April 2018

Jesus, the Promise Keeper!

 

“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said.’” (Matthew 28:5-6)

______________________________________

 

There are so many precious things about Jesus – beginning, of course, with His willingness to offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice for my sin. While that reigns supreme as the best gift ever given, one of the things that is most wonderful to me is that He is completely trustworthy. It’s part of God’s attributes – His perfection and holiness mean that God is always trustworthy. If He says something, you can take it to the bank. Case closed.

 

Jesus and the Holy Spirit share in the attributes of God, including total reliability. It’s a defining characteristic of God; thus, a defining characteristic of Christ. And, it makes Him unique. In a world obsessed with relativism – the belief that truth is what you make of it right now, that there are no absolutes – Jesus stands as a stark contrast, a clear choice that we must make, between the world’s priorities and those of the Creator of the universe. Time and again, we see the truth of the promises of God – these promises provide a firm foundation for our faith, and for the living of our lives as joint heirs with Christ to the promises of God.

 

The Bible is literally filled with promises. Some, God tells us, and we can rely on the truth of the promise, because we rely on the total holiness of God. Some, the promise is conditioned on our response, such as the promise of eternal life to those who confess and believe in Jesus as Savior. Some, we believe without actually seeing or experiencing them – they are conditioned on faith, and, one day, our faith will become sight. But, we believe them, because of the promise-maker – we completely trust in the promise because God made it, and He’s never broken a promise to us, and never will.

 

Jesus, too, is a promise-keeper. The first day of April marks the single greatest promise ever kept. Jesus spent a great deal of time in the days and weeks leading up to His death and resurrection, trying to tell His disciples

 
what was going to happen. He told them, repeatedly, that He, the Son of Man, would be arrested, tried, and executed. Then, three days later, He would be raised again. All of the Gospels reference these conversations. Maybe they weren’t listening – we rarely want to hear things we don’t want to think about. But, make no mistake, the promise was there – death and resurrection.
 
 

Then, it happened, just as He said. The disciples, frightened and confused, deserted Jesus. His followers, with the exception of a few dedicated women, kept silent as prophecy was fulfilled, and Jesus kept His promises. Then, on Resurrection Day, victory was announced by an angel – “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” “He is risen, just as He said.” Another, unbelievable promise kept!

 

Just as He said. Four words that will change your life, if you let them. We don’t have to guess what Jesus would do – He’s done it! We don’t have to wonder if He will keep His word – He always has. His promises are true, and so is His sacrifice. Let the total trustworthiness of Jesus ground your faith, and change your life today!

 

In His Love,

Bro. Heath

 

 


Leave a Reply

^