Psalm 145; Isa. 25:1-9; Acts 4:13-31; John 16:16-33
The Lord has swallowed up death forever. In the resurrection of Jesus this prophecy was fulfilled. Death is not the final answer. Do we realize what a salvation we have? Having been a Christian for many years I think we sometimes take for granted that we will live forever. It is a truth in which we should glory daily and which should make us always both glad and thankful. Without Jesus we have no certainty about our salvation, we have no real certainty about the possibility of eternal life, no one has truly proven it, it remains somewhat theoretical. In the resurrection of Jesus from the dead we know for certain that life after death is possible. We also know that His promise is that those who believe in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. The curse of Genesis 3 has been removed, sin brought death into the world, in Jesus and His righteousness, life came into the world.
“I have overcome the world.” This is perhaps the most profound statement in the Gospels. The creator of all has overcome the world He created. How is He overcoming the world, by submitting to it and allowing the world to have its will done but also by overcoming temptation. Jesus takes all the temptation in the world and overcomes it by keeping His eyes fixed on the kingdom of heaven. Jesus rejects what the world has to offer by constantly seeking only what the Father has to offer and in doing so shows us how to be human and live unto the Lord. He speaks here of a time that is soon to come when the world will rejoice in the belief it has overcome Him but in the resurrection the real winner is revealed to be Jesus and in that knowledge the disciples will truly rejoice.
Jesus overcoming the world becomes also victory and boldness for His followers. Once death is shown to be a toothless enemy the fear of what man can do becomes less a threat. Peter and John respond to the admonition not to speak or teach in the Name of Jesus by recalling Luke 12.4-5 when Jesus warns them not to fear men who can kill the body alone but to fear Him who has the power after death to cast into Hell. Having seen the resurrection they pose the appropriate dilemma to the council, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge…” It would certainly have been an offensive response, setting the religious leaders over against God. The implication is that there are two opposing sides in this issue and they aren’t with God. They know the power that comes from certainty about eternity and live in that assurance with no fear, not even of those they formerly feared greatly. These had power to convict Jesus and put Him on the cross but there their power ended and God’s began, the power which has no end.
Hail, Thou once despisèd Jesus! Hail, Thou Galilean King!
Thou didst suffer to release us; Thou didst free salvation bring.
Hail, Thou universal Savior, who hast borne our sin and shame!
By Thy merits we find favor; life is given through Thy Name.
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