The Resurrection Is the Reason for Our Joy (Do You Have It?)

Jesus has not only beaten death and fulfilled all the promises he said he would, but he is telling us that our greatest purpose in life is the way we pass along our faith to others, and how we baptize and disciple them. This is the commission of the church.

We are wrapping up our Jesus 101 series this week by looking closely at Jesus’ resurrection and what it means for us.

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WHAT DOES IT SAY?

This week we are diving deep into Matthew 28 – the Resurrection and the events that immediately followed for his disciples and the women who followed him to the cross and beyond.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

 “Women were filled with joy” - The marker of belief is joy. When you are getting close to the goodness of God, you will experience joy. Joy is a hallmark of the Christian faith. The good news of the gospel, when understood, always brings joy.

“Clasped his feet and worshipped him”- This is huge for our theological understanding! Jesus accepts worship of himself. It’s very clear in the Jewish tradition that God is one God, and you cannot worship anything or anyone other than God (1st Commandment).

For a Jewish teacher to receive personal worship would have been completely offensive to their faith and a violation of the law. This is one more piece of evidence that Jesus is not a mere prophet or mystic, but is the Son of God – fully God and also fully man.

The Great Commission - Jesus allows worship but also tells them not to hold onto him (John 21) but to go and tell others about him. In setting the disciples’ purpose, he sets our purpose as well.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR ME?

1. Want to do a diagnostic test on your faith, ask yourself: Am I experiencing joy today? If the answer is no, ask God to remove what might be blocking you from experiencing the joy of the gospel. You can have pain and sadness and still have joy. This deep joy is knowing that everything Jesus says about himself is true.

2. Jesus has commissioned you into the kingdom of God, so you can invite others into the Kingdom. I.e., 1 Peter 3:15: “Always give a reason for the hope that you have.”

This is our greatest purpose in life – how we pass along our faith. Our faith is not a private endeavor. Are you living in the joy of your salvation, are you speaking about that joy?

3. We have to pray and seek God’s wisdom to know how to apply what God has spoken into the specific lives of those he has called us to. If you are interacting with a life, God has called you to that person. In the way you pray for and interact with that person, God has a purpose. God-willing, if you are living out that joyful good news, you are going to have opportunities to share the reason for the joy that you have.

RESOURCES:

Nicole’s Book: Help My Bible Is Alive!

Ask Nicole a Bible study question: nicole@nicoleunice.com

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