Tag: resurrection

March 27 2023 – John 20 – Blinded by Grief and Anxiety

In John 20, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is presented. The gospel of John presents us some interesting details. For instance, there is Mary’s encounter with Jesus at the tomb.

At first she encountered the angels in the tomb and was crying because the body of Jesus was not there. They asked her why she was crying and she said, “because they have taken the body of my Lord and I do not know where they have laid him.” Then she turns around and there is Jesus but she doesn’t recognize him.

In this resurrection event that John records, Mary is so overwhelmed by grief and anxiety… grief at the loss of the Lord, and now anxiety because even his body is missing… that she does not recognize Jesus standing right before her.

Then Jesus calls her by name. His personal call to her breaks through and her grief and anxiety is turned to joy. The encounter was so joys that she must have been giving Jesus an enormous hug. He tells her to stop clinging to him because he hasn’t ascended to his Father.

Encountering Jesus in our grief or anxiety refocuses us as it did Mary. When Jesus called her name and her grief and anxiety were turned to joy, she was able to go and serve the Lord by being a witness for him. Jesus said to her, “…go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.” John20:17bNASB1995

In life, we all experience times of grief and anxiety. Sometimes we feel overwhelmed and isolated. Know that in the middle of our grief and anxiety Jesus is with us… right beside us. He calls us by name so that, we like Mary can break through the grief and anxiety into the joy of the Lord!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for always being with me! Thank you for personally calling me out of my grief and anxiety! Help me to go forward in your joy and be your witness. Amen.

January 30 2023 – Hebrews 7 – Atonement for Our Sins

I am no expert on Old Testament law, but as I understand the instructions in Leviticus, once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest was to go before God and first make sacrifices for his own sins, then make sacrifices for the people. Unless you had a special need to go before God, (and there were lots of special needs… vows, to prove you had been cleansed for a skin issue, etc.) you were okay with God. However, that was a perpetual, year after year event. Every year sacrifices had to be made on the Day of Atonement to remove the sins of the High Priest and the people of Israel.

The concept of resurrection from the dead wasn’t as completely developed in the Old Testament as it is in the New Testament. The Israelites were having their sins removed on the Day of Atonement so they could be right with God in the here and now without much thought for the afterlife. In the New Testament the reality of resurrection is realized. We understand that sin needs to be atoned for so that we are right with God in the here and now and in the world to come.

In Hebrews 7, Jesus, as our great High Priest is being compared to those priests in the Old Testament sacrificial system. There needed to be many of them because they sacrificed every day, year after year, and eventually they all died out. “The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews7:23–25NASB1995  Because Jesus lives forever, he is able to save forever all who put their faith in him.

The Old Testament sacrificial system, was an imperfect foreshadowing of the perfect that was to come. “For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” Hebrews7:26–27NASB1995  Jesus died to do away with, sin “once for all when He offered up Himself.”

Our sins… past, present, and future… have been completely atoned for thanks to our great, High Priest, Jesus our Christ!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your perfect Son to save me from the curse and penalty of sin. Thank you that Jesus’ perfect work of atonement covers all my sin and saves me forever. Help me to share this good news with those still trying to atone for their own sins. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

January 27 – Matthew 28 – Making Disciples

The end of the Gospel according to Matthew gives a clear understanding of what Jesus expected us to be doing until he returned. In Matthew 28 the resurrected Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew28:18–20NIV

These verses are often called The Great Commission. In them we recognize the authority given to Christ. He is in charge of everything, as “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to [Jesus].” He is the one who had the authority to send the original disciples. He has the authority to tell us what to do. We are not in the business of making members, or recruiting givers, or looking to build magnificent buildings. We are to “make disciples of all nations.” We are to baptize “them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” and teach them to obey everything Jesus commanded us.

This can be a daunting commission if we think about accomplishing it in our strength and wisdom. However, this commission contains a fact that is empowering and comforting. Jesus said, “…surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Through the presence of his indwelling Spirit, Jesus is strengthening us and giving us the wisdom to make disciples of all the nations. The proof is in the pudding. The church has been growing since the time of Christ and will continue to do so until he returns!

Prayer:

Loving and gracious Lord Jesus, I am glad all authority has been given to you! Help me to remember I am called to make disciples. Help me to rely on you for strength and wisdom in reaching others with the Gospel. Amen.

January 21 2023 – Matthew 22 – Will My Loved Ones Know Me In Heaven?

In Matthew 22, the religious powers that be are trying to trap Jesus in something he says to discredit him or worse. There are several exchanges in which the answers that Jesus gives silences his opponents. In one of those exchanges, the Sadducees are attempting to prove, what they believe is the ridiculousness of resurrection. They ask Jesus an elaborate question about a woman who marries a man with six brothers.

In Judaism, if a man died and had brothers, the brother of the man who died was supposed to marry his brother’s widow and have children with her for his brother. In the scenario the Sadducees imagined to trap Jesus, the man with six brothers married and died. Then subsequently, his six brothers, in turn all married the widow each dying after marrying her. Then she died. She must have been the original black widow or something.

