John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Luke 24:1 – 24:12
1 Now upon the first [day] of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain [others] with them.
2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down [their] faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
8 And they remembered his words,
9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary [the mother] of James, and other [women that were] with them, which told these things unto the apostles.
11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.
12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.
28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week,
came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
28:2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake:
for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven,
and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
28:3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
28:4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
28:5 And the angel answered and said unto the women,
Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
28:6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.
Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
28:7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead;
and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
28:8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy;
and did run to bring his disciples word.
28:9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail.
And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
28:10 Then said Jesus unto them,
Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
28:11 Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city,
and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.
28:12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel,
they gave large money unto the soldiers,
28:13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
28:14 And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.
28:15 So they took the money, and did as they were taught:
and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
28:16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee,
into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
28:17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying,
All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
suyts space 
As I read this I have Handel’s Messiah on headphones.
A new day dawns…
A great day!
Although the picture irks. Today we had this passage in our church:
“He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.”
So having imperious Ben Hur types in clouds and rays from heaven is probably overdoing it a bit, artistic license-like. Nice pic though. I do actually suspect Jesus looked like an ordinary Hebrew, not a Caucasian male supermodel.
Sorry, Suyts, I’m being curmudgeonly. Its still a great day!
(Anyone out there inclined to scepticism you might like to know the Dead Sea Scrolls have the book of Isaiah in them and date by 14C to 100BC or thereabouts. Since righteousness is by faith from first to last (Rom 1:17) this doesn’t prove anything. But interesting, no? Also I like Ben Hur, great movie.)
He is Risen! We are blessed!
Happy Easter, everyone. 🙂
Reblogged this on Climate Ponderings.
I will see you Folk in the Morning!
Alfred
PSALMS 118:21-24 HE IS RISEN, THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE OF THE ETERNAL HOUSE OF GOD! FOR THE LORD HAS DONE THIS AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES!
Happy Resurrection Day – Man, taken from the dust of the ground of the Earth, needed to be elevated beyond the mire of sin and the morass of despair, for, were it not for Christ’s Resurrection, the Serpent would have won: Physical biological death would have been the end for us all. But now, it is not! Through Christ, we have eternal life. And Satan lost the very thing he had so coveted by deceiving our ancestors, Adam and Eve: Satan did not gain Eternal Immortality. Only Christ, our Risen Lord and Savior, has power to “open the seal” to “the tree of life. For, not only did Satan not become like God, from his earthly position of being “a crafty Serpent,” but neither did Adam and Eve, from their position of being biologically human as disobedient and rebellious “creatures of dust and flesh.”
We have gained eternal life, and only being being indwelled with God’s own Holy Spirit. But more, we must die first, not only spiritually, but also, biologically! We can only have eternal life, by first dying spiritually to the world, to self, to Satan’s wicked designs, and to our sinful nature, in the likeness of being crucified on the Cross with Jesus, as it were, and then, by physically dying at the end of our biological days on the Earth.
Therefore, Satan gained nothing, either from his rebellion against God in Heaven or from wickedly deceiving our biological ancestors, Adam and Eve; he has only gained the pit of Hell’s burning furnace of fire and brimstone!
But we have gained it all: Forgiveness, the more abundant life, righteousness, salvation, redemption, sanctification, justification, and eternal life. Satan’s “head of authority” has been utterly crushed; he is now “like a roaring lion prowling to and fro in the lower heavenlies seeking someone whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8).
And as we submit to God and resist Satan, he must flee from us; for, Christ, by His Resurrection from the Dead, restored unto us, the original authority which Satan had usurped from Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. From Christ, we have received authority to bind or loose things on Earth as they are bound or loosed in Heaven (James 4:7-10).
As faithful born-again believers in Christ Jesus, we are now “more than conquerors,” empowered with “a spirit of power, love, and sound mind,” as representatives and ambassadors of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords on the Earth (Romans 8:37-39; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; 2 Timothy 1:6-7).
We are brothers and sisters in Christ, respectively, children of God, and no longer merely “creatures of dust and flesh” whose destiny and “last rite” are only an honorable burial ceremony in the cemetery grounds of our choice. Thus, God is good all the time. And Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world of which Satan is the prince (John 16:8-11; 1 John 5:1-5).
Let us rejoice on this first day of the week: Resurrection Day!
As we remember the humble and redeeming sacrifice of Christ, our crucified Messiah, Savior, we also joyfully celebrate the glory of His living power of Resurrection from the dead from which we, born-again disciples, inherit the seal of His Holy Spirit who then guides and directs our inner-thought life as well as the pathways of our righteous works in the world!
Before being known of Christ, we were only mortal creatures of God because we are children of disobedience physically birthed from the dust of the ground of the Earth. But now that we partake of the transforming power of Christ’s Resurrection from the dead, we are sons and daughters of God, respectively, born of the Spirit, born of God, “a new creation,” thus joining the honorable ranks of long ago Apostles and Disciples of Christ, as well as of the Prophets who came before us, under the Old Covenant as “the true circumcision,” with “circumcision of the heart,” belonging to “the true Israel of God” who anticipated, prayed for, longed for, and looked forward to the coming of Messiah, Christ, sent from God, for our redemption, salvation, and restoration (Galatians 4:1-7; Galatians 6:7-18; Philippians 3:1-11).
What an awesome miraculous life we live on the Earth until Christ our eternal Lord, God, and Savior returns!
God bless you on this great day of glory, faith, love, and hope: Happy Resurrection Day! Christ lives! He is risen from the dead to live forever more, from everlasting to everlasting!
And God bless the United States of America, where God has chosen to plant us, to bloom as the land of the free and the home of the brave, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all: The only true authentic original birthplace of God-endowed inalienable rights to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness on the face of the Earth, for an exemplary benefit to all Humankind unto all generations as the Light of God’s freedom on the face of the Earth!
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Amen Brother/Sister
Happy Resurrection Day, James!!!
And to you too, Hank!!
Alleluia, He is Risen! A very blessed Easter to all. 🙂