St Luke's Church Eccleshill - Articles from "The Link"

God raised Jesus

God raised Jesus up from the dead:
the man they crucified.
When he died he paid for my sins:
and now he's risen I am justified.

When I was still weak and powerless,
Jesus died in the sinners' place.
Risen now, he meets me to bless,
I'm saved from wrath by his grace.

While I was unclean, Christ died for me,
I was justified by his blood.
How much more shall he set me free
from wrath, and bring me to good?

An enemy once, I'm reconciled
by the death of God's Son in pain.
How much more, now I am his child,
his risen life is my gain.

By trespasses of the human race
death and hell reigned supreme through sin.
But we gain abundance of grace
by Christ's new life ent'ring in.

Romans 4:24-25

Romans 5:6 & 9

Romans 5:8 & 9

Romans 5:10

Romans 5:17

What difference does it make in my life that Jesus died on the cross and was raised to life on the third day?

A great deal of difference in a lot of different ways, says St Paul, in his letter to the Romans. I’ve always found it very fascinating the way that Paul writes of both the cross and the resurrection and bring us these many benefits, and sets them out so clearly. On the cross Jesus achieved certain objective historical things, and therefore by his risen life he can bring them to me now.

Without Jesus I’m the rightful object of God’s wrath, because of the things I’ve done wrong and the good I’ve failed to do. I can’t compensate God for these failings: only Jesus can do that by dying in my place. So he brings me blessing instead of anger.

Without Jesus my sin makes me dirty. His death was to clean me, but by his new life he sets me free from the power of sin so I can be different.

Without Jesus I was part of the world’s problem, and fighting on the wrong side. But by his new life in me I change sides, and now fight for him as part of his family.

Without Jesus the human race is on its way down ... rapidly! But his new life turns us around: not that we deserve it, but as a free gift (that’s what “grace” means) he can change us for ever.

John Hartley