Since the world began, prophets and holy men spoke of a Day when God would come and finally set the world right, judging the wicked and rewarding the good.
Many wondered what God's new world would be like, who would qualify to be part of it, and when it might begin.
Most Jews believed that that Day would include the resurrection of the dead. The wicked would be raised to undergo damnation, while the righteous would be raised to inherit eternal life.
Then Jesus came and announced that the time had come for God's new program to begin. He was anointed by God to heal all who were oppressed by the devil. He declared people's sins forgiven. And he said that his words would be the standard by which God would judge the world.
But Jewish leaders were jealous. They worried that if his following became too big, the occupying Romans might consider it a political threat and come and destroy their position and nation. So it was decided that Jesus should be put to death to spare the nation.
They dragged Jesus before the Roman government representative, with false accusations and demanded that he be sentenced to death. Although the Roman official saw no wrongdoing in him, he sentenced him to death, even the death of the cross.
Jesus was crucified, he died, and was buried.
On the third day God raised Him from the dead. He came out of his tomb. He was seen by certain women, then by his disciples, then by above 500 people.
His resurrection meant God was declaring that he was His Son. It meant he had died for our sins, and was raised to make us right with God. It meant God's program to restore the world was centred in Jesus; the restoration-program had begun in Him, and it was available through Him.
Jesus ascended bodily to the right hand of God, and sat down in His kingdom. He sent the Holy Spirit as an outpouring of His coronation in heaven.
Eyewitnesses of this good news, announced it first of all to Jews, and also to Greeks, and to all the world. The Lord worked with them, confirming their message with signs following.
Anyone who didn't believe remained in his sins, and would be damned; but whoever believed on the Son of God - whoever confessed with his mouth the Lord Jesus, and believed in his heart that God raised him from the dead, had forgiveness of sins, eternal life; and when Jesus comes the second time, on the last Day, God will raise him up.
Many wondered what God's new world would be like, who would qualify to be part of it, and when it might begin.
Most Jews believed that that Day would include the resurrection of the dead. The wicked would be raised to undergo damnation, while the righteous would be raised to inherit eternal life.
Then Jesus came and announced that the time had come for God's new program to begin. He was anointed by God to heal all who were oppressed by the devil. He declared people's sins forgiven. And he said that his words would be the standard by which God would judge the world.
But Jewish leaders were jealous. They worried that if his following became too big, the occupying Romans might consider it a political threat and come and destroy their position and nation. So it was decided that Jesus should be put to death to spare the nation.
They dragged Jesus before the Roman government representative, with false accusations and demanded that he be sentenced to death. Although the Roman official saw no wrongdoing in him, he sentenced him to death, even the death of the cross.
Jesus was crucified, he died, and was buried.
On the third day God raised Him from the dead. He came out of his tomb. He was seen by certain women, then by his disciples, then by above 500 people.
His resurrection meant God was declaring that he was His Son. It meant he had died for our sins, and was raised to make us right with God. It meant God's program to restore the world was centred in Jesus; the restoration-program had begun in Him, and it was available through Him.
Jesus ascended bodily to the right hand of God, and sat down in His kingdom. He sent the Holy Spirit as an outpouring of His coronation in heaven.
Eyewitnesses of this good news, announced it first of all to Jews, and also to Greeks, and to all the world. The Lord worked with them, confirming their message with signs following.
Anyone who didn't believe remained in his sins, and would be damned; but whoever believed on the Son of God - whoever confessed with his mouth the Lord Jesus, and believed in his heart that God raised him from the dead, had forgiveness of sins, eternal life; and when Jesus comes the second time, on the last Day, God will raise him up.
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