His Kingdom would break the kingdoms of the earth. The rulers determined to break him. Arrested and falsely accused, Jesus was executed on a cross in cruelty and shame, then sealed in a rock tomb.
Little did they know. Jesus did not run or hide. At that moment, and every moment, he gave himself over to God’s will and purpose. He knew God had a plan. He did the opposite of Adam. Having nothing and losing his life, he gave himself to God, to stand in the place of all those who followed Adam. He stood in our place, took on our failure, our brokenness, our rebellion. He said to God, “Father, I am utterly alone. Yet I give myself to you. You will put things right. You will bring victory from total defeat.”
And God did.
On the third day, God reversed death. He launched the age of new creation. He started to make all the brokenness fresh and new. He raised Jesus from that tomb. He declared him for ever innocent, for ever right. He confirmed every title—Saviour, Messiah, King, Lord. And he lifted Jesus to glory.
He also did something else. He gave Jesus a people, a Kingdom. The faithful people of God were few. Now God said, “Repent. Trust Jesus. Give yourself to him. Abandon your old self. In Jesus, you share in his blessings. You, too, will be right with God. In him, your wrecked life will be remade. God’s very own Spirit will be present within you. You were nobodies, but now, you are his dear family.”
He Is alive.
Jesus’s followers spread out. They could not stop telling people what they had seen: “He is alive!” The first time they said this, people from many nations heard them. And three thousand believed. Soon his followers were beaten, they were imprisoned, they were killed. But they declared, “He has won!” They were despised and they were mocked, but they declared, “Every honour belongs to him, for he is God!”
Those who believed the good news, those who turned to Jesus, lived as his family, his people, his Kingdom, showing and telling what he is like to the world. Eagerly they waited for the completion of God’s victory in Jesus. They wanted everyone to know him.
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From the "Story of the Bible" Article in the Africa Study Bible.
