3 Minute Read
Prepare Your Heart
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Read God’s Word
A Verse for Today
Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
Matthew 20:19 (CSB): “They will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked, flogged, and crucified, and on the third day he will be raised.”
Reflecting on God’s Word
Why did Jesus need to rise from the dead? There are many reasons given to us in Scripture. At the bottom of this article, I have provided a link to “Got Questions,” where they briefly unpack many of those reasons.
But one reason that typically doesn’t make the list is one I will point out here.
Let’s begin with what God told Adam when he was still residing in the Garden of Eden.
Genesis 2:16-17 (CSB): “And the LORD God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.’” (emphasis mine)
God’s words make it clear that the day that Adam and Eve disobeyed Him (sin), they would die (consequences of sin). Death was the result of sin. So there was sin (disobedience to God), and there were also the consequences of sin (the greatest of which was death).
The New Testament shows the correlation between sin and death multiple times.
Romans 5:12 (CSB): “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.”
Romans 6:23 (CSB): “For the wages of sin is death…”
James 1:15 (CSB): “Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.”
So, there is sin (disobeying God), and then there are the consequences of sin (the greatest of which is death).
When we look to the cross, we realize that is where sin was dealt with. Jesus paid the sin debt of every single person who will trust in Him as He hung on the cross.
1 Peter 2:24 (CSB): “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
But that wasn’t enough. If Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins and never rose from the dead, then our sins would be forgiven, but we would live with the consequences of sin for the rest of eternity. That’s why Jesus had to rise from the dead. He conquered not only sin but also sin’s consequences (the greatest of which is death).
And because He rose from the dead, we can look forward to an eternity without sin OR sin’s consequences forever!
Revelation 21:3-4 (CSB): “Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.”
Praise Jesus! He not only dealt with our sin on the cross, He also dealt with sin’s consequences by rising from the dead!
Spend Time in Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for dying on the cross to pay the sin debt of everyone who will ever trust in You. But thank You for also defeating sin’s consequences so we can look forward to a sinless, perfect Heaven with You one day. I pray this in Your Name, Amen.
Going Deeper
If you want to go deeper, check out this article by Got Questions: “Why does it matter that Jesus rose from the dead?”
____________________
Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com).
Matt’s Musings 