The Day When Everything Changed.
Then the Jews demanded of him, “What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” The Jews replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. (John 2:18-22)
Can you remember a day in your life, which you would describe as a day that was so momentous – either in a positive or a negative way - that it changed everything? Probably everyone has had an experience that seemed like it would change everything about their life. If you were asked to finish the sentence, “I will never forget when. . .,” how would you answer? Depending upon your age, there might be several moments in your life experience that fall into this category. If you are old enough, I bet you can still recall hearing the news that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas. Or perhaps you watched man’s first steps on the moon on some small black and white television set and thought the world would never be the same. Just a few years ago we had a day filled with terror as we watched the planes crash into the towers and the Pentagon. In the media it was a day that was referred to over and over again as the day that changed everything.
Some events impact our lives in very negative ways. Others change our life for the better. I remember the day I stood in front of a little country church in southwestern Pennsylvania and a pastor asked me if I wanted to take a beautiful young Italian girl as my wife. I knew that day would change my life forever. I also remember the birth of each of our children just as if it were yesterday. With each birth we knew life would be dramatically changed.
In the long course of human history there have been countless moments which seemed at the time to alter life forever. But no matter how momentous these events seem to us when they happen – with the passing of time, they begin to blend in with the rest of history. When seen through the lens of eternity there truly is only one day that changes everything. It was the day that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
It Changed Confusion To Understanding. The passage above follows on the heels of when Jesus cleared the temple. Finding only people who had commercialized faith in God, he drove them out of the temple with a whip. He overturned the tables of the money changers and chased those selling goods out of the temple area. It angered the religionists to no end. “By whose authority do you do this?” they demanded. “What sign can you give us that will prove you have the right to do this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” Instant confusion. They immediately looked at the huge stones of the temple and scoffed at him. “How are you going to rebuild this structure in three days when it took us 46 years to build it?” In their eyes, it was the statement of a madman. But his statement had a symbolic meaning. Jesus was speaking of His body, of His death and resurrection. He was going to build a new meeting place for God and man. It would be in Him that men would be able to meet with God. Even his own disciples didn’t really understand what he meant. To some degree as they walked with Jesus they were in a persistent mental fog trying to understand what he meant as he spoke to them. Following His death and burial, the disciples were more confused than they had ever been. Then came a morning just a few days after his crucifixion. Early in the morning, one of the women threw open the door and shouted, “I have seen the Lord!” Talk about confusion! How were they supposed to understand this? But later that day Jesus Himself appeared to them in the upper room where they were hiding. He had risen indeed and wanted them to understand that death could not hold him. He showed them the wounds in his hands and side. Once they saw the resurrected Lord they understood - and they believed. Their eyes were opened for the very first time and they were changed forever.
It Changed Defeat To Victory. On the day that Jesus rose from the grave he provided a victory for which mankind had been longing for years. For years and years there had been thousands and thousands of sacrifices in the temple. Every time a person violated God’s law, they had to come back and offer another sacrifice. Over and over again the priests would receive offerings from the people. There was an endless stream of guilty sinners trying to atone for their sins. No sacrifice was adequate for the complete remission of their sin. Every year the high priest would enter into the Holy of Holies to offer a sacrifice for the sins of the people. Every year the practice had to be repeated. With each sacrifice the people were reminded of their need to draw near to God and their utter inability to break free from the power of sin. But the day Jesus rose from the dead changed everything. He put an end to the entire sacrificial system. He provided victory over the power of sin once for all. “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Heb. 10:10)
It Changed Death To Life. Christ's resurrection proves to all that he has power over death itself. Throughout history there have been countless wise religious leaders. Some gaining thousands – even millions of followers. What makes Jesus different from the rest? The historic fact of his resurrection. Every other great religious leader attempts to help man find his way to God to in order to cheat death. The resurrection changed that. God became a man who died and rose again that we might live forever. “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where O death is your victory. Where O death is your sting?” (Romans 15:55)
One word changed human history forever – Risen! But it will not change anything in your life unless you choose to acknowledge Him as Lord and receive Him as Savior. “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24)
Live the Victorious Live,
PT
Can you remember a day in your life, which you would describe as a day that was so momentous – either in a positive or a negative way - that it changed everything? Probably everyone has had an experience that seemed like it would change everything about their life. If you were asked to finish the sentence, “I will never forget when. . .,” how would you answer? Depending upon your age, there might be several moments in your life experience that fall into this category. If you are old enough, I bet you can still recall hearing the news that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas. Or perhaps you watched man’s first steps on the moon on some small black and white television set and thought the world would never be the same. Just a few years ago we had a day filled with terror as we watched the planes crash into the towers and the Pentagon. In the media it was a day that was referred to over and over again as the day that changed everything.
