Romans 6:8-10
“Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all time; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.”
Thoughts from Pastor Brian
Dive Deeper
Behind the Scenes
Death is a scary thing for all of us. Regardless of what you believe, the idea of death always holds at least some small measure of trepidation and fear. We naturally cling to life, as we should. Life is a gift from God and something we are hard-wired to desire. It’s in our nature to not only crave it, but to chase after it. But death is inevitable for all of us.
Death isn’t the end, though. We often focus so much on what happens this side of death with little thought to the life that we will live on the other side. See, death is just a transition from this life into the next. And what we do in this life determines how we spend the next.
When sin entered the world, it changed our destiny. We, as a human race, went from eternity with God to one of eternal separation from God. Our sin caused a break in the plan, a derailment. Because God cannot exist in perfect communion with sin, our assurance of eternity by His side was forever severed. We inherited not only physical death, but spiritual death as well. We were doomed.
But God…
These two words together are perhaps my favorite. They are powerful and bring so much hope.
But God…
But God stepped in.
But God did something amazing.
But God would not stand for eternal separation from the creation He so loved.
But God made a way.
The God of the universe sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to be the propitiation and sacrifice for our sins. He bridged the great divide, taking on our sin so that He could give us His righteousness. He traded places with us, stepped out of Heaven and becoming man so that we could be restored to a heavenly destiny. He gave up heaven for a time so that He could purchase us back from hell. He bridged the gap so that we could be drawn near.
But God…
Make it Real
It’s the week after Easter and I have no idea how this holiday hits you. But if you’ve lost sight of the life and the sacrifice that we celebrate at Easter, take a moment to re-align. Easter is more than just bunnies and eggs. It’s more than dressing up and eating yummy food. It’s about remembering. It’s about life! It’s about the greatest gift you could ever be given. It’s about Jesus.
This holiday is about celebrating that we’ve been given life, ransomed from death, and sealed for heaven. It’s about realizing that though physical death awaits us all, spiritual death no longer owns us. If you’ve received the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ alone, then you are no longer destined for an eternity apart from God. You have been restored, reconciled, and redeemed.
And you no longer need to fear death. Easter is about the victory Jesus won for you and me. And in that victory, we can live this life with our eyes turned toward the next, eagerly awaiting eternity in perfect community and harmony with God. We no longer have to see death as a curse, but instead just a doorway to heaven. We can live in freedom in this life knowing that no matter when physical death comes to claim us, we will live forever with Jesus.
This is the message of Easter. Let it permeate your soul today. Let it sink in deep and take root in your heart. Let it break the chains of fear, addiction, loneliness, and sin that hold you down.
THIS is new life!
THIS is Jesus!
Crystal Garnett
ACF Digital Discipleship Team Lead
End in Prayer
Lord,
I am without words. What can I say but thank You? Help me to live out the truth of Easter every day, not just once a year. Help me to keep my eyes and heart fixed on the truth of Your amazing love? Help me to let it fill me to completion every day. Lord, thank You for bridging the gap to claim me as Your own. I believe in You. I trust in You. You are my God, forever. Please teach me to walk in Your ways and to make this life count. Teach me to keep my eyes fixed on what’s to come.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen!