The Anticipation of Our Resurrection
Our forthcoming resurrection in God’s new and righteous world can be confidently and joyfully anticipated because of the finished work of Christ and the faithful promises he made to us.
Luke
The Message of the Resurrection
We are commissioned to bring the message of salvation to everyone, mindful that God will sovereignly choose to effectually empower our efforts as we are faithful to accurately relay the biblical gospel.
The Nature of the Resurrection
Christians ought to be heartened, motivated, and excited by the preview of our own resurrection which can be seen in the resurrected bodily appearances of Christ.
The Argument for the Resurrection
The veracity of the bodily resurrection of Christ is seen in the fulfillment of prophecy, its massive influence on the world, and the transformative impact the risen Christ has countless people in every generation.
The Centrality of the Resurrection
The defeat of death is the logical product and central feature of God’s successful redemptive solution for the impact and effect of our sinful rebellion.
How the Righteous Respond
Responding rightly to Christ’s redemptive work should result in a growing love for God that produces good works, love for people, and a desire to obey the Bible’s commands.
The Final Payment
We must be careful to consider the high cost of our redemption as Jesus suffered sin’s just penalty on the cross purchasing reconciliation for those who are truly penitent.
Pardon for the Penitent
God is rich in mercy to all, but shows the magnificence of his grace in bestowing favor to the penitent who deserve nothing but his unmitigated justice.
Salvation in Perspective
We would do well to keep this sinful world and our eternal salvation in perspective, pitying the lost and joyfully anticipating the return of our glorified and exalted Savior.
Condemned In Our Place
We must learn to appreciate the great exchange of our redemption wherein Christ’s perfection is granted to sinners like us while the entire penalty for our sin was borne by him in his suffering and death.
Unmet Expectations
Knowing many people are interested in Christ for all the wrong reasons, we must be vigilant about maintaining a thoroughly biblical view of God and the Christian life amid all voices to the contrary.
Second Chances
We must be mindful and vigilant of the continual battle we face with sin and temptation, grateful for God’s restraining grace and his immeasurable patience.
Stubborn Rejection
We must resolutely affirm that Jesus is the expected Messiah of the Old Testament and unabashedly live in light of his credentials as Deity.
The Price of Forgiveness
The perfect and infinitely valuable life of Son of God fully paid the just demands of the Father’s holiness by incurring all the painful punishments our sins deserve.
Christ’s Unfaithful Friends
Peter’s denials certainly remind us that our best intentions to follow Christ will be punctuated by stumbling, but they should also motivate us to quickly get up, confident that God uses imperfect servants to do great things.
The Ongoing Betrayal
Spiritual defection and apostasy should rightly concern and even anger us, leading us to personal vigilance and a thoughtful ministry of strong encouragement in the lives of others.
Pain and Temptation
The triune God demonstrated love for us in the most costly transaction imaginable; in response we ought to eternally thank him and sacrificially obey all that he commands.
Provision & Planning
Christ expects us to prudently plan and wisely prepare for life’s eventuality while fully and fearlessly trusting in God’s sovereign and loving oversight of our lives
Strength in Frailty
We must be continually mindful of our inherent human frailty, knowing that God wants us to be spiritually strong by trusting in his varied provisions as we seek to live for Christ and serve his cause.
Real Power & Prestige
We must be quick to rid ourselves any selfish ambition or self-promotion, knowing that we are required to sacrificially serve others in our calling to advance the cause of Christ in our world.
God’s New Covenant
Christ’s institution of the Lord’s supper in the presence of Judas should lead us to a vigilant introspection as we regularly and actively remember Christ’s death and coming kingdom.
The Picture in the Passover
The biblical Passover celebration provides us a helpful picture of the eternal redemption that has been provided for us by the eternal and divine Lamb of God.
God's Good Plan
We must remember and wholeheartedly affirm God’s good management of all things in history, in life, and the future, confident that all things work together for good.
The Perennial Precautions
In light of Christ’s imminent return for his Church, Christians must be actively focused on prayer and God’s word, being careful not get entangled in the distracting sins of this world.
The Unbreakable Promises
We can and should be completely assured of God’s promises regarding the future and our own future because of his impeccable trustworthiness and his perfect fidelity to all that he has said.
The Unprecedented Turmoil
Our lives will be motivated and calibrated as we remain mindful that this current age will culminate with an unprecedented display of God’s wrath on the earth and its wholesale transformation at Christ’s second coming.
The Importance of Jerusalem
As recipients of God’s gracious promise of forgiveness and everlasting adoption, our faith should be strengthened by God’s tenacious loyalty to the people of Israel and the city of Jerusalem.
The Turbulent Intermission
We ought to expect a turbulent and hostile experience as we seek to stand with Christ and advance his cause in this world, remaining resolute, unafraid, and confident in God’s promise of ultimate deliverance.
The Unexpected Postponement
While Israel’s widespread rejection of King Jesus resulted in a postponement of the earthly kingdom, we should remain confident in God’s impeccable promises as we work and patiently await the King’s second coming.
Giving Gifts Fit for Royalty
We must understand and always thoughtfully consider that our Christian financial giving is an extension of our loyalty, love, and submission to the King of kings.