Morning    “But now is Christ risen from the dead.”    1 Corinthians 15:20

The whole system of Christianity rests upon the fact that “Christ is risen from

the dead;” for, “If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your

faith is also vain: ye are yet in your sins.” The divinity of Christ finds its

surest proof in his resurrection, since he was “Declared to be the Son of God

with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the

dead.” It would not be unreasonable to doubt his deity if he had not risen.

Moreover, Christ’s sovereignty depends upon his resurrection, “For to this end

Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead

and living.” Again, our justification, that choice blessing of the

covenant, is linked with Christ’s triumphant victory over death and the grave;

for “He was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our

justification.” Nay, more, our very regeneration is connected with his

resurrection, for we are “Begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection

of Jesus Christ from the dead.” And most certainly our ultimate resurrection

rests here, for, “If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell

in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal

bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” If Christ be not risen, then shall

we not rise; but if he be risen then they who are asleep in Christ have not

perished,   but in their flesh shall surely behold their God. Thus, the silver thread of

resurrection runs through all the believer’s blessings, from his regeneration

onwards to his eternal glory, and binds them together. How important then will

this glorious fact be in his estimation, and how will he rejoice that beyond a

doubt it is established, that “now is Christ risen from the dead”!

“The promise is fulfill’d,

Redemption’s work is done,

Justice with mercy’s reconciled,

For God has raised his Son.”

 

Evening   “The only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”    John 1:14

Believer, you can bear your testimony that Christ is the only begotten of the

Father, as well as the first begotten from the dead. You can say, “He is divine

to me, if he be human to all the world beside. He has done that for me which

none but a God could do. He has subdued my stubborn will, melted a heart of

adamant, opened gates of brass, and snapped bars of iron. He hath turned for me

my mourning into laughter, and my desolation into joy; he hath led my captivity

captive, and made my heart rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Let

others think as they will of him, to me he must be the only begotten of the

Father: blessed be his name. And he is full of grace. Ah! had he not

been, I should never have been saved. He drew me when I struggled to escape

from his grace; and when at last I came all trembling like a condemned culprit

to his mercy-seat, he said, Thy sins which are many are all forgiven thee: be of

good cheer.’ And he is full of truth. True have his promises been, not one has

failed. I bear witness that never servant had such a master as I have; never

brother such a kinsman as he has been to me; never spouse such a husband as

Christ has been to my soul; never sinner a better Saviour; never mourner a

better comforter than Christ hath been to my spirit. I want none beside him. In

life he is my life, and in death he shall be the death of death; in poverty

Christ is my riches; in sickness he makes my bed; in darkness he is my star,

and in brightness he is my sun; he is the manna of the camp in the wilderness,

and he shall be the new corn of the host when they come to Canaan. Jesus is to

me all grace and no wrath, all truth and no falsehood: and of truth and grace he

is full, infinitely full. My soul, this night, bless with all thy might the only

Begotten.'”