Because He Lives

Because He Lives

Audio Version Coming Soon!

We have just celebrated Easter, my favorite celebration of the entire year.

Christmas is the birth of Jesus as the beginning of our journey home. His life, an example of how He lives, loves, and what is important to Him. Christ’s death was the sacrifice for our sins building a bridge back to the Father. But then there is Easter – the resurrection, Jesus Christ overcoming sin, death, and the grave. This event is what makes the difference.

Jesus was an excellent teacher and prophet, but there were many of these. The difference is; Jesus rose from the dead, proving He is who He says He is.

Jesus says:

“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live..”

John 11:25 English Standard Version (ESV)

Because of God’s love, we have a bridge between God and man, now and for eternity. God not only desired a one-on-one relationship with man; but also provided the necessary sacrifice for direct access to God through Christ Jesus.

Jesus paid the price for the atonement and forgiveness of all sins of humanity forever. Thus, allowing us the choice to be reconciled to Him. God’s gift was expensive; for God, His only Son; for Jesus, His life in clear and unmistakable humility “given, not taken,” that we would have the freedom to choose. Jesus, a man free from sin, took all our sins upon Himself, submitted to death on a cross, and took our sins to the grave.

That is where our sins will remain buried forever. Forever, not because Jesus died but because He rose three days later, no longer bound but victorious.

Satan lost his power over us, not on the day Christ was born or the day Jesus died, but on the day Jesus rose from the dead.

The day Christ died, I would imagine Satan was dancing. He believed he won. Had Satan only known what he was doing, he would never have killed Jesus in the first place.

It was on the third day that Satan’s dance ended, and Satan knew his plan failed.

Redemption was always God’s plan when Adam and Eve allowed sin to become a part of their life with their choice. God knew mankind needed to be free to choose again and the plan was put in place long before we knew God, He planned for us.

We can choose a life with Christ, our Savior, and our Heavenly Father or not.

With the resurrection, Christ overcoming sin and death; it is now our choice.

Satan would like us to believe that our circumstances confine us. Jesus says we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus. His death was the sacrifice for sin. His life, an example of how to live, love, and overcome. The “Written Word” was the weapon that Jesus used to defeat Satan. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to live a life of love, grace, and free from bondage.

Even on the cross, Christ gave us an example of how to love. He said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” He was referring to His persecutors. How often do we have those who use us, try to harm us? Do we ask God the Father to forgive them for they know not what they do? That is hard to do.

God revealed who He was and His love for us through the life of Jesus. We see in the Gospels what mattered to Jesus. We learn how Jesus dealt with temptation, ridicule, and love. We saw how Jesus came with a deliberate plan to rescue man from an eternity apart from God, and nothing, not Satan, Pharisee, Sadducee, or disciple, the powerful or powerless would deter Christ’s focus or ability to complete God’s plan. God’s love was too great to leave us to our own devices. He gave us a way back to Him, should we choose to take it. He would not take away our freedom to choose, but he would give us what we needed to reach Him.

What an incredible gift.

He made provision for us knowing ahead of time that we would make mistakes, have regrets and some would turn their backs on Him.

On the cross, Jesus shows us if He can ask His Father to forgive those who brutally beat Him, hung Him on a cross, then we can do the same.

We have forgiveness, the same as we forgive. There have been times in my life that I figure I would go to hell faster than the one I’m refusing to forgive. Unforgiveness is costly. It results in bitterness, hatred, physical diseases, and mental disorders, and overall miserable life. Jesus showed us how to be free. He died so we can be free to ask our Father to forgive. In that action empowering us to forgive.

We may not have the ability to choose our circumstances, but we now have the freedom to choose our response. We now have the freedom to control our heart, our will, and our actions.

There was a young boy that spoke about Judas feeling so bad for what he did that Judas killed himself. The response by one who was listening to the boy was, “Oh no, Judas didn’t have to kill himself. Had Judas waited the three days, he would have known that Jesus loved him so much that Jesus would have forgiven him.” There is no sin even in the betrayal of Jesus that wouldn’t be covered by Christ’s death and resurrection. Judas would have had forgiveness had he chosen to live and ask for forgiveness. Ask Peter.

We know that when we ask for forgiveness, forgiveness freely is given. The price was paid long ago. Can we accept God’s forgiveness? Can we forgive ourselves? Can we forgive those who do us wrong?