Easter: The Cross Before and AfterSample

Equipped

Most journeys begin before they actually start. When we leave for a vacation, we usually spend time packing the things needed for the trip. We try to make sure that we are equipped for our journey. Otherwise, we are likely to not have the right supplies. As believers in Christ, not being prepared for what we will face is a significant problem.

After Jesus was raised from the dead, before He ascended into heaven, Jesus wanted His followers were prepared for the life journey ahead of them. It has been said that the Church is "God's plan A" for making sure the whole world knows of the saving grace of Jesus and there is no “plan B." 

Jesus wanted to make sure that His followers would be prepared for their journey. The first thing Jesus did was to make sure they truly believed. He showed them His hands and feet. He told them to touch Him to prove He was real. He spent time making sure they understood the scriptures and the significance of all they saw and experienced. Then He told them to wait in Jerusalem for the final bit of preparation they would need. He said they would receive a promise from God, come as the Holy Spirit to fill their lives. 

After the Cross, after we encounter Christ in genuine belief, we must be equipped for our journey through God's plan A. We must be willing to receive what Jesus offers so that we can be and do what God calls us to. Jesus provides the resources we need. It is instructive that Jesus told Peter "feed my sheep," after He had fed Peter breakfast and provided an abundant supply of fish for them. It is significant that they had caught nothing through their own efforts but had an abundance as they did what Jesus told them to do.

This was a tangible, physical reminder of a great spiritual truth. Apart from abiding in Christ, we can do nothing, but with God, all things are possible. God promises that the Holy Spirit, the very presence of God, will fill our lives. This provides us with the power of God as our resource. It is a power that will enable us to resist temptation and live a Christ-like life. It is the power that will enable us to be fruitful, effective witnesses for Christ. It is the power that equips us for our life’s journey. As we abide in Christ, we can be continually filled with His Spirit, equipped for whatever lies ahead.