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Resurrection.001

It can be so easy to forget that Jesus is still alive.

Easter comes and goes. Sundays come and go. And the struggles of life tend to cloud our memories. It can be so easy to believe that life is too hard, that hope is too gone, and that sin is still our master. But Jesus is alive. And that means something for us—not just one day a year, but every moment of every day. The resurrection of Jesus isn’t just about a future day in heaven. It’s about real life and hope and power. Now. Today.

I began this blog series to ask the question: did Jesus really rise from the grave? There are those who would call themselves Christians and yet would deny the bodily resurrection of Christ. The day before Easter, the New York Times ran an interview with Union Seminary President, Serene Jones. And her take is that the resurrection of Jesus didn’t happen and doesn’t really matter, especially in our everyday lives.

But one of the men who saw him alive says otherwise. Peter, one of the first people to see him alive, writes to a group of Jesus followers and opens his letter with the hope of the resurrection of Christ. And in this beautiful opening, he shows just what the resurrection of Jesus has to do with our everyday lives.

1. The Resurrection Is All About New Life

Peter begins in chapter 1 verse 3 by giving praise to God. And he can’t think of anything more worthy of praising God than the new life that we have in Christ. According to the great mercy of God, he has given us new birth. You see, Jesus came down from heaven to do just that. The Son of Man came that we might have life. True life. Blessed life. Abundant life. New life. Through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection God has caused us to be born again. He has made us new creations. He has given us new life. We don’t have to live like we are still dead. We can live in the new life that Jesus gives.

2. The Resurrection Is All About New Hope

Peter continues to bless and praise God for the amazing things he has done for us. And reminds us what we’ve been born again to. In Christ, we have been born again to a living hope. To a hope that is not dead but is alive. You see, if Jesus were still dead then we would have not a living hope. All we would have is a man who did and said some pretty amazing things. And that would be it. But Jesus did rise from the grave. And he is our living hope. We don’t have to live without hope in our struggles and suffering. We can live in the new hope that Jesus gives.

3. The Resurrection Is All About New Power

Peter mentions in verse 6, the fact there are trials in this life. And let’s face it—life is hard! Peter is right, we certainly are grieved by our various trials. You know sometimes it seems like there is just isn’t any way that we can make it through the trial. The flame seems almost completely gone. The rope seems to be hanging just by a thread. The tank is running on empty. It can be easy to live like the bones of Jesus are still in the ground. But you see, the same power that rose Jesus from the dead is alive in us. You see the power of the resurrected Jesus is at work in us today. We don’t have to live defeated lives. We don’t have to let sin reign over us. We can live in the new power that Jesus gives.

1 Peter 1:3–7— "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (ESV)