Tag: Christianity

Fear and Great Joy

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
(Matthw 28:8, ESV)

How should we respond to the resurrection of Jesus? The women who first visited the tomb suggest two ways:

First, fear! The woman departed quickly with fear. The soldiers earlier trembled with fear and became as dead men (v4). Fear was a common response to events of resurrection of Jesus. Here indeed is a fearful thing! An angel moves the stone to show an empty tomb and announces the resurrection. This is not the way the guards or the women expected that morning to go. It was just another assignment for the guards, just a visit to the tomb for the women, and suddenly it all goes sideways. Like if you went to a funeral, and the person in the casket suddenly got up and said “hello” and walked out. You would be afraid! Fear was a natural response to a fearful event. Our problem is that it is not our response. We don’t fear. The angel and Jesus both tell the women not to be afraid (v5, 10), but we do not need those words because we are not afraid. It has all become so familiar that we have lost sight of how earth-shattering, mind-boggling, crazy this is. The awesome power of God beyond anything we can imagine on display as He raised Jesus from dead naturally leads to fear!

Second, rejoice! The women departed with great joy! This Jesus whom they had followed, whom they had seen crucified and buried, was alive again! Imagine a beloved parent or child or sibling who has passed away suddenly alive again, and you begin to understand some of their joy. Do you love Jesus? Then His resurrection should bring you great joy! On top of that are the ramifications of His resurrection. Our sins defeated – the punishment paid, our shame and guilt removed. And death defeated – the hope of our own resurrection and the resurrection of those who have died in Christ. Here are reasons for great joy – so rejoice!

Amazed Trust

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
(Psalm 8:3-4 ESV)

God made the heavens. He made the moon and the stars. As we look up into the sky on a cloudless day or on a starry night, we see the vastness of what God has made. There are millions of stars! How does God even remember me? Why would He even care about me?

But this passage is clear that God does remember me. He is mindful of me. In fact, we are always on His mind.

And God cares for you. Not just about you, but for you in all kinds of little and big ways. He has blessed you with so many blessings throughout your life, and He continues to bless you. He is with you to strengthen you and help you in your trials and struggles. He will never leave you nor forsake you.

The vastness of His creation and His very real care for you, calls you to an amazed trust in Him. The God who powerfully spoke our world into existence, remembers and cares about you! Be amazed, and trust Him.

The Plotline of My Life

On By BrianIn PASSION Quotes, Uncategorized

I have not just been accepted; I have been loved. I have not just been loved; I have been inhabited. I have not just been inhabited; I have been empowered. I have not just been empowered; I have been transformed. I have not just been transformed; I have been kept. And I have not just been kept; I will be glorified. This is the plotline of my life. Nothing has been for naught. Every twist and turn and every high and low has been formed by the unrelenting power of divine grace. Every bit of it, even the confusing and painful things, are pieces of a puzzle, that, when assembled, says, “Blessing.”

– Paul David Tripp in Do You Believe?

Press On!

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
(Romans 12:1-2 ESV)

In chapters 1-11 of Romans, Paul has labored to describe our great salvation, including God’s preserving love (ch8). Now therefore, in view of God’s amazing mercy, he tells us to live for God. With your body (v1) and mind (v2), follow Christ. You have been saved by Christ, now serve Him. You don’t serve Him to earn your salvation, but because of it. You are preserved by God (ch8), so now persevere in your faith and walk with Christ.

It is so important that we get the order right. If we think that we must persevere to be preserved, that we must serve to stay saved, then we will slave away on a treadmill of good works trying to earn our continued salvation. But it works other way around. We are saved to serve. We are preserved to persevere. We follow Christ out of love for the one who loves us so much that He will never let us go.

Look long upon Christ. Rest in God your Savior. Keep your gaze set upon Him. Believe in Jesus. And then go forth each day as His servant following Him.

Motivated by God’s salvation for you, press on in your faith and walk with Christ.

Spring Is Coming

On By BrianIn PASSION Reflections

As I write this, the snow is melting in northern Michigan. The weekend promises days in the 50’s. The hope of Spring is in the air.

And yet by the time you read this, it is supposed to be cold again. Back in the 30’s. Chances of snow. Winter isn’t over quite yet.

Jesus has come, and with Him the hope of a new world. He healed the sick, cast out demons, and raised the dead. He died for our sins and gave us a new life in Him.

And yet sickness and evil and death remain. We still sin and fail to live as God has recreated us to live. This fallen world isn’t over quite yet.

But just as we know winter will eventually give way to Spring, so we know that this fallen world will one day give way to a new world. Jesus is coming. Sickness and death will end. Evil will be defeated forever. One day we will no longer sin.

In the final days of winter, as you look forward to Spring, set your gaze a little further to the promise of a new world.