As we enter the season of celebrating our Lord Jesus’ Resurrection, I would like to remind us of His Resurrection Life in and through us. The focus verse for this blog is Phil. 3:10-11 with our dear Brother Paul confessing:
I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. —Phil. 3:10-11 (NIV84)
First, notice that “the power of His resurrection” presupposes death. This death is death to sin, self-desires, selfishness — “self!” Clearly, this is a lifelong process of choosing to die to the old nature and confessing the Lord Jesus Christ is our Life to manifest the New Nature!
Second, notice “sharing in His sufferings” presupposes a “painful” process when we are dying to self and living in the Resurrection Power (aka, Resurrection Life). All challenges, trials, difficulties, and hardships can be viewed as a part of this “sharing in His sufferings” (no matter their source). When viewed this way, the Hope of the resurrection sustains us in the trial.
This brings us to the third observation: Attaining “to the resurrection from the dead.” This is a Both/And. Both in the eternal state when the Lord’s Kingdom comes, and there is a new heavens and a new earth, And in the here and now! Right now we can experience, in some small measure, the Resurrection Life of the Lord Jesus Christ as He resurrects a crucified aspect of our lives, making it more like Him.
So, join with me this Resurrection Season in Celebrating both the Resurrection and the process of the Resurrection!
Living in the Hope of the Resurrection,
Pastor Mike