Risen

Ephesians 2:5 “even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)”

In this verse, Paul clearly says that we were raised up from the dead together with Christ. This means that the resurrection is an event we share with the Lord Himself and so, the event should happen in our lives in the same manner as it happened in Christ’s life. Also, the same verse clearly states that being risen alive is an essential event of salvation. The Christian life we live currently is essentially the period between resurrection and ascension.

Let us try to understand the process here.

Mathew 28:2 Earthquake and Visible proof

There is a massive experience on being born again. Everybody around us should know and acknowledge that we are risen people. There were signs and proofs everywhere for Jesus being risen. He gave very much importance to this. The stone was rolled away that people could come in and see that the tomb is empty. People come in searching for a dead person and to help him. These are both good and bad people looking for a dead person. But, there were clear signs stating that this person has risen up.

It is mandatory that we tell the world that the person they are looking for is unavailable. The person who partakes in their deeds is no longer live. He is dead and a new person is born. This is the reason for baptism. We are making a statement to the world that a new person is being born.

Acts 1:3 “Infallible Proofs” meaning it is our responsibility that the signs we give to the world do not fail. Otherwise, it will cause them deny the resurrection of the Holy Lord.

John 29:17 & Mathew 28:9. Communion with God and People.

These verses point to the fact that Jesus was ascending up to heaven and descending back to meet people a lot of times in this period. This is understandable since Jesus was not staying with the disciples, but kept giving them appearances. This is a state where we keep the Father very close and updated through our prayers. Jesus did not want anybody to even touch Him before the Father. That is the kind of importance we give to our relationship with God.

Also, the Lord says that His Father is their Father too and His God is their God too. The emphasis is that Jesus is going to the Father who is now onwards your father too. This relationship has been purchased at crucifixion. Now, we are more of brothers and so equal in the father’s eyes. Since Jesus wants this message to be delivered to the disciples, addressing them as His brethren, and as an encouragement, the message is that He is visiting a father who is common to both of us and will ensure our position as the Father’s children. And this is the pattern we need to follow when we share the gospel. We should have a burden that they are our brothers who share a Father.

Mathew 28:9 Rejoice!

Let us rejoice for the new person. The exclamation mark in the end shows the happiness Jesus had when receiving them. This is the first statement Jesus has to say when seeing the ladies together. Jesus first had great rejoicing and was passing this happiness to everybody around. The pattern is that first happiness is received and then shared and everything else follows afterward.

And, rejoicing as per the ladies was to worship Jesus by holding his feet. This place is complete rejoicing and would please us tremendously.

Mark 16:16 Believe

This verse could be understood in a manner where non-believing is an unpardonable sin and leads to condemnation. This may seem that Jesus is unfair to us in this regard. But, when we read this together along with Thomas’ doubt (John 20:26 onwards), we see the efforts Jesus takes in making us believe. He waits for many days so that we would believe him without visible signs. Our failure in this makes him come back to Him at-least after seeing signs. The former set is more privileged than those who require signs from the Lord. In John 20:8, we see that John as soon as he saw the cloths in the tomb, he believed.

In Mark 16:17 onwards, Jesus mentions all the signs are given so that everybody could believe. These are all only signs and not privileges given to us. But, we all are very happily in the receiving end where we think that we deserve all miracles to happen in our lives. The Holy Spirit specifically calls these as signs as they happen here and there just to make others believe.

As per John 20:31, we need to have assurance of eternal life after believing. That is we need to believe that through the resurrection of Jesus, we would live and this life is in His Name.

1 Cor 15:44 A Spiritual Body

The difference between a natural body and a spiritual body is clearly explained in these verses. It is not that we would lose our physical body, but it was owned by our natural self(soul) and now the spirit has taken over. The priority is more to the strength of the spirit. The first man serves dust but the second man looks for heavenly things. The characteristic of the first Adam who started natural life is that he was living soul. The last Adam quickens the Spirit. Romans 8:16 explains that the spirit will witness to God and will not be condemned. The soul would be condemned instead. The natural person is aligned towards the flesh and spiritual is aligned towards the spirit.

John 21:15-19 Tend my Sheep

When Jesus delegates responsibilities to Peter, He made sure that Peter took that seriously. Also, the reason behind the whole of Peter’s ministry should be that Peter should love Jesus more than everybody else. Not because we love our family or friends, because we love Jesus more and more, we would minister to Him. Before we leave, it is very important that things are properly delegated to worthy and the right people.

1 Cor 15:58 Conclusion

Let us continue doing the good work of Jesus Christ with complete assurance that our work or progress will not go in vain in the Lord. To the world, it may seem to be vain, but in the Lord’s parameters, it will be seen as very useful efforts. So, let us be steadfast, immovable and always abounding in the work. Abounding is not in material wealth but in the works of the Lord. Let all the Lord’s qualities and efforts abound in our life so that many will be shared to the brotherly position that was promised and earned by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.