“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” 1Corinthians 15:3-4.
LIGHT FOR NOW: On the cross, man’s redemption began.
The work of redeeming man began on the cross, why? This is because that was where Jesus was made sin (2Corinthians 5:21); he never sinned but sin was laid on him. 1Peter 2:24 echoes same; it reads “Who his own self bare or sins in his own body on the tree…” To bear implies to take responsibility for the actions of other people. Jesus’ words on the cross were moving as they were heart rendering. They were the words of an offering – a sacrifice; howbeit a son who had been made a sacrifice. This shows us why Jesus addressed God as his father. On the cross, he called him “My God”, why? He was facing justice here; the bells of judgment rang loud and clear. With this concluded, he descends to where sinners (spiritually dead people) go and he must suffer for three days, he must bear sins for three nights, he must be away from fellowship. This, he must do if we are to be saved. On the third day, he triumphed over death; he rose from the dead. Peter preached his resurrection from the dead in Acts 2:22-31.
Paul in Acts 13:29-37 also explains the same fact (he was raised from the dead). We must note that in the resurrection of Jesus lie salient and foundational facts of our redemption. To be raised from the means to come back to the earth alive and well; it means that he must be seen alive; he must not come back in visions and revelations. He must come back physically; he came back to the earth alive.
Now, what happened when he was raised from the dead? Upon his resurrection, Mary had gone to his grave (in John 20:15-17) to see his body. Jesus in verse 17 of John 20 said to her “touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my father”. The Greek translation actually says “Hold me no further”. She held onto Him, He was alive; she held a human being. But since he had not fully accomplished his work, he had to fulfil the promise of resurrection; “I ascend to my father and your father”. So, what was left to be done? The scriptures tell us he became our high priest after he rose from the dead. The work of the high priest is to offer sacrifices (blood) for sinners. “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession (Hebrews 4:14)”; this same fact is also recorded in the next chapter (Hebrews 5:5-6). Thus, when Jesus was glorified (raised from the dead), he became our high priest; he would live to be high priest. This he would do after being raised from the dead by shedding his blood. Shedding of blood is not the outpouring of blood; this is because blood poured from Jesus on several occasions (from his birth, his circumcision, his travails in Gethsemane, the bruises of the whips from the soldiers and the blood that pour on the cross). Shedding of blood within the Old Testament (types and shadows) was the sprinkling of the blood on the mercy seat by the priest only (Leviticus 16:14). The high priest does this on the Day of Atonement. Jesus must do this as our high priest, not of human buildings as this was a shadow. In Hebrews 9:11-12, the writer records that Jesus entered into the holiest of all with his blood. The writer of Hebrews went on to elucidate further in verses 22-24 of the same context of Hebrews 9. Therefore, the shedding of blood did not happen where men could see, Jesus’ shedding of blood happened in heaven (that is, heavenly realities or the immaterial). It is by that blood that was shed that we now have access to the father. Now, we can stand in God’s presence (Hebrews 10:19). Also, note that when Jesus rose, he did not put his blood into a container and then ascend to the father with it. He appeared to the father without a liquid blood in a container. This means that the blood of Jesus is the person of Jesus. His appearance before the father was the blood that was shed; meaning that the blood of Jesus is not liquid; the blood of Jesus is the person of Jesus. Now, by virtue of what he did when he rose, we are now in God’s presence and God’s presence is constantly in us. Hallelujah!!!
INSTRUCTION: You have a high priest, look on him
PRAYER: Lord, I thank you for the cross which changed everything. Thank you for your finished work; I rest in your finished work, in Jesus name, Amen.
FOR MORE LIGHT, get the message ‘The Love of God’ by Dr. John Linus.
QUOTE: The resurrection in the crux of the gospel.
DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: LEVITICUS CHAPTER 16; EVENING: HEBREWS CHAPTER 9
LIGHT FROM THE WORD 