“It’s The Resurrection…”
“It’s the economy!” This was the campaign slogan that spearheaded the successful Presidential election of 1993. It brought attention to the main issue of the day and galvanized the public’s response. The simple phrase lead to victory. We could very well adopt a similar slogan for the same purpose of isolating and emphasizing the central most important issue of eternity. It determines our election to heaven. “It’s The Resurrection!”
The thief on the cross partook no sacrament, indulged no ritual, recited no creed or “sinners prayer” formula. He acknowledged no tradition or religious affiliation. He professed no membership, religious heritage or privileged lineage. He expressed no record of service, performance, excellence of character, morality or a thousand other religious pieties. In fact he stands as a conspicuous representation of the opposite of virtue or deserving. His identity is clearly defined as “a thief,” the opposite of holiness and eternitie’s citizenship. It makes the point clear that that’s not the point! The point is: The Resurrection. Who you are or what you’ve done is not the watershed of eternal destiny.
“Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” The thief’s acknowledgement of Christ’s Resurrection and Jesus as Lord is what secured his eternal destiny. Christ said to Him publicly, for all to see and for all to hear for the rest of time, “today you will be with me in paradise.” A thief now and forever enjoys permanent residence in the Kingdom of God because of his eleventh hour acknowledgement of eternity’s watershed issue.
We can all identify with this man’s confession. It can be made by anybody. The good news, It’s not what we’ve done or haven’t done. It’s not who we are or aren’t. It’s what you believe, It’s the Resurrection.
Scripture says, “whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved.” the whosoever could not be more clear.
The Resurrection of Christ is not a matter of religion, it’s a matter of fact, and when it comes to our eternal destiny it’s the only fact that matters. It’s all the thief knew and it was all he needed to know.
The only practice that matters for eternity is faith, and The Resurrection is the primary object of saving faith. The only record of personal behavior that matters for eternity is whether one has professed faith in The Resurrection. “If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (NIV).
The enjoyment of eternal life begins with this declaration, no matter who you are or what you’ve done. When you see him, ask the thief, “what’s the most important issue for inheriting eternity?” He’ll say the same thing he indicated when he hung beside Jesus on the cross, “It’s The resurrection.”
The Resurrection of Jesus is an historic fact. It is either believed or disbelieved. The two thieves represented these two responses and demonstrated the eternal consequence of each. It is this fact of history that determines what will happen to you when you die. This fact is the watershed of eternity. That makes it the most important fact.
If you distill all your witnessing and missionary outreach down to the most concentrated, fundamental, essential and effective element of the Christian message, “It’s The Resurrection.” The apostle wrote “if Christ be not raised, your faith is in vain,” 1Cor 15:17.
This is the event that The Holy Spirit is miraculously involved in proving and confirming. Raise the issue often and watch what happens. You can be sure, The Holy Spirit will always show up to emphasize, the spearhead of Christ’s campaign: “It’s The Resurrection!”