"And being assembled together with them, He [Jesus] commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."" (Act 1:4-5)
The lilies we bought to celebrate Easter may have withered and died, but the reality of our Risen Savior lives on.
The baptism Jesus speaks about in Acts 1 came about roughly fifty days later and is described vividly in Acts 2. The disciples and the first followers of Jesus received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
As Christians, we don't have to wait for a particular day (this year Pentecost falls on May 19th) to receive this indwelling of the Spirit. For us, this miracle happens when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. But we can take these days in between, known as Eastertide, to meditate on the transformation of Christ.
From Suffering Servant to Glorified King.
In this five-part series, we will contrast His sufferings at His first coming, with the glory of His second coming.
Today we begin with His Life.
His Suffering: The first appearing of our Lord. A helpless baby, wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manager.
“‘And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.’” (Luke 2:12)
They say He was swaddled like the sacrificial lambs. Those pure white yearlings were set aside for special sacrifices in the Temple. From the moment of His birth, we see the purpose of God unfolding.
His Glory: He will return as reigning King, clothed in Majesty!
“The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The LORD is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength. Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved.” (Psa 93:1)
Jesus is not just a symbol of majesty, He is infinite in majesty. Inspiring awe and reference in the beholder. Greatness in His strength and mighty to save.
His Suffering: As a man, Jesus experienced physical limitations. Weariness, hunger, pain, and thirst.
“Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus, therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.” (John 4:6)
His Glory: Our Risen Savior, Creator and upholder of all creation, neither faints nor grows weary.
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.” (Isa 40:28)
Not only does our Mighty Lord never grow tired, He gives strength to His people. He enables us to walk and not grow faint.
His Suffering: During His time on earth, Jesus did not build Himself a mansion or even a modest dwelling.
“‘And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.’” (Luke 9:58)
Putting Himself at the mercy of others for the most basic needs, Christ shows His great love for us. Teaching us the sweetness of poverty and the joy we receive when we trust in Him.
His Glory: Owning nothing in this life, our Risen Savior is heir of all things.
“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;” (Heb 1:1-2)
Christ, rising in power, having purged our sins, is now seated at the right hand of God. All things have been made through Him and for Him. (Col 1:16)
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Beloved, we see that in every way, the sufferings of Christ on this earth have been redeemed for all eternity.
The same is true for us and our sufferings. In Christ, we are no longer of this world. He has made us alive together with Him. “Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” (2Co 4:17)
As we meditate on these truths this week, may we walk by faith, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
Beautifully written
I love that you highlighted Jesus's humanity and His diety. As Believers we must embrace both parts of Him. Neither part can be ignored or downplayed- He was fully man and fully God. He will return.
Looking forward to reading more