After the Resurrection

"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'"
Matthew 28:18-20

Easter is over. The day appointed to celebrate the resurrection of Christ is now behind us. As Christians, we must celebrate the resurrected Christ all the time, not only on the one day. But why is it so important that Christ was raised from the dead? We know that there is only one living God. Jesus was not just another religious prophet. He was the one true God's only Son. The fact that he now lives sets Christianity apart from any other religion on earth. There was great victory accomplished through the resurrection and Jesus instructed us about what was to happen next.
    First, Jesus said that all authority on heaven and earth had been given to him. I believe this happened because of the cross experience and the ensuing resurrection. Please understand that Jesus has existed as long as God has, for he is part of the Godhead. But he became touchable. God actually descended to earth and lived among us. After the resurrection, there was no doubt about who had all authority. Satan had been defeated. Any heavenly power he thought he had was removed. Death was defeated and its hold over mankind removed. A promise of future life was given to us, and a way to attain it was made possible. All of this was made possible by the reality that Jesus was given all authority. What was true the day after his resurrection, is still true today. Jesus still has all authority in heaven and earth. 
    The resurrection of Christ validated everything he had said. Therefore, every teaching, every word, every instruction, every command was declared to be true. So he instructed us to obey all those things. He summarized by giving us the great command to go into the entire world and make disciples of all nations. In other words, we are to continue the work that he began while he was on the earth. So the resurrection empowers us to participate in the ministry of Christ. What he did and said, we must now do and say. The words we say and actions we take, are not powerless or empty. They are supported by the truth that Jesus lives and has called us to complete what he began.
    Finally, we are comforted with his words, "And surely I am with you always, even to the very end of the age."  This is only possible by the victory of the resurrection. Through his resurrection and subsequent ascension into heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to be with us and in us until the days in which we live come to an end. Then he will physically take his place with us. The victory Jesus won in the three days of the cross reverberates throughout the heavens still. We take solace in the fact that he is with us now as surely as he was with the disciples when he walked the earth. 
    After the resurrection, the work still continues. You and I have been commissioned to work for the cause of Christ. We do not work as slaves, for slaves have no reward. We work as sons and daughters of God, because we have been given the place of sonship with God. We work, because we love others as he has loved us. We work because of the incredible things he has done for us. Others must know the love and authority of Christ. The resurrection was the ultimate victory and we are recipients of the blessing. How can we not share the blessing with the world? Think about it. This is our ministry after the resurrection.