Risen Indeed!
First Published 4/14/17
Matthew 28:6
He
is not here, for He has risen, just as He said.
Last summer I heard a recorded 2013 sermon
by Tim Martin of Covenant Community Church entitled “She is Risen.” Yup, like
you, this caught my attention. I even thought a typo had been made. I listened…
Tim began this Easter sermon by
exclaiming, “He is risen!” The congregation responded with, “He is risen,
indeed!” Next Tim declared, “She is risen!” to which you could hear a lone
voice question, “She is risen, indeed?”
The point of this message was to show us
that Christianity has spent too much time in “me” mode. What can the Christ do for me? What prayers will God answer through Christ
for me? Me. Me. Me. We have lost sight
of the big picture, the church in Jesus Christ.
With the bodily resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the tomb, the church was re-established to include the adopted
believers who profess him Lord and Savior.
He did this for his “bride”. As an analogy Paul describes this
relationship in his letter to the Ephesians.
Ephesians 5:24-27
…
just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He
might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or
wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.
***
So Church, do we act like we are
cleansed? Do we present ourselves as the bride of Christ? This Easter, let us
recognize the wonderful resurrection that allowed us to reconcile with God and
that allowed the church collectively to rise!
This is our One Foundation. She is risen, indeed!
The Church’s One Foundation
The church’s one foundation is Jesus
Christ, her Lord;
She is his new creation by water and the
Word.
From heaven he came and sought her to be
his holy bride;
With his own blood he bought her, and
for her life he died.
S.J.
Stone
Copyright 2017 by Karen Vaughn
posted by Karen Vaughn | 5:33 AM
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