A Journey to Easter Morning

 

But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. (1 John 2:20-27 ESV).

 

Easter will be celebrated in most of the world on Sunday, April 9^th, just a little under a month from today. Since we are approaching that wonderful holy day I thought it might be of interest to use the devotionals as a vehicle to encourage, inspire, and perhaps inform you of some of the practical implications for us. In our reading today the Apostle John makes a bold declaration: we have an anointing from the Holy One (v. 20). Understanding this truth will surely encourage us in our present culture and circumstance. The effect of this is that he is telling us our identities have now been changed to “prophets, priests, and kings. We rarely think of ourselves that way. But God does. He lifts us up to live a full life of blessing and purpose.

 

In the next thirty days we will look at what it means to be prophets, priests, and royal rulers in God’s service. Remember that Jesus was also “anointed” with the Holy Spirit; and, He is our chief Prophet. This means he fully reveals to us the will of God and how God calls us to live. Jesus is also our perfect High Priest, who gives us access to God and has delivered us through the one sacrifice of his life for us. What’s more, Jesus is our eternal King, who governs us by his Word and Spirit.

 

And we share in his anointing. We are called to believe and trust in Jesus and to honor his name, to serve as living sacrifices of thanks, and to reign with him forever. As the Spirit of God works in our lives, we gradually become like Jesus. Our identity begins to align with his. Our love and obedience to Christ grow as we carry out our calling (our anointing) as prophets, priests, and rulers who serve God. This becomes our identity as we live our lives. Rest in that truth!