Resurrected

It is a two thousand year old story that never grows old. The story of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection; the redemption of all humanity. It is the central point to the message of the gospel, good news to all of us who receive this gift of redemption born of suffering. Christ willingly gives His life as a sacrifice for our sins, which we could not make amends for. He became the sacrifice for our crimes (sin) committed against God. This story of resurrection is not just that of Christ's, but just as beautiful, is story of the implications of the Resurrection and what it means to all of us.

On Sunday Morning, quite early, we read of visitors to the tomb, "On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " Then they remembered his words." (Luke 24:1-8)

The story of the Resurrection is Christ's ultimate defeat of death, sin and separation. In His Resurrection we find that Christ conquers death, hell, and the grave. It isn't just a physical death, for which we all will still succomb to, until the return of Christ, but that of a death far greater than physical; it is a spirital death; hell; eternal separation outside of the presence, reality, and love of God. It is sentence forever found in void, loss, and hopelessness, complete seperation. It was not of His doing, but of our own. Our sin resulted in eventual death, and death resulted in eternal separation. Christ broke this on a cross up on a hill. The Cross of Christ sets the stage for our redemption, or salvation.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

Christ's act of ultimate humility lays the ground work for all who chose, to find salvation. Tragedy comes when we choose to not accept this gift.

Because of Christ's resurrection, we are now given hope. We who were once dead to sin, can now become alive in Christ, we become "resurrected" to a life redeemed. His Resurrection brings about our resurrection. "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." (Ephesians 2:1-4 We who where once dead in sin, now come alive in Christ. It is not a life of our own, but now to be lived in Christ. W find tat the power of the Spirit of God was present at the Resurrection of Jesus, "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit" (1 Peter 3:18)

The Spirit is also the power that brings us to life, as we are now called to live by the Spirit. We once lived in the flesh (spiritual death), but now are called to live in the Spirit (the regenerated life in Christ.) It is not on our abilities, talents, or merit. It is a life lived on grace, mercy, and God's goodness. Christ' blood shed laid the groundwork for our redemption, and His resurrection sealed the reality of our salvation that is drenched in grace. In his death we find new life, in His blood spilled we find living water.

However, every person who chooses to believe, and believe in action, not just in theory, must remember that this new life is not meant for selfish gain, it is not for our us. We now find this freedom of new life for the benefit of all humanity. We now because part of this Movement of Redemption, where we become a part of the Kingdom of God, who's ultimate purpose is to see all come to repentance, and find enternal life. We in our life reborn, must choose to give in back to God, laying it back down, to be used of Him, to bring Him glory, and to advance the Kingdom of God. Which is worth any momentary sacrifice! The irony of being reborn is that it is no our life to control, but to give back to God, and one to be lead by the Spirit of God. It is not our life to live, it is not our selfish desires to pursue, it is not our gains to be had. "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philipians 3:7-11) The true action of the resurrected life is that we give it away.

The final act of the Resurrection is not found in the here and now, but it found in eternity. "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" (1 Corinthian 15:55) We who advance the Kingdom of God, not of force, but of love, to reveal to the world hope. Humanity hopes again, and though we still face physical death, we not longer live as ones who have no hope. Our "Blessed Hope" is in an eternity not separated from God, but is in the final redemptive act of God to humanity, eternal relationship with God.

So we live as aliens in a world that is going to pass away. We live as strangers in a place that is not our own, but is temporary both physically and spiritually. We know to not be too comfortable, for this is not where we belong, and this is not who we are. "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul." 1 Peter 2:11) The spirit empowers us to live a life that does not pull us back in to the death we have been lifted out of. The Spirit enables us to live as we are called to live, and to speak and communicate the message of Hope we have discovered. We have been reborn to a new life that calls us to a different place, to be ultimately realized in a different time. We are pilgrims, in a strange land. We who have been reborn become the Redeemed, communicating the message of rescue and redemption, a way of escape from a world that ultimately has nothing and can offer no hope. We know this world is not the end. This is not it. We sense it, we feel it, we know it in our hearts. At the same time, as long as we are on this Earth, God has a purpose for us.

The tragedy that began in a Garden will find it's eventual reconciliation at the end of the age, when all will be judged, and we will ultimately be rejoined again in the the Presence of Him who walked with Adam in the cool of the day so long ago.