In Christ Alone

Darkness.

Doubt.

Fear.

Broken promises?

Death.

Silence….

Stillness.

And then the stone moved. Light came bursting forth from darkness!  Silence was broken with angelic shouts of victory!  Promises fulfilled.  Hope replaces despair.  Doubt to faith.  Fear to freedom. Death to life.

Jesus is not here.  He is risen!  See the place where they laid Him.

Those pivotal events over two thousand years ago changed the course of history.

Today, as we celebrate Christ’s resurrection from the dead, we participate in Christ’s victory over death and we share in the spiritual blessings in being adopted as children of God.

We had a great service today at Faith Community Church, with Pastor Benny starting a series on the book of Ephesians with this central thesis:  God’s plan, executed under God’s power will achieve God’s purpose!  And none more true than in relation to the plan of God, the mystery hidden in Christ through the ages, poured out on the cross, revealed as Christ’s body was torn open by Roman spears.  His death and resurrection changed everything!

Now we have the privilege, as Pastor Benny shared, of being “in Christ”.

I want to record here some of the thoughts that Pastor Benny preached today about being “in Christ”:

• “God placed everything in Christ and gave us Christ so we can have everything.”
• “Everything that happens to Christ, happens to us.”
• “God didn’t just give us a new start in an old life, He gave us a new life to start with!”

This is our spiritual heritage of being in Christ!

As I was thinking of these thoughts, that modern hymn by Stuart Townend came to mind, so I will finish off by reproducing the lyrics below:

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! who took on flesh
Fulness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied –
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine –
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.

Have a great Easter!