Have we not heard of the life of Jesus and how He did come, born of a virgin woman, and taught of the good news of the kingdom of God? Is it not written and told that the same Jesus was taken by the religious and temporal leaders of the day, beaten, and put on a cross to die? Do we not take it to heart that Jesus gave His life, so those that took Him took only what He gave, for our salvation? Are we not then saved by His death? Can death save us? Then are we not saved by His life? Yes, His life.
Is it not also written and talked about that Jesus came up out of the tomb and was seen for 40 days walking and talking with His disciples? From what is written it can be known that we were all sinners and already dead, it is life that we required and not more death. A death was required to reconcile us to our God, but I say we do not require more death because Jesus has died. Jesus has died and we are reconciled with God our Father by the life of Jesus. His resurrection. For death would have been of no use without life.
Jesus lived and lives. Jesus lived, born of a virgin woman. Jesus lives, resurrected from death. Jesus also lived before He was born of a virgin woman. Before time Jesus was with God the Father. Jesus was and is the Word of God. He is the Light of creation. While Jesus was on the earth, He taught of the love and mercy of God and the kingdom of God. Jesus then gave His life on a cross so we could know the kingdom of God. His life redeemed us!
The kingdom of God is not something that comes in just a wonderful tomorrow, but exists today in heaven and is a seed that is growing now on the earth. It is within created mankind. It was written that it was necessary for Jesus to die and be resurrected. It was good for us that he returned to the Father and that the Father should send a helper. That Helper is the Holy Spirit sent to dwell with us and within us. That Spirit is the same love of God who placed the Messiah in the womb of a woman.
The Holy Spirit brings with it the seed of God’s kingdom and that seed grows on the earth. Jesus said that He gives us life and life more abundant – abounding – fruitful – flowing. Just as King David was king and had believers and followers while Saul still reigned in Israel, Jesus is our King. Even though another king, sought after by mankind, still corrupts the earth Jesus is King. Jesus is the King to the believers living on earth in the kingdom of God.
It is not a dead king that we serve. Is it not written that Jesus rose from the dead? We do not worship a dead king, but a King glorified by God and taken away from death, so death would be powerless over His kingdom. We that are now living in His life may have breath taken from our temporal bodies, but He is alive and we are in His life. It is His life that saves us. He overcame death by giving His life and our Father was faithful and returned to Him what he gave; that gives us hope for life.
Every Christian at some time in the year prepares for Passover. There are different preparations and different days that are remembered. Some only go as far as to remember the death of Jesus and the bread and wine shared before His death. Others remember the resurrection and the bread and wine shared by His body, the Church, after He rose. Still others have forgotten the wine and attempt to renew themselves with doctrine that does not have the gospel of grace as its foundation. We do not worship a dead king or a powerless spiritless king. We worship a King that is both body (the believers) and spirit (the Helper).
When we remember Jesus we cannot stop at His death, but must remember the resurrection; the grain offering offered the Sunday morning after the Passover. There is a dispute over the day that Jesus was placed into the tomb and the day He rose. As Jonah was in the belly of a great fish for three days and three nights (see Jonah 1:17), Jesus was in the tomb (see Matthew 12:40) three days and three nights. On the day of the grain offering (see Leviticus 23:11), on the day after the Sabbath (7th day), Sunday (1st day), Jesus presented Himself to the Father as our salvation. Counting fifty days after that day, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the earth. Of days Paul wrote in Romans 14:6, “He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it.” The important issue is not the day, but the Lord. It is that we remember the Lord and not that we observe a day. It is important to remember that Jesus died, rose, and presented Himself worthy to the Father and God sent to us the Holy Spirit.
Our Lord Jesus was born of Mary while she was a virgin, lived among mankind, died in our place, rose from the dead, and lives. We need to remember the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and the gift of life. We need to worship the living Lord Jesus, a living King. We need to be mindful of the life of Jesus as He walked on the earth. Jesus did not use His life to bring comfort to Himself, but to serve those around Him. Jesus did not lift Himself up, but glorified the Father and the Father glorified the Son. We are not here to make a life for ourselves or to prepare for death. We are here to live and to be the hands of God delivering life and life abundant – abounding – fruitful – flowing.
We are here to tell of God’s kingdom, to lay hands on the sick, and to freely give what has been freely given to us. We cannot do those things without a living King that has been given all authority in heaven and earth. By virtue of our King, all things are given to us. Freely give what has been freely given. Share the gospel of grace.