It’s Monday and Christ is still risen. This may seem obvious on one hand, but it’s really not. We made a big deal about this yesterday, but the real deal may be what happens today.
On Easter we celebrate an event that happened in space and time and the significance of that event on who Jesus is and what his life, death and resurrection accomplished for us all in terms of the forgiveness of our sins, our salvation and ultimate eternal life. But what difference does Christ’s resurrection make on my life now? How will it affect my life today… Monday, April 9, 2012? Am I the same miserable person I would be without Christ’s resurrection? Do I only get the benefit of this when I die?
Well, yes and no. I only get the benefit of His resurrection when I die, but my death can occur any moment now. My death doesn’t only happen at the end of this life when I die and go to heaven. My death happens any time I die to myself. That would mean any time I
give up my rights to what I want
serve someone other than myself
get stretched beyond my own human resources
share in the sufferings of Christ (all of the above).
I, for one, know far too little of this because I am always insisting on my own way. You don’t get resurrection power and your own way at the same time. You have to die… suffer… give up… give in… go beyond… These are all different ways of saying it. As a spiritual mentor of mine used to say, “Resurrection power works best in graveyards.”
Or, to put it in context of our Wednesday night teleconference Bible study, it just so happens that we are in a section of scripture that puts some meat and bones on this concept: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels [i.e. an expression of our human frailty], so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; [and just to make sure this point gets across to others…] we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the [resurrected] life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the [resurrected] life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you” (2 Corinthians 4:7-12).
In other words, you’ve seen the bumper sticker, “S—t happens.” Well that’s still true for believers, it just means that when s—t happens, the resurrected power of Christ happens too, and it’s up to us to decide which one we want to experience.
So let me get personal now. I have things I have to accomplish this week that I have no desire or motivation to accomplish. If I succeed, it will be because I died to myself, and Jesus rose from the dead. It will be strictly because I tapped into the power of resurrection Monday.
That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10, 11)
John Fischer The Catch 
It was a wonderful to read how Tim C. showed his vulnerability and told the truth about his life with a minimum of detail. It was heart warming to read how he was prayed for and the subsequent answered prayer testimony of Tim C.
The Catch is an example of a loving cyberspace community. It is wonderful to be over a thousand miles away from Laguna Beach ie. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and read about spontaneous prayer support. The Catch Community fills my heart with the love of Christ expressed in love for each other. We don’t know each other personally, but we know each other through Christ!
In my church a fifteen year old atheist came regularly to youth night. In conversation with him I asked him why he came because he did not believe in Christ. He said he was attracted because people had prayed for him and this made him feel cared for in a way he had never experienced before. Prayer is an act of love! Last month that young man was drawn into the fold by the Holy Spirit……AWESOME!
Let us continue to pray for each other in the Catch Community!
This is a response to the Good Friday post.
I’m afraid that I have to admit to feeling afflicted in every way, and crushed; perplexed, and despairing; persecuted (for being a trusting person), and forsaken; struck down, and destroyed. That next step is a long one.
Thanks again for praying.
Like to 2nd this: “The Catch is an example of a loving cyberspace community. … Let us continue to pray for each other in the Catch Community!” and add an big Amen! 🙂
Thank you, John, for capturing and depicting those moments when we all have to make a decision on what to do next, where to go, who to turn to. Jesus is always the answer, but He is unfortunately not who I always turn to. As Tim C. said that next step is a long one. A long one for a single mother of 5 like me or for a friend at church who lost her husband unexpectedly on Easter Sunday or for another friend, a couple actually, who are dealing with depression, addiction and possibly divorce or for the women of Isaiah House that you always speak of. Our pain and troubles are real. The key is to remember who to turn to, whose child you are. The day to day details and decisions of life and how to make the right decisions and focus on the right details are exactly what I have been trying to instill in my children, especially my teenager who has to start making those decisions on his own. I want him, all of them, to know where to turn and that whether you blew it or are experiencing something good that it is Jesus to whom you turn. Thank you again John for using your God given talent to write The Catch. God bless.