"OF FIRST IMPORTANCE"

"What I received I passed on to you as of first importance; that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.  After that He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time."  (I Cor. 15:3-6)

   April brings us to holy week and Easter.  When we know the ending of the story, it's difficult to keep interested in what leads up to the ending.  This is so true with Easter!  People want Easter's flowers and newness of life.  People want the joy and exitement of the empty tomb!  However, the empty tomb would have simply been a newly constructed, unused place to visit.  Without the body of Jesus being placed in it, the tomb had little excitement to offer.  So, of first importance is that "Christ died for our sins and was buried".  Thus, the remembrance of Holy Week.  Followers of Jesus will gather for worship to honor Him!

   That would have been the end of the story for all other humans, but not for the story of Jesus.  "He was raised on the third day and appeared to..." raised the energy level of His followers then and now.  They began to understand His teaching "I am the living bread that came down from Heaven.  If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.  This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." (John 6:51)  At first they were offended, so Scripture states, and it is a very difficult teaching to accept (until the institution of the Lord's Supper).  Jesus wants us to know the whole story.  "Does this offend you?  What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before!  The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing.  The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and they are life."  (John 6:61-63)

   The disciples did see Him go to where He was before!  There Jesus is preparing a "place" for His people.  A place where life will not be like it is here, because the people there will live by the direction of the Holy Spirit, not doing whatever they feel like doing.  So we can also believe that we can be there, because these are the words of Jesus that give life:  "Whoever hears My word and believes on Him who sent me had eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life....a time is coming when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live...A time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out!"  (John 5)

I believe in the resurrection of the body
and the life everlasting!!!

Rev. Terry A. Claus