Easter Meditation/by J. Sidlow Baxter
Power for Today
W L ■■ Ww hat infinitudes in one short phrase: "That I may know him, and the power o f his resurrection . . (Phil. 3:10). What vistas the super-victory o f that vacated sepulchre opens up! The Bible tells us that our "Saviour Jesus Christ . . . hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” You and I are meant now to know "the power o f his resurrection” toward our selves as Christian believers. This power o f the resurrection in our lives should provide a titanic liberating and transforming force in mind and heart and life. This is a power for today’s needs. The resurrection-power o f our Lord always operates in three ways. First, it is a subduing power, "According to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himself.” That subduing power will have a climactic demonstration in the coming translation o f the saints; but there is also an advance operation o f it here and now in the subduing o f evil tempers, unruly tongues, flaming passions, en slaving desires, inordinate ambitions, fear, pride, hate, jealousy, temptation, circumstance and innate proclivities to sin. It is grandly real to those who are living in it. A crowned Christ in the consecrated heart o f a believer means real victory over self and sin and Satan, through the continuous operation o f "the power o f his resurrection.” Second, "the power o f his resurrection” is a transforming power within us. Read Philip- pians 3:21. It tells us that by His resurrection- power our Lord is going to transform this body o f our humiliation, that it may be fash ioned like unto the body o f His glory. There is an anticipative fulfillment also o f that in those yielded hearts where He reigns as King. By "the power o f his resurrection” He trans
forms the character, conforming it more and more to His own. Third, "the power o f his resurrection” is a vitalizing power already operating in us in a way which anticipates its ultimate expression at our Lord’s return. All o f our ministering, our speaking and writing, our serving and organizing, our witness for Christ both in pub lic and in private, has an inward glow and a communitive vitality which gives it telling- power —far more at times than we ourselves sense, as the Saviour’s resurrection-life fills us. There may still be opposition, for there will always be those who resist Spirit-given witness even though they cannot refute Spirit-given wisdom. Those Jewish leaders o f the first cen tury could not answer the wisdom either o f our Lord or o f Stephen, yet they slew them both. We must never stir up opposition; nor must we be surprised when it comes. Over coming-wisdom and spiritual power will be given at each emergency. Often we shall be mightiest when we seem weakest. Whenever a Stephen is martyred, there is always a Saul— a future Apostle Paul—looking on and about to be converted! We find, as Paul found, that when we are weakest (in ourselves) we are strongest (in Christ) and we learn to say with him, "I will rather glory in my infirmities, that the power o f Christ may rest upon me!” "That I may know Him.” Ah, I long to know Not just a Christ of far-gone years ago; Nor even reigning on a heavenly throne, Too high and distant to be really known. I long to know Him closely; this is how, Alive—and in this ever-pressing "now”; Communicating His all-conquering power, A living One, within my heart this hour, Who now no longer lives from me apart, But shares His resurrection in my heart.
The King's Business/April 1958
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