See the Conqueror

I think I have posted this video before, but I could not stop thinking about this song today. 

My favorite bits of this song:

He who on the cross did suffer!

He who from the grave arose!

He has vanquished sin and satan!

He by death has spoiled his foes!

They raced to the tomb, angels stood by

Mary was weeping for the empty inside

For the sins of the world, for the sake of His bride

He went to His death, and behold, He’s alive!

He's alive! O He's alive!

He has vanquished sin and satan. He is victorious. He is a conqueror. I love the image of the disciples racing to the tomb and Mary weeping for she is afraid someone has taken Jesus' body. 

"Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?' Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, 'Sir, if you have carried him away tell me where you have laid him and I will take him away.' Jesus said to her, 

'Mary.' 

She turned and said to him in Aramaic, 'Rabboni!' which means teacher."

John 20: 15-16

He's alive. Sometimes, I have a hard time with the resurrection of Christ. I have a hard time wrapping my mind around it all. What does this all mean? How does this relate to me and my relationship with the Lord? This victory shows that death and sin have lost their grip on me. That when I choose to look at Jesus after he calls my name, choosing to be in relationship with him, he responds by making me more like him. When I accept the invitation to follow him and live my life for him, he transforms me. This transformation defeats the poisonous sin in my broken heart. It is this victory that gives me purpose and meaning in life. Without this victory, I couldn't be in relationship with God the Father. Sin separates us. Because Jesus conquered death and sin, my slate is wiped clean. I can live in union with my creator. It was by my hands and my broken heart that this man was crucified. I am guilty of this crime. I deserve death and separation. But because of the grace, love, and mercy of Jesus I am set free. I am not only pardoned from this crime, but I am adopted as an heir to the throne. As a daughter of Christ. How beautiful is this victory? How marvelous is this conqueror? 

The resurrection means everything. I miss this so often. I take my eyes off of the cross and resurrection and look only to my selfish and sinful desires. Jesus waits for me, continually calling me back into his presence, to be changed by his death and resurrection time and time again. This is a story that needs to be told daily. To ourselves, to our friends who know him, to our friends who don't know him, to our families, our coworkers, our neighbors. This story can be told in many ways. The best way to tell this story, in my opinion, is to love. To love like the Father loves us. To love without conditions or expectations in a way that doesn't make sense according to earthly standards. It is when we love like this that others will ask, "What is it that makes [insert name here] so different? How can they always be so loving and life-giving? What motivates them?" It is here that we can intimately and genuinely share the gospel of Christ. This is the call we have all received. 

Christ is risen. And it changes everything.