Happy Resurrection Sunday!

 

Resurrection Sunday Thoughts

 

As we remember Calvary’s work over 2000 years ago, the centrality of the gospel message speaks to us today, perhaps more clearly than ever before.  Even though 2000 years have passed, the message is still the same.  Eternal life was bought for us in a way that our humanity would never have chosen.

Our humanity will never understand the suffering inherent in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He was slain from the foundation of the world... God in His infinite wisdom designed this world, its foundations were built upon the centrality of the cross, blood, suffering and death, but He did not stop with that... also included in His great plan was the overwhelming redemption, resurrection, and enduring power from on high! God's plan included the mighty highs and lows that humanity knows only too well. 

How oft have we been at the feet of Jesus, caught up in His rapturous presence, and yet, how oft we have wept sore at His feet in the pit of suffering and despair too.  In both places, our God has designed and planned such things... He is not averse to our suffering and sorrow, indeed He hears our every cry and knows the deepest heartbreak of our lives, yet His gospel serves to show us that from the depths of our despair, He brings us to the heights of His glory, and this is the central core and power of the gospel, this is what transforms our despair into the glorious delights of His presence in our souls, and in our situations. 

As we are remembering the last week of Jesus' presence on earth, it is a week that took us from great heights of adoration and worship to the greatest despair mankind has ever felt, and then, back again to a height of praise and worship such as mankind has never known, the resurrection power that lifted Jesus from the graveclothes, and presented Him to humanity, full of power, grace and glory forevermore!

These kinds of highs and lows are part of the gospel and are part of our lives too.  We MUST remember this... remember to comfort yourself with this knowledge when the depths of despair come... because sorrow is a season, despair is a moment of time... but the resurrection power is coming into your situation!

The gospel proves God's plan for the ages to come... no matter where our lives are today, whether in the pit of despair or heights of glory... the promise remains that because the blood of Jesus was spilled for our transgressions, we have been granted the promise of eternal life with Him and He will never leave us or forsake us. His blood still moves today, still covers, still heals, still binds the enemy, and still sets the captive free.  The suffering of the gospel will bring the resurrection power today and every day!

Though Jesus was slain from the foundation of the world... He was slain in God's mind before the world was created... there is no greater promise in all the world than that we too, can receive that resurrection power Jesus attained for us at Calvary as children of God, and His blood still ministers into our lives today!

There have been times in my life when I felt my faith was hanging on to the Lord by a stretched thread and I wondered how or if I could take any more.  In those moments, my tendency was to cry out to the Lord in my agony, and ask Him why,  just as Job did, just as the Israelites often did in the midst of their wilderness journey, and just as many prophets did after they had accomplished the will of God.  They were obedient, had been good and faithful servants, but then came their greatest trial, and “why” was questioned in their hearts.  We ask "why do good people have to suffer, or even die for their faith?"  

We find the answer to our question of "why" in the gospels that tell the story of Jesus. Jesus was baptized with power, then straightway went on to encounter His first great test in the wilderness.  Three years later, Jesus came with power and honor on Palm Sunday to the crowds worshipping and praising Him as their king.  What a marvelous high time of praise that must have been! Seeing and hearing the people gathering to praise and love on Him... how it must have thrilled His heart, but yet He knew what was coming.  The masses would depart, his closest friends would abandon Him, in fact deny they ever knew Him, all in the matter of a week's span of time. 

What is it about the height of a glorious experience with the Lord that prefaces a depth of complete and utter despair to where our hope hangs on with a thread?  When Jesus prayed as great drops of blood beaded on His brow, He knew the suffering He was going to face, and He trembled before its onslaught. 

Why is suffering, pain, agony, betrayal and death the central core of the gospel of Jesus Christ? I will never understand - in my humanity - why the Lord allows this... but He does.  It is evident, plainly shared in the midst of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We can't deny it, and we can't explain it either. 

In light of the gospel message that we know so well, don't fear today if you are facing the deepest darkest days of your life... for it is in those dark moments that the Lord is preparing Resurrection power and victory in your life. 

This is the story of the gospel.

This is the story our humanity hates and wants to shred its truth and cover it over with blessings and material satisfaction that speak to our humanity’s desires.  But if we really want to attain unto the greatest Resurrection power we will ever know, we must walk the dark valley with Him. 

The greatest hope we have... is that HE died for US! He took the pain, the suffering, the shame, and the defeat in His own body, to win for us the most glorious overcoming victorious power over death, hell, the grave and satan!  We can hold on to His unchanging Hand, He will safely guide and lead us where He has called us to walk. 

I do believe we are about to face the darkest days ahead that the church has ever faced. Our faith will be tested and tried like perhaps never seen before in the history of the world.  The enemy is unleashing his attack against the church... but we must remember Jesus has won the victory and while satan may rage, plunder, steal, destroy and kill... Jesus offers us eternal life security... something the enemy knows will never be his. 

Today as we celebrate Calvary, may we never forget His great sacrifice that was bought for us in the resurrection victory that we enjoy.  

Happy Resurrection Sunday!