Resurrected

…having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. Colossians 2:12

 

“Tuesday before Easter — Jesus reasoned with the unreasonable on the Temple Mount.  Judas took the cash.  Jesus returned to the Garden…….preparing His heart, mind and Spirit for what He knew was coming Friday…..  (Thank you, Lord)” (A Facebook post from 2010).

To look at the life of Christ puts our own “troubles” into perspective.  This was not one of my better weeks but it was a walk in the park compared to His. He did not count it a bad day.  You see He came to do His Father’s will. He was pleased to do it.  In John 14:31 Jesus said, “but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.”

Rarely does an American Christian face an unreasonable person plotting to take his life.  We may be betrayed, but rarely for our faith.  Many of us are preparing for a celebration with family or friends on Sunday – Jesus was preparing for the pain and agony of betrayal and crucifixion on Friday.

Are you and I doing what God commands us to do?  Has he commanded anything as difficult for us as He did for Jesus?  Why do we complain so about our circumstances?  Why are we so discontent with what He has given us when the Son of man had so little?

On Thursday, Jesus had His Last Supper with His disciples.  Then He went out and prayed that God would take the cup from Him, if it was His will.  It was not God’s will to take that cup from Jesus.  God loves us so much that He gave His Son (the Bible says this was in the place of those who believe in Him) so we could live.  Jesus paid the penalty we deserve because of our sin; Death.

But now, HE is the Living Christ, risen, and sitting at the right hand of God. In Revelation 3:21 Jesus says, “The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.”

Our sin was put on Jesus and He died for it. As God resurrected Christ, He will resurrect those who believe that His blood is shed for us.  This is why God forgives the sin of believers in Jesus Christ.  If we say we have no sin, then His death will not be for us.  Those who see no sin in themselves are doomed because they deny the work of Christ on their behalf.  They have not conquered sin.

The events leading to the death of Christ were awful.  He died a terrible, slow death for our sin – being obedient to the Father.  But, on Sunday He arose from the dead!  He lives so we can live too.  This is part of the good news, this is our salvation. Our resurrection comes because of His!

Are we grateful?  So grateful that others see our love for the Father as we obey Him as Jesus obeyed Him?

His is risen!  He is risen indeed!  Praise the LORD!