The resurrection of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is absolutely foundational to our faith. And thus, it is constantly under attack. As born again believers, we must not allow the mockery and ridicule of a world hostile to the righteousness of God to make us feel ashamed of the Gospel of a resurrected Christ.

Our faith is so under attack because it is the one true faith in the only true and living God who created the universe. His Son is Jesus, who died for our sins, and who was raised for our justification. The mere fact that our faith is so attacked should tell you that it is the truth. If a world 2,000 years ago was so hostile to a perfectly innocent, miracle working, loving, giving, and forgiving Lord, then why should it surprise us that a world that is more wicked than ever is constantly attacking what we believe about Him?

I tell you the truth, and I say it without reservation. Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. And no one comes to the Father in heaven accept by Him! And whoever refuses to trust in Him already has the wrath of God abiding on them. And if they die without trusting in Him, all that is left for them is judgment and eternal damnation. We need not be ashamed of the Good News that offers sinners salvation from eternal torment. Yes, we absolutely know the truth! JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN!

This is part two of our Passion Week series, “A Dying Son. A Rising Savior”

In 1 Corinthians 15, the apostle Paul wrote…

3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

The Case for Christ author Lee Strobel gives an account of a conversation he once had with a friend of his who was a psychologist. He says, “I went to a psychologist friend and said if 500 people claimed to see Jesus after He died, it was just a hallucination. He said hallucinations are an individual event. If 500 people have the same hallucination, that’s a bigger miracle than the resurrection.”

The hallucination theory is just one of the various historical attacks on our faith which are directly aimed at this most critical aspect of true Christianity. But saints, Jesus Christ is risen whether the world likes it or not. And the burden of proof to the contrary is on them, not us.

Further on in 1 Corinthians 13, Paul wrote…

12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

Leave it to God’s word to give the Devil and his followers ammunition. But that’s what is so awesome about our God. He doesn’t have to hide things or worry about what the enemy would do with such valuable information as what our faith stands or falls by.

Paul, by the Holy Spirit of God,

Each year, the saints celebrate this week of Christ’s Passion as a way of remembering the great price that was paid for our sins.

And though we commemorate a week that represents the betrayal, arrest, torture, crucifixion, and death Christ willingly endured, we don’t sorrow as those who have no hope. You see, we also celebrate how God raised Him from the dead, proving His death was totally sufficient to eternally save all who truly trusts in Him.

Andrew Murray said, “A dead Christ I must do everything for; a living Christ does everything for me.” This is a most profound truth that completely distinguishes true Christianity from all religions. People insist that they have to do something to be good enough to be saved. But that is the ultimate insult to a God who gave His Son’s life, and a God who made it clear that His Son is the only way to be saved!

Jesus Christ is risen from a cruel death that He died for sinners—but not for all sinners! Sadly, some just will never accept having a relationship with God on His terms.

I recently heard someone ask a question that is so ridiculous that I won’t even give them credit by mentioning their name. It is the basis of what I would like to discuss this Palm Sunday. The question is, “How do you give something away with the knowledge that you will get it back in three days, and then claim it to be the 'Ultimate Sacrifice'?”

Well, I have an answer for that person and for anyone else who even remotely thinks this way. And believe me, more people think this way than you even realize.

The title of this two part Passion Week series is “A Dying Son. A Rising Savior”

Wow! What a question. I’m sure that to the person who asked it, and to many who agree with it, this is deeply profound, and somehow worth its weight in rhetoric. Forgive my sarcasm, but it never ceases to amaze me the things Satan, who knows he has a short time, will try to fill people’s heads with.

“How do you give something away with the knowledge that you will get it back in three days, and then claim it to be the ‘Ultimate Sacrifice’” they ask? Here’s how.

I’ll give this question some serious consideration, not because of how easily misunderstood the Bible can be by people who have no relationship with the God of it, but because of the many Bible illiterate babes in Christ who should by now be teachers... To give you an idea of perhaps where this question comes from, we look to John 10:17-18 where Jesus says, “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

So I can understand why someone on the outside of that conversation would question whether or not this was the ultimate sacrifice. I mean, Jesus says it right there. “I have power to lay [My life] down, and I have power to take it again.”

This is what Jesus arrived in Bethany (which by the way means “house of misery”) six days before the Passover to prepare to do. He voluntarily came to the final week of His perfect life to be cruelly mistreated and tortured for something He didn’t do...

