Because He Lives
Devotions with Pastor Jason Lim

The resurrection of Jesus is an important chapter in God's plan of redemption. Charles Spurgeon said, "…the resurrection is a fact better attested than any event recorded in history, whether ancient or modern." A dead Christ cannot save us from our sins. A dead Christ cannot change our lives. A dead Christ is no good for us. In fact, if Jesus remains dead, Christianity is a hoax and a lie.

Romans 1:3-4 reads, "Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord… declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead." The word 'declared' here is the word 'horizo' in the Greek, from which the word 'horizon' comes from. The horizon is that long clear line that separates the earth and the sky. It's a clear demarcation and what this means is that Jesus is majestically marked out, 'horizoned' to be the Son of God! Why? Because of the resurrection!

When the Jewish leaders challenged Jesus asking "…what is the sign that you will show us you are the Son of God?". Jesus said, "I give you no other sign but that of the prophet Jonah." Jonah was in a fish belly for three days and he came out alive. This is the picture Jesus left behind for us. He is marked out, declared, to be Son of God by his resurrection. The gospel is about how Christ died for our sins, rose again the third day, and is alive today. This precious truth allows us to sing, "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow; because He lives all fear is gone….life is worth the living because He lives!"