It Is Accomplished
Easter 2023 | Part 2 of 2
Easter 2023 Part 1 | Easter 2023 Part 2
The Surreal and God’s Truth
First, I want to wish my sisters and brothers in Eastern Orthodox parishes a happy Pascha, a blessed Resurrection Sunday, this April 16, 2023.
Me: Christ Has Risen!
You: He has risen, indeed!
With this ancient greeting, we proclaim a great truth to each other, one that give us great hope. In this Easter 2023 Part 2, I’ll chat briefly about this by looking at a few verses in Colossians chapter two.
As I write this, I’m quite conscious of this hope, this truth, that God has given us because of what happened yesterday in our neighborhood. We live in a small town in a rural county, and in a small neighborhood community in which the residences are close together, and many neighbors know each other.
Yesterday, one of our neighbors died. Some time between 9:30 and 10:00 AM, I heard a woman outside cry out and scream. At that time, I was involved with something, but when I was free, I went outside. A fire engine drove past our place followed by the Battalion Chief’s truck. I looked down the street where they were headed and saw a cruiser from our local police department plus a police SUV, all vehicles parked four doors down from us. Then, the ambulance pulled up and parked. I walked a few yards and saw a woman sitting down and sobbing as the police officers comforted her and took information for their report. The fire fighters and paramedics milled around with their equipment. No one was rushing, and I then understood. The woman crying was the adult daughter, and her mother, who she lived with, had died.
I didn’t know them as the daughter worked and I never saw the mother outside. But, what struck me in addition to her grief was what was going on around us. Yesterday was also the annual Spring Yard Sale in our community. In the midst of sudden loss and grief, and as I watched our town’s police and fire personnel do their jobs and comfort the grieving daughter, I also saw cars slowly driving up and down our street, their occupants staring at each yard intently, looking to see if there were tables set up with items they wanted to buy. Many in the cars smiled and waved at us as they enjoyed the gorgeous Spring weather. Car after car came, driving up and down both sides of our street, passing the police and fire vehicles.
I didn’t want to smile and wave. I just wanted them all to go home.
They didn’t know a neighbor had died, but I felt the “yard salers” and their smiles were intruding into a very private, grief-stricken situation. I later told my husband that I felt like I was in a film by Fellini. He agreed it was a very surreal situation.
Last night, as I wrote this post, I wondered if that’s how Jesus’ followers felt the day of His crucifixion. Those of His followers who stood vigil at the foot of the cross, how did they feel as they heard the crowd mock Jesus, demanding He get down from the cross, while they grieved? Did they feel the situation was surreal?
Perhaps, and I may never know. But, one thing I do know from God’s word is that the Lord was always in control from Good Friday through to Easter Sunday. Nothing surprised Him nor caught Him off guard during all of those surreal events.
Jesus had His mission to accomplish. And, He did.
What Did Jesus’ Death and Resurrection Accomplish?
In Colossians 2, the apostle Paul outlined to the believers in the church in Colosse exactly what Christ Jesus had accomplished for them, for all believers. This chapter is filled with precious gems of God’s truth. These gems of truth can give us incredible hope, now and in the future, if we take them to heart and allow them to embed themselves in our inner being. I’ve pulled out a few verses to bring to our minds, however the entire chapter expresses amazing truth.
What did Jesus Christ accomplish through His death on the cross, and His resurrection from the dead?
He…
Made you fully alive with Him in God (Col. 2:13)
Forgave you of all your sins (Col. 2:13)
Canceled the record of debt and its legal demands (Col. 2:14)
Disarmed the rulers and the authorities (Col. 2:15)
Put to open shame the rulers and the authorities (Col. 2:15)
Triumphed over the rulers and authorities (Col. 2:15)
Died [Christ and you in Him] to the elemental spirits of the world (Col. 2:20)
I recommend you take one bulleted item at a time and do a word or topical study, a “deep dive” study, looking up cross references to similar verses in other New Testament books, until you fully grasp the depth of the truth of what Jesus accomplished for you on the cross.
For example, ask yourself: “What does it mean to me that I’m made fully alive with Jesus in God?” How does this impact your daily life?
Or, how about: “I am forgiven of all my sins.” Do you truly live this out in your life, daily? Do you live in the freedom and the victory of God’s full forgiveness of all your sins? (I’m still working on this, myself.)
Dear reader, as the world and its human cultures seem to grow more and more surreal, I encourage you to take time after this Easter season to continue to lay a firm foundation in God’s truth, based on what Jesus accomplished on the cross for us all.
Happy “deep diving”, happy studying to you.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Dear Reader:
If you’re not (yet) a follower of Jesus Christ, He invites you this Easter season to become a member of His family. God loves you more than you could ever understand, and He longs for you to become His child. Select the button to find out more:
[ https://www.gotquestions.org/know-Jesus.html ]
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What’s Next?
Now that we’ve rejoiced over Easter, we’ll continue our faith journey by living in the victory of Jesus Christ’s resurrection!
Come back next Sunday to find out what topic(s) is/are next.
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Great content Jenise! Much to ponder.