“There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine –
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.”
(Words from the song In Christ Alone)
A dear friend of mine sent me a YouTube video of this song done by an acapella group. This song is so Scripture-based and holds much meaning for me. Jesus’ sacrifice for my redemption is proof of a love beyond my comprehension. What kind of love allows such suffering in order to save sinners? This song also brings to mind times when Wayne and I stood together singing those words in worship. Yes, I cried while listening to the recording and again today when we sang it at church.
Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus every Lord’s Day when we partake of the communion bread and juice. We celebrate His resurrection when we pray and when we spend time studying His Word. These activities would mean nothing without the resurrection! We celebrate Jesus when we encourage each other, when we forgive, and when we serve. It is indeed in Christ alone that we exist. It is in Christ alone that we stand forgiven. It is in Christ alone we have hope of our own resurrection!
Whenever I read Ephesians 1:19-20 I am reminded the power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to believers. That’s a lot of power! God wants to work in us and His power is limitless. Sometimes I fail to allow God to work in me. I let doubts and fears short-circuit His power. Sometimes trusting Him is hard. When I remember the power of the resurrection I am encouraged to trust God more and to allow Him to work through me.
“By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones). And (so that you can know and understand) what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His (own) right hand in the heavenly (places), far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named (above every title that can be conferred), not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and the world which are to come” (Ephesians 1:18-21 The Amplified Bible).
Alleluia! Christ arose!