Jesus Has Risen From The Dead

Devotion for Sunday (Easter Day) April 1, 2018

Topic: Jesus Has Risen From The Dead

Text: Matthew 28:1 – 10

Happy Easter to you! Today is Easter when we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Severally, He foretold about this day (Matthew 12:40; 17:9, 23) outside the prediction of the prophets. Mary Magdalene and her colleagues came to the tomb with the mind to anoint the body of our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 24:1) but they met an empty tomb. The message from the angel who announced the good news of the resurrection to the women centred on four areas: (1) Do not be afraid. The reality of the resurrection brings joy, not fear. When you are afraid, remember the empty tomb that Jesus is alive and not in the grave. (2) He is not here. Jesus is not dead and is not to be looked for among the dead. He is alive, with His people. (3) Come, see. The women could check the evidence themselves. The tomb was empty then, and it is empty today. The resurrection is a historical fact. (4) Go quickly and tell. They were to spread the joy of the resurrection. It is also our responsibility to spread the great and good news about Jesus’ resurrection. His resurrection is the cornerstone of Christianity. If Christ didn’t rise from death, there wouldn’t have been any gospel today. Our gospel is simple; Jesus died for our sins and rose again so that if we believe in Him, we will have eternal life. One of the messages the angel gave was go quickly and tell them. This was also the injunction Jesus gave as He resurrected. How far are you “telling” others about this good news? If we are not doing that, it means that we are ashamed of Him and He will deny us at the end (Mark 8:38).

Sing SS&S 152; Abu 50   

Food for Thought: If Jesus did not resurrect, what would have been our position today?

Memory verse: Matthew 28:7

Prayer: Lord God, may I never be ashamed of telling people about you.

A Living Hope

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Saturday April 22, 2017

Topic: A Living Hope 

Text: 1 Peter 1:3 – 5

The Christian's hope is a living principle, and sustains his spiritual life. Our hope is lived out. It is something that is live out for others to see. This hope gives life and looks for life as its object. We are now born again for a wonderful expectation of life to come but not of this world because we are pilgrims and foreigners here. This expectation we have is based on the assurance that God will keep His promise to raise us because Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Christ has made necessary power available for our resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:22). His resurrection makes us certain that we too will be raised from the dead.

This assurance is what makes our hope lively. It keeps us going, striving against all odds so as to gain that which God has promised us. What the resurrection of Christ has done for us is that it has inspired hope and grace in us. It has brought the conviction that we are going to be resurrected. The onus on us now is to live our lives with that inspired hope from the resurrection of Christ. It should make us to be heavenly conscious as we read yesterday. It should inspire a more strong faith in us that God is ever faithful to His promises. Our hope for eternal life promised us shouldn’t die.

We may be experiencing some negative things that are currently challenging our faiths. That notwithstanding, if we know our God, our hope will be renewed every day. We can achieve this by daily searching out God’s promises and laying hold of them as we pray. Don’t allow uncertainties of life deem your hope rather rekindle it daily basis. 

Food for Thought: Our hope for eternal life promised us shouldn’t die. Rekindle it on daily basis as we await the return of our Saviour.

Memory verse: 1 Peter 1 verse 3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

Prayer: Help me, O Lord, to keep the hope of eternal life lively in me in Jesus name.