The Cross 1

Colossians 2:9-12

Peggy has been working diligently the past several days to restore what has been lost in our most recent setback – the computer virus we experienced on April 1. Little by little she is rebuilding what we had, taking it back to where it was and where it should be. It requires a great deal of effort and time on her part.

But as she works I see a parallel to the Easter story. We had a dead computer, so disrupted by the virus that we were about to purchase a replacement. But now what was dead has been brought back and is functioning. And that is the story of Easter.

Jesus was dead. His followers were struggling with their need to move on. And then they found that he was resurrected; Jesus was raised from the dead. And in that time of realization these followers needed to accept and believe what is professed here in Colossians.

How is Jesus connected to God, the Father? What have we received? How are we “raised” now, before our deaths?

Part of the meaning of Easter is that we are promised a victory over mortal death. As Christ was physically deceased and was given a new life, so we can also expect our physical body to die. But then we will receive an eternal existence with God.

When the words of Colossians are true in our hearts then we need not wait until our own deaths to experience a resurrection of sorts. If we can truly accept and believe the sacrifice, death and resurrection of Jesus, then we believe that the fullness of God exists in Christ, the Son. We are resurrected from our old life into a new life of belief and faith.

And when we believe then we are committed to God, not through a physical circumcision reminding us of our covenant with God, but with a spiritual circumcision – a spiritual covenant.

Our baptism was a reminder that we are dead to our old lives and born anew in Jesus. Knowing this, we are called to live a life in the fullness of Jesus, a life that demonstrates our faith and belief in what Jesus has done. A life in the fullness of Jesus is a life that shows everyone we believe and accept the resurrection of Jesus.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How do you demonstrate your faith in the resurrection?