Christus Victor (Christ the Victor) 

Have you ever saved up money to buy something special or expensive? 

Was it easy for you to save? Or hard? 

Were you ever tempted to spend your money on something else that you'd seen and really wanted? 

Did you ever give in to that temptation?  

And then realise that now it's going to take you longer to save up for what you originally wanted? 

Or, maybe, you didn't give in to the temptation to buy something else…and you kept your goal in mind every time you were tempted. 

This is, effectively, what Jesus did throughout his life and ministry. 

He had been born with a particularly hard and challenging goal ahead of him. 

There were points along the way when he could've tapped out. 

In fact, he even asked God, if it was possible, to take away what he knew was coming. 

There were times when he could've taken the easy option. 

But that's not what he does, even though we know that part of him really wanted to. 

Instead, Jesus chose to be arrested. 

Jesus chose to stand trial. 

He chose to be mocked and spat on. 

He chose to be flogged. 

Jesus chose to be stripped naked and hung on a cross, publicly. 

Jesus made the incredibly difficult decision to choose these things… 

Because he knew that if he chose to make the sacrifices that he did… 

Then he would become victorious over sin and death. 

Which is a massive victory! 

And he also knew that he would get to share this victory with those of us who trust in him. 

This is why Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:55-57,

"'Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 

Because of Jesus' victory, which he accomplished through his death and resurrection, we now have hope for our future. 

Without hope, the future is pretty bleak. 

Look around at our world. 

It's a mess! 

If this life is all there is, then that's pretty depressing. 

If there is nothing more, then all we have to look forward to is death. 

And then everything we strive for now… 

Everything we work for and save for… 

It all comes to nothing when we die. 

Which leaves us wondering… 

IS there anything worth living for? 

IS there anything worth dying for? 

I want to argue that, YES, there is! 

But it's not so much a thing as it is a who. 

It's God. 

God is the only one worth living and dying for. 

He's the reason that Jesus died. 

He's the reason that Jesus came back to life. 

He's the one who BROUGHT Jesus back to life. 

And the Bible tells us that if we trust in Jesus… 

And if we live our lives following him… 

Then God will do the same for us. 

God will raise US up from the dead. 

God will bring US back to life! 

And we will then live with him for the rest of eternity. 

That is something worth living and dying for! 

Now, you might be thinking, "Yeah, whatever…even if Jesus was real, he's dead…all this resurrection nonsense…  

None of it is true…  

None of it is worth wasting my life over." 

You know, there are times when I'm tempted to think the same.  

It's quite a lot to wrap our minds around…  

And yet, the whole of Christianity hinges on the resurrection of Jesus being true.  

If it is false, then Christianity is a complete and utter waste of time.  

 

However, if it is true, then there is no one else worth living or dying for.  

And the fact that millions of Christians have died because they refused to deny Jesus actually helps convince me that it's all true.  

Seriously, if you're sceptical or you couldn't care less, you should really look into it. Here are some article and book suggestions to check out: 

 

When we have the kind of hope that the resurrection of Jesus gives us, our perspective on life changes quite drastically! 

If the death and resurrection of Jesus are true, then what's a pandemic…a cyclone? 

They're just a couple of short-term trials in light of eternity. 

What's landing your dream job or buying a house? 

Just a couple of temporary highs in light of what's to come for all of eternity! 

Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 15:58: 

"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." 

He's saying, "Hey! Because of the victory that Jesus has won for you, stand firm! 

Don't give up! 

Don't let anything distract you or pull you away. 

Fully apply yourself to living for God because nothing you do for him is ever going to be a waste. 

Now, life may not pan out the way you expect it to. 

The disciples certainly didn't think that Jesus should need to die on a cross. 

It was one of, if not THE, most shameful and painful ways to die. 

It looked like everything was finished. 

How could any good come of Jesus dying?! 

And yet, it was exactly what God had planned. 

It was exactly what God required in order to save us. 

If God could use the crucifixion of his Son to bring about eternal life for you and I. 

Then he can use the challenges that you're going through right now… 

To produce in your life something more incredible and more wonderful than you could ever imagine! 

It can be so hard to see beyond what we're going through in the present. 

But the good news is we have a God who does. 

He sees the future. 

He knows what he's working out in each of our lives. 

And he tells us to trust him. 

Just like Jesus did. 

And just as we remember at Easter that Jesus died and rose again, defeating sin and death… 

One day, those who trust in Jesus will, likewise, die and rise again in the victory that Christ has already won. 

That gives me so much peace in this life. 

Because my trust is in Jesus, I don't need to fear death. 

Paul writes in another letter that "to live is Christ, and to die is gain." 

Because my trust is in Jesus, I have peace, regardless of whether I live or die. 

Do you have that same peace right now? 

Is your trust in Jesus? 

Do you know for sure what's going to happen to you when you die? 

Today, I want to give you an opportunity to respond to God and put your trust in Jesus. 

This is an opportunity to say sorry to God, to thank him for Jesus, and to ask for his help. 

If you want to trust Jesus for the first time today, then I'd love for you to pray this prayer. 

Dear God, 

I am SORRY for my sin, 

I am SORRY for rejecting you. 

I don't deserve your love. 

THANKS for sending Jesus to die on the cross, 

in my place and for my sin, 

so I may be forgiven. 

THANKS that he rose from the dead, 

to give me new life. 

PLEASE forgive me and change me, 

help me to love Jesus, 

and live with Jesus as my King. 

AMEN. 

If you've just prayed that prayer for the very first time, then it's really important for you to actually tell someone about it. 

If you don't know anyone who you can go and tell this to, then we'd love to invite you to come and talk with one of the pastors from church. 

As we put our trust in Jesus, we don't just commit to following him, but we commit to being part of a community. 

And the truth is we need one another to help us keep trusting in Jesus… 

To help remind us that it is worth following Jesus, especially during the hard times in our lives… 

Because it is only through Jesus that we can have victory over sin and death. 

This is what Paul writes about. 

And this is what Easter is all about. 

Christus Victor. 

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