By Grant Kaul, Senior Pastor
Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.
Acts 2:22-24
Life in Christ is rooted in the reality of His resurrection.
What would life be like if you didn’t know its purpose? For many, this isn’t a question to ponder, but a pattern of daily existence. Even those who claim to know the ultimate reason for our lives sometimes become infrequent visitors to the well-spring of meaning and purpose. It’s as if the state of being spiritually dehydrated has become a way of life, even though the water of life is in abundance.
God, however, wants us to regularly renew our mind and soul with the hinge of all history and apex of all meaning that Jesus Christ through death has paid the penalty for our sin and through His resurrection has provided us the victory of His life. Christ’s perfect life enabled Him to be our substitute, sacrificial death for sin. His resurrection from the dead is God’s divine guarantee that authentic spiritual life is truly found in the life of His Son.
This providential plan accomplished God’s purpose of bringing redemption to His people; and each time we fix our attention on the resurrected Jesus, we are once again renewed to God’s purpose for us to live in light of the resurrection of Christ. At the beginning and the end of our day – in our trials, in our ministry and in our work–we should think of the conquering Jesus who has all authority and loves us eternally. When life is hard, remember that Jesus is Lord.
Ultimately, the Author of life could never be held by the power of the grave, and Christ’s mission to make disciples is truly possible because He really is with us always (Matt. 28:18-20). Each day this week, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, for our life in Christ is rooted in the reality of His resurrection.
