Cross and tomb go together in the Christian gospel: both were occupied for a short span, both abandoned, both defeated.
The apostle Paul, who knew what it was to suffer for choosing to be associated with Jesus, said, “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” (Phil. 3:10). Paul wrote this at a time when he was in prison and anticipated that he would have his final trial and execution at any time. What helped him hold things together, and hold the meaning of it all together, is that when we are torn to pieces by enemies, we are known and can know the Lord who is also crushed by his enemies. But on the other side of the apparent defeat is the victory of resurrection.
This applies not just to apostles or to Christians about to be martyred, but to every believer who feels that life gets too shredded. Evil seems stronger than it should. Things in life are just getting broken up.
There is no greater promise that God can put the pieces of our lives back together than the resurrection of Jesus. We all know that at the moment of death, a body begins to break down. But Jesus’ body did not go through that corruption. The resurrection of Jesus is the greatest miracle, not because it was so difficult. (Isn’t the creation of the universe a larger physical feat? Isn’t the conception of human life from two single seeds from mother and father a more amazing biological event?) Jesus got up and walked out of his tomb more easily than I got out of bed this morning.
No, the resurrection of Jesus is the greatest miracle because it signifies the greatest truth. The law of entropy, of things falling to pieces, is switched off in the resurrection of Jesus. He would not become dust, and so he proclaimed to us dust creatures that our lives do not need to fall to pieces. The power by which Jesus was raised from the dead brings marriages together, holds us together despite our diverse roles in life, and stops sin from taking us apart like a vicious virus attacking a body.
The Christian gospel says, consider the cross and take courage from the empty tomb. Cross and tomb work together. One is incomplete without the other. If Jesus had only died a martyr for a cause, but not been resurrected, then we might gain inspiration, but not salvation. If Jesus had been brought back to life, but after having died of natural causes, he would only be an example of miraculous resuscitation, not transformation. But he died a death of salvation, and rose from the dead in a transfigured body.
Cross and tomb–vanquished.
Excerpt from Putting the Pieces Back Together: How Real Life and Real Faith Connect. Complimentary DVD available now.
Excellent!
Amen to that!!!!!!!!!!! The Father will not forget us, even in the grave! Through Jesus Christ
we become joint heirs of an eternal promise; death no longer has a claim —- we are FREE FROM SIN AND DEATH!
You are very much right sir. Taking a cue from Apostle Paul, you cannot enjoy the resurrection power without the crucifixion process which he said is ‘being made conformable to His suffering’. We serve a God that has no point of reference for equality to anything that man considers god. What many in this age consider suffering is simply growth, there is no growth without difficulties, ask a mom whose baby start growing teeth. Or the mom of a toddler trying to add inches to his/her height. God in His infinite mercy provides a safety net in 1Cor 10:13 that a cushion is available with your faith and believe in Him to douse the pain you might go through. And that you will constantly feel His presence in that time of challenge, Isa 43:2; if you believe.
Keep up the good work and God will reward you handsomely as ever in Jesus name.
I knew that the cross and tomb were symbolic, however, I never thought of it in such a way as explained here. Knowing that the Lord died on the cross and rose the third day for our sins so that we can be forgiven and be closer to God again means more to me then anything in the world. But putting it in such a way as you did here truly gives me something to reflect on as both a Christian and the person I want to be in Christ.
I know that I am forever grateful that while I was yet a sinner, Christ died an incredibly horrible death for me so that I wouldn’t have to suffer the same fate. That was not the end though. Jesus had victory over death and the grave as well, which offers us the promise of hope that no matter what we have to suffer in this life, our reward will be to spend eternity with Him, the source of all life. Thank you Jesus for the ultimate sacrifice you gave, your very life, because of love. Wow!!!
I know that I know that I am forever grateful for the price Jesus paid for my sins. If I have to suffer in this life, my reward is to be with Him forever. His Cross will forever stand as a beacon of hope, a symbol of pure, holy love. Even the grave could not hold Him. Victory was assured because of His sacrifice and the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit who lives in every true believer, brought Him back to life, eternal life. We serve a living God. Hallelujah!!
Excellent ,Inspirational and to the point.Great work as usual. Thank you very much for bringing such a reading into my life at my time of need and desire to learn.
After reading this i feel that through Christ I have the victory to over come worldly things. Jesus overcame this world and defeated death , hell , and the grave . So i shouldn’t worry about the enemy because of Christ i have true victory .
the world is peoples death sentence! Jesus is life after death!
This is definitely a new revelation of what Jesus actually accomplished for Christians of all ages in His glorious resurrection from the tomb. What a miracle!! It gives a new meaning to the old hymn “Victory in Jesus”
God is the solution to every problem
God wil never 4get us.
The cross and the tomb accomplish something that mankind never could. This was the true meaning of the phrase “the circle of life”, I think. For through Christ death is no longer a given, but new life a possibility. This is so hard for non-believers to understand- how the death of Jesus can bring us joy and then ultimately, new life, for those who believe!
Tremendous!
Absolutely, and so fitting for the lectionary which is the parable of the growing seed (for June 17th).