{"id":31368,"date":"2021-04-03T03:30:02","date_gmt":"2021-04-03T10:30:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=31368"},"modified":"2021-04-01T17:30:57","modified_gmt":"2021-04-02T00:30:57","slug":"april-3-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2021\/04\/03\/april-3-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"April 3, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cHim, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>Acts 2:23-24<\/p>\n

Victory<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Walk His Way Revisited<\/em><\/p>\n

While reading Luke 23 and 24 about the resurrection of Christ, something jumped out at me in 23:53. Joseph, a good and just man, had gone to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, now hanging dead on the cross. It says, \u201cThen he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Three times the body of Jesus is referred to as \u201cit.\u201d Not Him, not Christ, not Jesus, not the Son of God.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt.\u201d This seems insensitive. Sacrilegious. Blasphemous, perhaps. The One Who claimed to be Life (John 14:6), now dead and buried in a tomb, reduced to an \u201cit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, we know \u201cit\u201d was only a shell. A tent, formerly lived in, but no longer needed. The Person Himself was no longer the occupant but had moved into something bigger.<\/p>\n

The women who had been at the Cross had gone home to prepare spices for His burial, but it was an unnecessary service. (In reality, a woman had already anointed Him for His burial, while He was still alive. See Matthew 26:6-13). When they got to the tomb, there was no body to anoint. \u201cIt\u201d was gone.<\/p>\n

The angels standing nearby talked to the women and rebuked them gently. \u201cWhy do you seek the living among the dead?\u201d\u00a0<\/em>Tombs are places for dead people. Weren\u2019t you listening when He told you about this?<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, \u2018The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/em>(verses 6-7). Only then did they remember His words.<\/p>\n

And then the women told all this to the disciples. Weren\u2019t they listening when He told them about this? \u201cAnd their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them\u201d\u00a0<\/em>(verse 11).<\/p>\n

What is it about our suffering and grief that causes us to go deaf? He speaks a sure word to us about new life, about good coming out of bad, about the hope of future spent with Him. Are we listening? Do we need a rebuke? No? Then why are we still complaining and fearful? He has given us great and precious promises, and has shown us that He has the power to make them happen!<\/p>\n

His triumph over death was complete. God raised Him from the dead (Acts 13:30). Death could not hold Him (Acts 2:24) nor have dominion over Him (Romans 6:9). This means Christ took authority over death. He was in charge.<\/p>\n

In reality, the deathblow was dealt to Satan, not Jesus. The one thing we could not overcome, our own spiritual death and eternal separation from God\u2014Satan\u2019s grand plan to kill God\u2014was overcome by Christ. The one thing we could not accomplish ourselves, our own forgiveness and salvation, was accomplished by Christ. The one thing we could not provide for ourselves, a future and a hope, was provided by Christ.<\/p>\n

A glorious verse, 1 Peter 3:18, tells us why Christ did this: He did it so that He might bring us to God. Eternal separation? Satan\u2019s grand plan to kill God? Smashed to smithereens!<\/p>\n

We couldn\u2019t find our way to God. Couldn\u2019t get through the barriers. Couldn\u2019t fight off the enemy. Didn\u2019t have the strength or know-how to pursue Him. We weren\u2019t holy. We couldn\u2019t lay down our loads in order to climb the mountains and ford the streams. It was too much for us, but Christ knew our weaknesses and condition. He knew we were dust (Psalm 103:14). He knew we were vapor (Psalm 39:11). He knew we were like grass that dies off as soon as the wind comes up (Psalm 103:15-16). He knew we were lost lambs in need of a Shepherd (1 Peter 2:25).<\/p>\n

He showed the way, He died for our sins, He conquered death, and He lives again, so that He might bring us to God.<\/p>\n

Let us not manufacture a hindrance. He opened the door to God, and nothing can force it shut!<\/p>\n

Lord, what a joyous conclusion to Your suffering. Victory! Triumph! You\u2019ve made a way for us to come to You. Praise Your Holy Name!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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