Some events impact our lives in very negative ways. Others change our life for the better. I remember the day I stood in front of a little country church in southwestern Pennsylvania and a pastor asked me if I wanted to take a beautiful young Italian girl as my wife. I knew that day would change my life forever. I also remember the birth of each of our children just as if it were yesterday. With each birth we knew life would be dramatically changed.
In the long course of human history there have been countless moments which seemed at the time to alter life forever. But no matter how momentous these events seem to us when they happen – with the passing of time, they begin to blend in with the rest of history. When seen through the lens of eternity there truly is only one day that changes everything. It was the day that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
It Changed Confusion To Understanding. The passage above follows on the heels of when Jesus cleared the temple. Finding only people who had commercialized faith in God, he drove them out of the temple with a whip. He overturned the tables of the money changers and chased those selling goods out of the temple area. It angered the religionists to no end. “By whose authority do you do this?” they demanded. “What sign can you give us that will prove you have the right to do this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” Instant confusion. They immediately looked at the huge stones of the temple and scoffed at him. “How are you going to rebuild this structure in three days when it took us 46 years to build it?” In their eyes, it was the statement of a madman. But his statement had a symbolic meaning. Jesus was speaking of His body, of His death and resurrection. He was going to build a new meeting place for God and man. It would be in Him that men would be able to meet with God. Even his own disciples didn’t really understand what he meant. To some degree as they walked with Jesus they were in a persistent mental fog trying to understand what he meant as he spoke to them. Following His death and burial, the disciples were more confused than they had ever been. Then came a morning just a few days after his crucifixion. Early in the morning, one of the women threw open the door and shouted, “I have seen the Lord!” Talk about confusion! How were they supposed to understand this? But later that day Jesus Himself appeared to them in the upper room where they were hiding. He had risen indeed and wanted them to understand that death could not hold him. He showed them the wounds in his hands and side. Once they saw the resurrected Lord they understood - and they believed. Their eyes were opened for the very first time and they were changed forever.
It Changed Defeat To Victory. On the day that Jesus rose from the grave he provided a victory for which mankind had been longing for years. For years and years there had been thousands and thousands of sacrifices in the temple. Every time a person violated God’s law, they had to come back and offer another sacrifice. Over and over again the priests would receive offerings from the people. There was an endless stream of guilty sinners trying to atone for their sins. No sacrifice was adequate for the complete remission of their sin. Every year the high priest would enter into the Holy of Holies to offer a sacrifice for the sins of the people. Every year the practice had to be repeated. With each sacrifice the people were reminded of their need to draw near to God and their utter inability to break free from the power of sin. But the day Jesus rose from the dead changed everything. He put an end to the entire sacrificial system. He provided victory over the power of sin once for all. “We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Heb. 10:10)
It Changed Death To Life. Christ's resurrection proves to all that he has power over death itself. Throughout history there have been countless wise religious leaders. Some gaining thousands – even millions of followers. What makes Jesus different from the rest? The historic fact of his resurrection. Every other great religious leader attempts to help man find his way to God to in order to cheat death. The resurrection changed that. God became a man who died and rose again that we might live forever. “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where O death is your victory. Where O death is your sting?” (Romans 15:55)
One word changed human history forever – Risen! But it will not change anything in your life unless you choose to acknowledge Him as Lord and receive Him as Savior. “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24)
Live the Victorious Live,
PT
posted by Larry | 5:44 PM
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