With Easter in the rearview and summer in the windshield there may be a feeling that Lent, the passion and Resurrection Sunday are over. There is no doubt that in a chronological sense that is true, but Christ who suffered, died and rose according to the scriptures never intended and was never intended to be a punctiliar even. He lives, Christ Jesus lives today, you ask me how I know He lives; He lives within my heart.
Christ came into the world and was tempted in all manners like as are we, yet without sin. In His trial He faced accusers, no two of which could get their stories straight. Finally, He was convicted on His own confession. His confession that a few hours later He would cry out Psalm 22, my God, My God why hast thou forsaken Me. The unbroken fellowship of the Godhead from all eternity was for the first time broken. Broken not because of the universal temptation that humans experience nor was it because Jesus had gone astray. In fulfilling His mission, He became not only lthe High Priest of the order of Melchizedek, but also the sacrifice.
That this sacrificial event was the moment that Christ bore the sin of mankind. The scripture curiously says that God was in Christ Jesus reconciling us to Himself. The moment of alienation between the Father and The Son became the moment of restoration and conversion for those of us who were yet sinners (actual or potential). The veil was rent, we were able to boldly approach the throne of grace. We were compelled by the love of Christ to repentance. A change of mind, resulting in a change of action, metanoia in the Greek. The point was not the forgiveness of your sins.
It was your transformation into the very righteous of god. Not business as usual, but the wicked made righteous to the glory of God.
So is every morning Easter morning from now on. Are you living the resurrection life or are you just finishing off the chocolate eggs and moving on? Christ died for our sins and not our sins only, but the sins of the whole world. This is your time to shine. You have shared in His sufferings, can share in His resurrection. Not just on the last day as Martha looked forward, but now. From out of your belly will come streams of living water to bring life not just to yourself, but to those who are around you. Find your identity in Christ. Move out and be the church, change the world.