I Will Rise…Will You?

I know I don’t typically post on Sundays, but I can’t let this day go by without mentioning what an absolutely glorious day this is.

Of all the holidays, this is by far my favorite, and as a believer in Christ, probably the most important. I know Christmas gets all the hype, but Easter is what it’s really all about.

Christ’s perfect life and death on the cross mean nothing without His resurrection, and that’s what we celebrate today and every Easter.

But this day was made even more special to me as I sat in church and watched my dad baptize my younger brother, Chad. I had tears in my eyes and goosebumps on my arms as I listened to Chad share his story of how Jesus saved him, and as I watched my dad lower him into the baptismal waters.

Baptism will not save you but it is a beautiful picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. What more perfect day to be baptized than on Easter, the day we celebrate Christ’s death, burial and resurrection?

I’m so thankful that Christ rose again because it means that someday, I, too, will rise. Death has no power over me, and I have no reason to fear it! What an awesome thought it is to look towards the future and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that because of my Savior’s sacrifice, and the power He demonstrated over the grave, I will rise again!!

Will you?

All of the redemptive plan of God in its fullness, completed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ will either mean to you heaven or it will mean to you hell. He will either be back to take you to the place that He has prepared for you, or He will be back to send you to the place He has prepared for the devil and his angels. He will be back either to gather you into His heaven, or to send you to the hell that is outside of His presence forever. He will be back to pour upon you eternal blessing or eternal punishment. You will arise from the dead some day to the resurrection of life in His presence, or to the resurrection of damnation of His presence.

All gospel realities hinge on His resurrection and your eternity is at stake. You can make your choice. It doesn't seem to me to be much of a choice, to choose heaven, forgiveness, blessedness, joy, fulfillment in His presence, or damnation, punishment, hell forever out of His presence. But that's the choice.

This is resurrection day, the day we celebrate the resurrection of Christ and the day we should celebrate your resurrection in Christ.

**John MacArthur**