Here's some REALLY Good News about 

EASTER!

Let us always remember this one thing about Easter: You were raised WITH HIM!

With Good Wednesday over (just do the math) and Resurrection Sunday knocking on the door as I write (Good Friday), allow me to paraphrase Galatians 2:20: "You were crucified with Christ. Therefore, it is no longer you who live, but Christ who lives in you. The life you're living in that earth suit you're wearing you are living by your faith in Jesus, who loved you and allowed Himself to die a grizzly death on that cruel Roman torture device.”

Bear in mind, according to Paul, following Jesus is NOT about adhering to manmade traditions, rules and regulations, dogmas and doctrines of man or  of demons (the only other two Biblical options). As he wrote to the Colossians (Ch. 2:12-23): When you were buried with Him in baptism, you were also raised with Him through faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead. And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with Him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it. Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole Body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God. If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the universe, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations, "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch"? All these regulations refer to things that perish with use; they are simply human commands and teachings.  These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-imposed piety, humility, and severe treatment of the body, but they are of no value in checking self-indulgence.

Finally, wrap your mind around what Paul said in Colossians 3:1-11: "If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth [I guess that includes Religion, eh?]. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God [Hmmmm. It is appointed unto man once to die and then the judgement... could we be living out 'the judgement'? Just thinking...] When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.  Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all."

Have a blessed Resurrection Sunday! Apparently, YOU were resurrected, too! That's something to shout about!                                                                                   THAT is REALLY Good News!

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Founder, The Church @ Work (TCAW)