New and Improved part 2
Remember that old TV show, the Six Million Dollar Man? "We can rebuild him. We have the technology." In a sense, this is exactly what happened on the cross. Look at Luke 23:42-43, "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." Now I don't think the thief--who, in my opinion represents Adam--was hoping Jesus wouldn't forget his name. We never even know the man's name. I think he was asking Jesus to re-member him. To put him back together. To make him new. And Jesus promised something great: "To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." (Isn't it interesting that this thief, this sinner, didn't have to go through any kind of deathbed confession or anything? I'll leave that alone for now though.) I guess what I'm trying to say is: Heaven isn't just somewhere we go when we die--IF we die. Heaven is where we went when JESUS died both for us and as us! He brought heaven to earth. Which is exactly what He taught His disciples to pray for. He didn't teach them to pray for an escape from the world. In fact, He said the direct opposite. "I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one" (John 17:15 NLT). Don't take them out of the world, because I'm making it all new. Keep them safe from the evil one, the accuser, the liar. Help them to fight the good fight and faith and lay hold of eternal life. THAT was Jesus' prayer. He knew that in this world we would have tribulation. But He also knew we could be of good cheer because HE had already overcome the world. Changed the world. And here's why that's important: You weren't called to be a world changer, or a history maker. You were called to be a Son. A Disciple. You were called to love. (Fun fact: Love, in a sense, changes the world by manifesting the change that took place on the cross!) Jesus said people would know His disciples because of the love they had for one another. So this remembering, this putting us back together that took place 2,000 years ago when we entered into paradise--New Jerusalem--with Jesus was simply the Father filling us with His Spirit. Filling us to overflowing with His Spirit, so that the love inside us can overflow out of us as we receive it and release it! That's what makes the New Man... new. We are filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of truth. And that's HOW we fight the good fight of faith. That's HOW we lay hold of the gift we've been given. It's all about what He did, and it's all about HIM living in us, and through us, and as us. HE is the New Man. The inner man. The hidden man of the heart that is no longer hidden! In the beginning the heaven and the earth (the mind and the body... you!) was dark and void and without form. Then God spoke. And He said, "Let there be light." He filled us up. He remembered us. He made us new. And not just new, but new and improved. He had the technology--of course He did, He created us!--and He knew exactly what we needed. We needed the truth. The Way. The Life. We needed Jesus. So He gave Himself to us. Gave His life for us, and gave His life to us. So that we could have it. Experience it. Share it. So that we could truly live an abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life full of love!