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A Living Hope
The Lord is risen! The Lord is risen, indeed! Alleluia! As we read the Scriptures, it becomes clear that the apostles saw the resurrection of Jesus as the power of God overcoming sin and death—but far more than “just” miraculously bringing Jesus back to life. The Bible consistently and powerfully connects the Lord’s resurrection to the life of the believer, both now and in eternity. Today’s WORSHIP QUOTE is a marvelous passage that presents the resurrection as foundational to the believer’s “living hope.” I have included these verses from 1 Peter 1 in both the ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION and THE MESSAGE. I hope you will read them both and then take time to thank the for so great a hope—so great a salvation. BORN AGAIN TO A LIVING HOPE — 1 PETER 1: 3-9 (ESV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. —THE HOLY BIBLE: ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION. © 2001, Crossway Bibles. Good News Publishers. A NEW LIFE — 1 PETER1:3-9 (THE MESSAGE) What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven--and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you'll have it all—life healed and whole. I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory. You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don't see him, yet you trust him—with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you'll get what you're looking forward to: total salvation. —Peterson, Eugene. THE MESSAGE: THE NEW TESTAMENT IN CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH, by Eugene H. Peterson, Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1993, p. 487. ISBN 08910-97287 Paul put it this way in Romans 6:4: “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (NIV). OTHER WORSHIP QUOTES ON THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2001-04-17 (Resurrection) www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2000-04-25 (Resurrection) www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2004-04-06 (Resurrection) www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2004-04-13 (Fourth-Century Easter) www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2005-03-29 (Thomas believes) www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2002-04-02 (Easter Hymn) The Lord is risen, indeed! Alleluia! Have a great week. Chip Stam Director, Institute for Christian Worship School of Church Music and Worship The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, Kentucky www.carlstam.org www.sbts.edu/icw =========================== WORSHIP QUOTE OF THE WEEK: To subscribe, unsubscribe, or view a complete index of worship quotes, please visit http://www.wqotw.org =========================== |