The Resurrection Changes Everything

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.  Revelation 1: 17 - 18 
Jesus is : 
1) "The first and the last"  (Alpha and Omega - Rev. 1:8) - He is eternal.. past, present, future. There has never been a time when He hasn't "been" -  "Before Abraham was 'I Am' " .  -  I Am is the name God used when He revealed Himself to Moses. 


2) " The Living One" - He is the Author of life, the bread of life, the resurrection 
and the life.  Our very existence is dependent on Him. 

3) " He died and is alive evermore"  - He rose from the dead to NEVER die again... everyone else who was raised from the dead, rose only to die again. 


4) He has the keys of Death and Hades"  - His resurrection conquered death, which is the wages of sin.. Our sin demands our death. - Romans 6:23 -  By Christ dying in our place, we died with Him and rose with Him - Ephesians 2: 4 - 6 . Hades is the place of the dead.... He holds the keys to who gets into the kingdom of God and who doesn't.

The resurrection changes everything... If Jesus did not rise from the dead we 
have no hope - 1 Corinthians 15: 12 - 17. 


BUT! ... Jesus HAS risen from the dead.... Our response to this truth should be the same as John's response at the revelation of Christ. He fell at His feet as though he was  dead - So should we!  We should fall dead at His feet, offering our life in order to have His.  


"No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From a life?s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Could ever pluck me from His hand
Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I stand"
        - From "In Christ Alone" - words and music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend