Oh beloved it is true. There is no way to frame the manifold comprehensiveness of the victory of the resurrection. But one facet of this awesome event is the violence Jesus has wrought on death itself…
Zero doubt. Death is the most formidable of foes. Without Christ, we will pass through into eternity to spend forever without Him. No rest. Only torment. Only wishing that our spirit could just cease… but there will be no such annihilation. This is a most undeniably horrible prospect. It is THE problem for humanity.
And Jesus fixed this problem. The Author and The Finisher of our faith has smashed death. This was not just a decapitation. He CRUSHED death’s head.
This really happened.
You think the cross was violent?!? On Good Friday, we see that death did its best to bring violence upon God, and for a few hours it did a pretty good job. Then, it even kept Jesus in the grave for three days. Excellent smack-down devil. Nice try death. You get an ‘A+’ for effort.
Then Jesus says: “Is that all you’ve got?” and just up and walks out of the tomb in that garden. Talk about violence! Jesus epitomized ultra-violence against the forces of evil in all this. And it was His kind of violence. It was that violence which wields weapons formed of limitless Love, copious Mercy, abundant Grace, incomprehensible Peace; of that which is Life Itself.
Just a side thought… Jesus changed the spiritual constant of the Universe from death to life. And we celebrate Easter with cute little bunnies. Are you kidding me?
Do not be deceived, believer, by the cunning of this defeated enemy. It would have you believe the battle is still on. But what we see in the world today is all now a retreating action on the part of evil. The booby traps and poisoned wells we encounter are just the hastily prepared obstacles of an enemy on the run. Dangerous? Oh yes. Beware! No matter though, THIS WAR IS OVER. We are now in the midst of an intense mop-up operation.
Be gone shadow. Hey death, eat your own dirt. Jesus wins.
Nice Mack, I especially liked the 'smack down'! I didn't know you were a wrestling fan? Seriously bro, right on, or is that left arm? Whatever, Jesus be praised! Amen.