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“Put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” — Ephesians 4:24

Spring is spectacular! What a joy it is to look out the window and see the yellow daffodils dotting the hillside and the purple lillies bursting forth in blossom. To see grass that had been yellow beginning to turn green and bushes that had been dormant covered in new growth. To welcome back the birds that had migrated South but now fill the air with the sound of chirping. Life abounds all around us!

We just celebrated life bursting forth from the tomb on Easter morning as well. The women go to the tomb to deal with death. But Jesus is not there! Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! The tomb with it’s huge stone, all the forces of evil and death itself could not contain Jesus. He bursts forth from the tomb full of life to fill each of us with that same life. The first to celebrate that life in Christ are the women. Sin, death and the devil are now an afterthought. They too burst forth from the tomb full of life to go and share that same life with everyone they meet. 

The joy of the resurrection is not limited to Easter morning. It is a reality to be celebrated every day of our lives. In Romans 6:4 Paul writes, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” In baptism you were united with Christ so that his death was your death and his resurrection is your resurrection. It’s that newness of life that Paul is encouraging the people to put in his letter to the Ephesians. He says “Put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Every day we are invited to put on the righteousness and holiness of Christ by giving him our sins so that we can walk in that newness of life. 

The world we live in is full of death and we find ourselves dealing with it all the time. From the brokenness of the world to our own sinfulness it can be overwhelming. That’s why Paul’s reminder is so important. We give to Jesus our sins. We give to Jesus the sins that have been committed against us. We give it all to Jesus and we put on his righteousness and holiness and then we burst forth from the tomb full of life every day. God’s children are people of the resurrection! We live out the resurrection every day and as we do we see life bursting forth all around us! Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

Rev. Matthew Sorenson is the pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church. He can be reached at pastor@stjohnsfarmville.org.