Each year, the saints celebrate this week of Christ’s Passion as a way of remembering the great price that was paid for our sins.

And though we commemorate a week that represents the betrayal, arrest, torture, crucifixion, and death Christ willingly endured, we don’t sorrow as those who have no hope. You see, we also celebrate how God raised Him from the dead, proving His death was totally sufficient to eternally save all who truly trusts in Him.

Andrew Murray said, “A dead Christ I must do everything for; a living Christ does everything for me.” This is a most profound truth that completely distinguishes true Christianity from all religions. People insist that they have to do something to be good enough to be saved. But that is the ultimate insult to a God who gave His Son’s life, and a God who made it clear that His Son is the only way to be saved!

Jesus Christ is risen from a cruel death that He died for sinners—but not for all sinners! Sadly, some just will never accept having a relationship with God on His terms.

I recently heard someone ask a question that is so ridiculous that I won’t even give them credit by mentioning their name. It is the basis of what I would like to discuss this Palm Sunday. The question is, “How do you give something away with the knowledge that you will get it back in three days, and then claim it to be the 'Ultimate Sacrifice'?”

Well, I have an answer for that person and for anyone else who even remotely thinks this way. And believe me, more people think this way than you even realize.

The title of this two part Passion Week series is “A Dying Son. A Rising Savior”

Wow! What a question. I’m sure that to the person who asked it, and to many who agree with it, this is deeply profound, and somehow worth its weight in rhetoric. Forgive my sarcasm, but it never ceases to amaze me the things Satan, who knows he has a short time, will try to fill people’s heads with.

“How do you give something away with the knowledge that you will get it back in three days, and then claim it to be the ‘Ultimate Sacrifice’” they ask? Here’s how.

I’ll give this question some serious consideration, not because of how easily misunderstood the Bible can be by people who have no relationship with the God of it, but because of the many Bible illiterate babes in Christ who should by now be teachers... To give you an idea of perhaps where this question comes from, we look to John 10:17-18 where Jesus says, “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

So I can understand why someone on the outside of that conversation would question whether or not this was the ultimate sacrifice. I mean, Jesus says it right there. “I have power to lay [My life] down, and I have power to take it again.”

This is what Jesus arrived in Bethany (which by the way means “house of misery”) six days before the Passover to prepare to do. He voluntarily came to the final week of His perfect life to be cruelly mistreated and tortured for something He didn’t do...

Did you know that in two parables Jesus gave us some of the most important instruction about prayer we can ever know? Come with me to Luke 18 where we find Jesus saying in verse 1 that, “people should always pray, and not faint”, and see with me how to properly don the final, all encompassing element of the seven that makeup the whole armor of God—Praying Always.

In Luke 18, Jesus tells a parable of a persistent widow who continually bugged a judge about hearing the case she had against an adversary. She constantly called on him, but he continually refused. But she also refused to give up. Eventually, she wore him down, and decided to try her case and get her justice. Jesus made it clear that the judge didn’t help the woman because he cared for her or even feared God. He said to himself that he wanted to try her case so she would stop bugging him.

Then in verses 6 and 7 Jesus said to His disciples, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?” This is why he prefaced this parable with verse 1, which says, “People should always pray and not faint.”

The Lord used this parable to give us one of the most important keys of an effective prayer life—persistence in spirit!

And notice in verse 8 what else he said about this parable. He says, “I tell you that [God] will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Jesus is essentially saying that no matter how long it takes, keep on praying, and know that God may not come when you want Him to, but He will always be right on time! But the secret is to fervently pray and don’t stop until you get an answer. Many people don’t do that, which is why Jesus asks if when he comes will He really find faith on the earth.

People all over the place are giving up on God. Even people who say they are Christians are growing so weary that they are beginning to think, act, and even speak like people who don’t even believe in God. Just a few days ago at the passing of Stephen Hawking, I had to bring a reality check to a few fellow Christians who were literally saying they believed that Hawking was used by God in a special way and that anyone who says he might not have gone to heaven is being judgmental...

Did you know that in two parables Jesus gave us some of the most important instruction about prayer we can ever know? Come with me to Luke 18 where we find Jesus saying in verse 1 that, “people should always pray, and not faint”, and see with me how to properly don the final, all encompassing element of the seven that makeup the whole armor of God—Praying Always.

