Today, we remember the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and we consider the events that took place shortly after His rising as we study the implications of such a resurrection for us who believe. Reading from Luke 24, we are first told how very early on the Sunday morning, specific women from the Lord’s followers had travelled to where the Lord had been buried, hoping to anoint His body with the spices that they had prepared, but instead, they were met by angels who reminded them of what Jesus had told them of this very moment that was now occurring, testifying to them that Jesus had in fact, risen from the dead (v.1-8). The angels quoted the words of the Lord verbatim, indicating that everytime the words of God are spoken, angelic ministry records and stands guard – and they remain witnesses to that which God has spoken to His children. Upon being reminded of what Jesus had said to all of them, the women rushed to tell the other disciples, but they struggled to fully grasp the weight of their words and instead dismissed them as idle tales (v.9-11). Now shortly after, as the news began to spread about the many followers of Jesus, two such disciples were on the road to Emmaus together, deliberating on all that had occurred and reasoning with each other what all these things could potentially mean (v.13-14). While they walked, Jesus drew near to them, but their eyes were restrained from His full identity, that while they spoke with Him, they could not perceive who He really was. These are men who walked with Jesus for over three years, yet here we see the first consequence of the resurrection: while they walked by physical sight before, they now required spiritual consciousness to truly see even that which was right in front of them. This is the reality of the dispensation we are in, we are not called to reason by logic, but to perceive by the spirit in order for our eyes to truly see and in order for us to truly partake of the spiritual realities available to us. As long as we insist on remaining led by our physical senses, we will walk as those who have eyes, but do not see, and have ears, but do not hear.
Noting their unbelief, Jesus cried out, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” (v.25-26). And He further went on to open the scriptures to them and build their understanding. After constraining Him to stay with them a while longer, they all broke bread together and it was at that time, that their eyes were opened and their understanding enlightened (v.28-31). You see, even though Jesus had told His disciples over and over again what was going to happen: they could not remember that which they did not understand. It is understanding that brings one to the place of advantage regarding that which they have come to know, and it is understanding that then changes one’s behaviour! This understanding would not have come to them had they not made the extra effort to constrain Jesus while He was on His way: church understands this, Jesus does not force Himself on anyone, He waits to be invited in. But if we take no initiative to go the extra mile with Him, we will miss out on all He has for us! This gospel requires effort, we should be willing to be inconvenienced and to be challenged, we should be open to our appetites changing and we should be eager to show the Lord how much we love Him! Lip service does not cut it, we have to back it up with actions to this effect – real disciples express their willingness to follow Jesus, no matter the cost!
Another important fact to note about the death and resurrection of Jesus, is that WE TOO, were on the cross with Him, and that WE TOO, rose up to life with Him! That is our position. From scripture we read, “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” (Colossians 2:11-12). This is what the scriptures tell us, that at the point of crucifixion, our sinful nature was crucified together with Christ, dying on the cross, and buried together with Him! But it does not end there, we were then also raised up together with Him in glory through faith; such that the life that Jesus has now, we have it too! The apostle continued, “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (v.13-14). Any and all debt that our humanity had incurred and will ever incur, were paid in full by Jesus, making us debt-free and without obligation to the law! This is our reality as born-again believers. ALL of our sins have been forgiven, not some of them, all of them! But we have to come to a place of belief and conviction, and it is from this place that we can truly respond to the love of God through worship and service! The apostle further added, “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” – making it clear that Satan was stripped of all power, and that all power was given to Jesus, and any shadow or illusion of authority and power that the enemy has now is that which we yield over to him. He is a defeated foe, this is the consequence of the cross; and we ought to live lives that reflect that we are on the winning side! Resist the devil with your mouth, resist him with your actions, do the Word, keep away from strife and all manner of sin, and keep your mind on Jesus: who won the victory for you! Happy Resurrection Sunday!
Prayer
Father, we thank You for the coming of Your Son, who bore our sins on His account and who died in the place of all the world, that we may be reconciled back to You! We thank You for wisdom and understanding, that we are growing in spiritual perception and spiritual foresight! That our eyes are open, that our ears are open, and that we fully live in the truth of the victory of Jesus on the cross and in the power of His resurrection! In the name of Jesus, AMEN!
