Project Description

2013/03

Risen with Christ

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” Colossians 3:1

The resurrection of Christ of necessity presupposes His death. Our Saviour’s death was the completion of His humiliation. ‘Thou hast brought me into the dust of death’ (Psalm 22:15) was a cry that described the degradation and darkness of the cross. Jesus knew that He was to suffer and die as our Substitute – but He also knew that death could not hold Him in the grave!  

While His body was placed in the earth it could not remain there.  He rose bodily from Joseph’s tomb and did what no one else had done.  Elijah raised the widow’s son and Elisha restored a young man to life; but they were raised from the dead to die again.  Lazarus too was raised from the dead only to yield his body at the appointed time to the grim reaper. Every dying saint falls asleep in Jesus. The body sleeps in its lonely bed of earth and the soul goes to be with Christ.   

Paul reminds us that Christ is ‘the firstfruits of them that slept’ (1 Corinthians 15:20). During the feast of the firstfruits, the first sheaf was brought as a token or pledge of the complete harvest and dedicated to God as a testimony of the gratitude of the people for the harvest He had given. This was a picture of Christ ‘the firstfruits’ – a pledge of the resurrection of all who are His.  

As the firstfruits, Christ rose as our representative. All the righteous dead were virtually raised in Him. All His chosen had a resurrection when their Head appeared as ‘risen indeed’. He was the first to enter heaven bodily after lying in the grave.  The first who rose from the dead to die no more, death has no more dominion over Him! He lives, having the keys of hell and of death, possessing all power in heaven and in earth. He sits at the right hand of the Father and as our covenant head He has raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places even in Him. Because He lives all who die in Christ shall live also.  His resurrection is the pattern of theirs, since there is a union between Christ and His people by which they are vitally one.

Though our bodies return to the dust they shall not see corruption forever!  ‘This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality’ (1 Corinthians 15:53). As the Saviour rose with the same body, though changed, so He will change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like unto His glorious body. As His body was raised from the dead to be glorified and crowned with gladness and honour, so the resurrection of the saints will be to them the day of the gladness of their hearts.

What consolation would there be in this world if the hope of the resurrection were taken away?  We would be ‘of all men most miserable’ (1 Corinthians 15:19) – but it is not so, death is swallowed up in victory! ‘Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ’ (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Rev. Leslie Curran