This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.
1 John 4:9

Tomorrow is a big day for the Church.  In most churches around the world, we’re going to be celebrating and remembering Christ’s last meal with his disciples before His death.
This day tends to get overshadowed by Good Friday, which often is almost lost in the excitement of Easter.  Just a few days ago we heard of Christ’s arrival in Jerusalem, which was celebrated by hundreds, if not thousands.  A few weeks from now will be Pentecost.  A few months ago we were all excited about the birth of a new King.  I don’t care what anyone says, Christianity is not dull.

What do we have to be so excited about?  All this stuff happened thousands of years ago.  None of it matters today, right?

John and the other New Testament writers say it does matter.  The ‘Disciple Whom Jesus Loved’ simplifies the reason.  God sent Christ, His only Son “that we might live through Him.”

Yes, Christ came as a human.  Yes, He lived the perfect life we can’t.  Yes, He died as a sacrifice for us.  But what difference does that make.  Unless He rose again it means nothing.  There’s two important reasons why He had to come back to life.  One is to defeat Death.  Two is so that we might live.  Unless He lives, we can’t.

Paul says that through baptism we died with Christ.  Unless He came back to life, we cannot either.

But out God is not dead, He’s alive!  And because of that we live too.  We are called now to live through Him.  That means we are to go out into the world and teach people, with out words and actions, about Christ.

So start living.


Heavenly Father,
Thank you for sending your only Son to die for us do that we may live.  Help us to live for You in all we say and do.
Amen

(I wrote this devotion for the Emmanuel Lutheran Youth group on Wednesday, a half hour before the kids showed up.  So, that's why I claim tomorrow is Maundy Thursday, instead of it being yesterday.  Or today.  Or whenever it was in relation to when you're reading this.)