‘He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.’ Matthew 28:6

As Selwyn states: “The empty tomb is proof that God’s plan has worked.”

The empty tomb demonstrates to us that the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross for all our sins was totally accepted by God.

We can all be confident that the (ransom) price was paid in full and we have been set free from the chains of bondage held by Satan if we believe and personally accept this ‘free’ gift of salvation. 

It’s important to understand that it’s our choice to accept the evidence provided in the Bible – of the empty tomb – which will enable us to enter into, and build upon, a new relationship (a new life) with Jesus, our God.

Likewise, it’s our own choice to turn away – to decline the offer – to not believe – and follow our desires – to live independent and without joy, while remaining under Satan’s influence and bondage.

Did you have the opportunity to explain the resurrection to someone?

I agree with Selwyn, that ‘Christ knew His disciples would forsake Him, but He knew also that despite their fear, their hesitancy, their denials and their doubts, deep down in their hearts they would want to believe that what He said about coming back from the dead would happen.’ Jesus also knew that after Pentecost that His Holy Spirit would enable them to better understand God’s plan and hence be in a position of strength, to tell others about the good news.

As is often the case, Selwyn summarises his thoughts best in today’s prayer: ‘O God, how thankful I am that something has been deposited in me by You that will eventually rise to the surface even in the most critical of situations. Doubts are temporary but faith is permanent. All honour and glory be to Your name. Amen.’

All of us will go through periods when doubts will arise; especially in times of crises, and more so, when ‘bad things happen to good people’. But, as Selwyn mentions, deep down there’s that deposit of love which binds us, as a child to our Father’s care – it’s a process of building a relationship that’s based on trust, which supports us even in those times when we don’t fully understand what’s going on around us. What do you think?

I can’t really add much, to Selwyn’s fine words for today, being Good Friday.

“Before the creation of the world, the one and only great God decided to have a people for Himself who would be His joy through time and eternity. … (Jesus) came to earth because God had handed over to Him the people whom He had foreordained in eternity, and said, in effect. ‘Make them a people in whom I can have the greatest pleasure.’

The Lord Jesus Christ came from heaven to do just that. This is the whole purpose of His incarnation, His temptation, His agony in the garden, His death on the cross, His resurrection. … Jesus died, not just so that we could have our sins forgiven, but so that He could live His life in us and through us (so that you and I might give God pleasure).”

All that is ‘outside’ this big picture is what continues to cause Jesus to suffer, until the day He returns – do you agree? 

Today, Selwyn considers whether we should believe our feelings or God’s word as contained in the Bible.

His main thought can be summarised, as follows: “Over the years, whenever my feelings have contradicted the Word, I have learned to say, ‘God, it’s my feelings I need to disbelieve, not Your Word. What I see in Your Word is fact. Inevitably so.”

I don’t think it’s coincidental that the authenticity and veracity of the Bible is being questioned in so many forums. Recently, we have had the gospel of Judas, probably a third century Gnostic writing (Gnostic – sects based on the theme of the possession of superior, special and esoteric knowledge of spiritual things) – the whole idea that God would hide truth from us and separate us into groups based on special knowledge is in conflict with the revelation of God as described in the Bible. In addition, just as Judas was a tool of Satan, so too, are these Gnostic gospels – today – they are being used by Satan to confuse, deceive and divide.

Media discussion on the gospel of Judas has led some to ask – what should we believe? It’s clear that we are in an age where this sort of attack will escalate; and the way to counter these attacks is to study the real thing (the Bible), so that you can identify all the counterfeits, with the help of His Holy Spirit – do you agree?

I like the following from today’s study: “Santification is essentially God’s work in us. The very way the Lord words His prayer implies this: ‘Santify them by the truth; your word is truth’ (John 17:17). As we meditate on the Bible, God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, opens our understanding of it and enables us to comprehend it.”

I agree with Selwyn – santification is a continuous process – therefore we must continuously read the Bible, God’s word, to allow God’s Spirit to provide a firm foundation upon which we can build a solid and dependable relationship that nutures us, to grow and develop, like Jesus.

Do you agree that by becoming a more avid reader of the Bible provides us with the ability to keep our ‘way’ pure (re Psalm 119:9 ‘How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.’) ?

The key sentence, in my view, is the following: ‘And here, in His third petition, He shows us how they are to be kept safe and filled with perpetual joy – by being sanctified.’  The verse being considered is, John 17:17 ‘Santify them by the truth; your word is truth’.

Selwyn provides an useful definition of santification; ‘ … basically it means two things: first, to be set apart for God’s use, and second, to be made fit for God’s use. The primary meaning of this word always has two aspects – dedication and purification.’

The prayer for today – says it all so well: “Father, help me understand that santification basically results from a relationship. The more I get to know You the more I become like You. Dwell still more deeply in me, Father, so that the world will have no place to abide. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

For me, this is one of the main challenges of my journey – dedication is a maturing attribute but purification is always a struggle – a type of three steps forward and then two steps back; how do you cope with this type of struggle?

 

Selwyn makes an important point when considering John 17:16, ‘They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.’

Further on, he provides these coments; ‘ … because of their relationship with Christ they had experienced a change of citizenship. Just as Christ belonged to the eternal kingdom, so did they. Because of their allegience to Him they had been given a new passport, so to speak, that brought them under a new authority and into a new culture and a new kingdom.’

It is sometimes the case that we do display ‘failings’ that belong to our previous culture. It’s important not to give up and become too discouraged when that happens.

Jesus loves you and will always be there to guide you back to the path which leads to your new kingdom – whenever you lose your way. I’ve experienced His loving influence a number of times which has helped me to focus my actions and follow Him closely after becoming ‘lost’ – have you had similar experiences?