06/26/2022
Death is not a topic that we as people like to dwell on, but it is one of the central themes to us as Christians. It goes hand in hand with resurrection. We symbolically recognize this in our baptism by being immersed, or dying to our old selves, and it concludes with our being raised up out of the baptismal water, resurrected, to live as new creations. Without Jesus suffering, bleeding, and carrying our sin into death, then rising again righteous and glorified from the grave, what hope would we have of salvation and eternity? How would our sin have been absolved? The Angels sang in celebration at His birth, and all of heaven and earth stood still at the moment of His death, but we are not privy to what transpired in heaven at the moment of His resurrection; it remains a mystery to us now, just as it did then, and all we hear on this subject is divine silence. We do know that our sin died, and we were made one with Him.
“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?”
Romans 6:3 ESV
In order to be made new in Christ our old selves must first pass away, or die, and then we must be raised up again, having been washed in the blood of Christ, and having been set free of our sin. None of this is possible without Jesus, and only by our becoming one with Him in death, and brought forth with Him in resurrection. In this way we can be raised up redeemed, and become the children of God, made eternally righteous by His blood of life. Only in this way will we be worthy of spending eternity as new, purified, and holy creations with the Lord.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
So comes our death, and like all of heaven and earth at the moment of Christ’s death, those witnessing this stand still. We do this at the moment of every death in baptism, and then as we are held beneath the water, and are being raised from it, there is an instant of silence, of divine mystery, before the excitement of our tomb is found to be empty. So what occurred in the moment of still, and silence, when Jesus was being resurrected? We don’t really know, but we can go to scripture for help, and I like to dwell on Psalms 46:10-11. In my mind’s eye I can see the coronation of Christ the King, and His becoming the “I Am” in full.
““Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah”
Psalm 46:10-11 ESV
Jesus says I Am seven times in scripture, but none more profound than when He speaks to Martha at the tomb of Lazarus. And says…
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.””
John 11:25-27 ESV
This is what occurred to Lazarus, what occurred to Jesus, and what we celebrate in the sacrament of baptism as what we know will occur to us… our death, our resurrection, and our eternal life that follows.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for baptism, and it’s revelation that we are born again in Christ. Thank you for showing us that we are like your Son in death, and resurrection, just as we seek to be like Him in life. Thank you for the stillness that fell as He breathed His last breath on the cross, and the mystery of your silence as He rose once more in the tomb. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God, who loves us so much that you sent your only begotten Son to live, suffer, and die for us. Praised be your name for the blessing of the water from which we are raised in baptism. Merciful are you who reveals your grace to us in the living water, our Savior, and give us hope in Him. See the image of Jesus cast over us Father, and let His perfection cover our every sin and blemish. Wash us in His blood, and seat us at your table to worship and praise you for eternity!
“When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:54-57 ESV
Rich Forbes