The women were looking for Jesus, who had risen as He said He would, among the dead in the graveyard or cemetery. Think about how you and I might apply this truth today.
For years, I was trying to find life and fullness in gratifying my flesh, stuffing myself full of food, and many other things. But food, alcohol, drugs, sexual impurity, riches, etc. cannot provide real or eternal life. I was looking for the living among the dead and didn’t even know it.
Question 3. As you consider your past of turning to food for life, fullness, emotional comfort, or any other reasons, how were you “looking for the living among the dead”?
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Wende gives great input on the above question: "Looking for comfort, peace, fullness of life in the wrong places. Food does not give spiritual life, it does not love you back, it can become an idol."
The angels reminded these two women of Jesus’ words. Earlier, Jesus had told them He would die and rise again on the third day, but these precious women had forgotten this truth. So often, we too forget God’s Word, and our faith grows dim, and we must be reminded of it for our faith to come alive again. “So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body” (2 Peter 1:12-13 NIV).
Here is the truth I want to remind you of today: Jesus Christ rose from the dead as He said He would, as the Old Testament said He would, and you rose in Him! Jesus’ resurrection from the dead means your rising from the old life of gratifying your flesh and living a new life walking by the Spirit. “just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4 NIV).
What does this look like in practical living of our daily lives, especially regarding food issues and bodily care?
To answer this question, look with me at a word picture that will illustrate this truth for us: stand at the side of Jesus’ tomb with me, and watch Jesus rising from the dead and exiting His tomb, full of light and new life. See the Spirit’s power at work in Him, raising Him out of the grave to where He is fully alive and now lives in new power. “He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit” (1 Peter 3:18 NIV).
Now let’s look closer. This time as you look into the grave, you see yourself! There you are, your body lying dead inside the body of Jesus, having rested for three days. As you look, you see the tomb filling with light, and you begin to experience a new power, and all of a sudden, you begin to rise with Jesus. He has risen, and you have risen in Him.
You are walking out of the tomb in Jesus, having risen to a new abundant life with power over sin and your flesh. This power is “incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead” (Ephesians 1:19-20 NIV).
Question 4. According to Ephesians 1:19 NIV, how do we access resurrection power?
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Again, I love Wende's heart in her answer to the above question, "We access the resurrection power by believing that we were crucified and buried with him. The 3 days ensured that the body of sin has been done away with. It is completely dead. Father, give me insight into this so I can walk a crucified/resurrected life. Thank you for giving us baptism as an anchor to this truth: being crucified, buried and resurrected with Christ."