He is Risen!

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.   And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,  whom I shall see for myself,  and my eyes shall behold, and not another.  My heart faints within me!—Job 19:25-27

I sat in my recliner this morning, sadly kept home from church by a cold, musing over what the resurrection of Jesus Christ means to me.  I thought on my all-time favorite part of Handel's Messiah, which is also my all-time favorite piece of music, "I  Know That My Redeemer Liveth." 

I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the later day upon the earth.

And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.

For now is Christ risen from the dead, the first-fruits of them that sleep.

How I love that piece of music and what it implies.  His resurrection gives me great hope:  hope that one day when this body succumbs and is laid to rest in the earth that God will raise me even as He raised His only son.  I think on the wondrous love of God who loved His people so much that He sent His Son to live among them, suffer beyond our comprehension and die a cruel painful death laying on Him the punishment of hell.  I think on that and the magnificent power of God that raised Christ from the dead and I know His promise that I will be raised one day is not in vain because what He allowed His Son to go through for my sake cannot be in vain!  What hope that gives me!

When I think on the resurrection, I also think of the Lord's Supper which we joyfully participate in together on this earth as we anticipate partaking of it in Heaven.  What a wonder it is that Jesus promised He would not partake of it again until the day we all gather with Him in Heaven.  I have not seen the recently released movie about a boy who comes close to death and claims he entered Heaven, but I cannot imagine how one could even begin to describe in words or picture the utter joy to be at the Lamb's feet worshiping Him day and night and partaking anew with Him and all the saints of His supper feast.  What a glorious day that will be with no more tears and no more sorrows!

The last thing I mused on this morning was the promise in Romans 8 that Christ rose and ascended to the Father's right hand where He now intercedes for us.  He intercedes for me!   All my paltry complaints on this earth become as nothing when I think that Jesus, God himself, intercedes for me.  There is nothing in this life, not my cold, not my cancer, not persecution, not material standing, not any enemy, not even myself, that can keep me apart from the love of Christ Jesus my Lord.  Nothing can keep God from accomplishing His purposes in my life.   

Alleluia, He is risen!  He is risen indeed.  Praise God!

"But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep."

I Corinthians 15:20

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?  Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.  Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?  As it is written, 'For your sake we are being killed all the day long;  we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.'  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,  nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.   Romans 8: 31-37