His Life-Saving Resurrection
His Life-Saving Resurrection
Romans 6:6-11 The Message (MSG) Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer at sin’s every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ’s sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as- the-end. Never again will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That’s what Jesus did.
You know what my favourite line is in here? This: “…we also get included in His life-saving resurrection.” Ahhhhhh. Now, that is some good news! I love Easter. There has always been something special it. There were times when I was a kid that it was more about the new dress and the day we were finally allowed to wear white shoes! (remember when it was so taboo to wear white in winter?! Is that still a thing?) And then there were those Easter egg hunts. And who is the brilliant mind behind those Cadbury eggs??! I have a real love/hate relationship with those. I love them…my pants don’t.
Sometimes Easter seems light and easy and fun, but it’s oh-so- much deeper than that.
And sometimes we don’t quite grasp the extravagance of Easter until we are in need of that life-saving resurrection. It still takes my breath away to know that Jesus would walk the path to the cross, suffering excruciating pain and humiliation…for me. For you. For us. He died so we could live free and walk each step of the journey with Him as father and friend. And with that death He took our sin and our shame and all our messiness.
It’s right there nailed to the cross. And just when you think the story ends, the plot twists and He kicks death in the teeth and is raised to life with all the hope and grace and love and truth and forgiveness and peace to cover every single soul. Me and you. Love the colour of crimson blood. Forgiveness the colour of fresh snow.
The sacrifice. The gift. The cross. The pain. The beauty. The LOVE. The cross had the final word. Where my heart has peace and forgiveness. Where all the love I have ever known floods my soul. Where grace and hope lives.
THIS is Easter. THIS is the greatest story ever told. THIS is…*I love you*.