Jesus has risen, he is alive

From the beginning, God's will was for man to choose the tree whose fruit gives him life. God wanted to unite with the spirit of man through his Holy Spirit. Adam and Eve rejected life with God because they believed Satan's lie without having a better life without God's righteousness. As Adam's descendants, we inherited the guilt of sin from him. Without a personal relationship with God, we are born spiritually dead and must die at the end of our life because of our sin. The knowledge of good and evil leads us on the self-righteous path of independence from God and brings us death. If we let the Holy Spirit lead us, we recognize our own guilt and our sinful nature. The result of this is that we need help. This is the prerequisite for our next step:

“For we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, while we were still his enemies.” (Röm 5,10)Jesus reconciled us to God through his death. Many Christians stop at this fact. They find it difficult to live a life that corresponds to Christ because they do not understand the second part of the verse:

“Then we will all the more be saved through the life of Christ, now that we have become his friends.” (Röm 5,10)What does it mean to be saved through the life of Christ? Those who belong to Christ have been crucified, died, and buried with him and can do nothing more on their own. Christ rose again to fill those who died with him with his life. Accept Jesus' life for your salvation, just as you accept reconciliation, and then Jesus has risen to new life within you. Through your faith in Jesus, with which you agree, Jesus lives his life within you. You have received a new, spiritual life through him. Eternal life! The disciples of Jesus could not understand this spiritual dimension before Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was not yet in them.

Jesus lives!

Three days had passed since Jesus was condemned, crucified, and buried. Two of his disciples were walking to a village called Emmaus: “They were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. And it happened that as they talked and asked each other questions, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” (Lk 24,15-16).

They didn't expect to meet Jesus on the street because they believed he was dead! Therefore, they also didn't believe the women's message that he was alive. Jesus' disciples thought: These are silly tales! "Jesus said to them, 'What are you discussing together as you walk along?' They stood still, looking sad." (Lk 24,17)This is the hallmark of someone who has not yet encountered the Risen One. This is a sad form of Christianity.

“One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to him, ‘Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know what has happened there in these days?’ And he (Jesus) said to them, ‘What things?’” (Lk 24,18-19)Jesus was the main character and feigned ignorance so they could explain it to him: “They said to him, ‘This is about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet powerful in word and deed before God and all the people; how our chief priests and rulers handed him over to be put to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.’” (Lk 24,19-21)Jesus' disciples spoke in the past tense. They had hoped Jesus would save Israel. They had buried this hope after witnessing Jesus' death and not believing in his resurrection.

In which tense do you experience Jesus? Is he just a historical figure who lived and died about 2000 years ago? How do you experience Jesus today? Do you experience it at every moment of your life? Or do you live in the awareness that he reconciled you to God through his death and forget the purpose why Jesus rose again?

Jesus answered the two disciples, “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he (Jesus) explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” (Lk 24,26-27)They had no idea about anything God had said in advance in Scripture about the Messiah.

"It happened when he was sitting at table with them, he took the bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight." (Lk 24,30-31)They recognized what Jesus was telling them and believed his words that he is the bread of life. Elsewhere we read: “For this is the bread of God, which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (Joh 6,33-35).

This is what happens when you actually encounter Jesus as the risen Lord. You will experience and enjoy a kind of life just as the disciples themselves experienced: “They said to one another, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’” (Lk 24,32)When Jesus encounters you in your life, your heart begins to burn with joy. To be in the presence of Jesus is life! Jesus, who is present and alive, brings joy. His disciples experienced this together a little later: "But since they still could not believe it for joy and were amazed..." (Lk 24,41)What were they rejoicing about? The risen Jesus!

How did Peter later describe this joy? “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and although you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1. Petr 1,8-9)Peter experienced this ineffable and glorious joy when he met the risen Jesus.

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything that is written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds so that they could understand the Scriptures.” (Lk 24,44-45)What was the problem? Their understanding was the problem!

“When he rose from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.” (Joh 2,22)Jesus' disciples not only believed the words of Scripture, they also believed what Jesus told them. They recognized that the Old Testament was a shadow of what was to come. Jesus is the true meaning and reality of Scripture. Jesus' words gave them new understanding and joy.

Sending out the disciples

While Jesus was still alive, he sent his disciples out to preach. What message did they proclaim to the people? “They went out and preached the call to repentance, and they cast out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” (Mk 6,12-13)The disciples preached to the people that they should repent. Should people turn from their old way of thinking? Yes! But is it enough if people repent and know nothing more? No, that is not enough! Why didn't they tell people about the forgiveness of sins? Because they knew nothing about God's reconciliation through Jesus Christ.

“Then he opened their minds so that they could understand the Scriptures, and said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations.’” (Lk 24,45-47)Through their encounter with the living Jesus, the disciples received a new understanding of the risen Christ and a new message: reconciliation with God for all people. “Know that it was not with perishable things like silver or gold that you were redeemed from the futile way of life inherited from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.” (1. Petr 1,18-19).

Peter, who had tried to prevent the bloodshed on Golgotha, wrote these words down. Salvation cannot be earned or bought. God bestowed reconciliation with God through the death of his Son. This is the prerequisite for eternal life with God: “Again Jesus said to them, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” (Joh 20,21-22).

God breathed the breath of life into Adam's nostrils in the Garden of Eden, and thus he became a living being. "As it is written: The first man, Adam, became a living being, and the last Adam a spirit of life." (1. Kor 15,45).

The Holy Spirit awakens to life those born of spiritual death through faith in Jesus Christ. At that time, Jesus' disciples were not yet spiritually alive: "While he was eating with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard me say: 'For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.'" (Apg 1,4-5).

The disciples of Jesus were to be baptized with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This is the rebirth and resurrection from spiritual death, and the reason why the second Adam, Jesus, came into the world to accomplish this. How and when was Peter born again? “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1. Petr 1,3)Peter was reborn through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Jesus came into the world to bring people to life. Jesus reconciled humanity with God through his death and sacrificed his body for us. God gave us new life so that he can live in us. At Pentecost, Jesus came through the Holy Spirit into the hearts of those who believed the words of Jesus. They know, through the testimony of the Holy Spirit, that he lives in them. He made her spiritually alive! He gives them his life, God's life, eternal life.
“But if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” (Röm 8,11)Jesus also gives you the commission: As the Father has sent me, so I send you (according to Joh 17,18).

How do we draw strength from the infinite source of life? Jesus rose to dwell and work in you. What authority do you give him? Do you give Jesus the right to rule over your mind, your feelings, your thoughts, your will, all your possessions, your time, all your activities, and your entire being? Your behavior and conduct will reveal this to others: “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or if you do not, believe on account of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” (Joh 14,11-12).

Allow God's Spirit to work within you, so that in every situation you humbly acknowledge that you are the one who can do nothing by your own strength. Act in the knowledge and trust that Jesus, who dwells within you, can and will do everything for you. Tell Jesus everything, at all times, what you would like him to do for you, in word and deed, according to his will. David asked himself, "What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the Lord, and crowned them with honor and glory." (Ps 8,5-6)This is man in his innocence, in his natural state. Being a Christian is the natural state of every human being.

Thank God again and again for the fact that he lives in you and that you allow him to fulfill you. With your gratitude, this important fact is taking shape in you!

by Pablo Nauer