The Resurrection: A Meditation on His Lordship

As we celebrate with friends and family the bodily resurrection of our blessed lord and savior, I’d like to offer what I plan for evening devotions with my family. While there are many facets of the resurrection that could be touched upon, my offering for now will just be this one: The Resurrection and Lordship of Christ.

We read in John 10:18

"No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."

There are three things here to turn our attention, and each one comes under Christ’s lordship –

1) Referring to the death He would die, Christ states that no one will take His life from Him. As Lord over all creation, He is not only in control of each and every circumstance, He is also Lord over His own response. The Wicked One would deceive us with chaos so that we shudder with confusion and respond with that same confusion. His intent is for us to take our eyes off of our heavenly Father and thus sin by acting in despair. When we do that, we are not trusting in God. Not so with Christ. When the world appeared to be turned upside down with Satan achieving victory, Christ maintained the will of the Father. What appeared to sinful humanity was not in fact the truth of the circumstance. Though they were blind to it, they operated under the ultimate sovereignty of another – Christ, as humanity had no power whatsoever to take away His life. Christ maintained over circumstance because of who His is – the Designer and Creator of all the ages. His life was His to give; it was not for any to take away.

2) He laid down His own life with purpose. He acted as sovereign of His death and what His death would accomplish: the redemption of His people. The death of the God-man has infinite value. We are justified by His blood, just as it is His blood that gives us daily cleansing. His lordship supplies that value, just as it was an act of His lordship to bow His head and die.

3) In His lordship, He has the authority within Himself to take back up His own life. As Lord, He was active in His own resurrection from the dead. Christ proclaims Himself to be THE resurrection and THE life. Eternal life is not some vague gift; Eternal Life is a reality through union with Christ, as it is Christ who Himself is that life. His lordship is shown in His own self sustainment as God the Son, and is not dependent upon anything for existence. Christ is Lord!!! And as Lord He is risen indeed!!!!!!


May you and your family have a blessed time of celebration and worship of our most blessed resurrected Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ!