“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10-11)

It is the event that changed everything. When Jesus left the tomb, the lives of the Disciples would never be the same. Because of the resurrection, they went from those who were cloistered in homes to those who boldly proclaimed that Jesus was alive to the crowds. Even the Sanhedrin noticed that these men had been with Jesus. “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)

It is upon the resurrection which our faith stands or falls. Paul said, “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. . .. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” (1 Corinthians 15:13-14, 17) He who had meet the risen Christ on the road to Damacus would also say, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20)

When we come to Christ, the resurrection changes our lives and our future. “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6-7) In our lives now because of the resurrection, God can reveal Himself to others through His grace and His kindness to us. When we receive God’s forgiveness and He transforms our lives, those around us can see the difference.

“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:19-25)

While we are here, we may not be perfect; however, we are to be changing to reflect the power of the resurrection in our lives as the fruit of the Spirit is demonstrated through us. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians2:20) Through our new life in Christ, we have the power of the resurrection in us because Christ now dwells in us. Our life now lived by faith is to be transformed in order for the world to see the difference the risen Christ makes in our lives.

However, the resurrection does more than change our lives. Now it gives us a life that will never end. “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-54)

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block