Holy Week Day Eight: He is Risen!

Holy Week Day Eight: He is Risen!
Passage: Mark 16
(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16&version=NIV)

It's not over yet! Now that Jesus has defeated sin through his death, it is time for him to defeat death with his resurrection!

If Jesus's story had stopped at death, than we would have no hope of life.
As Paul puts it,
"If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins... If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man."
1 Corinthians 15:16-17, 19-21

Why would our faith be futile, and why would we be the most to be pitied, if Jesus had not been raised from the dead?

Jesus' resurrection is our promise of resurrection. We are working towards eternal life, where we have victory over death. In this life, we face all sorts of trials, persecutions, mockeries, and opposition because we believe in Jesus. If that were the only things that faith earned us, nobody would choose it!

But now, since Jesus was resurrected from the dead, we have the hope--the sure expectation to be raised from the dead as well! We celebrate not only what he did, but what it eventually means for us! Jesus sacrifice is what made us citizens of heaven, and his resurrection is our promise to actually get there.

Plus, it's just amazing, isn't it? Jesus had the power to raise himself from the dead. Boom! Just like that. And then he flew up into heaven in the full view of his followers, and sent his Holy Spirit to live in their hearts until he returns.

Where is Jesus now? He is sitting at God's right hand, exalted above all. The King preparing his kingdom for his rule. And now our lives are joined with his, so that in spirit we are with him even now.
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."
Colossians 3:1-4

There in God's presence, he is also our High Priest. He is constantly interceding on our behalf as one who is able to sympathize with our weakness, but who has also overcome it.
"Such a high priest truly meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever."
Hebrews 7:26-28

Right Response
So what do we do now? We wait, in hope, for our resurrection. We wait for the day when Jesus comes back to bring us home to he place he is preparing for us. And in the meantime, we tell as many people as we can that He is Risen!

Here's your challenge for today:

• Just like we began this week with worship, it is only fitting that we end it with worship as well! On Palm Sunday, we were focusing on welcoming the King into our hearts. Now we praise the High Priest who has been made perfect forever, and who is now working on our behalf to help us overcome as well.
• I also want us to be encouraged by reflecting on all that Jesus did in obedience to God. Everything he endured earned him that place that is above all. In the same way, there is a reward in store for those of us who persevere to the end. 
• (It is Jesus saying all this:)"To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God
• He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
• To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
• To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations-- 'He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery' (Psalm 2:9)--just as I have received authority from my Father.
• I will also give him the morning star
• He who overcomes will...be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge hi name before my Father and his angels.
• Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it.
• I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God
• And I will also write on him my new name.
• To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne."
• Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26-28; 3:5, 12, 21
• "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" Matthew 5:10

Now that we have finished our Holy Week devotional, and have re-committed our hearts to God for the year, I would like to leave with this encouragement:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles (Clear the temple! Give God everything!). 

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. 

For the joy set before him he endured the cross (which was not easy!), scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

Hebrews 12:1-3

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, and consider everything he endured successfully, and let that encourage us in our walk with God:

May we pursue God's heart, and obey him through the power of his Spirit, just as Jesus did. 

May we give God everything, and submit our will to his, while never forgetting to turn to him when we are in distress.

May we never forget the power and authority that God wields, and the authority that we have through the Holy Spirit.

May we pursue God faithfully, and let his Spirit flow in our hearts so that he may produce good fruit in our lives, yielding a harvest when Jesus comes looking for it.

May we submit our hearts to Jesus' scrutiny, so that he can drive out everything that is taking his place, and so that his Spirit may be hosted in a true house of prayer

May we walk forward with the full assurance that through Jesus' sacrifice we have been made a part of God's family

May we be full of the hope and joy that comes from knowing that our eternity is secure, and our Heavenly Father is ever approachable.

Have a blessed Easter everyone! And a very good year with God!