After the resurrection, Jesus was different. I’m not saying He was a ghost or “not Jesus” but He was different. He seemed to slip in and out of the scene. There was a special heavenly glow about Him. It was not unlike the difference between the disciples, before and after Pentecost. It’s kind of like the difference in us, before and after Jesus.
Jesus promised that we would be new creations. We are, but I’m not sure we always appreciate just how different we are. I like to call us, Resurrection People. It is helpful to remember we are different and just how we are different after Christ.
Resurrection Perspective. After Christ we don’t see things completely like God does, but we do see things differently. We have an elevated view of things. This new view isn’t constant. We can fall back into seeing the world like we did before Jesus. If we are faithful, he grants us views of things somewhat as He sees them and perspective is everything.
Resurrection Purpose. The saddest thing about people who don’t have Jesus, at least on the surface, is their fruitless search for purpose. Mankind scurries about looking for the “meaning of life” or for some “purpose.” Resurrection people have purpose. They know why they were born and why they continue to reside in this temporary state. More importantly, they know they have an eternal purpose and a heavenly home.
Resurrection Priorities. With a Resurrection Purpose, we are given a new set of Resurrection Priorities. As Resurrection People, we seek first the Kingdom and everything else just kind of falls into place. This is not to say that we have these priorities nailed down or that we don’t occasionally slip back into our old patterns. But we know, the Kingdom should be first and we try to set things accordingly.
Resurrection Plan. With priorities, comes a plan. It’s Christ’ plan to win the world through personal evangelism, one person at a time. It’s creating an attractive lifestyle that says “see how they love one another.” It’s pointing people to Jesus and making them Resurrection People by how we live much more than by what we say.
Resurrection Principles. Scripture promises that one day the law will be written on our hearts. Jesus makes that one day now. It’s not that we have new rules or rules different from everyone else. It’s that we love and embrace the rules after we have Him. We realize that the rules are not a set of binders on our freedoms, but guidelines for our joy. It’s the Resurrection Principles that have guided the world for centuries and have put what ever “civilization” there is in society.
Resurrection Power. The surest way to tell a Resurrection person from everyone else is that everyone else is trying to do things on their own. Resurrection People know that success lies in trusting in Resurrection Power. With Jesus comes the power to view with Resurrection Perspective to live out Resurrection Purpose to make Resurrection Priorities real and to live under Resurrection Principles according to the Resurrection Plan with Resurrection Power. Let Go and Let God is more than just a cool slogan, it’s a real way of life.
Live as Resurrection People and be blessed.
Nick
Be the first to reply