04/22/2024 – Christ’s Victory over Death
Psalms 16: 10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
On the third day following His crucifixion, very early in the morning, our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated His holiness and divine power as He resurrected to overcome death forever. This was the most amazing and decisive victory over the consequences of sin. But Christ’s victory over death did not begin in the tomb. This was not the beginning of His victory, but the conclusion. He was victorious over death every day of His life!
Death has a grip on the living long before we must face it. The way we live is in great part determined by our awareness of our own unavoidable death. This awareness shapes the way we live. Most people say: we are going to die anyway, so… let’s just enjoy this life while we have it. Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we will die (1 Corinthians 15:32)
But Christ came to reveal that if you live this way, you will die. But if you live the way He designed for your life, you will live!
Christ is the author of life. This means that your life is the product of the will of God and the work of God through the Lord Jesus Christ. His love for your life is demonstrated in His provision of everything to support and sustain your life. Long before you were born, God made provision to give you everything required for your life. He is not only the author, He is the Prince of life- the leader of all who live. He leads us to true life!
Christ knew how to live. He lived in purity- not to seek vain pleasure but to obey His heavenly Father.
Death’s grip on humanity is not limited to the tomb. It affects our philosophy of life. The ungodly live for now. What else do they have? The Godly live for Christ, and Christ lives for eternity.