Matthew 12:39-40 …there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah: For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
The bodily resurrection of The Lord Jesus Christ was the AMEN of His work of atonement. We are told in 1 Corinthians 15 that if there is no resurrection, there is no forgiveness of sin, no hope; our “faith” is vain and meaningless (vv.14,17-19). But Jesus did rise from the dead on the third day just like He said He would. Nobody expected to find an empty tomb, but God rolled away the stone over the grave of Jesus, not to let Him out, but to let the world know that He has risen. Because He has risen, our faith is a living faith in a Living Savior Who has forgiven us of all of our sin and is Himself our Living Hope!!
But along with the resurrection of The Lord Jesus is the mandate given to all believers to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Who is to go into all the world and preach the gospel? Mark says that it is he who believes in the Person and work of Jesus Christ who shall be saved (Mark 16:16). Every follower of The Lord Jesus Christ is an ambassador of the gospel of Jesus Christ. A part of the armor of every born again follower of Jesus Christ is feet that are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15)! When Paul writes of the 5-fold ascension ministry gifts in Ephesians 4:11-12 of “apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers”, it is “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ”. The purpose of ministry offices and callings is that the entire body of Christ would be equipped for the work of the ministry. Evangelism and sharing the gospel is the work of every single part of the body of Christ. In this day and age of high technology and mass evangelism crusades, the most effective means of reaching the lost with the gospel is via one on one encounters with people.
Here is the gospel: “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Jesus began His ministry with the words, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15) Paul wrote in Romans 10:14,15: “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”
Beloved, Jesus is risen and He is coming soon. May God open the door for you to share the gospel today. The harvest is ready!! Selah
