Welcome to the POG Blog! Happy Easter Monday! Luke 24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words.
I have fun with April fool’s day! I usually try to get somebody really good during the day sometime! It’s fun! What is interesting is to read this text with an April fool’s day lens on.
It is as if the angels could have followed their announcement with “April Fools – just kidding - we just moved the body to the next tomb over…!” But they didn’t! Now it seems a little sacrilege to suggest such a thing but as I thought about it something clicked. Even though God wasn’t pulling off an April fool’s joke sometimes I act like He was – like Jesus really isn’t RISEN.
Jesus is alive – risen from the dead – with that reality my life gets to be one of hope, strength, love goodness and truth every day. As we rehearsed yesterday in worship @ POG we get to live - “Exceptionally Alive!” God calls me every day to access this resurrected life by faith. Jesus is alive – no joke – not kidding - and because He lives I get to live now and forever!
I look forward to today! I get to live the resurrected life of Jesus! I will not live “Exceptionally Alive” today on my own strength – I will only live “Exceptionally Alive” as the resurrected Jesus lives through me. He has promised to fill me as I trust Him by faith. One of the best ways I have found to practically start every day on a trajectory aimed at living “Exceptionally Alive” is to pray something like this,
“Jesus, I sincerely receive You as my Life, my Holiness, and my Strength. I receive all the work and triumph of Your Resurrection through which You have conquered sin, death and judgment. Death has no mastery over You, nor does any foul thing and I have been raised with You to a new life to live Your life – dead to sin and alive to God. I now take my place in Your Resurrectin and Your life through which I have been saved by Your life. I reign in life through Your Life! Apply to me the fullness of Your Resurrection – I receive it with thanks and I give it total claim to my spirit and soul, my body, my heart, my mind and will! Amen
Have an “Exceptionally Alive” day ,
delton