The Resurrection

This past Sunday was Easter Sunday and like many Christians across the globe, I found myself attending an Easter service at my church. As I sat in the audience and listened to my pastor, I began to better understand what the story of the resurrection truly represents.

If you're like me and grew up in a Southern Baptist church, you were taught that the resurrection represents a new life in Christ. Christ died on the cross for our sins so that we can be washed clean and born again. We must invite Christ into our hearts so that we can be saved and live eternal lives with him in Heaven. It is the age old story of "the good news." 

While this part of the story is true, many Christians across the globe end the story there. Many believe that once you've been saved the purpose of Christ's death and resurrection has been fulfilled. What if there's much more to the story? What if we have failed to see a very crucial part? What if part of the story was supposed to be about the lives we are currently living here on Earth, not just our assurance into Heaven?

What does it truly mean to be "born again?" As I pondered this, I realized that it isn't only about my future in Heaven. It is about the here and now. When I accepted Christ into my heart and declared him my Lord and Savior, I was "born again." Not a physical birth but a spiritual one.  A new life, that should manifest itself in an outward change, not just an inward one. Many Christians view this transformation as a private transaction between themselves and God but I believe that God requires much more of us. The transformation is not meant to be for us alone. It is meant to be shared with the world. The Parable of the Good Samaritan makes it quite clear what is required to inherit the kingdom.

The resurrection was not meant to be the end of the story. I believe it was meant to be the beginning. It represents hope in a fallen world. Matthew 6:9-10 says "Our father who is in Heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on EARTH as it is in Heaven."

As born again Christians, we are called to live our lives according to the will of God. As such, we cannot continue to live as we had before. God calls us to bring his kingdom here to Earth. It is meant to happen now! Not just in a far off Heaven or in a distant future. We are to be bringing the kingdom here by living out the will of God now. 

So if the kingdom is meant to come here on Earth, what would that kingdom look like? My guess would be that it should look much like the kingdom in Heaven would. Where we loved our Lord God with all our hearts, and we loved our neighbors as ourselves.

If we were striving for that kind of kingdom we would be driven to action. We would feed the poor and hungry, just as we would feed ourselves. We would heal the sick and wounded, just as we would heal ourselves. We would battle oppression and prejudice. We would care for the orphans and widows. We would love and not hate.

All of these things are part of the "will of God" and therefore should be something we are all striving to do in an effort to bring his kingdom here. If we live our lives in such a way that we show the world what the love of God looks like and we allow them an opportunity to feel his love through us, then we are truly sharing his kingdom with the world! 

Now that is GOOD NEWS!