Easter's Over. Now What?

It's April 6, 2015. Yesterday was Easter Sunday. We just finished celebrating the life, death, and resurrection of Christ in what seems like the most intense week of the year in the church calendar. But now that we know Jesus didn't stay dead, that he in fact rose from the dead and appeared to many people before he ascended into heaven, we look around (much like the disciples did) and ask, "Now what?" It may seem like a dumb question, but in a way it is one of the most important questions we will ever ask ourselves.

Jesus answered that question for the disciples. He said, "Go. But Wait. Then Go." (Very paraphrased). He gave the disciples their mission. He commissioned them to go and make disciples of all nations, to baptize and teach in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He ordained them as apostles and witnesses to all that God had done. He gave them a purpose and a direction. But then he backed up and explained that step 1 of this plan was to wait for the Holy Spirit to come and empower this mission. Step 2 was...well...there was no Step 2 other than trust the Holy Spirit to guide them to do what Jesus just told them to do.

So what does that mean for us? The Holy Spirit has now been given to all who believe in Jesus as Lord, yet in a way, we still need to follow Jesus to wait. Not for days or months until we receive the Holy Spirit, but we need to take time every day to connect with God and get on the same page. We often just try to do as much as we can, but we often forget to stop first and ask for directions. Although these answers may sound like they came from an average children's sermon, we need to make sure we are connecting with God through prayer, reading Scripture, and connecting with other believers so that we can be filled with His heart, His character, and His strength to persevere.

So pause, connect with God, and ask for directions. Keep seeking him each day and discerning His will for your life. You will never regret it.

Tomorrow, I will start reading through the gospel of John, which is the last of the four gospels. Feel free to join me as I dig into a chapter a day.

Those are my thoughts for today. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

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#Matthew28 - Can't Keep a God Man Down

Click here to read Matthew 28:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

Despite everything that had happened to Jesus in the previous two chapters, he still came through victorious. This is no Karate Kid or Battle of Bunker Hill story where Jesus was beaten down or greatly outnumbered but still came back to win. HE WAS DEAD. His greatest victory wasn't in any might or force. His victory was 100% total trust and submission to God the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill the promise and plan to raise him up again. In that trust and in that obedience, Jesus allowed himself to hang on the cross to bear upon himself the fullness of the sin from all humanity, thereby becoming the sacrifice that truly could take away the sin of the world. God then raised him from the dead, giving him victory over sin, victory over death, and victory over the devil and all the forces of evil. It just goes to show...you can't keep a God-Man down. :)

2. How does this passage relate to any other Scripture I know?

As I read this line for line, there were many other verses and scripture passages that flickered through my mind. Here are just a few:
Verse 3 - In Revelation 1:12-16, it describes Jesus as being white as wool and shining like the sun
Verse 4 - In Joshua 5, Revelation 22:8, and other places in Scripture, one of the most common reactions to seeing an angel is to fall down out of fear and reverence
Verse 5 - "Do not be afraid..." This seems to be the most common opening line for angels, as in Luke 2, as part of the Christmas story.
Verses 16-20 - There is a similar passage in the opening chapter of Acts, though worded differently

3. What does this mean for my life?

Well, the resurrection of Jesus probably has more implications and impact on my life than any other single event in all of human history. What comes to my mind first and foremost, however, is that because Jesus rose from the dead I know that death does not have the final word. All the promises of Scripture about living forever with God, about eternal life in his presence after we die on this earth, are now believable. In fact, they are not only believable, but they are certain. I can bank my life on it. My faith is in Christ to hold my eternity, and I can think of no better way to spend forever than living in his presence, in a home where the Bible says there will be no more pain, no more crying, no more death, no more darkness, and no more sin.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

What Jesus was like in this brief time after being resurrected? I know that he just "appeared" and "disappeared" with different people. He didn't seem to be limited any more to physical dimensions, but the disciples could still touch his hands and his side. I will have to wait and find that one out when I myself am resurrected into a new body. I might understand better then.

That's it for today. Tomorrow we'll start the gospel of Mark. God bless, and keep digging in.

In Christ,
Dan

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