Yes, “PAID IN FULL!”  Jesus paid our ‘sin debt” at calvary, but praise God He did not stay in the grave - “up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o’er His foes; He arose a victor from the dark domain, and He lives forever with His saints to reign; He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose! (Lyrics, ‘Christ Arose’, Robert Lowry)

That is indeed good news - no, its actually great news!  Jesus paid our sin debt and He not only defeated sin and death, but the grave!

There is more proof on the life, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ than anything in history! But I don’t need proof. I know He lives because “He lives within my heart.”  As that great hymn, ‘He Lives’ goes - “I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today; I know that He is living, whatever foes may say; I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer, and just the time I need Him He’s always near.  He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!  He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.  He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!  You ask me how I know He lives?  He lives within my heart.” (Lyrics, ‘He Lives!’, Alfred H. Ackley) 

Paul reminds us in Colossians chapter 3, “if then you were raised with Christ”, ‘if’, speaking to the certainty of the matter.  Raised with Christ is a present and future reality.  Present reality through the new birth - born again of the Spirit!  Future reality - we will be with Christ and all the redeemed and have a new glorified body!  Since we know these things to be true, because almighty God has declared it, Paul says we should “seek and set our minds on things above” (cf. Colossians 3:1-4).

See, our creator knew that it is only when we are ‘heavenly minded’ that we are of the most ‘earthly good!”  The Easter message did not end on Easter Day, it was only the beginning of ‘all things new!’

“When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory!”

Pastor Rodney

Ecclesiastes 12:9-14