Christ Lives in Me!
We are now in the season of Lent. One of the wonders of Jesus’ crucifixion is that it happened on Israel’s remembrance of Passover. The stories of Moses and Jesus merged. It was on the first Passover that God used the sacrifice of a lamb and a sacred meal to show the world that He was the source of life and freedom. It wasn’t until Jesus’ death that we would understand the connection between Jesus and the Passover lamb and what it meant to eat and drink from God’s own self-sacrifice.
God uses death to bring life. The Israelites were born into slavery. Pharaoh wouldn’t release his grip until God made it personal. Every oldest son would die unless the family killed a spotless lamb and wiped his blood across their doorposts. (Exodus 12:6-7) We have been born into the bondage of sin, and Satan would not release sin’s grip on us until God made it personal. He made it personal when His perfect Son was sacrificed on the cross.
Galatians 2:20 explains this to us when Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” When we put our faith in God’s spotless Lamb, we commit to daily dying with Him – dying to our sin so we might rise with Him to new life (Romans 6:4-5). We express this faith every time we say no to sin and yes to Christ.
Prayer – Jesus, Your death brings me life. Help me die to sin today and to begin living my life through You. Amen.
Exodus 12:13 – “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.”
By the Rev. Tommy Herndon
Images: Keegan Houser & Rod Long, courtesy of Unsplash