The Believer's Union with his Risen Savior

When Christians gather together weekly on Sunday, they do so in acknowledgment of the resurrection of Jesus Christ that took place long ago on the first Lord's Day. Every Sunday when we meet, we celebrate our Lord Jesus having risen from the dead and then having ascended to be seated on His throne as Lord of all creation through all of history. But in addition to every Sunday, we also dedicate in a special way this one Lord's Day each year to give particular attention and emphasis to our Lord's resurrection. Because we know that our Lord's Passion took place during the Jewish Passover that occurred during the phase of a full moon, we can be certain that our Lord's resurrection occurred on this day almost 2,000 years ago. But if we commemorate our Lord's resurrection only as a historical fact, we will not do full justice to the event itself and the importance and relevance that the resurrection has for Christians. We should not only give regard to the historic event, but we should consider our participation with Him in His death and resurrection. For all of those redeemed by Him had died with Him and had risen with Him in that historical event. And because of our union with Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection is not only the substance of our faith, but it is also the foundation of our ethics, for it informs our morality and invigorates our motivation to live for Him. As J. C. Ryle once expressed, "Christ is the mainspring both of doctrinal and practical Christianity… A right knowledge of Christ is essential to a right knowledge of Christianity." We address this important matter in these notes.