Importance: 10%
The Big Idea
Imported notes from Josh Leborious
Partial Summary of Some Truths Related to Easter/Exaltation of the Lord Jesus
A clear theological understanding of death âincluding Jesusâ death âis necessary. a. Deathâincluding physical deathâis what happens to sinners. It is the consequence of sin (Genesis 3, Romans 5). To put it another way, sin is the stinger/barb in the hand of death (1 Cor 15). The two go together. Theologically, death is an enemy of God and of Godâs people. b. Jesusâ deathâvicarious to be sure âis the sign of at least two things. i. Evil men performed injustice, and they killed him. Satan acted through them and killed the Prince of Life. It was the culmination of the authority of darkness (Luke 22). Evil exerted itself to the fullest. ii. God (with Jesusâ full and courageous consent and loving agreement) laid our sins upon Jesus. His suffering on the cross was theological. But his dyingâand his being deadâis also theological. Itâs more closely related to punishment than it is to redemption. Itâs not the end of the story. It canât be. c. By itself, there is no saving significance to Jesusâ suffering and death. While he is dead, death has mastery over him, and he is in danger of seeing corruption. This is a great mystery, but no greater mystery than to say that God became a true man, or that God died.
Beginning with Easter (= resurrection from the dead), Christ Jesus has begun a new mode of living. a. He is immortal and humble / lowly no longer. From conception through death, he voluntarily was humble / lowly, and his majesty was hidden. Now he is humble / lowly no longerâstill human, but not humble lowly. b. He is the beginning of the one resurrection harvest. Moreover, since humanity is the central focus of Godâs entire redemptive plan for the cosmos (Romans 8), He is the beginning of the renewed creation. The âline of redemptionâ runs from Jesus to us to the cosmos. Though we deserve to be, we are not a âblip.â c. In history and in time, he has received a new authority and grandeur. All authorit was given to him. He has received a name that is above every name. He has inherited a name far greater even than the angels. Evil and Satan did not win, and they do not/ will NOT have the last word d. Raised in connection with / by the Holy Spirit, Jesus now gives the Holy Spirit to all believers, and to his whole church.
Risen from the dead, Jesusâ work continues for all, and for all who believe / are baptized into Him. a. Because Jesus, our Representative/the second Adam, was vindicated / justified in his resurrection, we are vindicated/ justified/ put in the right with God.
b. Because Jesus, our perfect High Priest, has entered Godâs presence to present/ sprinkle his blood before God, he has completed his sacrificial atonement to cleanse us from our guilt and shame, and he is now continually interceding for us before the Father who eagerly receives his intercession to forgive, sustain, strengthen, and help us. c. Because Jesus has begun to live a new sort of life and because we are joined to him, we also begin to (1) have eternal life, and to (2) receive gifts from God through Jesus constantly, and (3) to have the Spirit-driven power as those who are alive from the dead to respond in loving obedience to God and love for our neighbor. d. Because Jesus is risen as the first-fruits, our final resurrection to incorruption, glory, and power is guaranteedâboth by his once-for-all resurrection and by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us as a down-payment of that final glorious inheritance.