The one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. (2 Corinthians 4:14-15)
Yesterday we celebrated the most important day of the year, not only on the church calendar but in the history of the entire world: the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord from the dead. Having paid the full penalty for our sins by His death on the cross, Jesus walked out of His tomb, providing the divine guarantee of eternal life for all those who put their trust in Him as both Savior and Lord. On that first Easter morning, God the Father put His stamp of approval on Christ’s finished work on the cross by raising Him from the dead.
But if we view the Resurrection only in light of eternal life, we shrink the size of the cross work of Jesus Christ. We are to live out our everyday lives in view of the Resurrection; it is the window through which we are to view all of life. In our verse for today, we see a several implications of the Resurrection as it relates to everyday life. Here are just two that will be a source of great encouragement to you as you journey through this life.
1 – Resurrection Grace – The grace that saved you is the same grace that sanctifies you every step of the way into glory. What starts in grace continues in grace, and it will be completed in grace. Keeping this resurrection truth in view will help you trust in and depend on the grace of our Lord Jesus instead of attempting to live out your salvation in your own strength.
2 – Resurrection Thanksgiving – When Jesus walked out of the grave alive and well, He conquered our last enemy, death. No matter what is going on in our lives, we have reason to be thankful. No matter what storm winds may be howling around us, we can give thanks, knowing that Jesus is in control of it all and is graciously using that storm for His glory and our eternal good.
Remembering that Jesus is risen and that death has no sting will encourage, equip, and empower us to live a risen life, no matter how high the waves of challenge are that we are facing.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 