I remember preparing for a new baby and our move to Tacoma in August 1992. I got a new car, found a new house [duplex] at the foot of Mt. Rainier, packed all our belongings, got a crib and a changing table, and a car seat. But taking a ten day old baby boy on an almost twelve-hundred mile drive with a first-time mom was a big deal.
There were plenty of challenges and unexpected needs along the way, AND when we got there. Sherry was a trooper and kept her mind solid on the Word as she endured me finding a job, getting furniture, meeting people in our Branch, and adapting to a new climate and culture—all while nursing and caring for an infant. She was amazing, and I see in hindsight how I could have done a much better job preparing and thinking through such a momentous move. And Sherry had to leave her parents and sisters whom she loved and who had supported us so much during Elijah’s birth.
During his life on earth, Jesus was a much better “husband” in how he cared for the church. He prepared it for his death, resurrection, ascension, and promised holy spirit. He prepared these real-life people, with real emotions and needs, to carry on the greatest movement of all time—and to live and make known the greatest secret that God had kept hidden from eternity.
As we approach Resurrection Sunday next week, let’s consider today “Getting Ready for the Resurrection.” First, we will see how Jesus prepared his followers for his death; then, how he gave them the hope of his resurrection that fulfilled the scriptures, and finally, how he promised to send a comforter that would take his place in guiding and directing them on earth. And we will rejoice in what we have today in the church, the body of Christ.
Jesus prepared his followers for his death.
In Matthew 16 and Luke 9, Jesus complimented Peter on listening to the Father to see that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Then Jesus gave his disciples some important information.
Matthew 16:21:
From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
Luke 9:22,23:
Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day. And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
He let them know that he would be killed by the religious leaders’ devices, but he also told them he would be raised [by God] on the third day. He then told them they that they too should prepare to carry out their own responsibilities in following their Lord.
Matthew 17:22,23:
And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: and they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.
The disciples were very sorry to hear this news. Even though it had a “happy ending” with Jesus being raised from death. Jesus had told them even before these two times that he would be in the grave for three days and nights.
Matthew 12:40:
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Jesus gave his disciples the hope of his resurrection that fulfilled the scriptures.
Jesus taught his disciples that his body would be raised in three days. After it happened, they remembered the scripture he taught them.
John 2:22:
When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
Even though Jesus taught them, his disciples did not really understand what he meant. Peter and another disciple [perhaps Lazarus] came to the empty sepulcher. When that disciple saw the graveclothes [the same kind Lazarus had worn] he believed. But they hadn’t understood what Jesus told them.
John 20:9:
For as yet they knew not [Greek literally says: had not yet even seen] the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
Jesus promised to send a comforter that would take his place in guiding and directing them on earth.
John 14:16-20:
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that it may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; which the world cannot receive, because it seeth it not, neither knoweth it: but ye know it; for it dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Jesus’ disciples knew God’s spirit because they had seen its power in the life of Christ and in their own spiritual authority that Christ gave them. But Jesus now said that God’s true spirit would dwell IN them. Jesus would come to them by way of God’s indwelling spirit. God would abide with the disciples forever. His spirit within them was the promise of eternal life. Because Christ was raised from the dead, they would live also. They would experientially know [ginoskō] that Jesus was in the Father, that they were in Christ, that Christ was in them.
Colossians 1:27-29 [New Testament in Modern English]:
And THE SECRET is simply this: Christ in you! Yes, CHRIST IN YOU bringing with him the hope of all glorious things to come.
So, naturally, we proclaim Christ! We WARN EVERYONE we meet, and we TEACH EVERYONE we can, ALL THAT WE KNOW about him, so that, if possible, we may BRING EVERY MAN up to his FULL MATURITY in Christ. This is what I am working at ALL THE TIME, with ALL THE STRENGTH that God gives me.
This is no halfhearted effort! We LIVE God’s super spectacular, spiritually stupendous, solidly secret truth that you have CHRIST IN YOU! So we warn everyone we meet, and teach everyone we can, and share all that we know about Christ our lord. Our goal is to bring every person to their full maturity in Christ. We do this all the time and with all the strength our heavenly Father provides.
Jesus prepared his disciples by telling them this truth about the comforter again.
John 15:26:
But when the Comforter is come, which I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, it shall testify of me.
This spirit was from the Father and it would be a witness of Jesus Christ. Jesus told them this same truth in his resurrected body.
Acts 1:8:
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Shortly before being killed, Jesus told them about his impending death. And he prepared them by promising this comforter a third time.
John 16:6,7:
But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Jesus, as the mediator between God and mankind, sent the holy spirit. God is the source of all good things, including this comforting spirit. Jesus is the means by which we have all of God’s good things.
1 Corinthians 8:6:
But to us there is but one God, the Father, OF WHOM are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, BY WHOM are all things, and we by him.
We can rejoice in what we have today in the church, the body of Christ.
Jesus appeared to the disciples in his resurrected body and prepared them to receive this comforter and the power it brings.
John 20:21,22:
Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them [emphusaō], and saith unto them, Receive [lambanō, seize into evidence] ye the Holy spirit.
This word emphusaō is used only once by the Septuagint translators in Genesis 2:7 where God “breathed on Adam” and he became a living soul. Adam manifested the soul that God breathed into his nostrils by living and thinking and breathing. Here the second Adam, Jesus Christ, is telling them they will be filled with spiritual life that they will be able to seize into evidence. They had already seen God’s spiritual power when Jesus was on earth. Now it would dwell permanently in them and they could show it forth in service to others.
Acts 2:4:
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Peter, to whom God showed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of the living God—this same Peter now remembered the scriptures Jesus had taught them. He boldly shared them with the thousands present at the feast of Pentecost.
Acts 2:24-33:
Whom [Jesus Christ] God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received [lambanō] of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
Jesus was delivered for our sins and raised that we might be justified in him.
Romans 4:25:
Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Our physical bodies are energized by the spirit of the living Christ that dwells in us.
Romans 8:11:
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Since we believed that God raised our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, we are saved unto eternal life [Romans 10:9,10]. We shall be raised up with him when he returns for us.
2 Corinthians 4:14:
Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
We rejoice in the full authority we have, being raised with him to heavenly places.
Ephesians 2:6:
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 1:20,21:
Who [Christ] verily was foreordained [foreknown] before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
God always knew He would send His Son. Jesus came into living existence in these last times for us. Today we believe in that same God who raised Jesus from the dead and gave him glory. Our faith and hope are in God Who promises to send His Son back for us. That is the hope of glory that keeps us moving ahead in this world, for we have “Christ in” us!
Our life in Christ is very rich! Today while Sherry was working on a 2.5-hour project, I got on my shiny blue mountain bike and hit the Smith and Sandford Creek Greenways. It was 10 a.m. with a bright blue sunny sky and a nice breeze as I coasted over the little bridge across from the golf course. When I got to the big soccer field, I waved at a couple of players.
Jesus was born in a world full of darkness
Night Has Fallen, Day Will Come
Little Did They Know
A Hymn of Thanks and Praise
I have the blessing to talk with my Mom often during the week. She has been a faithful friend and wise counselor all my life. And her prayers are close to God’s heart. Here’s a poem for Ruth Cecilia Slavit.
We have great memories of praying for our son to be born. And now we’re praying as his son will be born in a few days. Here is a 40-week guide about pregnancy with related scriptures. There is also some interesting information about how a baby develops. God is faithful to help us, and He gives us the desires of our hearts.