"And as they were coming down the mountain, He charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead." (Mark 9:9). I think this verse could also speak to us that we say nothing or do nothing until the Son of man has risen in us . . . until the Resurrected Christ so dominates us that we are under His power and teaching. When we get right on the inside we will see Jesus' teachings and be amazed at things we didn't see before. If our worship is to be real and authentic we must experience the Resurrected Lord Jesus and know what it means to have His victorious, risen life living in us. We must be in communion with His risen life before worship can really be born in us. Does His resurrection life have its way with us? That is a prerequisite to worship.
We must experience both His death and resurrection in our own lives to prepare us for both personal and gathered church worship. Romans 6:5 states: "For if we have been united with Him in death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His." The proof that we have been through crucifixion with Christ is that we become more and more like Him. The incoming of the Spirit readjusts our lives Godward. Jesus' resurrection gave Him authority to impart the life of God in us. His resurrection life shows itself in holiness. Once we decide the "old man" is identified with the death of Jesus, the Holy Spirit invades every part of our lives - taking charge of everything. Our part is walking in His light and obeying all that He reveals in a life of holiness. We then belong to a new order of spirituality as the resurrected Christ lives in and through us. Christ in you - the hope of glory. When all of this is the case, worship comes seamlessly and naturally in our daily and weekly worship. And, we celebrate Easter - the resurrected life of our Lord - everyday! mjm
