Bleak Saturday: New Life

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. -Galatians 2:20

Yes, on Saturday, for the disciples, the future looked very bleak. Their beloved Master had been brutally crucified and now lay resting in the tomb. They believed his message and had hope for some ultimate resurrection. But, unlike us, they weren’t exactly sure about it. Jesus had not yet risen from the dead.

Sometimes, God jolts us into living faith if he knows that we have fallen asleep at the wheel and are in danger of driving off the cliff. Whatever means he uses, we can be sure that our welfare is behind them even in the midst of affliction and suffering.

The death due to us because of our sin was taken upon Christ. His act of self-sacrifice entirely absorbed it for us. We are forgiven, our slate is clear, nothing stands against us, and we are free to enjoy the favor of God forever.

Now, go back to the darkest night of the disciples’ lives. If they had known what we know, their lives would have been transformed completely.

So, how does the knowledge of our risen Savior affect our present life of faith?

This apostle Paul tells us to look at our present lives as servants of the Lord Jesus. Just as Jesus was crucified, dead, and buried, and then raised to new life, so we are, in a sense, crucified with Jesus, dead with him, buried with him, and then raised with him.

This is what it means to be a believer, a disciple, a Christian and what Christian life means. When we come to Jesus and ask him to forgive us, dwell in us, and transform us for his purposes, what we’re asking is this: that the old selfish life story, with its private, “me-centered” goals and dreams, be taken up into the Great Story and transformed for God’s eternal purposes.

It’s not just “making Jesus our personal savior” and skipping happily on our way as if nothing had happened. It’s being aware that our life before faith in Jesus is dead and buried, gone—nine feet underground.

Since Jesus is our Lord, Master, Ruler, Guide, Commander, and all the rest, we live for him.

No, there isn’t any split-level discipleship available, as if some people can choose a “First Class” Christian life of total commitment and others can opt-out for “Business Class” or “Main Cabin.” Jesus is either the Ruler of everything or the Ruler of nothing. Either Jesus’ spirit will dwell inside us (the biblical definition of Christian life—see Romans 8:9–10; 2 Corinthians 13:5), or he isn’t. We’re his disciples, or we aren’t.

So we live daily by faith in and dependence on the Son of God. Our lives no longer belong to us to do just as we wish.

Remember, the “old guy” is dead. Now, Jesus lives out his life in us, daily transforming us into his likeness and doing our Father’s will through us.

How this affects our prayer is obvious: We pray constantly for and about everything, always conscious that our life has been thrust into the mainstream of another higher will and glorious purpose.

Today’s Prayer

Lord God, let me not forget that my life belongs to you and that you have a plan and purpose that far exceed my selfish desires. Thank you for your compassion and grace to us all. Amen.

Today’s Commitment

Today, I recognize once again that I am fallen. I acknowledge my need to submit entirely to Christ and surrender…