Walking Out the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

On Sunday morning March 25, 2018, churches all over America entered into Holy Week with traditional Palm Sunday celebrations.  Many had their children process down the aisles with palm branches in their hands, waving them to and fro.  The pastor might have preached on Matthew 21:1-11 or the parallel account in Luke 19:29-38.  Each would attempt to create the mental image, or word picture, of Jesus’ triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem.  Matthew and Luke record for us, that in fulfillment of the prophecy made by Isaiah, Jesus comes riding into the city on a donkey with the people laying their garments out in the road before Him, shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David.  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna in the highest.”  

 

I have always been taken with the mental picture these images create; celebration, divinity, with the crowds giving proper recognition to Jesus and His position as King.  Yet, equally striking is the fickle nature of the crowds.  In less than a week, the crowds that gathered will not be shouting “Hosanna to the Son of David” but rather “Crucify Him, Crucify Him.”  It reminds us of the fickle nature of crowds, of the masses and maybe even of our own hearts. It also stands as a stark reminder of the transformation that needs to take place in each of our hearts if we are going to experience the power of the resurrection in an ongoing way.  

 

Our goal as we walk out the implications of the resurrection of Jesus would be for each of us to discover, or maybe re-discover, our true identity as the covenant people of God.  And in addition, then to live up to our high calling in Christ Jesus doing the good works He has prepared for us to do.  Our nation is in desperate need of a Holy Spirit directed revival and we have the potential to be the agents for that renewal.  I am convinced that God wants to do something big in our lives over the next weeks and months, but it won't happen unless we are willing to be changed by God.  That by God's grace, we would become willing to open our hearts to the truth of the Word of God, and through an act of our will commit ourselves to obey those things that He reveals.  

 

In Romans 12:1-2, the apostle Paul describes for us the building blocks to a life that will make a difference.  Building blocks that if practiced will enable you to escape the delusions of our own mind and free yourself to live in the power of the resurrection.  

 

 

God, the Holy Spirit, writes through the apostle Paul, that we are to present ourselves a living and holy sacrifice.  We are called to an ongoing, daily, presentation of our whole selves, (body, mind, and spirit) which reflects the fact that we have been set apart for the Master's use.  In accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and Deliverer from our sin, we also receive Him as Lord, living only to do His will as revealed by the Spirit of God.  To live a life that is holy includes refraining from sin.   But it also recognizes that our life is no longer ours to do with as we please but we live to do the will of our heavenly Father.  In John 4:34 Jesus says to his disciples, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to accomplish His work."  Throughout the life of Jesus, we find Him seeking only to know and do the will of the Father, regardless of the personal cost.  

 

 

In verse 2 of Romans 12, Paul writes, "And do not be conformed to this world".  The present imperative might also be translated do not allow yourself to be pressed into the world's mold.  Paul is reminding us that there is an active life force or system of principalities and powers that would seek to turn us from a life of following Christ to following the prince of this world.  The world represents that body of thoughts, teachings, opinions, and impulses that would tempt us to sin and lead us away from a life of faith.  It is a life force that would seek to press us into its mold and often uses the government, television, radio, magazines, and newspapers to disseminate its message.  The world is seeking to hammer us into its mold.  We must recognize that we are in a spiritual battle or war and that there are life forces; the devil, the world and our own flesh that are set against life in the Spirit.   

 

 

Not only are we to reject the world and its teachings but we are to allow God to transform us through the renewing of our minds.  Once again, the verb is a passive imperative meaning that the power to be transformed lies not within us but in the grace of God.  It is also interesting that the Greek verb used here, “metamorphoo,” is the same verb used in the transfiguration account of Matthew 17:1-2 and in 2 Corinthians 3:18 where it describes how the Holy Spirit is transforming us into the likeness of Christ, "from glory to glory".  You will also recognize that this is the same verb from which we get our metamorphosis which is used to describe the process of a caterpillar being changed to a butterfly or a tadpole to a frog.   The term is used to describe a marked change in appearance, character, and function.  

 

The power of our transformation lies in the renewing of our minds through a consistent soaking in the Word of God.  We need to read, study, meditate and obey the Word of God in order that we might recognize those places where we have fallen for the schemes and lies of the devil and embraced the world's system and values.  The Word of God will reveal the deceitfulness of our hearts and transform our thinking to reflect the values of the kingdom of God.  As we embrace these building blocks, we create the environment for resurrection power to be made manifest in our lives and will be enabled to do the good works Jesus has prepared for us to do.