In Luke 18, Jesus tells a parable of a persistent widow who continually bugged a judge about hearing the case she had against an adversary. She constantly called on him, but he continually refused. But she also refused to give up. Eventually, she wore him down, and decided to try her case and get her justice. Jesus made it clear that the judge didn’t help the woman because he cared for her or even feared God. He said to himself that he wanted to try her case so she would stop bugging him.

Then in verses 6 and 7 Jesus said to His disciples, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?” This is why he prefaced this parable with verse 1, which says, “People should always pray and not faint.”

The Lord used this parable to give us one of the most important keys of an effective prayer life—persistence in spirit!

And notice in verse 8 what else he said about this parable. He says, “I tell you that [God] will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Jesus is essentially saying that no matter how long it takes, keep on praying, and know that God may not come when you want Him to, but He will always be right on time! But the secret is to fervently pray and don’t stop until you get an answer. Many people don’t do that, which is why Jesus asks if when he comes will He really find faith on the earth.

People all over the place are giving up on God. Even people who say they are Christians are growing so weary that they are beginning to think, act, and even speak like people who don’t even believe in God. Just a few days ago at the passing of Stephen Hawking, I had to bring a reality check to a few fellow Christians who were literally saying they believed that Hawking was used by God in a special way and that anyone who says he might not have gone to heaven is being judgmental...

Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” No matter how much people despise it, God’s word is alive and continually at work making sure that in the battle of sinful man vs. God, God gets the final say. Are you ready to take and properly use this most sophisticated weapon? This week we look at element number six of God’s whole armor, and the only completely “OFFENSIVE” weapon of them all (pun intended)—The Sword of the Spirit Which Is the Word of God.

You heard me right. This weapon is probably the most offensive weapon of the whole armor of God. There is a play on words here because it is also the only completely offensive weapon of the armor. When you wear God’s whole armor, your feet are covered with the gospel of peace while your waist is girded with the strong belt of truth. Shoes and belts are neutral elements of the armor. But the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation are clearly defensive or protective pieces of armor. The sword of the spirit is clearly an offensive weapon. Next week, Lord willing, we will see that the final element of God’s whole armor is both offensive and defensive. But for now, we will stick with the sword. Wow! That could be another pun!

So while a sword is used offensively as a weapon to attack an enemy, when it comes to the sword of the spirit, it is also offensive in that it is undesirable to the enemy and to anyone who refuses to see things God’s way. John 3:19 says that light has come into the world but that people love darkness because their deeds are evil. Jesus is the ultimate light, and the word of God is the light of God in written form. The word gives enlightenment or understanding (e.g., Psalm 119:130). The word lights the way to keep one from stumbling (e.g., Psalm 119:105). And as I said previously, it discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart. And fallen sinful creatures just don’t like all of that invasive brightness.

Also, all of the other elements of the armor stand or fall by this one. I am, of course, aware that the shield of faith is the element of armor that Ephesians 6:16 tells us to take “above all”. Yet even faith must have the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). And there is no greater source of that substance and evidence today apart from Christ Himself than the written word of God. The Bible communicates to humanity who Christ is, what God’s plan of salvation entails, how to live for God, gives us all we need to know about the creation from beginning to end, and explains the only two possible eternal destinations—heaven or hell—and how to get there.

As we return to the battle of David and Goliath, we see that 1 Samuel 17:50 and 51 says…

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took [Goliath’s] sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it.

The way the passage reads it seems that David killed Goliath twice. But even that has Scriptural support when you think of the fact that the Bible used the term “twice-dead” in Jude 12! Of course I’m just being silly. But was this overkill on David’s part? Not at all. The Hebrew word used for “kill” in this passage is the same word that is also used for words like “strike,” “beat,” or “hit,”. Certainly the stone could very well have ended Goliath’s life. Or it could have severely disabled him or knocked him out cold. Regardless of whether he died instantly or not which I doubt, the stone in his head is what led to his death,

Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” No matter how much people despise it, God’s word is alive and continually at work making sure that in the battle of sinful man vs. God, God gets the final say. Are you ready to take and properly use this most sophisticated weapon? This week we look at element number six of God’s whole armor, and the only completely “OFFENSIVE” weapon of them all (pun intended)—The Sword of the Spirit Which Is the Word of God.

