
This blogpost is the content of Episode 3 of Season 5 of the Written. Spoken. Podcast, modified for reading. You can hear the episode here.
We are taking a break from the theme of Season 3, “spring cleaning,” to focus on the death, burial and Resurrection of Christ Jesus, the One who is the Word. The One who was in the Beginning and through whom all things were made. The One who is the Lamb and the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. The One who became flesh to redeem us. The One who was a willing sacrifice for our sins and died a brutal, agonizing, substitutionary death in our place and is our High Priest.
We are told in Hebrews 9:11-12, “But when Christ appeared as a High Priest of the good things to come [that is, true spiritual worship], He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not a part of this [material] creation. He went once for all into the Holy Place [the Holy of Holies of heaven, into the presence of God], and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, having obtained and secured eternal redemption [that is, the salvation of all who personally believe in Him as Savior]” (AMP). And 1 Peter 3:18 (AMP) states, “For indeed Christ died for sins once for all, the Just and Righteous for the unjust and unrighteous [the Innocent for the guilty] so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit;”
I realized several years ago that my celebration of the Resurrection of Christ Jesus did not have the focus, the intentionality as my celebration of His birth. But the truth is, it is the Resurrection of Christ Jesus that gives Christmas its true meaning. As author and podcaster, Lisa Jo Baker, noted years ago, “Christmas makes no sense outside of the context of Easter. Because it was a ransom that was delivered on a dark night, under a stark white star, all those years ago.”
Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6 declares,
“For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (NKJV).
Christ Jesus, the Child who was born and the Son who was given (John 3:16), came to redeem us and our redemption required His brutal death and His glorious Resurrection. We are told in 1 Corinthians 15:14-20 (AMP) that, without His Resurrection, our faith is “vain [imaginary, unfounded, devoid of value and benefit—not based on truth]” and “worthless and powerless [mere delusion].” Furthermore, “ If we who are [abiding] in Christ have hoped only in this life [and this is all there is], then we are of all people most miserable and to be pitied. But now [as things really are] Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, [and He became] the first fruits [that is, the first to be resurrected with an incorruptible, immortal body, foreshadowing the resurrection] of those who have fallen asleep [in death]. “
I pray that the truth of Christ’s Resurrection will permeate our daily living. That we meet every challenge and celebrate every victory with this truth, “But now [as things really are] Christ has in fact been raised from the dead …” “Christ has in fact been raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20).
What does the Resurrection of Christ Jesus mean? It is a critical question that each person must answer personally because what we believe about the Resurrection of Christ Jesus changes everything. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, “For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to [that which] the Scriptures [foretold], and that He was buried, and that He was [bodily] raised on the third day according to [that which] the Scriptures [foretold], and that He appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the Twelve” (1 Corinthians, 15, 3-5, AMP).
When I reflect on what the Resurrection of Christ Jesus means to me, several things come to mind. I will share four of them:
1. The Resurrection means I am redeemed completely and am a dearly beloved child of God.
2. The Resurrection means I am forgiven and His Blood cleanses me from all sin.
3. The Resurrection means I do not have to fear death because He conquered death, hell and the grave.
4. The Resurrection means I have a High Priest.
I find myself dwelling on the fact that I have a High Priest and on all the benefits of this truth, as highlighted in Hebrews 4:14-16 (AMP), “Inasmuch then as we [believers] have a great High Priest who has [already ascended and] passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior]. For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].”
The Resurrection of Christ Jesus, is a historical fact with personal meaning. What does His Resurrection mean to you?
“The Gospel is centered in God’s Son, a descendant of David by human genealogy and patently marked out as the Son of God by the power of that Spirit of holiness which raised him to life again from the dead” (Romans 1:3-4, PHILLIPS).
“For the love of Christ controls and compels us, because we have concluded this, that One died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that all those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and was raised for their sake” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15, AMP).
Prayer: Father, may the love of Christ control and compel us, so that our lifestyles reflect the fact that we no longer live for ourselves but for Him who died and was raised for our sake. In Jesus name.
Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed!