Second, we should remember the resurrection because so long as we remember it, we will always have a supernatural Gospel.
Second, we should remember the resurrection because so long as we remember it, we will always have a supernatural Gospel.
In yesterday’s study we said that people need a simple Gospel, not a simplistic Gospel—which we defined as one that is superficial and does not grapple with the deepest problems people have. But when I am talking about a “simple” Gospel, that is something else. It is a gospel that is simple because it brings simplicity to areas that would be hopelessly confusing without it.
There are many facts in life that we are called upon to remember—appointments, vital pieces of information, names of acquaintances, even incidents from the past that are supposed to have significance. “Remember the Alamo” was a rallying cry to Texans at the time of the war with Mexico. “Remember the Maine” served the same purpose at the time of the Spanish American War, following the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana harbor in 1898. In World War II the saying was “Remember Pearl Harbor.” The interesting fact about these sayings is that each refers to a defeat. The saying that I want to take you to today is different and is also more important, for it is a challenge to remember a victory.
But at the same time, Jesus’ death is not just a literal death; it is also a literal resurrection. A real resurrection with a real body and a real person standing there that they could handle and touch and furthermore the kind of person who could eat broiled fish to demonstrate the reality. It was no ghost.
Fourth, I want you to see not only that death is an enemy, not only is death the ultimate enemy, and not only is there an ultimate victory over death for us. But I also want you to see that there is a present victory now because the resurrection of the Lord transformed even the kind of death that we know now in our own time and in our own existence and experience.
When the Lord Jesus Christ transforms us, He saves us in spirit and soul so that we have a new spirit and a new soul, and by means of death are taken into the presence of Himself. And then at our resurrection He saves us in body also. It becomes, not just a spiritual salvation, not just a soul salvation, but a whole salvation.
And may I say something else? Death, if you understand it spiritually, is not only an enemy, it is, secondly, also the ultimate enemy, the greatest enemy there is. I think we sense this in our fear of death. We are afraid of death, even though death is transformed for Christians and fear is changed in some sense.
Canadian Committee of The Bible Study Hour
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