Wake Up to the Resurrection All Around You

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. – Romans 1:19-20

Everything, everything, everything screams “Jesus!”  I’m no biblical scholar and I’ve never been to seminary, but I love the Bible and have studied it for years on my own (that is what every Christian does, right?).  Even to a lay person like me, it is blatantly obvious.   From the first days of creation to the one boat in a worldwide flood to the blood sacrifice at Jewish Passover to the kings and prophets – the Bible is all about Jesus Christ the Messiah.   It is no wonder Jesus is called the Word (see John 1:1, 14, Luke 24:27 and Rev. 19:13), he is the Bible with skin on.

If you think the display of who Christ is and what he has done is limited to Scripture you are very mistaken.  Today I want to shift your attention to what God is declaring in the world all around you.  He is NOT done talking about his son.  Jesus is too wonderful to be held to one large volume of print.  Jesus is too great to be limited to preaching on Sundays and small groups on Wednesdays.  Jesus is too powerful to be regulated, governed or managed.  And praise God that he is!
Not only has God determined that his Son should be declared in all of the good ways listed above but also that his qualities should be clearly seen through what he has made (see Romans 1:20 above!).  The entire Universe screams “Jesus!” just like everything else.  How?  Let’s look at two very simple ways.

…BUT first, two important points for us to keep in mind.  1 - No creation is divine, no creation is a part of God.  Creation is a way that God displays his attributes, but creation does not contain God.  That is called “pantheism” and is heresy.  2 – The way that God reveals himself to us in a personal way will always be his Word, the Bible.  Hearing or reading the gospel is what brings us to a saving faith in Jesus, not pretty clouds or majestic mountains. These things cause us to praise God but not know him.  Guard your hearts, Ladies.  Now let’s continue…

Spring is here and we love it.  It is the topic of conversation and it changes how we spend our days.  We long to be outside…experiencing what?  Experiencing this re-birth of our earth!  What was dead is coming to life again.  We see trees budding, flowers stretching and brown landscapes turning bright green. Creation is acting differently - the birds are chirping, the fish are biting, and the kids are running.  There is a resurrection happening all around us, are you noticing? 

God allows a time of increased darkness, cold, and barrenness then follows it with a warming that thaws the earth and awakens what has been “asleep”.  This stirs something in us because it is supposed to.  It is another display of what Jesus did in dying for us under the wrath of his Father while paying the penalty of our sins.  He was dead in the grave for a time, yet death could not keep him.  He rose again to life and now radiates a beauty and perfection that we can enjoy (if we are believers).  We bask in the goodness of our Savior, like we do the beauty of good spring weather.

This regeneration period for the earth begins when the earth’s position shifts in relation to the sun.  Our day/night cycles are also regulated by our position to the sun.  Why the sun?  Because of the S-O-N.  Just as each season is a reminder of the resurrection of our Savior so is each and every sunrise.  Moving from darkness to light is one of the primary analogies used in the Bible (see the book of John).  Jesus himself said, “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12).  Why would God not make this evident to us every day we breathe?  Psalm 19:2 says, “Day to day pours out speech,” and that this voice “goes through all the earth,” (v. 4).  It is worldwide reminder of Jesus, day after day.

Spring and sunrises –comparisons to the resurrection of Jesus - could it be that simple?  Yes!  As Romans 1:19 says, “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.”  God has kept it simple, we don’t have to wonder or look far.  Just take notice and give praise. 
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If you think this is silliness, you may fall under Romans 1:18 which speaks of those “who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.”  Be careful that you are not denying the obvious truth right in front of your face with every sunrise and new season that comes.  For the wrath of God is revealed to those who take that position (v. 18).  For the rest of us we gladly see it and rejoice in it.  We are among those who “live by faith” (Romans 1:17) and “are not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).