Living 4 Him

May the risen Christ be your joy and peace. May the joy of the risen Christ be your strength in your work, your way to the Father, your light to guide you, your Bread of Life.   Mother Theresa

I wrote the following statement almost a decade ago: Christ not only died for me.  He came alive for me!  His aliveness lives in me.  All the mercy that kept Christ clinging to the cross is now a part of me.  All the power that drew Christ out of the grave lives in me.  Each morning I awaken to the risen Christ alive in me.  Let me live in this hope alone.

It is valuable for us to spend time each day remembering that Jesus died for us; but just as valuable or maybe even more, is remembering that Jesus came alive for us!  We live in his post-resurrection glory and over the next two weeks our focus will be what Jesus’ resurrection means for us.  This week, we will look specifically at what Jesus said immediately following his resurrection to gain a firmer sense of the reality of the resurrection.

In Matthew 28, after appearing to the women at the tomb, he gathered with his disciples.  Matthew 28:18 records Jesus saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”  His completed sacrifice and resurrection secured absolute authority over the spiritual realm in heaven and the spiritual realm on earth, providing a victory that would assure God’s plans for his Kingdom on earth to prevail.  We can trust this victory, knowing that when God prevails, good prevails.  As I like to remind myself, “We live in an imperfect world, but we trust in a perfect God.” God ensured that every outcome in this world prospers for our benefit.  Our resurrection lives are held by a God who brings light out of every darkness!   Hallelujah! 

In John 20, Jesus’ instructions to Mary magnify a relationship forged with God.  John 20:17 “Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Your father.  Your God. With these words, Jesus invited us to be part of his family.  His death and resurrection fully restored our relationship with God as his children, connected to God and each other in a love that binds us close, holds us dear, and keeps us always in his care. God’s family is the ultimate place to dwell!

In both Luke and John, Jesus uses the phrase, “Peace be with you” to greet his disciples.  Jesus wanted to allay every fear, worry or confusion they might have, leading them to understand that peace is the rule now.  Jesus’ resurrection gives peace.  Peace in our daily living; peace in our physical and spiritual needs; peace in our lives beyond this earth.  When we fully accept and live in this peace, we experience the profound joy of his resurrection. 

As Jesus spoke to his disciples at the Last Supper, in John16: 20-23 he revealed the true response to his resurrection that God desires. “. . . your grief will turn to joy.”  Yes, the disciples experienced great joy when Jesus was found alive again after his brutal crucifixion, but joy truly settles in when we understand that through his resurrection:

We gained victory through Jesus over every darkness.

We are included in God’s gracious family.

We possess his everlasting, fulfilling peace.

When these realities worm their way into our thinking and our living, our joy becomes radiant in satisfaction and contentment.  Nothing can shake that joy!  Hallelujah! 

Before I got married, a very kind woman in the church I attended gave me a gift, a toiletry bag that lays flat with transparent zipped pockets so I can see everything I need when I am traveling.  I have traveled many times over the 30 plus years of marriage and each time I am quite grateful for the way I can see everything inside the bag.  I believe that Jesus’ resurrection is like that bag; it helps us to see who God truly is.  He is the mighty one who has saved us.  He is the loving one who lives close to us.  He is the one who desires peace and joy in our lives reaching across the chasm in our hearts with a resurrection that permanently and perfectly restores our broken, battered souls. 

Don’t live another minute in worry or uncertainty.  We live in the Resurrection Life; a life where all has been made well.  Hallelujah! 

Reaching in (allowing God’s word to work in your soul):  Read the Resurrection accounts in Matthew 28, Luke 24 and John 20.  What realities do you notice that bring you great joy?

Reaching out (taking God’s word into the world): Celebrate your joy in being a part of God’s family by showing gratitude to God in a prayer of joy, a letter of joy or a dance of joy!