ourselves, or for our own purposes.
Our prayers, even if we find ourselves as subject, must be about how we would fit into God’s Kingdom purposes.
Christ’s Resurrection may effect that profound and eternal transformation of our personal lives, but His Resurrection transcends the individual to affect the ultimate purpose of God – the in-breaking of His Kingdom with the participation of believers with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as His children, disciples, and agents.
And it is for this Kingdom purpose, that Christ’s Resurrection justifies and fulfills His Power, Purpose and Presence in our lives – it is a done deal.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
When the disciples heard Christ’s commission to them for the very first time, they were utterly convicted to the fact that Jesus held utter and ultimate authority in heaven and on earth.
In their minds, there was no doubt at all – for after all, He already achieved the impossible - Christ rose from the grave; Christ conquered death, and Christ proved once and for all that He was truly the Son of God.
Be clear on this.
Christ’s purpose for them to make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching them stemmed from His utter and ultimate power.
And their confidence and motivation to live out His purpose and in His power was due wholly on His promised presence in their lives.
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (POWER)
Make disciples. (PURPOSE)
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (PRESENCE)
The disciples believed in the Lord Jesus Christ so deeply and profoundly that most of them sacrificed their lives fulfilling the Great Commission.
We have heard the argument before – no one ever dies for a lie.
Christ’s Resurrection and Divinity was such a reality in the lives of the disciples that there was no other Way, no other Truth, and no other Life that they could possibly imagine themselves living for.
Is this your reality Christ’s Resurrection?
You may have been a committed Christian, or even a fulltime Christian minister for decades, but is Christ’s Resurrection real to you?
How much of Christ’s Power, Purpose and Presence do you recognize and live for today?
If you can’t sense the presence of God in your life, consider the possibility that you are not living out Christ’s purpose for you.
In reiterating the Great Commission, our Lord Jesus promises His disciples, then and now, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
If you desire the promised presence of God in your life, be Christ’s witness in everything that you do, whilst simultaneously anticipating the power of God in your live to fulfill His purpose of Kingdom in-breaking work.
It has to be God’s power because it is God’s work.
Always remember.
This is the key.
Always remember that you chose to be, and have become, Christ’s disciple.
Regardless of your challenges or struggles in life; at home, at the workplace, or at church – always remember that above all else, you have chosen and have become His disciple.
You are Christ’s disciple and you are Christ’s witness; and only in living out this calling makes you congruent with your Christian faith.
That is who you are in Christ.
All of which that substantiates our faith finds origin and substance in Christ’s Resurrection.
Therefore, Christ’s Resurrection must become our Christian identity.
Always remember.
“Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him.”
For it was at that table when our Lord Jesus – together with those disciples on the road to Emmaus – took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them, were their eyes opened. Only when they remembered, did they recognize Him as their God who had rose from the grave and who is now fully present to them.
Search your heart.
At our innermost beings, we all live with the deep desire to find favor with God. Reconcile with that desire this moment by remembering who Christ is to you, what Christ has done for you, and who you are called to be in Christ.
The embrace of reality starts with the endeavor to remember.
Endeavor to always remember the greatness of God and the greatness of a life in Christ.
Open your eyes this day and recognize that Christ is fully present to you.
Consider it your sacred joy in partaking the Lord’s Supper with your church family. That is how we remember.
Consider it your sacred duty to open your eyes to every opportunity to be Christ’s disciple and witness. That is how we remember.
Consider it your sacred privilege to live life today as the first of eternity. That is how we remember.
The fact of Christ’s Resurrection is truly worth remembering and embracing.
Remember. Never forget.
Remember. Let nothing rob you and make you forget.
Always remember that on “The third day He rose again from the dead.”
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Thank you Lord, for Your Revelation of the reality of Christ’s Resurrection in my life. I know that this is your gift of divine privilege. May I never be found outside of Your sacred trust.
May I always remember that Your Resurrection reality justifies and fulfills every promise that God has ever made to us.
Lord Jesus, may the fact of Your Resurrection become my impulse to live; and live to the full - in Your Promises, Presence, Power and Purposes for me.
Because I believe that You are present to me, may every moment of my life be sacred, for the purpose of revealing the power of God in and through my life.
Grant me Your power to fulfill Your tasks in my life. I know that there is no other way; for my life may only be fulfilled in Christ Jesus my Lord.
On the night You were betrayed, You took bread, and when You had given thanks, You broke it, saying “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way, after supper You took the cup and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Lord Jesus, I choose to live my life in remembrance of You. Thank you for the promise of Your power when the Holy Spirit comes upon me.
Holy Spirit, come!
Holy Spirit, increase my faith in Jesus!
Continue to teach me to grow daily in understanding the extent of Christ’s power, authority and victory in all of Creation – so that I may live victoriously through my Lord Jesus Christ.
May I live out all of my days in the certainty that our Lord Jesus Christ is alive because of the fact that on “The third day He rose again from the dead.”
Lord Jesus, indeed, Your Resurrection opens new life to us all!
May I be Your agent of Resurrection life.
May the reality of Christ’s Resurrection impact every aspect of my life – to the glory of God our Father.
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our Risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.