What if Christ died so He could rise again? Duh. I know that sounds pretty obvious, but there is one more part of it that’s connected to yesterday’s “What if?” and that is the thought that we are all connected to each other and to Christ, so that when Christ died, we died. Well then, it stands to reason that if we all died with Him, we shall also rise with Him. Which is exactly the plan.
So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. Romans 7:4
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 1 Corinthians 15:20-22
Thus, it is not only Christ’s resurrection we celebrate on Easter, it is our own as well. We are all in this together. We are all in it to the bitter end, and the glorious, spectacular beginning. We are certain of this; this is no mere speculation. This is why Christians often will sit up right before they die. I’ve heard this in numerous accounts. They sit up because they are getting ready to rise.
What if we are inextricably bound up in Christ so that where He goes, we go too? Once again, this is not figurative. This is real. These are concrete realities. Time it. Set your watch on it. It’s going to happen, and Easter is the reason.
This is not pie-in-the-sky by-and-by. There is no pie. We are connected to Christ. We are a part of the matrix. We are going. There is no wait and see here. There is no “hope” here, as in human hope which is more along the lines of winning the lottery: “I wish for this to be true, but I’m really not sure.” No, this is biblical hope which is more like expectation. We have guaranteed reservations because we are tied in with Christ. We are going.
So this is what I want you to do this Easter. I want you to celebrate your resurrection. It’s a little early, but that’s okay. It will come soon enough.
Now has Jesus Christ been raised from death
The first fruits of those who are asleep
As in Adam all mankind is dead
So in Christ shall all be made alive
Now behold I tell a mystery
We shall not all sleep; we shall be changed
We shall put on immortality
Death is swallowed up in victory
Hear O grave where is your victory
And you wretched death, where is your sting
Christ is resurrection and the life
He who trusts in Him shall never die
Lyrics from the song: “Death is Swallowed Up” by John Fischer
Music by Camille Saint-Saëns
(Tomorrow, we’ll talk about what all this means for right now.)
ALERT
Praying for Miriam’s safe return and a return to full health.