April 5 Minute HOPE Share
We ty to start every closet day with a 5 Minute HOPE Share!
The Gospel of the Resurrected Ruler
There were many gospels proclaimed in the ancient world. Kings and emperors issued gospel announcements as a public declaration of their authority, a claim to the world of their strength and power. In these gospel proclamations, these rulers promised “worldwide” and “unending” peace, salvation, safety, and well-being for their subjects. History has shown these claims to be untrue. Every one of those ancient rulers has died, their kingdoms and empires crumbled, their gospel promises unfulfilled. Despite all their political power, all their military forces, and their wealth, none of these rulers were able to build the eternal kingdoms they claimed.
Jesus wasn’t like these other rulers who used fear, coercion, and military might to establish a kingdom. He taught, healed, and cast out demons with remarkable authority, but he never took up the sword, never led a military revolt, never seized the reins of worldly power. He cared for the sick, grieved with the broken, loved the downtrodden, and taught his followers to do the same. Jesus spoke against injustice and hypocrisy. He spoke truth into darkness. Jesus’ willingness to speak out made him hated by the religious elite. His enemies eventually had him killed by turning him over to their Roman governor for a public execution as a political rebel.
Unlike the other rulers of the ancient world, the kingdom Jesus promised did not end. The third day after his public execution, Jesus rose from the dead because death could not hold him. Jesus did what all the other rulers of the world were unable to do, overcome death. Jesus demonstrated a greater power than any of the rulers of the world could ever wield. He showed that love is the greatest power and He defeated our greatest enemy- death.
The gospel of Jesus is not like other gospel proclamations in the world because the gospel of Jesus is true. As the apostle Paul describes, the gospel of Jesus is “the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16) and “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you” (1 Corinthians 15:2).
This amazing gospel changes people from self-love and useless efforts to fill that deep longing for meaning and purpose in life. It instead sends us on a mission to follow Jesus, seeking to live as he lived, trusting in him, and announcing his amazing grace to the world. Although the world around us may look dark, we can have hope that Jesus, the resurrected ruler, will one day return to restore His creation. In Philippians 2: 5-12, Paul shares a beautiful and hopeful summation of this gospel of Jesus.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Romans 10:9 states, “If you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, and that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.” Amazing! Our hope is not based on our worthiness, but in the finished work of Jesus 2,000 years ago. He’s coming back. Those who’s trust is in this King will have this hope- “Whoever hears my [Jesus] word and believes him [God] who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24).