You heard me right. This weapon is probably the most offensive weapon of the whole armor of God. There is a play on words here because it is also the only completely offensive weapon of the armor. When you wear God’s whole armor, your feet are covered with the gospel of peace while your waist is girded with the strong belt of truth. Shoes and belts are neutral elements of the armor. But the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation are clearly defensive or protective pieces of armor. The sword of the spirit is clearly an offensive weapon. Next week, Lord willing, we will see that the final element of God’s whole armor is both offensive and defensive. But for now, we will stick with the sword. Wow! That could be another pun!

So while a sword is used offensively as a weapon to attack an enemy, when it comes to the sword of the spirit, it is also offensive in that it is undesirable to the enemy and to anyone who refuses to see things God’s way. John 3:19 says that light has come into the world but that people love darkness because their deeds are evil. Jesus is the ultimate light, and the word of God is the light of God in written form. The word gives enlightenment or understanding (e.g., Psalm 119:130). The word lights the way to keep one from stumbling (e.g., Psalm 119:105). And as I said previously, it discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart. And fallen sinful creatures just don’t like all of that invasive brightness.

Also, all of the other elements of the armor stand or fall by this one. I am, of course, aware that the shield of faith is the element of armor that Ephesians 6:16 tells us to take “above all”. Yet even faith must have the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). And there is no greater source of that substance and evidence today apart from Christ Himself than the written word of God. The Bible communicates to humanity who Christ is, what God’s plan of salvation entails, how to live for God, gives us all we need to know about the creation from beginning to end, and explains the only two possible eternal destinations—heaven or hell—and how to get there.

As we return to the battle of David and Goliath, we see that 1 Samuel 17:50 and 51 says…

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took [Goliath’s] sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it.

The way the passage reads it seems that David killed Goliath twice. But even that has Scriptural support when you think of the fact that the Bible used the term “twice-dead” in Jude 12! Of course I’m just being silly. But was this overkill on David’s part? Not at all. The Hebrew word used for “kill” in this passage is the same word that is also used for words like “strike,” “beat,” or “hit,”. Certainly the stone could very well have ended Goliath’s life. Or it could have severely disabled him or knocked him out cold. Regardless of whether he died instantly or not which I doubt, the stone in his head is what led to his death,

Do you know what salvation in Christ is? Did you know that it is threefold? You might not realize it but Satan and his demonic soldiers are constantly swinging for your head because of that fact. I hope that as a soldier of the cross, you have on the proper headgear! We’ll talk about why in this show as we discuss The Helmet of Salvation.

1 Samuel 17, verses 4 through 7 says…

Then Goliath, a Philistine champion from Gath, came out of the Philistine ranks to face the forces of Israel. He was over nine feet tall! He wore a brass helmet, and his brass coat of mail weighed one hundred and twenty five pounds. He also wore brass leg armor, and he carried a brass javelin on his shoulder. The shaft of his spear was as heavy and thick as a weaver’s beam, tipped with an iron spearhead that weighed fifteen pounds. His armor bearer walked ahead of him carrying a shield.

Wow! Goliath’s armor was huge and heavy! But isn’t it sort of ironic that he is this mighty nine-foot tall warrior, but he feels the need to wear all of this brass armor? Isn’t it even more ironic that he has so much armor that he needs someone, i.e., an armor bearer, to help him carry his shield?

Psalm 20:7 says that, “some trust in chariots, and some trust in horses”. Goliath is obviously that type of person. In his case we could modify the passage to say, “some trust in brass helmets, brass coats of mail, brass leg armor, brass javelins, iron spearheads, armor bearers, and shields…” As I look at all of that armor, it seems to me that Goliath was really just a coward! Oh sure, he probably could take out several men at a time with his bare hands. But most bullies are usually big guys who, if they knew their own strength, wouldn’t have to hide behind their size by picking on the little guy.

But this time, God is turning the tables. Truly man’s thoughts and God’s thoughts are not the same (e.g., Isaiah 55:8-9). When man looked at little David and gigantic Goliath they saw no contest. They assumed David was on a suicide mission. But the God who uses the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27) was about to use a boy named David to save Israel from the Philistines. Yes, David was essentially bringing salvation to Israel. David was wearing the helmet of salvation.

Do you know what salvation in Christ is? Did you know that it is threefold? You might not realize it but Satan and his demonic soldiers are constantly swinging for your head because of that fact. I hope that as a soldier of the cross, you have on the proper headgear! We’ll talk about why in this show as we discuss The Helmet of Salvation.

