Mar 27, 2016 Words of Grace – The Confession
Easter Sunday – The Confession
“
at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven and on
earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11
Thomas the disciple is known mostly for his doubt about the resurrection of Jesus. But by the grace of God, Thomas was led to make one of the greatest confessions about Jesus recorded in the Bible (John 20:24-29).
The other disciples tell Thomas that they have seen the Lord alive. Thomas doesn’t believe them and says he won’t unless he sees and touches Jesus for himself. Eight days later, Jesus accommodates Thomas and allows him to touch his wounds from the crucifixion. Thomas says of Jesus, “My Lord and my God.” Thomas is a believer.
God is leading men and women to the great confession of Jesus Christ as Lord that comes from a heart that believes in him. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” (Romans 10:9-10).
We don’t get resurrection appearances as the disciples did. We get the preaching of the word of Christ, the good news! We get the proclamation that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (I Corinthians 15:3-4).
This preaching comes in the power of the Holy Spirit to open closed minds and hearts to the truth and saving power of Christ’s death and resurrection. By the word and Spirit, God is converting hearts from unbelief to faith in Jesus Christ. The real purpose of this resurrection day that we call Easter is that you and I and a massive throng of others will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.
Today, believe. And pray for unbelievers. Pray for the churches of Nashville to preach the gospel. Pray that hundreds, even thousands, of people in Middle Tennessee will repent of sin and believe in Jesus and make the great confession that he is Lord. Pray for these churches to be ready to help these new converts profess Christ in baptism and become growing disciples and faithful church members. Pray that a tangible expression of the kingdom of God through the churches will be made in our city. Pray that this Easter will more than a holiday, but a holy day of spiritual awakening granted to us by God.
Read Philippians 2:5-11 and John 20:24-29. What observations and applications do you draw from the confession of Jesus as Lord?
– Scott