Death, Burial & Resurrection - Pt. 1

Romans 6:2-10 “We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

What does Easter mean to you, personally, today? How does Easter change our life? These were questions asked by Pastor Tracy this Easter Sunday, as we visited my dad for the weekend at Bass Lake, California (near Yosemite National Park). We were challenged today to go beyond our knowledge of the gospel accounts of holy week and reflect upon how the death, burial & resurrection apply in our thinking and lives now. By taking a fresh look at these three elements of Christ’s passion, we find understanding and relevance in our daily Christian lives.

Luke 9:23-25 “Then Jesus said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self.” We hear that we need to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Jesus, but how do we take up our cross daily? The cross applies to us yesterday, today and tomorrow, because on this side of heaven we must decide to choose to die to sin and go the way of Christ every day. We could mindful tells ourselves that we will try to live godly lives by our own will and power, but unless we crucify our personal sins, we continue to live in them as slaves; not in Jesus. Is there a class that we can take titled, “How to Die”? Who would sign up, yet, spiritually thinking, we must. We must give up sin, turn loose of our sinful flesh desires, and let them go … nailing them to the cross and lose that old life in death with Christ.

Hebrews 12:1-2 “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” When we die to self, we are dying to those things that hinder us from following our Lord and the sin that so easily tempts and entangles our flesh in this race, called life. Yet death is only the first step. Unless we bury that old self, who has died, the abundant new life cannot take place. But what is meant by "bury"?

This was a great Sermon, and looks like I had better break this into two posts. I'll pick this up right here next time.

Blessings, in Christ.
Brian