I Know That My Redeemer Lives

# 40 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 1Ti 1:19b,20 - “which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, 20 of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. (1 Tim 1:19b,20) For the past couple of days we have been emphasizing the importance of believing in the bodily resurrection of Jesus. If He didn't rise from the dead, we are still in our sins because He would be a false Messiah, an imposter! But He did rise! His body was never found and he appeared to many as living proof! The Apostle Paul writes in 1Co 15:3 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. Again we see the importance of this teaching as Paul uses the phrase “I delivered to you first of all.” (it was of primary importance!) He didn't stop his message with the fact that Jesus died for our sins, he went on with the bodily resurrection of Jesus. No sharing of the gospel is complete without the inclusion of this historical fact! It's why we restate it in both the Nicene and Apostle's Creed. (In my opinion, these creeds need to be dusted off and brought back to our worship services! The very reason we meet on Sunday's for worship is tied to the resurrection! It is the Lord's Day! When I was serving as pastor at Living Word Lutheran, we began each service with this reminder from the Job 19:25, “ For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth;” Then I would say, “He is risen!” And the congregation would reply, “He is risen indeed!” EVERY SUNDAY! We did that as an affirmation of the doctrine of the resurrection week in and week out! I think it's sad that we have relegated virtually all our worship songs concerning the resurrection to one Sunday out of the year. I mean, what would be wrong with singing: “I know that my Redeemer lives, several times during the year! What comfort this sweet sentence gives. He lives, He lives, who once was dead, He lives my ever living head!” That song oozes hope, and we all could use a little more of that!