Resurrection Words Day 3: Risen

 

Day 3: Risen

"When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. "Don't be alarmed," he said, "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here." Mark 16:4-6

"God has raised this Jesus to life." Acts 2:32

"...Who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 1:4

"The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him [Abraham] alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." Romans 4:23-25

"Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain."

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

"If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."  Romans 10:9

"We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Romans 6:4

"And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you." Romans 8:11

The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus Christ died for our sins and we are now reconciled with God. But the cross alone it not the Good News; it is the cross and the resurrection together that are the Good News of God. 

The verses above tell us that the resurrection confirmed that Jesus is the Son of God; that the Son of God was raised for our justification, and through His resurrection we are saved. Because of his death and resurrection His Spirit lives in those who by faith believe, and we now have a new life. This is the Good News of God! 

"The cross and the resurrection of Christ both are the defining events that shape the way of life we are called to live as Christ followers.

The cross calls us to live a life of sacrifice, mercy, generosity, and obedience as modeled by Christ in his life and in his death.

The resurrection provides us with the means by which we live lives that are holy, hope-filled and Spirit empowered."

This sums up well what my intent in exploring the resurrection life in the days ahead.

"And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you." Romans 8:11

Share your response to today's word and Scripture readings in the Words Art & Faith Challenge Group on Facebook. Or share on social media with #resurrectionwords. 

Resurrection Words Day 2: Redemption

 

Day 2: Redemption

"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace."  Ephesians 1:7

"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." 1 Peter 1:18-19

"But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Romans 3:21-24

We, who by faith follow Christ, have been redeemed. We have been saved from God's wrath through the death of Christ on the cross. He died for our sins and His blood brought our salvation. 

Our redemption means that we have been forgiven our sins (Eph. 1:7), made righteous (Romans 3:22; 5:17), have become a part of God's family (Galatians 4:5), we have peace with God (Colossians 1:18-20), we have the gift of His Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:14), and we have eternal life (Romans 5:21).

Along with the benefits we have in Christ, there comes responsibility as well. Our redemption is also a call to live a new way of life -  a life that is shaped by the cr0ss and the resurrection of Christ.

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." 1 Peter 2:24-25

As Peter says in the verses above, we have been redeemed so that we might die to sins AND live for righteousness. This is what our words challenge will focus on after we look at the resurrection tomorrow; our call to live the resurrection life.

Share your response to today's word and Scripture readings in the Words Art & Faith Challenge Group on Facebook. Or share on social media with #resurrectionwords. 

Resurrection Words Day 1: Cross

 Resurrection Words Day 1: Cross

"He was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."  Isaiah 53:5

The cross of Good Friday begins our journey, for "the cross reveals to us the character of God: His love for lost sinners and His perfect justice meet at the cross". (Pastor Steven Cole, bible.org)

"But God demonstrate his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 8:5

"God presents Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood -  to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished - he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus." Romans 3:25-26

Jesus knew the Father's purpose for his incarnate life; that eventually he would have to embrace the call to obediently give up his life in order to reconcile man to God. His life, his blood, would be the payment for the penalty of our sin. God reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ (2Corinthians 5:18).

The writer of the book of Hebrews says, "he [Jesus] suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone." (Hebrews 2:9) He goes on to say later in the book, that Jesus is "the author and perfecter - the beginner and completer - of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." Ephesians 1:7

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:16-17

The cross is a symbol of love, of salvation, of grace, of sacrifice, of obedience, of reconciliation, of peace, of joy, of righteousness, and of faith.

Read the scripture passages above again, slowly. Reflect on the following question:

Christ died for me, how then shall I live for him?

 

Share your response to today's word and Scripture readings in the Words Art & Faith Challenge Group on Facebook. Or share on social media with #resurrectionwords. 

My Resurrection Words Journal

 

My Resurrection Words Journal

Tomorrow we begin a two week words challenge called Resurrection Words. The Resurrection Words Challenge will run April 2-16 with daily Bible study devotions to go along with the words. The words are based on the new life of faith that was made possible through the sacrifice Christ made with his own life on the cross for the forgiveness if our sins. This new life is empowered by Christ's resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit. As Christ's followers we are called to live a resurrection life. This is what we will explore through the words in this challenge.

I have not worked in a traveler's notebook for quite some time, but I came across a photo on Pinterest that made an old book into a traveler's notebook journal. I love altering old books, so I decided to alter one to hold traveler's notebooks. I intend to use the notebooks in this altered book journal for all three of this year's Words Challenges -  the current one, a summer challenge and my annual Advent Words challenge.

I have a collection of old books with marbled paper covers that I have been saving to make into journals. I selected one that the traveler's notebooks would fit nicely into. By adding eyelets to the top and bottom of the spine I had reinforced with book linen, I was able to put elastic ribbon through them to hold the notebooks in place.

I'm all set to begin. And I hope you'll join me! Simply respond to the Scriptures and devotions for each word with whatever creative response you choose - collage, painting, poetry, journaling, Bible journaling, photography, etc. Then post your response on social media using #resurrectionwords. Or you can join the private Words Challenge Facebook group and post there, as well as join the conversation.

We begin tomorrow!

Resurrection Words Challenge

 Resurrection Words Challenge

April 2-16, 2021

Over the past few years, my practice has been to engage in a words challenge for Advent and then again to offer a words challenge through a book of the Bible in the summer. This year I decided to add a brief challenge in the month of April to look at how the events of Good Friday and Easter impact our everyday life. 

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

In the above verse, Paul declares his new life in Christ in terms of having been crucified with Christ, therefore crucifying his former way of life in order to live a new life of faith. This new life of faith was made possible through the sacrifice Christ made with his own life on the cross for the forgiveness if our sins. This new life is empowered by Christ's resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Paul's letters to the churches describe what this crucified life for those who, through faith in Christ, choose to live a crucified life as well.

This is the life that Christ-followers are called to: To die to our former way of life and its empty promises, and to live a new way of life grounded in the sacrificial life of Christ, which holds for us eternal promises of hope.

"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raise again." 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

The events of Easter - the cross and the resurrection - usher us into this new life that is shaped by the cross and empowered by the resurrection. Over the course of two weeks we will explore this resurrection life we are called to live in the Resurrection Words Art & Faith Challenge. 

I hope you'll join me! Beginning on April 2 I will post a daily Bible study devotion along with our I responded creatively. I then encourage you to respond to the Scriptures creatively as well. You can share your creative responses in our private Words Art & Faith Facebook group. Or share on Instagram with #resurrectionwords.