Lent – Now, It’s Our Time
He is Risen!
He is Risen indeed!
Reading through the Gospel accounts of the resurrection, one thing stood out for me. The first words Jesus spoke to His followers were “Do not be afraid...” (Mt 28: 10) and “Peace be with you...” (Lk 24:36, Jn 20:19). This reminded me of the final words Jesus imparted on the disciples before going to cross. During the supper, many times He used the same phrase, do not be afraid, my peace I leave you. And here He is, after all that has happened, needing to remind them of the same words.
It’s as though the trauma of what had happened left the disciples in shock—they had forgotten Jesus’ comforting words. But, sometimes I am the same way—and I have the benefit of God’s Word in a way the disciples didn’t.
Yet amid the world’s troubles—which Jesus warned of—I forget His comforting words.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16:33) and “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.” (Jn 14:1).
This was a moment of test for the disciples, yet in their doubt, Jesus had so much grace towards them, even allowing Thomas to touch Him to prove it was really Him.
Now then, it’s our turn to put our faith to the test. Do I believe in the works of Jesus? Do I believe that His sacrifice on the cross was enough and that through His resurrection we have victory over the enemy?
I love how the Lord knew that even though His sacrifice was enough, we would need a little bit of help while here on earth, and He provides that help in the form of the Holy Spirit. The work of the Holy Spirit is so dimensional, and all we need to do is allow Him in. But with this gift comes a command;
(Acts 1:8) “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
This was not just a command for the disciples then, but it is a command to all believers—including us—and those that will believe after us! Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are witnesses now too.
How can we be witnesses 2000 years after the resurrection? We all have a story to tell. Those of us who believe in Jesus and have professed our belief in Him, have at one point in our lives come to a crossroads, where we made a choice to follow Him. It is what happened at this crossroad that makes us a witness. That situation that led us to Jesus, that’s what we witness about. The way the Lord made a way out of hard times, this is what makes us a witness.
Now, it’s our turn to continue the Great Commission, by telling others what Jesus has done in our lives. Don’t dismiss your story of salvation, someone needs to hear it, and the Holy Spirit wants to use you to encourage someone to follow Jesus. So don’t keep your story to yourself, let others know. Your witness account is not only for the unbeliever, but the Lord will also use it to encourage those of the faith family. I love this passage in Hebrews 10:23-25
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
So, it’s our time—now that we have gone through Lent, reading God’s Word, preparing our hearts for the cross and then resurrection. Now, it’s our turn to continue the story. It’s our turn to tell others about Jesus, to bring the Good News to others, and to continue to encourage each other toward love and good deeds.
If you want to continue reading through God’s Word daily, here are some resources that are free and available online. We encourage you to share with our faith family how God is speaking to you through His Word!
Written by:
Eleana Montes
