His Death, Our New Life
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. John 12:24, KJV
We are in another season of reflecting on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This season reminds believers of the purpose of Christ’s birth, crucifixion and resurrection. We must never forget what Christ did for us on the cross. His resurrection is the reason we are Christians today. His death was painful, brutal and gruesome, yet he followed through to the end. When you think about it, it was an underserved death. He knew no sin, yet he bore our sins and had to pay the consequences with his life.
Jesus spoke to His disciples in John 12:24, giving them a clue about his death and resurrection. He was letting them know that he could as well remain alone in heaven and choose not to die. But if he dies, it will be a catalyst for more life and for more men to become sons and daughters of God. God is always interested in man, and although man walked out of God’s plan, God already had a plan set in motion to reconcile man with himself through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest sacrifice of love you’ll ever find on earth. It is forgiveness, redemption, grace, hope, light, transformation, righteousness, and holiness—it is a new life.
The life we live today in Christ is a gift. A gift we should cherish and regard in high esteem. A gift we don’t deserve, a gift sadly some of us have refused to acknowledge today. As believers, we don’t own our lives; we live his life. We live in his righteousness, grace and mercy—our sinful life as mere men qualifies us for damnation and destruction.
When we try to live by ourselves and our righteousness, to God, it is like a filthy rag (Isaiah 64:6, KJV). Sometimes, we do not understand or see that the best of our effort at righteousness is filthy because we are simply incapable of such perfection or a perfect walk with God. It is like an infant trying so hard to feed themselves. Everything and everywhere becomes messy with the best of their effort, and they eat little or no food. They don’t know or can’t see that they don’t have the capacity for what they want to achieve. Using your effort or your own life to live righteously is like an infant trying to feed themselves—it will be messy (filthy). It is ignorant and arrogant to think that our sinful nature can walk or live with a Holy God.
Jesus’ death on the cross means we can partake in God’s righteousness. It was a sacrifice that was enough to atone for our sins. It birthed a new life for us—a life that is our present reality and not a future aspiration. A life that you do not need any degree or money to acquire. Jesus’s death birthed a life for everyone regardless of their race, nationality, tongue, tribe, and socio-economic class. Have you embraced this life?
We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? – 1 John 3:16-18, NLT
Jesus’ death and resurrection are not just a love story; they define love. It is the greatest sacrifice of love you’ll ever find on earth. Embedded in this story of love are redemption, forgiveness, grace, hope, light, transformation, righteousness, and holiness—it is a new life.
Only God could draw out this grand plan to reconcile us to Himself. We are reconciled to God not with our old life, sins and habits but with a new life. Have you availed yourself of this new life? Have you accepted this reconciliation move that God has extended to you? You have been forgiven and your sins forgotten. Do not let guilt and shame deprive you of living a new life in Christ. All God needs from you is a heart ready to believe and a mouth willing to confess Christ and his salvation.
The greatest appreciation we can show for his sacrifice on the cross is to live each day striving to honour Christ in all we do.
On the day he hung on that cross, a sacrifice was made for your sins. Remember that this sacrifice birthed a new life and engineered a union with him. This new life means a new motivation and purpose for our walk. The day you embrace this new life, everything changes and becomes new. Your taste and appetite becomes new. Your new life begins to mirror his life. The greatest appreciation we can show for his sacrifice on the cross is to live each day striving to honour Christ in all we do.
In this season of celebrating and reflecting on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, show gratitude towards God for not withholding his son and for the gift of new life. Make yourself and your resources available to propagate the gospel of Christ. Show love to people around you because you know what real love is—it is sacrificial. Make up your mind that your life will be a worthy and living example, vessel and reflection of God’s saving grace—for His death gave us new life.
May the Lord help us all in Jesus’ name. Happy Easter!
Photo credit: ©istockphoto/ronniechua
