Lenten Journey 2025
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April 20th
Happy Resurrection Day, Christ the Lord is risen today. This message has been heralded from pulpits, from sidewalks, from the backs of horses for millennia, and the message is as powerful today, as it has ever been. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the ultimate game changer, where we understand, that death is a fruit or byproduct of sin. Jesus not only reveals the remedy for the sin issue, but he also shows us that He is not only conquer of sin, but he also conquers death and the grave, you see the grave could not hold him. He is victorious, he is conqueror, he is our lord. No name can match His glorious name. Angels proclaim it from heaven on high, and we, the inhabitants of earth, his foot stool, exalt his glorious name.
Just as, I shared yesterday, ‘the cross’ as a topic that is incomprehensible, outside of the Spirit of God giving you insight and understanding. The same, can be spoken of the empty tomb, preachers and pulpiteers has tried to preach the superlative perspective of the empty tomb, only to realize that our dog and pony shows cannot convey the glory of our God, that can be seen in the magnitude of his handiwork, that we call this universe.
The word, this morning, that has captured my soul are these words, “then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” Paul proclaims this to the congregation at Corinth through the penned word. I don’t know in my studies that I have come across the significance of the word swallowed up, in general researcher reminded me of and event in my life. Allow me that luxury to share the story, Down the street on victory Drive from Baker high school there is a McDonald’s. It was probably known better than your average McDonald’s, but it was an extremely hot day, and I had the idea that a chocolate shake would be just perfect for the day. As I ordered my chocolate shake and wanting to be clean from the work that I had just accomplished. I went to wash my hands, and in time, as I came out to the sound of slurping an empty cup. My friends that were with me, thought it would be humorous and they teamed up against my shake, I realize that they had ‘swallowed up’ my milkshake. That is the picture, that ‘swallowed up’ means, a coupling definition of this word, means, ‘to devour’. You see, these fellas had swallowed up, slurped my shake and there was not a slurp left in my cup.
We out of disobedience, we had made a concoction of misery, pain, and shame, which concluded with death. But Jesus arrives, and the drink, that every child of Adam had to drink, Jesus picks up the cup and He ‘swallows up’ the concoction of Humanity and Sin, and the toll upon him is equal as it is, to all of us, who are a part of humanity, Death. Death seized its prey, but it had no power because death is a by-product of sin, and because Jesus was Sin-less. Death has No Grip on Him, and he comes victorious from the grave alive forever more.
So now when you read Jesus saying, ‘let this cup pass from me, BUT nevertheless, Your Will be done’. You can remember this Jesus swallowed it all, there is none left for you to worry about. Celebrate Your Risen Conquering Lord, and His Name is JESUS.
Vermilion Valley Vineyard 
