GLORIOUS HOPE
Part six of six devotions in Resurrection Power series
Philippians 3:20-21: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.”
What did Jesus’ disciples do after watching Him ascend to heaven? (Acts 1:10-11). Their roller coaster got derailed from witnessing miracles and Jerusalem’s “Hosanna” applause when Jesus was arrested. They clung to hope.
Then Jesus was tortured and nailed to a cross.
Only Apostle John watched His beloved Jesus die. Impulsive Peter felt Jesus’ piercing eyes—after having denied Him three time—wept alone. Let’s remember that braggarts usually choke on their own words (Luke 22:55-62). Judas hanged himself (Matthew 27:3-5). Only God knows where the other nine apostles lurked. But Jesus wasn’t alone when dying on that cross. (Matthew 27:50, Mark 15:37, Luke 23:45, John 18:15-27, 19:1, 16-30).
Jesus rose from the tomb after three days. His disciples’ happiness filled the land with joyful celebration. But after forty days, their celebration took on a new purpose: Work.
Mark 16:20 says, “Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the
LORD worked with them and confirmed His Word by the signs that accompanied it.”
That roller coaster that kept the disciples hopeful rumbles uphill today with Christians on board. Our glorious hope comes from the angel in Acts who said, “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”
Our wait will end soon. Jesus said in Revelation 22:12, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.”
The cool thing about resurrection power is that “just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven. … We will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. … For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.” (1 Corinthians 15:49, 51b, 52a, 53).
Check out the lesson linked below for a glimpse of Jesus’ glorious body. Not only perfect in every way, but it could change form and do mysterious things!
Take Home Nugget
Our Father promises Jesus’ followers the power to live forever, too. AND, the best part is that we don’t have to wait until we die to claim God’s resurrection power. That begins the moment we place our faith in Jesus as Savior and LORD.
Resurrection power flows through God to me. Hallelujah!
Adapted from “Are you ready to experience the resurrection power every day?” by Lesli White. www.beliefnet.com. June 13, 2017.
J.D. Griffith
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