As we prepare our hearts for Easter, we remember and celebrate the great victory God has won in Christ Jesus.  

In 1 Cor 15:55, Paul writes, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” Previous to this, Paul gives us a long detailed theology of the resurrection. He gives us the reasons for why it’s so important to  us Christians. He writes in verse 14 “and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” then in verse 17 “and if Christ has not been raised our faith is futile and you are still in your sins.”  

The reason why our faith is futile without the resurrection is because the resurrection represents the new life we can have in him. If Christ only died on the cross and never resurrected from the dead, we might have forgiveness of sin, but we won’t have new life. You can’t have the cross without the resurrection. You can’t have Good Friday without Easter Sunday. The two go hand-in-hand. You cannot have one without the other.

 Good Friday is about the cross. It’s about our sin being atoned for. It’s about the punishment for our sin being taken by Jesus as He takes our place as a substitute - bearing our guilt, taking the punishment for our sins, absorbing on his body the holy and righteous wrath of God, dying as a perfect sacrifice the death we should have died, loving us so much that he would go through all of that pain, and suffering and brokenness so that we wouldn’t have to.  

Easter Sunday is about the resurrection. On the third day after Jesus dies on the cross, Jesus miraculously rises again to new life. And the most amazing thing of all is that Jesus invites us into his new life through our faith in Him.  

Perhaps this is old news to you, but it is still GOOD news. In fact, it is the best news because Jesus’ victory over sin and death is now our victory through faith.  

Is your hope and joy in the victory of the resurrection? 

 在這復活節即將來臨之際，我們預備身心記念和慶祝神藉主耶穌所成就的偉大勝利。  

哥林多前書15:55，保羅寫道：「死阿！你得勝的權勢在那裡？死阿!你的毒鉤在哪裡。」在此之前，保羅寫了一段很詳盡有關主復活的信息；他闡明了主復活對基督徒是重要的原因。他在第十四節寫道：「若基督沒有復活，我們所傳的便是枉然，你們所信的也是枉然。」然後十七節「基督若沒有復活，你們的信便是徒然，你們仍在罪裡。」  

沒有復活，我們的信仰便是徒然，因為復活代表了我們在祂裡面可以擁有新生命。如果基督只死在十字架上，從沒有從死裡復活，我們的罪或許會得到赦免，但我們不會有新的生命。我們不能單單只有十字架而沒有復活。沒有復活節的主日，就不可能有主耶穌的受難日，兩者缺一不可。    

耶穌受難日是關於十字架的。這是關於我們的罪被買贖；就是主耶穌替代我們，承擔一切的罪孽，為我們的罪被責罰，將上帝聖潔公義的憤怒全然傾覆在祂自己的身上，作了代罪羔羊，成就完美的救贖。祂就是如此深愛着我們，以至於祂寧可為我們受苦，受害，經歷一切的破碎﹑傷害。  

復活節主日是關於復活的。主耶穌死在十字架上之後第三天，耶穌奇蹟般地再次活起來，獲得了新的生命。最令人讚嘆驚奇的是，主耶穌邀請我們一同進入這新生命，只要我們信靠祂。  

也許這對你來說是古舊的信息，但它仍舊是好消息。事實上，這是最好的消息，因為主耶穌已經勝過罪和死亡，現在是我們因信而得勝的時候。  

主復活的勝利是你的盼望和喜樂嗎？ 

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