Their trap was, in the resurrection whose wife will she be since they all were married to her. Jesus’ answer was to show their ignorance of the Scriptures and confirm our hopes in resurrection. Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” Matthew22:29–32NIV

From these statements of Jesus, we know that there is a resurrection. However, there is also some troubling information there too… depending on how happily married you are or were. Jesus said, “at the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.” We have many questions from this statement. Will we be disembodied spirits? Will my loved ones or spouse know me? Will we be individuals or will we all be homogenized into one with God?

In Jesus response to the Sadducees, we see the answer to our fears. “But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is not some homogenized one. Each of those names represents an individual with a history in time in this world. Who that person was, the experiences shared with them in this world and the relationships that developed as a result of our time together will be known in the world to come. That is one reason why I believe God is so emphatic about us forgiving others. If there was going to be no recollection of who we were or who they were, forgiveness wouldn’t really be that important.

In 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul is talking about resurrection and answering questions about what we will be like in the resurrection. We get the idea from what he was saying that we will not have a body of flesh and blood, but a new glorified spiritual body. However, that is a body and will be so much more than these weak, frail bodies we have moved around in here. Bodies help us recognize each other and that will be the same in the resurrection.

Praise God, there is a resurrection! In the resurrection we will have wonderful, new, glorified bodies. In the resurrection, we will be individuals and will know those we have developed relationships with during our time here in our earthly bodies.

Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for the blessed hope we have in resurrection! Amen.

December 19, 2022 – John 11 – You Will Live Again

Exodus 30, John 11, Ephesians 1

There is a mystery to death because for the most part none of us have been there. We know that, unless Jesus comes back first, we are all going to die one day. It is one of the most common human experiences but, since we don’t get a lot of details from the other side, we don’t exactly know what to expect.

In John 11, a man named Lazarus has died. Jesus was told Lazarus was sick, but had intentionally delayed his going until Lazarus died. Jesus goes with his disciples to raise him from the dead, to show the glory of God, and so that we may believe.

There is a conversation between Jesus and Lazarus’ sister, Martha, that happens before Jesus raises him. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John11:21–26NIV

Jesus is specific about what is going to happen. Lazarus is going to live again. He is not going to become a spirit or some unnatural Frankenstein’s monster. Lazarus will live again. The one Martha knew and loved will rise again.

The same truth carries into the concept of resurrection Jesus is developing. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” The person that believes in Jesus, does not end. They transition from this world to eternity with God, and those who love God when they die. They do not end and become something different.

We know from other scriptures that they suffer no longer. Their bodies don’t wear out. They no longer face the struggles with temptations and sin that they did in this world. In that sense, along with all of the other wonders of heaven they enjoy they are new. However, you will still know them as they were known to you in this world. Because Jesus is the resurrection, we will see those we love who believe in him, at the second coming, or when we transition out of this world.  

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you that in you, the resurrection, I will never end. Thank you for the reality that those I love who have left this world, are alive with you forevermore. Amen.

December 7, 2022 – Luke 24 – The Reality of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ

Exodus 18, Luke 24, 2 Corinthians 8

There are so many interesting things to see in Luke 24. For instance, the encounter on the road to Emmaus. In this interaction between Jesus and two of his followers, Jesus explains to them and us where to look for confirmation that he is the Messiah and that all that was supposed to happened to him was planned by God. He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. Luke24:25–27NIV

What happened, his suffering, death, and resurrection, was planned and announced in the Old Testament beginning with Moses (the first five books of the Old Testament) and the Prophets. This idea is repeated when Jesus is later gathered with the eleven disciples. He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Luke24:44NIV  Here he also includes the Psalms as a place to look to see what God had long ago planned for Jesus to accomplish as the Messiah.

Essentially, the Old Testament gives us a deeper understanding of Jesus. Presenting him, and the Father’s plan for him, in prophecies and prefigurations. This gives us a greater appreciation for Jesus and these sacred Scriptures.

Another, interesting thing is the care Jesus took to show the disciples he was real and not some hallucination or ghost. In both encounters with his followers, in the simple act of having a meal together he revealed himself to them. With the two heading to Emmaus, he broke bread similar to Holy Communion, and served them and they realized who he was. We should also see from this, that Jesus reveals himself to us as he is offered to us in the sacred mystery of Holy Communion.

When he was with the eleven disciples, he showed them his hands and feet. They were still in disbelief. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence. Luke24:41–43NIV

God went to great lengths to confirm that Jesus was the Messiah through prophecies and prefigurations in the Old Testament. Jesus went to extraordinary lengths to prove to his disciples he was really alive and that all the things that had happened were God’s plan.

God is still going to great lengths. We have the Scriptures. We have the presence of God, the Holy Spirit, convincing us of this reality and showing up in our lives in ways that can only be explained as supernatural. We have the witness of the church, how God responds to the prayers of his people, and the celebrations of God’s supernatural working in the lives of others.

God has gone to great lengths to predict and confirm the reality of the risen Lord Jesus Christ! There is so much evidence, to miss it, we would have to intentionally turn a blind eye.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank you for the prophecies and prefigurations of your son in the Holy Scriptures. Thank you Lord Jesus, for the care you took in presenting yourself alive to your disciples. Lord, thank you for the care you take in presenting the reality of your resurrected self to us today. Help me to behold you with joy and amazement everyday! Amen