“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead . . . .’”
—Matthew 28:1–7 (NIV)
THIS IS THE time of year when we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The Easter season is one of the most joyous festivals that the Church celebrates. The Resurrection meant new life for Jesus and for all believers. Along with new life, we have received blessings purchased for us by Christ at Calvary.
In this teaching, we will study five blessings that now belong to us through Jesus. The first blessing is pardon. Jesus’ resurrection seals our pardon.
ROMANS 4:25 (NIV)
25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Because Jesus paid the price for our redemption and took our place, God can now offer us a full and complete pardon. What does pardon mean? A pardon is a legal document setting a person free from punishment. It also wipes out a record of past deeds. It’s as though they never happened.
We should have to pay for our misdeeds. Instead, Jesus took our sins and the punishment for those sins upon Himself at the Cross. As a result, the Heavenly Father can offer us a pardon and wipe out our misdeeds, our sins, and our past as though they never existed.
The devil may try to haunt you with visions from your past. But as far as God is concerned, if you’ve accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you have been pardoned, and your slate has been wiped clean.
A second blessing Jesus gave us is peace. If you have ever lived without peace, you know that peace is a great blessing. And the Resurrection guarantees that you can have peace.
Before His crucifixion, Jesus said to His disciples in the upper room, “‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you . . .’”
(John 14:27 NIV). Then John 20:19 says, “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’” (NIV).
One of the last things Jesus said to His disciples before His death was, “Peace I leave with you.” And the first thing He told them after His resurrection was, “Peace be with you.”
Jesus is our Prince of Peace, and He is not buried in a tomb in Jerusalem. The Prince of Peace is alive and well. And because He is, we have peace.
A third blessing Jesus gave us through the Resurrection is purity. The person who has received God’s pardon from sin by accepting Jesus Christ as Savior now needs purity. Through Jesus, we receive pardon for the past, peace for today, and purity for life in the future. Because of the Resurrection, a pardoned sinner can now live a life unto God.
ROMANS 6:18,22 (NKJV)
18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. . . .
22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.
Because of the purity imparted to us in Christ, we can live free from sin with fruit to holiness.
Regardless of your past, when you accepted Jesus, you were pardoned, and your past was wiped out. Once you were pardoned, you were given peace. So don’t let your past hinder you anymore.
When you were pardoned by God through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, you were also given purity. Don’t ever say you are unholy. Instead, say, “I am pure and holy because of the blood of Jesus.”
A fourth blessing of Jesus’ Resurrection is power. In Philippians 3:10, the Apostle Paul says, “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection . . .” (NIV).
Romans 8:11 says the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead shall quicken our mortal bodies. Many Christians believe Christ gives us power only for spiritual things. But because of the Resurrection, we also have power through the Holy Spirit to quicken (build up and strengthen) our bodies.
We have power at our disposal that we often don’t think to use.
The Prince of Peace is alive and well. And because He’s alive and well, we have peace.
EPHESIANS 1:19–20
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.
According to this passage, the exceeding greatness of God’s power is toward us who believe—we have power because of the Resurrection!
A fifth blessing of Christ’s Resurrection is Presence. One of the greatest personal blessings of the Resurrection is the promise of God’s presence. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5).
You can be all by yourself with no one else around for miles. Yet, you’re not alone. God’s presence is with you wherever you are. Even when you’re asleep, He’s there. When you’re eating, driving, working—wherever you are and whatever you’re doing, He’s there. God has promised through Jesus, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:20 NIV).
Let us not forget the many blessings of the Resurrection. Pardon, peace, purity, power, and God’s presence are just a few. How amazing to think that Jesus died for us. But how great and wonderful to know that He also rose again! And because He rose again, you and I have blessings beyond compare. Thank God for the Resurrection!
Evangel magazine, March 26, 1967.]
Author
Kenneth W. Hagin
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