Christian Living

Is It Real?

by Annagail Lynes
04/01/18
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What does Resurrection Sunday mean to you?

For me, it is about what Christ did for me, about what He did for humankind.  We can hear the story of Jesus' death and resurrection so many times that it becomes like one of those fairy tales we heard as a kid.  Hollow and meaningless. 

It is not until it becomes real to us that we can really celebrate Resurrection Sunday.  It is not a time to dress up and go to church or even to cook and share a meal with our family and friends.  It is about Jesus and Jesus alone.

Humans allowed sin to come into this world (Genesis 3), condemning the entire race--past, present and future--to death (Romans 6:23).  Not only physical but spiritual as well.  We would be forever separated from God.  Essentially the human race had been handed a death sentence.

There was an escape clause, though.  If any human could fulfill all the laws, ordinances and commandments perfectly, he could die for the sins of the world.  Only God knew this was impossible, so He sent His Son, Jesus, to be born of a human woman (Luke 1:30-31, Luke 3:6-7). 

Jesus, all God and all human, fulfilled the law perfectly (Matthew 5:17).  He never sinned (II Corinthians 5:21).  He went to the Cross for us to take our death sentence.  He was beaten and bruised.  Not tiny bruises either.  By the time He reached the Cross, skin had been ripped from His body.  He was hung on the Cross with big stake nails in His hands and feet. 

If that weren't bad enough, God poured out the wrath and punishment for all our sins on Jesus' body.   Not just those who had already been born but the sins of every one who would ever live.  Every sin.  Murder.  Lies.  Adultery.  Incest.  All of it.

Not only that but on that Cross, He took every sickness we could ever contract (Isaiah 53:4-5).  He took every problem we could ever encounter as result of sin entering this world (Galatians 3:13). 

When He cried, "It is finished (John 19:30)," He handed us the victory in every area of our lives (1 Corinthians 15:57).   We have the victory because of what Jesus did at the Cross.

His resurrection is our proof that He died and rose again, that He conquered spiritual death and the curse (Galatians 3:13) once and for all (Romans 6:10).  All we have to do is believe it (John 3:16).

Too many times we are trying to get God to answer our prayers as if He has to conjure up a miracle for us (I am guilty of this as well!), but no, we already have the victory.  He already died to give us everything we need.  Instead of begging God for our miracle, let's thank God that it is already ours, already won for us at the Cross.

My challenge to you and to myself is to take time every day to meditate on what Jesus did at the Cross.  Maybe put up a Cross as a reminder in your bathroom, cubicle or on your nightstand.  Just think about what He went through.  See your situation taken at the Cross.  And watch how real Jesus' death and resurrection becomes to you.