As mentioned, I was going to try to author another entry prior to Easter Sunday and I have been praying about what aspect of the bible to highlight. The passage that came to mind was Luke 15. I was reflecting about that while the moment of God's saving power being displayed on the cross was a grim moment indeed as most people would agree on, however, it was also beautiful in the sense that it was the moment that Christ most related to us. Similar to another passage I read the other day:
29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. [Phillipians 1:29-30, NIV]
I have tried to follow in the Paul's example [1 Corinthians 11:1] in two main aspects in my life, mainly to Phillipians 4:11-14 the two aspects of Paul's life that I very much can relate to in my own life, suffering and singleness. Right now I might even be experiencing the 2 Corinthians 2:17 regarding my ongoing groin pain(s), yet I try to see this too as just another way I can potentially rejoice in partaking in some of the suffering of the body of Christ.
Can't believe I had to 'Boogle' (Biblegateway.com search) that first verse from 1 Cor 11, guess I wasn't really paying enough attention while partaking in communion yesterday and only reading the latter half of the chapter to reflect before incidentally our Pastor also decided to read v. 23-26 I believe were the verses she chose.
Anyways, back to Luke 15, aside from the entire idea of Christ being lost to the Father that moment on the cross [Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34], I am also reflecting on how people often ask about whether you relate to the 'older son' or the 'younger son' in Luke 15:11-31 and I think about how a lot of Christ's other parallels, he typically only uses the word 'son' to refer to Himself and this is a good passage to remind us that part of Christ's ability to sympathize with our weaknesses included an ability to be tempted [Matthew 4, Luke 4, Hebrews 4:15]. And I would say given what I personally believe on Christ's omnipresence and omniscience that Jesus can relate to both the 'older son' and 'younger son' in this passage. Furthermore this passage is also a good illustration of exactly the kind of grace the power of the crucifixion and resurrection offers us [Luke 15:32], being bought from a life of death back into the full life we are meant to have [John 10:10]. Lastly this 'salvation' isn't just for people who are not yet following in the example of Christ as per the context of a parallel of being an 'older son or younger son', but for all of us, note the present tense of "being made holy" in Hebrews 10:14 and what Paul says about his own salvation in passages like Philippians 1:3-11, Philippians 3:12-14.
"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so somehow, to attain the resurrection from the dead" [Phillipians 3:10-11]
39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. [Hebrews 11:39-40]
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