Spiritually Speaking – May 2020
Scripturally Speaking
“Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.” Mark 16:6
HE IS RISEN! BUT NOW WHAT?
Once a year, the marquee signs of churches show those three words: “He is Risen!” BUT NOW WHAT?
Jesus had walked with the disciples for 3-1/2 years. Now he was dead! Their hopes for restoring the kingdom of Israel were dashed to pieces. Everything they believed in appeared to be in shambles.
Then they heard: “HE IS RISEN!” That’s what the angel said to the women at his tomb. All the disciples—and over 500 believers—would come to see the resurrected Christ. THERE COULD BE NO DENIAL, NO ROOM FOR DOUBT. HE WAS ALIVE! HE WAS RISEN!
Jesus suffered for a reason.
Jesus died for a reason.
Jesus rose for a reason.
The reason is that “repentance and remission of sins should be preached in HIS name to all nations”. The problem with sin is that it corrupts. It destroys. It causes pain and suffering to us and to others.
GOD CANNOT, AND WILL NOT, ABIDE SIN. Because of sin’s destructive nature, God established the penalty for all sin as death.
Sin requires someone’s life. The death of Christ pays that requirement…for all of those who are willing to repent of their sins and accept that sacrifice.
Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins, but now what? Where do we go from here? What do we need to be doing?
Christ is risen, but that’s only half the story.
The other half is that WE MUST RISE TOO!
Christ died for our sins, not so we could continue those sins, but so we could be free of those and leave behind the lifestyles that produce them.
Life after repenting and accepting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is anything but business as usual! Using the forgiveness that comes from that sacrifice as a license to continue sinning is like getting a suit dry-cleaned…just to roll around in the mud in it.
Paul explains that “the old us” needs to be crucified, put to death alongside Christ. Once we make that commitment, then “just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
Yes, Christ is Risen—but that’s only half the story! THE OTHER HALF IS THAT WE MUST RISE TOO!
We must always seek to “put to death the deeds of the body
while walking in newness of life.” Romans 8:13
The Bible foretells a literal future resurrection where God’s called, chosen, and faithful are given new life and welcomed into His family—a resurrection made possible by Christ’s own triumph over the grave. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
Beyond that, God has another resurrection planned for the billions who never truly knew Him in this life—a time during which they, too, will receive an opportunity to join His family. (Revelations 20:12)
“Christ is Risen!” Now What?
God’s plan didn’t end at the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That resurrection set the stage for the rest of His plan—and the rest of our lives along with it.
The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is where we start!!! It’s where we acknowledge our shortcomings, our failures, and our sins. It’s where we recognize the need to hold ourselves accountable to God’s standards. And—it’s where we embark on a lifelong journey to follow in the footsteps of our Lord and Savior!
It’s not an easy journey. We’re going to make mistakes. But despite all the difficulties, this is a journey that ends with HOPE.
We have a High Priest who also not only personally understands the difficulty of our journey, but who lived and died so we can succeed.
THE MARQUEE SIGNS ARE RIGHT—”HE IS RISEN!” The importance of that fundamental truth can never be overstated. But what those signs neglect to tell you is that the story doesn’t end there.
YES, HE ROSE!
BUT ONE DAY, YOU WILL TOO!
Jeremy Lallier
Producer of Life, Hope, and Truth Discover Video Series
