Day 21: Because He Lives

Written by Juliana Cardoso

1 Corinthians 15:20-26

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Because He lives, we can experience inexpressible joy.

I have been reflecting on this truth through the memory of my great aunt, who passed away recently at the age of 107. She was admired by everyone who knew her, primarily for the joy she spread and her deep sense of contentment. She never complained; instead, she credited her joy to her relationship with the Lord and her faith in Him. Even as an elderly woman, she lived that joy out—playing the violin at church, taking dance lessons with her husband, and cooking for family and friends. 

She surely had her share of loss, hurt, and disappointment in life. But I believe that her strong faith in God and the assurance of being made alive in Christ made all the difference. She was not fearful because she knew who held her future. And she believed that life was worth living because Jesus lives.  That assurance gave her hope and strength to face all the challenges that came her way. I look forward to the day I see her in eternity praising God, likely dancing and playing her violin.

In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul explained that "as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead" (1 Corinthians 15:21). Those who belong to Christ will be made alive at His coming, and our last enemy, death, will be destroyed. Because of this, we can rejoice with "joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory" (1 Peter 1:8).

Because He lives:

• We are forgiven and empowered to forgive others.

• We have new life and the promise of resurrection after death.

• We have a relationship with God the Father, which allows us to be loved and cherished as His children.

• We receive the Holy Spirit who helps us and intercedes for us.

• We find our true purpose on this side of eternity, which is to glorify God with our lives.

Prayer Prompts:

• Thank Jesus for the resurrection life that you have because of his resurrection from the dead.

• Pray that you would live with a deep contentment, joy, and confidence in the assurance that the resurrection brings.

Day 20: He Is Not Here

Anonymous

matthew 28:1-10

“Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

Mary Magdalene and Mary, the wife of Clopas, rose early in the morning to serve their Lord and King at his grave. Their devotion continued beyond his public execution. When the Sabbath was complete, they bought and prepared spices to prepare his body in death. 

One can imagine their weariness. Did Jesus’s followers feel rejected by God? Was their faith dented or breached by his death? Jesus’s followers were Israelites and grew up learning and memorizing God’s promises. They had heard the stories of God’s faithfulness. The Hebrew Scriptures continually point toward God’s goodness. Jesus told them unequivocally: “I will rise again in three days” (Matthew 16:21-23). 

But reality has a wearying effect on humanity. We grow used to disappointment, mental and emotional fatigue, and physical pain. These are some of our very first experiences. They burden us as experiences and memories for our whole life before finally delivering us to the tomb. 

Imagine Mary and Mary walking together with their packs of spices. Imagine they are repeating scripture to one another as they travel to the outskirts of town to anoint Jesus’s body: “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22, 23). The cool gray morning matches their melancholy, maybe providing some relief? Imagine they are worrying over who will help them roll away the heavy stone when an earthquake disrupts the moment.

When they arrive, the angel’s radiance overcomes the morning. The angel reminds them of what they knew already. But the empty tomb proves it. “He is not here.” On the road to see Jesus’s disciples, Mary and Mary’s own joy is made complete when they encounter THE risen Jesus.

More than 2,000 years later, Christians in every country around the world celebrate the resurrection of King Jesus. This is the most important miracle in the history of the world. This event is ours to behold and proclaim today just as Jesus’s followers did in Israel. Amid all the pain you might feel, the calamity that has befallen you, the evil that swirls in the world at large, Jesus is here with you right now. He wants you to encounter Him. Can you pursue him like Mary and Mary? Yours will be the renewed joy of discovering an empty tomb each day.

Prayer Prompts:

• Jesus says in Revelation 22:16 “I am the root and descendant of David, the bright morning star.” Ask our resurrected Savior to guide you right now with his presence and God’s Word.

• Mary and Mary expected to arrive at a sealed tomb to prepare Jesus’s body for burial. But the tomb was empty. Pursue God right now with an expectant heart. “O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch” (Psalm 5:3). Pour your heart out to God and watch.

Day 19: A Single Sacrifice

Written by Tony & Connie Chan

hebrews 10:10-14

10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

“By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

What will? The will of the Father. His eternal plan was to rescue sinners not through endless sacrifices, but through one perfect offering. From the beginning, God intended that burnt offerings would give way to a better sacrifice. Not the blood of bulls and goats, but the body of His Son.

The contrast in this passage is striking. Every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices. They stand because their work is never finished. But Christ offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins and sat down. The work is complete.

What did that single sacrifice accomplish?

Verse 14 tells us, “By a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Here is the tension of the Christian life. We have been perfected. Our guilt is removed, our condemnation gone, our access to God opened. And yet we are being sanctified, continually shaped and changed.

This tension becomes very real in parenting. We feel our inadequacy almost daily. We lose patience over small things. We snap when our children do not meet our expectations. We raise our voice when we should have listened. We correct harshly when we should have been gentle. In those moments, we see clearly how far we fall short of reflecting Christ and bearing the fruit of the Spirit.

Our sins are remembered no more, yet we still fall into sin and experience its consequences. Therein lies both warning and hope. The warning is that grace is not permission to drift. The hope is that our failure is not final. We are reminded that Christ’s work was sufficient and the sacrifice is complete. We can draw near to God without fear, confess honestly, receive mercy, and begin again.

That is why the author continues in Hebrews 10:22–25: let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, and stir up one another to love and good works.

The single sacrifice has been made. The work is finished. Now we live as those set apart, confident and forgiven; not defeated, but being transformed.

Prayer Prompts:

• Thank the Father for the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ and ask Him to help you rest in His finished work.

• Bring a specific struggle or sin before the Lord. Confess it honestly, then thank Him that Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient and that you can approach Him with confidence.