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Why the Life of Jesus Matters: Understanding The Resurrection 

When we think about "living the life" or "living the dream," we often focus on enjoyment and personal fulfillment. But the life that Jesus offers goes far beyond our comfort and happiness. Understanding why Jesus' life, death, and resurrection matter requires us to see beyond the surface-level benefits and grasp the cosmic significance of what He accomplished.

Jesus Is Not About Your Best Life Now

Many people approach Christianity expecting Jesus to solve all their problems and give them their "best life now." This misconception leads to disappointment when life inevitably becomes difficult. Jesus didn't come to eliminate hardship from our lives. Instead, He came to address something far more fundamental - the separation between humanity and God.

If Jesus were simply about giving us good things, what happens when life goes sideways? When problems arise despite our faith, we might become disillusioned with Christianity itself. The truth is, Jesus offers something much more substantial than temporary comfort.

What Does "It Is Finished" Really Mean?

When Jesus declared "It is finished" on the cross, He wasn't simply announcing His death. He was proclaiming the end of separation between God and humanity.

The Temple Curtain and Access to God

In the Jewish temple, thick curtains separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple. Only the high priest could enter once a year, shuffling between two massive curtains to access God's presence. This physical barrier represented the spiritual separation between holy God and sinful humanity.

When Jesus died, these curtains were torn from top to bottom - not by human hands, but by divine power. This supernatural event signified that the barrier between God and humanity had been permanently removed. Separation from God was truly finished.

The King Over All 

To understand the significance of Jesus' resurrection, we must see the enormity of what Jesus accomplished. He wasn't being a nice guy by paying our tab. He was the ONLY ONE  who could do it.  Colossians 1:15-18 reveals Jesus' supreme authority:

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by him,
in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things,
and by him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning,the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.

Typically our simplified view of spiritual reality often includes only God and His angels, and Satan and his demons. However, Scripture reveals a complex hierarchy of spiritual beings - thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities. Some remained faithful to God, while others rebelled. Jesus is supreme over all of them, not just the ones we're familiar with. This means Jesus isn't just king of His own small domain. He is first over every power that can be named in the entire cosmos, both visible and invisible. Jesus is above any name that carries power. So, when God proclaims that He is shaking the heavens and the earth once more (Haggai 2:6, Hebrews 12:26), He is putting every power on notice that Jesus' finished work on the cross will be the start of the new creation. When Jesus rose, He was the down payment of the "new" heavens and earth coming.

Why Resurrection Matters: Death No Longer Has the Final Word

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." - Romans 6:23 

Sin's power over humanity was death. Even if Jesus had paid for our sins through His death, if He had remained dead, death would still have the final word. But Jesus conquered both sin and death through His resurrection.

Jesus Gave His Life FOR You and TO You

This is a crucial distinction: Jesus didn't just give His life for you on the cross - He gave His life to you through the resurrection. The cross dealt with the penalty of sin, but the resurrection provides the power for new life. When Jesus rose from the dead, He stepped out of the grave declaring victory over death itself. Now He offers the life of God's presence to all who believe in Him.

What Is "The Life" That Jesus Offers?

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." - John 14:6 (KJV)

Jesus isn't offering "a life" or even "a better life" - He is the life itself. When we understand this, we realize that:

  • Jesus is the way to forgiveness and access to God
  • Jesus is the truth that reveals who God really is
  • Jesus is the life - the very life of God imparted to believers

Rivers of Living Water

"He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were going to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. - John 7:38-39 (LSB)

The life Jesus offers isn't static - it's dynamic and flowing. Through the Holy Spirit, believers receive the very life of God within them.

The New Creation Has Already Begun

Jesus' resurrection wasn't just about His personal victory over death. It marked the beginning of the new creation. He rose on the Feast of Firstfruits in the Jewish calendar - a day celebrating the first spring harvest, which signified that more was coming.

Jesus as the Prototype

Jesus is called "the firstborn from the dead" because He's the prototype of the new creation. His resurrection started the clock on God's plan to make all things new.

"And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." - Revelation 21:5 (KJV)

The Same Power Available Today

"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." - Romans 8:11 

The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in believers, giving life to our mortal bodies. This isn't just about future resurrection - it's about present power for daily life.

Our Mission in the New Creation

Because the new creation has begun, believers aren't just waiting for heaven - we're participants in bringing heaven's reality to earth. Jesus commissioned His followers to:

  • Preach the gospel
  • Heal the sick
  • Set captives free
  • Bind up the brokenhearted

We're not just sitting in church meetings; we're emissaries of the coming kingdom, telling the world that God's new reality has begun.

Life Application

This week, challenge yourself to live in the reality of the new creation that Jesus began. Instead of approaching God as if you're still separated by a curtain, boldly enter His presence knowing that Jesus has made you one with Him.

Consider these questions:

  • Am I living as someone who has eternal life now, or am I still trying to earn God's approval?
  • How can I participate in bringing the reality of God's kingdom to the broken areas of my community?
  • What would change in my daily life if I truly believed that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to me?

The resurrection of Jesus isn't just a historical event to celebrate once a year - it's the foundation of a new way of living. You have been given the very life of God. The question is: will you live like it?