Pastor Scott Gabrielson
Here we are in a new year and already it is Easter. It seems like last week was Christmas, and I know a few of you still have your Christmas decorations up! But now its time to slow down a bit.
At Easter, we are slowed down, and life is allowed to take a pause as we remember once again what matters, that this life is not the end, that spring comes eternal, like eternity itself, a place of joy – flowers and comfort replacing snow and ice, a recurring sign of the Resurrection and Jesus’s timeless sacrifice.
For everything that ails us, the burdens of life seem a bit lighter, the sun shines brighter, hope is closer, and winter doldrums turn to springtime flowers of joy.
Hope is everywhere. Our Saviors love abounds and we are reminded of the resurrection that was His and that which is ours to come.
So at Easter, we are slowed, life pauses, and we remember what really matters again. Jesus Lives! Our Savior Lives! Spring comes eternal and is a place of joy!
Let’s pause in the Scriptures a moment….from I Corinthians 15.
45 The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit. 46 What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. 47 Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. 48 Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. 49 Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man.
50 What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever.
51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.
Did you catch what Paul said in verse 50… brothers and sisters. He is addressing a certain group of people, those who belong to Jesus Christ. Those who are believers and followers of Him. Only those who are followers of Jesus Christ will get to live forever with Him.
A question for you today…. who was the first man to be born again? Was it the thief on the cross? Was it one of the apostles? Was it Joseph of Arimathea? None of these.
The first man born again was ADAM. Yes, the FIRST MAN was the first man born again. But not like we normally think, Adam was born from life UNTO death!
Adam lived in a perfect place, a place that was called paradise, Eden was heaven on earth. He and Eve had everything they needed or could ever want. Plenty of food, water, no work, no sickness, no fears. It was all good, no evil!
They were instructed by God to obey only one rule – DO NOT EAT OF THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL. But they did. They broke the rule, and sin entered the human race. We have all been rule breakers since then. Sinners to the core. Everyone of us! And sin brought a great curse – poverty, lack, sickness, disease, fear, violence, greed and much more.
So, Adam became the first man BORN AGAIN, from LIFE, unto DEATH! Adam and Eve would have lived forever, but not after they sinned. Now there was a separation between them and God. Now there would have to be punishment for their sins. Now there is punishment for OUR sins. That is called hell.
Yup, the place where the fire never goes out. A place of constant sorrow and torment. A place of torture. That’s our future, except for one thing.
God offered to rescue us! He did this by sending his only begotten Son, his ONLY SON – to take our punishment. When Jesus died, he took on the penalty and the punishment of sins for any and all who would accept Him as Lord and Savior. Jesus did this by dying on the cross (the penalty) but then Jesus went into hell – (the punishment)! Did you know that?
Christ was allowed into hell because he bore our sins on His stripped back! Now if you remember the story of Abraham’s bosom, (Luke 16) you will remember that in the Old Testament there was a place called hades which is another word for hell. It was the “place or prison of the dead spirits” and there was two sections to this place. One part – the upper area – was called paradise or Abraham’s bosom, the other part was called a place of torment, hell. Jesus, after His death, descended into the upper part of this place – where the saints of the Old Testament were waiting. He preached to them the GOOD NEWS. And remember what he told the thief on the cross – today you will be with me in paradise. He went there too.
I Peter 3:19 says…. “He (Jesus) went and preach unto the spirits in prison.”
I Peter 4: 4 Christ suffered in the flesh, …. 6 For this reason the gospel was also preached to those who are now dead so that, although they might be judged in the flesh according to human standards, they might live in the spirit according to God’s standards.
Ephesians 4: 8 says this…” When he ascended on high, he took the captives captive; he gave gifts to people. 9 But what does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower parts of the earth? 10 The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, to fulfill all things.”
So after his death and resurrection, Jesus gained entrance into Satan’s domain…..Satan thought he had him, trapped. But Satan could not hold Jesus, because he was without guilt! What happens when the judge says, NOT GUILTY! You are free to go home! All the Old Testament saints in waiting there in the upper part of hell received the Gospel of Jesus and WENT HOME to God. Now the upper part is empty and only the lower part is left for those who die without Christ! Those Old Testament saints heard the GOOD NEWS and moved into heaven along with Jesus and the thief on the cross!
And then Jesus was reborn, as God received Him into heaven as the sinless Son, immortal and eternal!
So Jesus became the second man born again – He was born from death unto life! Jesus was the first one, and he is known as the first born of many brethren! Are you in the list with Him?
THAT SAME POWER that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power that changes us from mere mortal men bound for hell, to immortal children of God! But only to those who choose during this life to receive Him and follow Him. Then your name will be written down in the BOOK OF LIFE. Is your name written in the Book of Life so that when you die you will join Jesus Christ in heaven?
A reminder: Our FOOD PANTRY is available to everyone – there is no financial pre-qualification. Come by the church office on Monday, Wednesday or Friday from 9-12 for a free bag of food!
Craig Valley Baptist Church, next to Bibo’s at 171 Salem Ave in New Castle, welcomes you to visit and share in the forgiveness we have experienced. We meet Sundays at 11AM, with an upbeat service of music, sharing and preaching. You don’t need to dress up, and you won’t be asked to speak, so just come and hang out and meet new and old friends! Questions? Call 540-864-5667 or email pastor@cv-bc.com.