HE IS RISEN! This is the excitement and wonder of Easter.....the celebration of a risen Savior. Jesus is the promised Messiah.
The Bible is very clear that Jesus is the One who sets us free from the prison of our sinful nature.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:1
“For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2
Why did we need a Messiah? Because we could not save ourselves. Nothing we could do in our fallen, sinful state could ever be good enough to make us righteous before a Holy God and His Holy standards. No, we could not save ourselves. But, a loving God could save us.
“For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
Romans 8:3-4
There are 2 states of man. “In the flesh” and “ in the Spirit”. We are all in one of those 2 categories. We all start out “ in the flesh” and alienated from God.
“For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
Romans 8:7-8
But, we can all be transplanted into the category of “ in the Spirit “ because When we embrace Christ as our redemptive Savior, we have the resurrected Spirit of Christ indwelling us. “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:9-11
This Easter we celebrate hope for a blessed future. God has promised us eternal life. We have His promises to cling to and His guidance and help.
“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?” Romans 8:31-32
Satan holds no power over us anymore. We have been freed from the power of sin. We belong to Christ and will be loved and cherished by Him for all of time. He sits, even now, in heaven to intercede for us. “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.” Romans 8:33-34
This Easter, may you be comforted and empowered. You have been given a Messiah. He died for you, but more importantly, he lives for you!!
God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus
He came to love, heal and forgive
He lived and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives.