As the Apostle Paul continues on with his arguments for the resurrection, he poses two questions which has left many commentators bewildered. In part it’s no a surprise for even the Apostle Peter said some of Paul’s letters contain things that are “hard to understand.” Nevertheless, his firm foundation remained—Christ died for our sins, Christ was buried, and Christ rose again, and therefore because He rose we will rise with Him. This is the bedrock that motivated Paul’s heavenly fervor and caused him to give up everything for Jesus. His warning for the church is wake up, sober up, stop sinning and don’t be deceived. Press on in Jesus, it’s all worth it.

As the Apostle Paul was getting closer to the end of his life he poured out his heart to his young protege Timothy. In the epistles of 1st and 2nd Timothy the Apostle warns, implores, exhorts and encourages his young mentor to stay the course and keep his eyes on the prize. With many temptations and many adversaries in the ministry, Paul’s plea is to fight the good fight of faith and take hold of eternal life.

2 Chronicles 16:9 states, “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” God looks down from heaven with favor upon those who tremble before Him. A survey of Scripture reveals that God gives grace, strength, and victory to those who fear Him and humbly obey His every word.

The book of Ruth takes place during a dark time in Israel’s history. There was no king and everyone was doing right in their own eyes. It’s from this backdrop of death and anarchy that God providentially weaves together a beautiful story of loyalty, faithfulness, and love.

As the Apostle Paul continues to flesh out his teaching on the resurrection, he gives a timeline that extends from the empty tomb to the end of days. For Paul, the fact of the resurrection has importance not only for our everyday lives, but also for our future when we will be raised with Him and be with Him always. It’s a comforting doctrine that causes the church to say, “Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus.”

As the Apostle Paul lays forth his case for the resurrection he gives his readers two options—truth or absurdity. He had given up too much, been through too much, and suffered too much to give the opposition an inch. Either his ministry is a sham and he’s promoting a lie or the resurrection is a fact and Christianity is true. There’s no middle ground, no third option; one must decide, it’s either truth or absurdity.

It was Justin Martyr who said, “But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead” (First Apology 67). The light that shined in the darkness of the first creation day was a foreshadowing of the resurrection of Christ. The light burst forth that dark tomb, and to this day overtakes the darkness of men’s hearts, bringing salvation to all those who look to Him.

The Apostle Paul had an encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road, and he was never the same again. The one who once gave everything for the Law and his Jewish traditions, ended up giving everything for His Lord and Savior. No task was too great, and no opposition was too strong to hold him back. His eyes were on the prize until the end, and his ministry labors could be summed up in one statement: For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.