What do you think the greatest three word phrase in history is? Well any ideas? Perhaps it is something funny a friend said or a phrase that your mother or father has instilled on you. The first thing that came to mind for me is the phrase “I love you.” I thought this is a valid phrase and a rather important one at that point . . . until I found one that has become even more important to me. You may be thinking, what on Earth could be greater than “I love you?” How about I give you a hint:
“I know that My Redeemer lives!
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead;
He lives, my ever living head!”
Well, did that help any? To me the phrase “Christ has Risen!” is a much more important phrase. Beginning to elaborate look at a few more phrases in the song “I Know that My Redeemer Lives.” Verse two says “He lives triumphant from the grave, He lives eternally to save.” Without Christ’s birth death and resurrection we would have no need for love on this Earth because we would all have nothing to live for. Because of his death we have victory over sin, death and the devil. Because of his death we too can love one another just as He loves us.
As I continue to think about it the two go hand in hand. Look at John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but will have everlasting life.” Because God so loved the world, that is us! He loved us so much that He gave his only begotten Son, to live on this earth and to die for each and every one of us, so that we who have trust and faith in Him can spend eternity in heaven. Showing again Christ’s great love for us through His death it is stated in 1 Timothy 1:15 that “Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.” Even more so look at Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” We continually fall into the fate of sin, and yet when each and every one of us were still sinners (especially since none of us will ever be perfect) Christ died for us. We are as far from perfect as possible and Christ was still there to die for our sins, to give us eternal life. What great love that is!
So now that I have talked my way through circles I seem to think that one without the other is worthless, but for some reason, “He is Risen” still hits more to home for me. Maybe it is because Christ came to serve, not to be served. Again another statement of love, He knew that His purpose on this Earth was eventually to suffer and die on the cross for us. It is continually stated how Christ gave his life as a ransom for many. Such an important task, even when Jesus knew his father’s will. What can we do to show our gratitude? This is where it all gets tied together, with the greatest commandments, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” These are the two greatest commandments and are a great way in which we can show our thanks for Christ dying on the cross for us.
1 Corinthians 13:13 “Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” I don’t know if I am even on the right track saying that “He is Risen” is more important than “I love you.” Perhaps it just hits me more. But what I do know is that I don’t remember either often enough. This Easter season I have made it my goal to recognize the resurrection and the love that Christ has for me every day and I pray that you also work to this goal. I leave you with the lyrics from a Casting Crowns song titled “Who am I?” which really show how lucky we are to have the love of Christ!
Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt.
Who am I?
That the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wandering heart.
Bridge:
Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.
Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.
Who am I?
That the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again.
Who am I?
That the voice that calmed the sea,
Would call out through the rain,
And calm the storm in me.
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
I am yours..
I am yours..
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1 comment:
Paul at one point says that without the resurrection, our faith is futile. So I think the three words that give us the most hope, and that impact our lives the most would be, "He is risen." though the fact he was risen was out of love. Without the resurrection, or faith is futile and we are left for dead, but because Christ is raised, we too are raised, so as Pastor Sippy said in his Easter sermon, it gives us the power to say three more very strong words, that we should say just as much as "He is risen" those being, "WE are risen." Praise God for this.
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