The Raised Life - Resurrection Power

​If the same power that rose Jesus from the dead lives in me, how do I live according to that power?!
​

"the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus[d] from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you" (Rom. 8:11). 

Today, I will be discussing what it means to live according to the resurrection power of God. I am going to attempt to provide 3 very practical answers to this question from Colossians 3:1-4.

There are many important theological precepts tied to Jesus’ resurrection. For example, Roman 1: 3-4 states, “concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord” (ESV). This is hugely important. This demonstrates the all-surpassing necessity of the Messiah’s resurrection. First, this shows us that Jesus was declared to be the Son of God by the resurrection. Up to this point in history, there had been a number of people who claimed to be the Messiah (Josephus). But the claims of these false-christs were silenced by their death. There was only one man who claimed to be Messiah, who actually fulfilled all the prophecies and rose from the dead. Only One. Just Jesus. The Resurrection declared God’s approval of Jesus’s identity, His atoning work and sacrifice, and the undying love of God for man!

The resurrection not only declared/communicated God’s approval of Jesus, it was necessary for the perfect fulfillment of Scripture. In the ESV, this is the only time this Greek word (ὁρίζω - horizō) is translated “declared.” All other times, it is used of something (or someone) being appointed or determined:
​

The resurrection was an essential appointment in Jesus’ life and ministry. Jesus was appointed, before the foundation of the earth was laid, to die a substitutionary death and rise from the dead. God’s plan for salvation was to present humankind a Savior who was both their perfect Atoning Sacrifice and their Immortal King! A Lamb and a Lion. God and man. A servant and a King. A prophet and a priest. Humble and Exalted. Jesus was appointed to both suffer death and defeat it! God promised to cure the sickness of sin through the suffering and death of Messiah (Isaiah 53), and God promised an immortal King through the lineage of David (2 Sam. 7:12-13). One who would rule and reign over God’s people forever. The resurrection was so imperative because it proved Jesus’ immortality and His Divinity. It proved the Kingdom of God had been established, and it was He who sat on the throne.

It is theologically significant in many other ways, also. Today, however, I really want to discuss the practical implications of the Resurrection of Jesus. Specifically, I want to attempt to answer the question, “how do I live my life in accordance with the resurrection power, of the Holy Spirit, within me?!” My goal, this Easter, is to move the information about the power of Christ’s resurrection from the head to the heart.
​

Relationship (Col. 3:1, “...seek...”)
​

The short list is this: 1 Peter 1:3, Phil. 3:10, Rom. 6:5, 1 Cor. 15:19-20, Col. 2:12, Col. 3:1-4, 2 Cor. 4:10-11, etc. I encourage you to look them up on your own. What the Bible instructs us through these Passages is that we are to identify with the Power of Christ’s resurrection. And not simply identify, we are to live according to what we have been given – the same life-giving power that rose Jesus from the dead. Entire Passages. Entire songs. Entire sermons. Entire devotionals. Entire blog-posts have dedicated to this precious reality.

From the symbolism of water baptism, which connects the soul to the life-giving work of Jesus. Baptism is a visual sermon about the power of Christ to raise those who were spiritually dead. “having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead” (Col. 2:12). It is the very image of our Savior’s death and resurrection, as well as a pictorial reminder of the power of God to save and to raise.
​

To the experiential Covenant relationship of Yahweh with His people. Paul states we are to “know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Phil. 3:10). It is supposed to go beyond simply watching YouTube videos, to actually interacting with the Person, the ministry, and the comfort of the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 13:14). We are not only to understand that the fullness of God dwells within us by the Person of the Holy Spirit, but we are to actively SEEK Him and we are to earnestly SERVE Him. Col. 1:9-10 declares, “... we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” We have entered a highly experiential relationship with God. And it is defined and characterized by the Power of Christ’s resurrection, which was exerted over us and given to us.

​It is clear. The Bible did not misrepresent the Heart of God. But the question still remains, “How do I live the raised life? How do I walk according to the resurrection power of God?” The answer is going to surprise you. You can find the answer in Colossians 3:1-4. It begins with Savior Seeking. I mean... How can one know what it means to live the raised life – living by the resurrection power of the Spirit – without looking to the One who raises the Dead?!

On this topic, Colossians 3 opens with the answer of seeking (ζητεῖτε) and setting (φρονεῖτε). “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (1-4). It begins with setting your mind on the things of God and continuously, regularly, undyingly, zealously, seeking the Lord and His help. The way these words are constructed in the Greek intensify this instruction. Both set and seek are parsed as Present Imperative Active verbs. This means “Continually, habitually follow this command! The Present Imperative is often a call to a long-term commitment and calls for the attitude or action to be one's continual way of life (lifestyle)” (Precept Austin). The first directive to living the raised life, is to set the motivations of your mind and heart on regularly, actively, daily seeking the risen King. This Passage offers step one of living according to the same power that rose Jesus from the dead. It is to set your mind on seeking our Lord.
​

So what does this mean? Simply and practically, it means creating time for the Lord every day. It is so imperative to develop habits of grace. It is setting aside time for prayer, fasting, worship/service, meditation, reading the Bible, and practicing thankfulness. Making the intentional and conscious efforts to regularly seek the Lord will be the very efforts by which the soul will soar to the heights of relationship with God and experience the resurrection power of Christ. This is so important. This how one can begin to position themselves to live the raised life!
​

---

“I know of no better thermometer to your spiritual temperature than this, the measure of the intensity of your prayer” (Spurgeon).

"I am a spiritual being... After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ" (Max Lucado).

