The Resurrected King

What story would you have told if you had been there watching, listening, wondering, trying to make sense of the unusual events of this Passover weekend? Nothing was happening the way it should . . . the way anyone would have anticipated. Religious leaders acting with cruelty and malice . . . and yet one standing under their condemnation reflecting a kind of grace that had never been witnessed before. Dissonance and awed amazement standing before each other with a contrast to great to be ignored, and yet with a persistence on both ends of the spectrum of love and malice that simply would not yield. But what looked like infinite loss became the most powerful statement of salvation and redemption that ever rang throughout the universe. Who would have known or guessed among those who were present during those events? Words fail in trying to give expression to what happened that weekend. And it is in is in the wake of that we live - not just survive, but live. Amazing!

The whole story had been difficult to follow for many. To those who wanted to make Jesus King, He often seemed resistant. Then when Jesus stepped forward to embrace His Kingdom, it was them who resisted. The Kingdom was not what they expected. And that, though it is often misunderstood, is very good news! When Jesus said, "It is Finished!" it actually was. They thought He was finished. But He was just beginning. And because of that, so are we. What was finished was the hold of sin upon our lives. That is over. We no longer live bound to that. We are free. Not perfect. Not without scars, and we still walk with a bit of a limp at times . . . but on the most profound levels we are free. That is amazing! Because Jesus is back from the dead, we live in the assurance that we can be, and will be, as well.

That is what we celebrate today, and everyday since then. If you would like to listen to the sermon again, or perhaps for the first time, you can access our sermon library here. Or, if you would like to view the livestream version of the entire servicre, you can access that here. He is risen! He is risen indeed!

2 Corinthians 5:17

TNIV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Colossians 3:1-4

TNIV

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Revelation 21:6

TNIV

6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.