19th Day of Advent: Jesus is the Firstborn from the Dead

"and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth."

Revelation 1:5

Ahhhhh this is one of my new favorite names for Jesus.  You may be thinking what does this mean?  After Jesus died on the cross, He didn't stay dead.  Three days after His crucifixion, He rose from the dead, not just as a Spirit but with a body, a resurrection body.  He is the First to be resurrection and reunited with His body.  Who are going to be the others?  US. You, me and every other believer.  One day we will be reunited with our bodies and they will be awesome bodies.  Jesus could talk, walk, eat, but also go through walls!  There will be no disease, aches, pains or brokenness in this new body.  This day will happen after the Final Judgment of the Earth and God remakes the new Heaven and the new Earth (1 Corinthians 15 and Revelation 21).  

But there is more!  Jesus was the First because when God gave Israel the command to give the sacrifices and offerings in the Temple (Exodus 23:19), He wanted the first fruits or the best of the people's crops, animals, time, and money.  Jesus is the best human being ever, so of course He is the First Fruit offered!!!!!!!! 

So what hope does it give you that one day your body will be perfected?  Do you offer God your best?  I know that I surely don't all the time.  I don't want to give Him the leftovers, but the first minutes of my day, the first dollars of my paycheck, the first opportunities for service.   Where in you life do you need to make Jesus first?

In His Love,

A