Resurrection Sunday is always a day of reflection and, for some of us, a day of reconnection or introspection. Whether you attended church or attended to thoughts about Jesus this past resurrection Sunday, we are reminded of how much God loves us.

 

Christ’s death represents the ultimate sacrifice for love.  And God’s love is a love that keeps on giving. God’s love shows up when we’ve been knocked down. God’s love quiets our worst storms and heals our deepest hurts. God’s love gives us the courage to get back up again, start over again and to keep fighting. God’s love gives us the ability to forgive the unforgivable and to walk in peace even when we’re in pieces.

 

Love is a two-way street though. Love is hard. Love is powerful. Powerful love is painful and, it is never possible without sacrifice and submission. Submission to God’s will so burdened Jesus that He sweated blood in prayer: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. (Luke 22:42-44).

 

When you think about it, Jesus loved God more than He loved life itself. He had to. Can you imagine God asking us to sacrifice our life for some strangers — even the people who are trying to hang us? God knows our answer: “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:7-8).

 

God is not asking us to die but an intimate relationship with Jesus, abiding in the spirit, does require a sacrifice. Any relationship that will have the benefits and the power that it was created to have, will have sacrifice and submission (John 3:16-17).

 

We’ve all been in good relationships and some not so good. We’ve all met wrong people or people who did not understand the meaning of love — through behavior. Relationship without sacrifice is not a relationship — to most of us. Despite how He felt, despite asking for His cup to pass, despite every reason that you and I would have, Jesus was sold out to for God.

 

 

It sounds like, and it means, if we abide in Jesus and the Word abides in us, we we can ask with expectation. Hope is justified and our power is empowered through abiding. Our desire to do God’s will confirms that the Truth abides in us. There is no other proof: “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples” (John 15:8).

 

Abiding is a lifestyle, not an event.  Nobody is perfect and abiding does not mean that we are.  We can abide and be flawed (1 John 1:8-10), we can abide and be weak (2 Corinthians 12:9-10), because it is through abiding that we are moved to ask for forgiveness when we make a mistake (1 John 1:9).

 

Abiding simply says “Yes” to God’s will and His Word — as our sacrifice. Through our sacrifice we gain access to the power of the resurrection: “I want to know Christ–yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10). In other words, if we really want power in life, we must abide, sacrifice for the cause of Christ.

 

Abiding does not always feel good, it’s not always convenient but as Christ showed us and we celebrate as part of the “Resurrection,” abiding is the requirement for power (Matthew 28:18).  Church fellowship is not optional when we abide in Jesus (Hebrews 10:24-25, Ephesians 4:11-13). Serving each other (Galatians 5:13), sacrifice for the cause of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:19), saving the lost (Matthew 28:16-20, John 21:17) and defending the defenseless (Isaiah 1:17), is not optional when we abide in Jesus. Bearing fruit (John 15:4-5), Loving each other (1 John 3:14), submission to our spouse (Ephesians 5:21), and forgiveness (Mark 11:25, Matthew 6:14-15), is not possible — although sometimes difficult, unless we abide (John 15:5).

 

Real relationship will cost you — more than a Resurrection Sunday. It will bless you. It will reward you. It will take you places that you never dreamed of. It will take you deeper through experience. It will take you higher through obedience. It will grow us, change us, and fill our faith deposit box with hope (Romans 5:1-5).

 

If we trace our ups and downs, despair and struggles in any area of life, they will always be connected to our abiding. Are you ready for more, for higher, for greater, for supernatural increase and favor to overtake your life? Abide — find a powerhouse church, plug in and access the resurrection power for powerful living (John 10:10).

 

Share and be blessed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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