We’ve been talking a lot about holiness; because Jesus has risen from the dead: and now dwells within us in the person of the Holy Spirit.  It’s that same Spirit that enables you and me to walk in holiness, separate from the world.  Exclusive for God, is what holiness is talking about.  That’s what this resurrection has provided us; life in the Holy Ghost; hallelujah.  Because if He was not risen, He couldn’t send the Spirit.  That’s why He told Mary that day at the grave, when she came and was looking for Jesus.  Finally, they thought He was the gardener, and then He revealed Himself to her, and she ran and grabbed Him, and was clinging to Him, never wanting to lose Him again.  He looked at her and He said “Mary, don’t touch Me.”  The Greek implies it’s not a touch.  He’s saying “Don’t try to restrain Me.  I’ve not yet ascended to your Father and to My Father.”  Amen?  This Resurrection carries along with it, as we’ll go on in the study and see the necessity of an ascension.  It’s not enough that Jesus was raised from the dead; He ascended back to the right hand of the Father, and there, rules and reigns in power; amen?  The great work of redemption, the shining star being that death and resurrection.  But, beloved, redemption is still taking place in our lives on a continual basis; amen?  Because He lives.

Hebrews gives us that great promise that follows the Resurrection.  The apostle is telling us in Chapter 7 of Hebrews, verse 25, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.  For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.  For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore” (Hebrews 7:25-28).  Hallelujah.

Back to verse 25, look at it: “Who lives to make intercession for us.”  Easter Sunday reminds us that we serve a God sitting at the right hand of the Father.  A God who is touched with the feelings of our infirmities.  Aren’t you glad that He cares?  Paul says it another way as he’s speaking to the Corinthians.  We don’t serve these dumb idols (1 Corinthians 12:2).  We’ve referenced that numerous times.  How tragic it is for men that bow down to these idols?  These idols don’t have any ears, they can’t hear.  They can’t speak; amen?  Man makes these idols in his own image.  How tragic it is—no life, no power.  I can’t think of an idol without thinking of Dagon.  The Philistines felt that they now had the upper hand and that they had conquered and taken captive the God of the Israelites.  They bring the ark into the temple of Dagon, and as they rise up the next morning, Dagon was on his face before the ark; hallelujah.