Christian Reflection and Prayer

BECAUSE CHRIST WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD

Scripture: The Resurrection (Matthew 28: 1-20)

Reflection:

When Christ was raised form the dead!

a. It showed us how God demonstrated His acceptance
of Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins! (Ro 8:33-34)
b. It gives us power in our Christian Life.(Ep 1:18-20)
c. It gives us great that we will be resurrected (Ro 8:11-13; Ph 2:
12-13; 4:13; Ep 3:20; 6:10)
d. It requires complete loyalty. Then our lives and services
belong to Jesus. (Ro 14:7-8; 2 Co 5:15)
HAVE YOU ACCEPTED HIS RESURRECTION?


Prayer:

Easter Prayer for Renewal

Lord, send me a surprise.
One that catches me off guard
and makes me wonder.
Like Easter.

Send me a resurrection
when everything looks dead and buried.
Send me light
when the night seems too long.

Send me spring
when the cold and frozen season
seems endless.

Send me an idea
when my mind is empty.
Send me a thing to do
when I am just waiting around.

Send me a new friend
when I am alone.
Send me peace
when I'm afraid.

Send me a future
when it looks hopeless.
Send me Your resurrection
when I die, Jesus.

- Rev. Dr. Herbert Brokering

What if Christ had not been raised from the dead?

Scripture: The Resurrection (Matthew 28: 1-20)

Reflections:

What if Christ had not been raised from the dead?
a. All that is within the Gospels would be empty and
meaningless (1Corinthians 15:14). All the proclamations
would have been lies, fairytales, myths, stories of fiction.
b. Our faith would also be empty and meaningless
1Corinthians 15:14). Our faith would be a lie, a
fairytale, non fiction.
c. The disciples were liars( 1Corintians 15:15). Either
they told the truth or they were liar. They swore He
was alive, they even stated that Christ was with them
for 40 days after His death Acts 10:39-41).
d. We would still be lost to sin. There would be no
recovery, no redemption (1Corinthians 15:17). Jesus
Christ would have been a liar and mentally ill to die on
the cross.
c. Believers would die, there would be no eternal life
1Corinthians 15:18).
DO YOU BELIEVE?

Prayer:

Resurrection Prayer

O Risen Lord,
the way, the truth and the life,
make us faithful followers
of the spirit of your resurrection.
Grant that we may be inwardly
renewed; dying to ourselves
in order that you may live in us.
May our lives serve as signs
of the transforming power of your love
Use us as your instruments
for the renewal of society,
bring your life and love to all
and leading them to your Church.
This we ask of you, Lord Jesus,
living and reigning with the Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God forever. Amen

It’s Easter! It’s Easter! Christ lives once again!

It’s Easter! It’s Easter! Christ lives once again!

It’s Easter! It’s Easter! God’s loudest “Amen!”

We sing “Hallelujah,” we sing “Praise the Lord,”

Who raised up our Jesus and spoke the last word.

After the night comes the morning, and the world
comes alive. There is no more beautiful story in
all of history than the account of the empty tomb.
It is unbelievable but true!

It is a historical fact that Jesus Christ lived on earth
for a given period of time. His ministry and death are
recorded by historians as facts. It is also a historica
l fact that Muhammad was a religious leader whose
followers are Muslims. And if you visit the Topkapi
Palace Museum in Istanbul, there you will see a
carefully displayed tooth of Muhammad. The Muslims
are very proud of that artifact. It is a piece of their
prophet. They have tangible proof that Muhammad
lived and died.

But Christians have no such shrine. Not a tooth,
not a bone, not a single cell of Christ’s body to
display—only the empty tomb. Those who follow
Muhammad know that he is dead. But we who
worship Jesus Christ know that our Lord is alive.

Because of the resurrection there is an open door
to heaven and eternal life with our Lord and Savior,
and because he lives, we who believe shall live
eternally with him.

The four gospels record at least ten appearances
of Jesus Christ in the forty days after his resurrection
Over 500 people saw him. The risen Lord showed
them his pierced hands and feet. They had proof that
Jesus Christ was alive. Then and there was released
the mightiest power in human history, and today,
nearly 2,000 years later, the same power of the risen
Lord is alive around the world in countless numbers
of believers.

Let us who call ourselves Christians—followers of
Jesus Christ—rise up and roll away the stones of
doubt and fear and proclaim that Jesus Christ, our
risen Savior, lives!

Hallelujah!

Reprinted from the Church Herald, March 2002. Copyright
© 2002 by the Church Herald Inc.