O Death Where is Your Victory ?

2015.04_Cover1 Cor 15: 54  “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55  “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

The month of April is full of joy and new life, a time of celebration as we step; – in the natural into spring, and the suns ray, bring warmth and vitality to our  depleted bodies. At this celebratory time of year our thoughts drift back a few thousand years, as we consider what it must have been like to be there…. on our annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

Imagine with me as we stand in the shadow of the gates of Jerusalem, with my Galilean triumphal-entry6family, the pressing crowd, jostling one another, the noise, smells and clamour, as we press through the gate into Jerusalem.

Suddenly someone shouts “there he is !!!!”; where, where…… Look he’s riding a donkey, who is it ?..… , it’s the prophet Jesus, he’s from Nazareth in Galilee, he’s entering Jerusalem. The crowd in cheer delight and extravagance takes up the chant “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna !!!!.

Look they are laying their cloaks on the road and cutting palm branches from the trees and laying them on the ground – “grab me a branch too please, I also want to lay it on the ground”. We are all caught up in the moment as Jesus enters into the Holy City.

We remember Palm Sunday as he rode in triumph into Jerusalem, this action announcing to the world the words of the prophet Zechariah as they now ring throughout the centuries.

We hail King Jesus, little did we know or realize at this moment in time we bore witness, we experienced the prequel to the next few days, which would bring about more noise and shouting; OH !! worship1but to a very different drum beat. This would in the natural not be joyous or awe inspiring, but would lead to the death and resurrection of Jesus. Yet in the supernatural we receive entrance into the heavenly throne room by the work of the cross, the “sons” rays would emanate in all His glory bringing a new life, an abundant one. The resulting resurrection, ushers in an immortal new and living Saviour.

At this time of the year we gather to remember the first Passover lamb as the sacrifice for the exodus from Egypt until the time of Christ our Passover lamb forever.

Heb 12:2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Our eyes are fixed on you Jesus and we sing with hearts of deep gratitude.

Thank you for the cross the mighty cross

That God Himself should die for such as us

And everyday we’re changed into Your image more and more

Yes by the cross we’ve truly been transformed

Death has been swallowed up in Christ’s victory………

 

Mark Ellwood

Husband of one gorgeous wife, blessed father, delighted in my daughter, pastor, preacher, pedestrian, follower of Jesus, amazed that I have been chosen. Mark is the Senior Pastor at The Bridge Church For All Nations. Follow Mark’s personal blog