that I may know [Christ] and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. - Philippians 3:10-11
We may be out of the season of Easter, but no matter the season, we are resurrection people. We are people who know the newness of everything, the restoring power of God, and the celebration that is in our Risen Lord, for we have risen with him through our faith. We cannot have salvation without the death of Christ, nor can we have salvation without the resurrection of Christ. For salvation to be realized there must be death and resurrection, for the Living Christ who is eternal, has become eternal through the resurrection, and the restorative grace of God found therein.
Even some of our greatest Scriptural examples had to go through death in order to be restored or to live as resurrection people. Peter has a death of faith when he denies Christ, but is restored by the lake shore after the resurrection, and goes on to be the rock upon which the church is built. Thomas has a death in that he denies that Jesus Resurrection was real, because he did not see it, yet when Christ appears to him, and he touches the wounds in his hands and side, he believes and become a resurrection person.
Then there is Paul, who earlier in this chapter of Philippians states that he has obeyed the law of God perfectly, that he was the perfect Pharisee, He did everything that was expected of a person who was to be a religious leader (paraphrase). However, Paul did not love God. He had all the right answer, but not the right focus. His encounter with the risen Lord was one that dramatically transformed his worldview, and his God-view. He now saw his old way of life as rubbish, and Christ as gain. Righteousness, Paul says, comes from God and depends on faith.
Our faith is one based upon death and resurrection. Therefore, as we are reminded of Christ’s resurrection, let us also be reminded of our own. Let us rejoice that our old way of life is dead, and we are resurrection people. Yet, let us also remember that we are resurrected with purpose. To share in the glory of Christ and the power of such resurrection, and to share the love of Christ that we have found deep within. We are called to press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ, and imitate those who keep their eyes on the example of Christ. Our focus should always be to bring glory to the One who was raise from the dead, as our hearts await to join him in His glory. Amen.
Grace & Peace,
Sam