Christ's resurrection has always been remembered by His people as a very private celebration.
That's because Jesus appeared only to His loved ones, and the world still doesn't care that Jesus rose from the dead.
But God gave to His people the privilege and duty to blaze it abroad to the world! Thus, we preach Christ crucified and risen in power and glory!
The resurrection is a part of the Gospel message, that Christ died for our sins, and rose again, proving His offering for us was accepted by God, and that He has the demonstrated power to raise up all His people who trust in Him.
When those who are ordained by God unto salvation believe that Gospel, they join together with us in our celebration, when Jesus meets with us all, around His Supper.
Peter and the other apostles began immediately to proclaim the truth of the resurrection. In sermon after sermon, they stressed the fact that Messiah's death and resurrection were foretold, and that it was God's divine stamp of approval upon all that Jesus said and did.
Later, Paul stressed the very same truths, having seen the risen Lord Jesus "out of time."
But all the saints long to see Jesus with our own eyes one day! We've been promised we shall see Him when He comes to take His people unto Himself at the end.
The Thessalonians are a good example: they had turned away from idols to worship the true God, and wait for the coming of His Dear Son, Who rose again from the dead, and delivered them from God's wrath.
Think of it! They had discarded tangible, visible, concrete images of false gods, to trust in a Savior Whom they had never seen!
How their own countrymen must have mocked them for that! |