"Yours will be the wings of an eagle's flight, the soaring of a lark, sunward, heavenward, Godward! But you must take time to be holy - in meditation, in prayer, and especially in the use of the Bible" (F.B. Meyer).

---

There is, however, another answer to the question of “how do I walk according to the same power that rose Jesus from the dead?”
​

Rising Above! (Vs. 3, “… you died… hidden…”)
​

Our Passage brings us to another point. A surprising point! A VERY surprising point!!!

As a good American, I have always been compelled to interpret the answer of living the raised live – living in accordance with the resurrection power within us, by the Holy Spirit – through the Lens of postmodernity. I have ALWAYS thought that living the raised life means rising above discomfort. Rising above dysfunction. Rising above sorrow. I thought it meant to rise up and out of pain. I thought the raised life meant learning to arise and escape suffering. I assumed, because I am a good western-minded American, it meant rising above tribulation and affliction to the zenith of soaring to the heights of comfort.

I was wrong. Did you see it in the Text?! Look at what it says in verse three. It says to live the raised life, you need to live a lowered life. “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (3). Whoah! It brings death into scope. It brings the sacrifice of Christ’s death into the equation. This is reminding us, using the symbolism of baptism, to follow the example of Jesus. In the same way Jesus died to Himself. In the same way Jesus lived a life of self-sacrifice and giving. In the same way Jesus gave everything for His heavenly purpose. In the same way Jesus could not resurrect without first dying. Living the raised life, by the power of the Holy Spirit, means following the example of Jesus. It means dying to self. Living the raised life means living a life of self-giving. It means dying to self. Living a raised life means lowering yourself into the shadow of Jesus’ cross. Hiding yourself in the exultation of Christ’s resurrection.

This is not the only Scripture that offers dying to self as the main principle behind living under the resurrection power of our Lord. There are SO many.​

• Phil. 3:10, “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”
• Rom. 6:1-5, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”
• Eph. 5:1-2, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

​

---

“I have now concentrated all my prayers into one, and that one prayer is this, that I may die to self, and live wholly to Him” (Spurgeon).
​

---

Living the Raised life means living the lowered life. It means dying to yourself, and sacrificing for the sake of others. This is where the resurrection life of Christ can really be seen through us. Sacrificially loving your wife. Dying to yourself means setting aside time for seeking our risen Lord. Joyfully giving of your tithes and offerings for the sake of those who labor over you, and for the advancing of the Kingdom. Spending less time on Instagram, and more time serving the body of Christ. Feeding the homeless. Going out of the way to build a relationship with your neighbors. Inviting a co-worker over for dinner. Secretly going over to your stressed-out pastor’s house to selflessly help his little family with yard-work while he is out of town. Secretly… Without promise or hope of recognition… Secretly leaving gifts for the underprivileged children next door. Digging wells in Africa. Sharing your faith with your aunt. Striving for excellence in your day job, while your boss is NOT looking. Telling your co-worker about the hope you have in Jesus. Inviting a friend to church. Going back to church yourself. Replacing your habit of complaint with a lifestyle of thankfulness.

A Rising Hope! (vs. 4, “… When Christ Appears…”)
​

​Living the raised life also means lifting the goblet of expectation to be filled with waters of hope. While it is truly a joyous and treasured reality to experience the newness of spiritual life, now, we can cling to the sure hope of our Savior’s return. When Christ comes for His church, he will come with even greater blessing and promise. There will be resurrection. There will be no more sorrow. There will be no more suffering. There will be no more death. We earn. Our hearts long. Our minds anticipate. Our bodies rejoice. We can allow the sure promise of the blessed hope of Christ to heal, purify, and motivate us. While living the raised life means lowering our earthly-selves into Christ’s tomb, it means raising our hope to the heights of anticipation.
​

Col. 3:4, “When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” My favorite part of this Scripture is not the promise of the “appearing.” It is not even necessarily the watching the sky roll up like a scroll. While all of these things tantalize the heart and intoxicate the soul. My favorite part of this promise is the “with Him.” We can look to an eternity in perfection and glory WITH JESUS. The patient barer of our iniquities. The image and depiction of a loving God. The proof of relentless Mercy. The Stamp of unending grace. The Giver of life. The Hope of resurrection. The Sustainer of undeserving souls. Our Savior.
​

• 1 Cor. 15: 51-55, “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’"

​

• 1 Thess. 4:14-18, “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

​

There is only one hope. It is that the work of Christ was confirmed by His own resurrection. He rose from the grave. The resurrection was heaven’s declaration of victory. With His resurrection, He celebrated the reward of a valiant conqueror. There is only one hope. It is the joy of experiencing newness of life. It is the hope and promise of experiencing the full glory of perfection at the Christ’s return. It is a hope your heart can be refreshed by. It is an expectation your mind can ceaselessly meditate upon. It is a hope you can have NOW. It is yours if you are to place your faith in Jesus. By the power of the Spirit who rose Messiah from the dead, you can be lifted out of the mire to walk beside Jesus – like Jesus. Both now and at the consummation of all things.
​

---

“Our sorrows are all, like ourselves, mortal. There are no immortal sorrows for immortal souls. They come, but blessed be God, they also go. Like birds of the air, they fly over our heads. But they cannot make their abode in our souls. We suffer today, but we shall rejoice tomorrow” (Spurgeon).
​

---

​The answer: living the raised life, by the power of Christ’s resurrection, is to desperately seek God every day, die to yourself for the benefit of others, and allow the Hope of Christ’s return and our further bodily resurrection tantalize our expectations.
​