1 Samuel 17, verses 4 through 7 says…

Then Goliath, a Philistine champion from Gath, came out of the Philistine ranks to face the forces of Israel. He was over nine feet tall! He wore a brass helmet, and his brass coat of mail weighed one hundred and twenty five pounds. He also wore brass leg armor, and he carried a brass javelin on his shoulder. The shaft of his spear was as heavy and thick as a weaver’s beam, tipped with an iron spearhead that weighed fifteen pounds. His armor bearer walked ahead of him carrying a shield.

Wow! Goliath’s armor was huge and heavy! But isn’t it sort of ironic that he is this mighty nine-foot tall warrior, but he feels the need to wear all of this brass armor? Isn’t it even more ironic that he has so much armor that he needs someone, i.e., an armor bearer, to help him carry his shield?

Psalm 20:7 says that, “some trust in chariots, and some trust in horses”. Goliath is obviously that type of person. In his case we could modify the passage to say, “some trust in brass helmets, brass coats of mail, brass leg armor, brass javelins, iron spearheads, armor bearers, and shields…” As I look at all of that armor, it seems to me that Goliath was really just a coward! Oh sure, he probably could take out several men at a time with his bare hands. But most bullies are usually big guys who, if they knew their own strength, wouldn’t have to hide behind their size by picking on the little guy.

But this time, God is turning the tables. Truly man’s thoughts and God’s thoughts are not the same (e.g., Isaiah 55:8-9). When man looked at little David and gigantic Goliath they saw no contest. They assumed David was on a suicide mission. But the God who uses the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27) was about to use a boy named David to save Israel from the Philistines. Yes, David was essentially bringing salvation to Israel. David was wearing the helmet of salvation.

Now we move on to the next verse, Ephesians 6:16, which says, “above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.”

First century Roman soldiers had some of the most advanced weaponry of their time. They created an idea for what the Bible refers to as “darts” that was ingenious. Let me explain. They fashioned long metal spikes with a triangular tip that looked much like an arrow, but it was larger and heavier. They would fasten the dart to the tip of a spear. When they faced off at a distance against an enemy army, they would, in unison, throw their spears at them so that they would rain down from the sky in large numbers. If the opposing army had shields, many of the spears would still get past them and impale the soldiers. But many of the spears would of course lodge into the enemy’s shields.

Back in those days, shields were often made of plywood. And so another tactic used would be to coat the tips of the darts with flammable liquid, light them, and then throw them. If the spear lodged in the enemy soldier’s shield, it would set it on fire, causing the soldier to expose himself as he dropped the shield or tried to put the fire out. That is probably what prompted Paul to speak of “the fiery darts”.

Realizing that the enemy might dislodge the spears thrown at them and use them as return fire, the Roman army also designed the spears to actually bend as they struck their targets. So if the enemy could somehow dislodge the burning dart and throw it back, it would not be possible to be accurate because the tip was designed to bend upon impact because of the weight of the spear attached to it. This rendered it practically useless. How smart is that!

I mention these details to make it clear that the Romans put a lot of thought into their weaponry, especially when it came to defending themselves. For example, unlike their enemies who traditionally had small rounded shields mostly designed for close-quarters combat, the Roman army created very intuitively designed shields that would protect their soldiers even if they would be bombarded from a distance with spears or arrows. You see, the Roman shield was made larger and rectangular in shape, like a door.

As a matter of fact, the Greek word for “shield” comes from the Greek word that means “a door”. It is thoo-reh-os. “…above all taking the thoo-reh-os of faith. To give you an example of the root word, Jesus once said, “I am the thoo-rah of the sheep (which means door). I am the thoo-rah. If anyone enters by me, he will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:7 and 9).

It was with this door-like shield that the Roman soldier would be protected practically from head to toe. And should the enemy launch a barrage of arrows or spears at them, the Roman army would have its troops on the outer perimeter of the formation would place their shields side by side in front of them forming a wall of protection, while the soldiers on the inside of the formation would raise their shields above the formation to make a roof. Because the shields had a slightly convex surface, it left a large enough area around the protective barrier for the perimeter soldiers to see out without being hit by incoming spears. This afforded the Roman soldiers almost total protection.

So now that you have that basic picture, let’s look at the parts of Ephesians 6:16 in more detail…

Once again, the passage says, “above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.”