All around the world this Easter Sunday Pastors are saying to their congregations, "Christ is Risen" to which they are to reply; "he is risen indeed. But how many in a complete identification with his Death, Burial and Resurrection would be inclined to say I am risen with Christ. For it is indeed so that we are "sunestaurothe" CRUCIFIED TOGETHER WITH HIM, "sunthapto" "sumphutos" BURIED AND PLANTED with Christ and "sunegeiro" raised with Christ in order that we might walk-around in newness of life. Just as it is true that he died as a substitute for us, those who are raised in Him are to be substitutes for Him (2 Cor 5:14-21) Body Parts of His Imploring men everywhere to be reconciled to God. This is only possible by taking on the redemptive self-estimate. As we apprehend, assimilate and apply the Word Of His Grace, by which we come to know ourselves, see ourselves and yes, love ourselves, even as God does, because of Jesus Christ. Then and only then can we live even as he did and serve God acceptably by Grace and through Faith. Let us celebrate His Resurrection, as well as our own in Him, each and every day and not one Sunday per year. Why do you think the Churches meet on Sunday? Because we celebrate by doing so the resurrection of Christ and the resurrection life he has given us, on the Lord's Day, the first day of the week, Sunday, as opposed to the Sabbath which was the last day, commemorating and deriving our purpose, meaning and definition as well as our identity in the New Man raised from death and walking around in his stead...walking around in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter (1 John 2:6, 4:17, 2 Cor 5:19-21) |
