24 lines
4.2 KiB
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24 lines
4.2 KiB
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<title>Blue Letter Bible: Day By Day By Grace — Bob Hoekstra</title>
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<div class="head">Day By Day By Grace</div>
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<div class="subhead">Bob Hoekstra</div>
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<div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020">March 26</div></div>
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<h2>The Resurrection: Reality, Not Dead Religion</h2>
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<div class="block"><i>Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being <b>greatly disturbed</b> that they taught the people and preached in <b>Jesus</b> the <b>resurrection</b> from the dead.</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Act',4,1,2);">Acts 4:1-2</a>)</div>
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<p>The <b>resurrection</b> of Christ is the difference between a <b>dead religion</b> and a <b>personal relationship</b>. <b>Living</b> by <b>resurrection</b> power is the difference between <b>earthly striving</b> and <b>heavenly reality</b>. These differences can be seen in the contrast between the religious authorities of Israel and the disciples of Jesus.</p>
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<p>The disciples were proclaiming to the people the wondrous message of the <b>risen</b> Lord Jesus. <i>"They taught the people and preached in <b>Jesus</b> the <b>resurrection</b> from the dead."</i> Such a message infuriated the religious leaders. <i>"The priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being <b>greatly disturbed</b>."</i> Today, many religious leaders reflect a similar response. In the popular religious world, universalism and skepticism prevail. Each religion is viewed as one more road leading to God. For many, the miraculous is unacceptable, as human reasoning reigns supreme. In many religious circles, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is either an object of scoffing or an area of hypocritical compromise.</p>
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<p>The Sadducees of old were like this. They would talk about the resurrection, even asking Jesus questions that seemed to affirm that God could raise people from the dead. <i>"Therefore, <b>in the resurrection</b>, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Mat',22,28);">Matthew 22:28</a>). This question followed their scenario in which seven brothers would become the husband of the same woman, through seven death and marriage sequences. What a mockery this question represented. First, it was given in hypocrisy. <i>"The <b>Sadducees</b>, who say there is <b>no resurrection</b>, came to Him and asked Him"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Mat',22,23);">Matthew 22:23</a>). Second, they were unaware of what the Scriptures said about such a heavenly matter. <i>"For <b>in the resurrection</b> they <b>neither</b> marry <b>nor</b> are given in marriage"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Mat',22,30);">verse 30</a>). Jesus explained that these religious rationalists made two great errors in their approach. <i>"You are mistaken, <b>not knowing the Scriptures</b> nor <b>the power of God</b>"</i> (<a onClick="return mV('Mat',22,29);">verse 29</a>).</p>
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<p>We who have been born again by faith in the risen Lord Jesus can err in a similar fashion in our day by day living. We can talk about the resurrection of Jesus, but behave as though it were not an actual reality for Christian living. We can be mistaken, <i>"<b>not knowing the Scriptures</b> nor <b>the power of God</b>."</i></p>
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<div class="dbdbg_prayer">Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your patience when I profess belief in the resurrection, but live by my inadequate human resources. Help me to understand what the Scriptures say about living daily in the power of the resurrection of Christ, Amen.</div></div></div>
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<div class="desc-center"><div class="pad2020"><a href="./devotions/daybyday/03/0325.html">Yesterday's Reading</a>
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