The first Easter morning didn’t start out well for the disciples. The one thing they knew for sure, when they woke up that day, was that Jesus was dead. The precious Master and Friend they had followed for three years, hanging on His every word, was gone— having been brutally executed on a Roman cross. His death must have been a crushing blow. Imagine their emotions. Disbelief. Disillusionment. Despair.
Until that morning, the disciples had operated from the understanding that normally death was final. That’s the way the program worked. It wasn’t until the disciples saw the empty tomb that they finally ”believed” and understood “the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead” (John 20:9).
Suddenly, Old Testament passages such as Psalm 16:10, which predicted Christ’s death and resurrection, made sense. Weeks after Resurrection Sunday, on the day known as Pentecost, Peter quoted that very passage to a crowd in Jerusalem as he testified to the dramatic turn of events surrounding Jesus (Acts 2:22-32).
Speaking of His own impending death, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels” (John 12:24). In other words, death is the way to life.
Yes, it’s a paradox that death can be an unlikely route to life and joy. Only Jesus could lay down His life “as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Our path to experiencing His life involves daily crucifying anything that would lead away from Him.
Lord, help us to see what needs to die in us so that Your life can be our all.
More:
When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first (1 Corinthians 15:36).
Next:
What do you need to die to today as you choose life in Jesus? How does Jesus’ resurrection affect your view of the present and the future?
F.O.C.U.S. on April 30, 2010 at 5:11 am
The Lord Jesus Christ called us to die to self daily (Luke9:23)
This can be very very hard. Some sins go down without much of a fight while others go down kicking and screaming all the way – and like poor Christian in Pilgrim’s Progress, there are times when the fight seems almost impossible to win.
Lord, may you help anyone reading this devotional today who is struggling to put a particular sin to death. May they realise that the fight can’t be won in their own strength but only in the Lord Jesus Christ (Gal2:20) Amen.
Soldier4Christ on April 30, 2010 at 11:18 am
F.O.C.U.S. said it better than I could ever have and is right on target. Some sins of the past for me went down easy. But I struggle daily with one sin that just doesn’t seem to want to die. Though I pray about it, it still doesn’t want to go away, I do know that the fight can only be won in the strength of the Lord, and I know the power of prayer. So please pray for me that I might be able to put my sin to death through the power and love of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
F.O.C.U.S. on April 30, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Dear S4C,
Frstly, can I say that I deeply respect your courage to even post those words. I identify completely with them. There has been a particular sin in my life which I too (and do) struggle with. At times, I struggle to even call it sin and God’s word seems powerless. So, I speak as one undeserving sinner to another. There are 2 scriptures which help me however. The first concerns WHO I am – Gal 2:20. The second concerns WHAT i should be doing – 1 Tim 4:7b. I hope they help. I will keep you in prayer my friend.