How many times have you thanked God for raising Jesus from the dead on the third day? I have done it more times than I can count. Do you believe God raised Him on the third day? What if it wasn’t the Father who raised Him, but He raised Himself? Would that be significant for you?
We often thank God for raising Jesus on the third day. Depending on our view of who God is, we are either incorrect or correct in our thinking. We believe in the Trinity. We believe God is one God made up of three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Belief in the Trinity is universal across Christianity. Unfortunately, when we think of God or say God, we are far too often thinking only of God the Father. We don’t think of the Son or the Holy Spirit. If we are only thinking of the Father when we are thankful God raised Jesus from the dead on the third day, then we are incorrect in our thinking.
Jesus tells us Himself that He had the power to take up His life again. Now, He also states that His authority came from the Father. Yet, it was not the Father who raised Him but Him raising Himself. That may sound illogical from our human point of view, but it is not according to God’s power. Since Jesus was both fully human and fully God, He could raise Himself up from the dead. His Spirit could raise His physical human body. We need to remember that the next time we thank God for raising Jesus from the dead.
I pray we all are thankful Jesus rose from the dead. I pray we are thankful He went to the cross for us. I pray each one of us will remember that Jesus had the power to raise Himself from the dead. Be thankful for Jesus. Be thankful He died for you. Be thankful He rose on the third day. Remember He has the power.
John 10:17-28 “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
Marty Pressey 