New Kind of Creation - He Is Risen!

Jesus is the firstborn "out from among the dead ones" that in all things He might have the pre-eminence.  Jesus brought a new kind of power to the universe!  He birthed a new thing.. called His bride, the church. Bearing all the authority He Himself carried, but only now His bride is destined to do "greater works" then even He did because He "Sat Down". He had told the disciples, "The works that I do you shall do also, and greater works than these shall you do, because I go to my Father."  John 14:12  When Jesus sat down He established a forever righeousness that satisfied the holiness of His Father, Eloheim. This He declared when He said, "It is finished!" He had fulfilled all righteousness "On Earth"! Finally the law was fully satisfied and the Sabbath covenant was over. (see Mark 16:1)  He now established a "First Day" covenant. Then He ascended!  He established, in heaven, a power of agreement between Himself and the Father that strenghened heaven's covenant with earth. And now He ever lives to make intercession for us!  He was the fullness of the Godhead bodily.  Now we, His bride, are the fullness of Him bodily.  This He announced in Ephesians 1:22 "Which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in heavenly places, far above all principalilty and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.  And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."  We readily confess that Jesus was the fullness of the Godhead bodily, but blush to confess that we are the fullness of Christ bodily!  But this is a truth that is coming of age.  The bride is getting a better self awareness of who she is and who He had made us. We are moving more and more into the maturity of our identity with Christ.  We have been, crucified with Christ, buried with Christ, risen with Christ, seated with Christ and now we reign with Christ.  Both now and forever!  Mark chapter 16 is the resurrection chapter of this great book.  It concludes with the angel's annoucement right in the tomb itself..."fear not, He is risen".  The trama of His death, the sorrow that followed with the women and the disciples clouded out the reality of what He had annouced in Chapter 8 of Mark. "I must needs go to Jerusalem and be crucified, but after three days I will rise again."  They should have known! But life's stress and sorrows often cloud out that reality.  I challenge you to journey with me through this great chapter of the resurrection and ascension and the "great commission" of Mark 16.

                                     A NEW KIND OF CREATION.."HE IS RISEN"