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"SundayReflection"
20th April 2025
'Colin Smith'
senior pastor of The Orchard Evangelical Free Church
"Unlocking the Bible:
Resurrection"
Luke 24:6, 36-47
On the third day, a group of women went to the tomb, and it was empty.
They heard the good news: He is not here. He has risen! (Luke 24:6)
The good news is that "Christ is risen."
That says more than "Jesus is alive."
The Son of God was alive in heaven before He took human flesh.
He could have returned to heaven, leaving His crucified body in the tomb.
The angels could have said, "His body is in the tomb, but do not fear, His Spirit is with the Father in heaven."
But that would not have fulfilled God's plan of redemption for us.
God has made you in a wonderful way.
He created angels as souls without bodies, and animals as bodies without souls.
But He created you as a unique integration of body and soul together.
Death separates what God has joined.
It is the undoing of our nature, and that is why it is such a terrible enemy.
But Jesus went through death, triumphed over death, and came out of death.
He came to redeem your life - soul and body - and to present you without fault, and with great joy, to your Father in heaven
Jude 24.To him who is able to keep you from falling and to bring you faultless and joyful before his glorious presence.
Jesus opened the minds of the disciples to allow them to see that everything leads to, and flows from, the his death and resurrection.
and said to them, "This is what is written: the Messiah must suffer and must rise from death three days later, and in his name the message about repentance and the forgiveness of sins must be preached to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.
Luke 24:46-47.
Repentance means that you completely change your mind, your stance, your whole position towards Jesus Christ.
You separate yourself from the world's opinion of Jesus and take your stand with Him.
You may want to come to him today, and tell Him, "I've been wrong about You.
I thought that You were hard and demanding, but now I see that You are full of grace and truth.
I thought You were out to condemn me, but now I see that You came into the world to redeem me.
I thought my life was for me to live as I wanted, but now I see that You gave me this life.
So I give it back to You, and by Your help, I will walk in Your ways."
Forgiveness means that Jesus Christ embraces you in love.
He cleanses your guilt, reconciles you to God the Father, and enters your life through His Spirit, giving you power to live the new life of faith and obedience into which He now calls you, until faith is turned to sight and you enter the joy of His presence forever.
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This is an edited version.
The full article and Bible references are avaiable on request
Colin Smith
(MPhil, London School of Theology) is senior pastor of The Orchard Evangelical Free Church,
a multi-site church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, and a Council member of The Gospel Coalition.
He is also committed to mentoring next-generation pastors through The Orchard School of Ministry.
Colin and his wife, Karen, have two married sons and five granddaughters.
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