Do you ever feel a let-down following an event you’ve looked forward to and prepped for?

Could it be the after-effects hold as much power as the event itself?

I spent 40 days preparing, thinking about Easter and what it means. Easter affected me more deeply this year than ever before. I think that’s because I slowed down and made a concerted effort to enter the entire story, each individual event, each scene that made up the whole story. 

For the first time ever, I prepared for Easter beginning forty days out, using Paul David Tripp’s Lenten devotional, Journey to the Cross (highly recommend, btw). This was the most meaningful Easter of my life because I intentionally disciplined the busyness of my life to focus on the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus. (Notice I said disciplined, because that doesn’t come naturally for me :)

Tripp leads you to look at the personal implications in scenes of Jesus’ story, considering, “What does this show about the love of God?” “What can I learn about Jesus?” “What does this mean for me?” 

I dug deep into the recesses of my core, saw how I fit into the story, making space for Jesus to design HIs strong interior work that will refine what He’s already begun in me. 

It was risky. It was challenging. It was painful. It required consistent discipline. I suffered in honesty about myself. I grieved over my natural tendency to sin. I groaned impatiently, thinking of this life that’s left wanting in so many ways. 

AND HERE WE ARE

All the preparation, the anticipation, and now it’s over, just like that. Now what? 

God has us here. It’s not an option to check out. When God talks about His children, He assures us His very best is being designed in us, delivered to us, already…but not yet. 

It’s that in-between the already and the not yet that we find ourselves. We are living between Jesus’ resurrection (already) and His return (not yet). 

IT’S VALUABLE TO REMEMBER THE BIG PICTURE

If you are familiar with the story of Jesus, you know the empty tomb displays the reality of God’s ultimate plan: to bring people into friendship with Himself, to save humans from eternal death to eternal life with Him. 

The empty tomb proves the fact that the purpose for Jesus coming to earth was to overpower everything that is more powerful than we are—including death itself. 

Actually, the Hebrews version of what I’m saying above states it so much better. Don’t miss the strong language here:

“…Jesus became human to fully identify with us. He did this, so that he could experience death and annihilate the effects of the intimidating accuser who holds against us the power of death. By embracing death, Jesus sets free those who live their entire lives in bondage to the tormenting dread of death…He suffered and endured every test and temptation, so that he can help us every time we pass through the ordeals of life.”  Hebrews 2:14-15, 18 TPT

Remembering “why” Jesus died sets us up for a clear understanding of His supernatural resurrection from death. Fortunately, the work of Christ does not end in death on the cross, but with the shocking freedom of bursting into the high life out of an empty tomb. Jesus bursting out of the tomb finished the work he started on the cross. 

SO NOW THAT IT’S OVER, WHAT NEXT?

There’s more, so much more. Just because His work is finished doesn’t mean He’s stopped.

It would be easy for us to stop at the empty tomb once we believe, accepting His salvation from death and receiving the freedom of life. But there’s more, so much more.

If we invite Easter with its full impact, Easter makes a total difference in how we live, how we think, who we are, what we do.

So now that it’s over, what next? I’m sure that’s what Jesus’ friends and followers were asking as they watched him hang on that cross like a common criminal, then literally die before their very eyes. Then His death was sealed in that borrowed tomb. No doubt they felt all His promises were sealed away with Him. 

What it looked like that day: death had sealed the deal. 

What we know today: life sealed the deal! 

And where do we find them when they’re looking at death? The women return to the tomb with further preparations for the dead. The men are pictured hidden in a secret room—praying, yes, still believing in God but fearful of “today” (see John 20:19) 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:  In a crisis, do you avoid like the disciples, by hiding or withdrawing, or do you apprehend like the Mary’s, by pushing into the need of the moment? 

As it goes, the death of “today” rolled into “tomorrow”. In this scene of the story, the issue of death progresses into a missing body.  Now their issue presents a dilemma: where is He and what should we do??? 

Then proceeds all kinds of running. Mary runs to tell the disciples, John outruns Peter to the tomb, then the guys run back home. 

Just as suddenly, Jesus shows up and makes Himself known to Mary Magdalene. He appears in person, He initiates conversation, He reveals Himself to her—assuredly not dead—totally touchable, completely alive! 

In the rest of the story, Jesus continues to reveal Himself alive to all His followers.

But wait // there’s more: in the process, as the story develops, Jesus empowers them in their faith with total peace and complete confidence for living (John 20:21-22).

And that’s why the Easter story doesn’t stop with the empty tomb. No, if the resurrection of Jesus was only for eternal life, then we would be swept into heaven the minute we accepted His gift of eternal life. 

THE SECRET SAUCE FOR POWERFUL LIVING

In all certainty, the resurrection of Jesus is filled with purpose for life right here, right now. As individuals, the moment we place our own faith in Christ, our faith activates His power and continues to empower us to live this life between what God has already done, and what He’ll continue to complete. 

I call it participation.

Every time we as God’s children exercise our faith, the resurrection power of Jesus is activated within us. If you have placed your faith in Jesus, you are not on your own in this life. You have an all-powerful Partner living within you, empowering you every day, in every way. All you have to do is participate with your Partner. The process is taking place in this life: in between the already and the not yet. 

In the moment, the disciples and the Mary’s did not fully understand resurrection power (John 20:9). It’s not the same for us. Because we have the full picture of scripture, we have an advantage. Scripture lays out the knowledge of resurrection power, (2 Peter 1; Philippians 3; Romans 6-8; Hebrews 3, 4) and as we experience that power, we come to more fully understand it. We even enjoy greater pay-offs of resurrection power as our faith grows. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT. As you’re running through this life, do you live running from death (like Jesus’ friends ran from the cross) or are you resting while running in resurrection power (as displayed by Jesus when He burst from the tomb)? 

Did you notice I said resting while you’re running? 

I can’t wait to share with you about resting // THERE’S MORE, SO MUCH MORE!