Basic Instinct.....and a promise kept (part 1)

So little of our lives is determined by that which we believe. So much of that which we do is determined by blind instinct. So often people unconsciously follow the instincts of humanity. So much of our life is determined by conditioned response. We bear scars, and those scars have wrought in us certain responses, certain fears, certain terrors, because we are conditioned to respond in certain ways. So much of our life is determined by these responses. 
It's very serious when you realize that much of life is determined by uninspired reactions. When we ought to be literally inspired to create and choose and do new things, we drift aimlessly on reacting with monotonous regularity but with very little inspiration. When Jesus died, faith became inoperative. Those who followed Him allowed the reality of death to eclipse the reality of his life and words. These men who were closest to Him, these women who loved and believed in Him, were befuddled, confused, uncertain of themselves, following blind instincts, conditioned responses. By instinct they knew how to deal with death and the followed those instincts. 
Everything would have been normal is there had been a corpse in the tomb! Their blind instincts would have been satisfied, their conditioned responses would not have been altered, their uninspired reactions would have been fulfilled if there had been a corpse in the tomb! But when the tomb was empty, because they lacked inspiration, because they lacked faith, they could not associate the living Christ and His Word with is fact - the tomb is empty. they were confused and befuddled.
In Mark Chapter 16, we read of these conditioned responses:" When the Sabbath ended, Mar Magdalene, and Slone, and Mar the mother of James went out and purchased embalming spices...."As a matter of fact, if they believed what Jesus had said, embalming his body was unnecessary, but these who had heard him say, "On the third day I will rise again" bought embalming spices for His body. Of course it was the thing to do, for they were dealing with death not life. It was a conditioned response, an instinct of decent people. It was, as a matter of fact, quite necessary.  
In Mark 16, verses 6-7, we are told that the angels rebuked those standing at the tomb saying: "Now go and give this message to His disciples, including Peter! Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see Him there, just as He told you before He died." Has it ever occurred to you that the disciples had no business being in Jerusalem after the resurrection. They should have turned in their hotel keys and been on the road! They should have been on the way to Galilee if they believed what He had said. They allowed his death to cancel out His instructions.
But they allowed death to cancel this out. I suppose they assumed that this is what death is, that it somehow cancels out every promise. It does cancel many, and I suppose we can then accept this fact, that we probably would have stayed in Jerusalem too, because as a matter of fact we spend most of our life there. We have been known to embalm a few promises too!
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me..." yes, except keep my temper, control my nerves, handle my emotions, face my responsibilities, and live with my spouse. We embalm the promise, it doesn't work. "the Lord is my strength and my salvation; whom shalll I dear..." now, that's a nice call to worship, but it is the first affirmation we bury when we get out into the harsh reality of daylight a suddenly are terrified by that which we cannot control.
Many times while we are busy practicing our faith by quoting the scriptures and our known truths, we lose he capacity to face ordinary problems. I remember an episode in Peanuts comic strip when Linus had a part in the Christmas Pageant at church as he does every year. Each year he forgets his lines, so this year he was drilling himself continually saying, "I'll never forget these lines as long as I live!" He repeated the Scripture verse that he was to give over and over, to the complete discomfort of everyone around him, and affirmed over and over again, "One thing I will never dois forget this. This year it's going to be different - I will never forget these lines" He walked out of the house, and in a second or two was right back in saying. " I forgot where the church is!"
Now, I think that sometimes this happens to us. At church we are all drilling ourselves on these great promises: " I can do all things...." and then we walk out and forget how to face the ordinary problem. And when we fail, the first thing we do is to embalm and bury the promise saying, "Well, that cancels that out. It didn't work, so I guess I will have to put that one to rest and look for another....one that I haven't always failed at.
The account of the resurrection of Christ is largely the account of the reactions of those involved. Almost nothing is said from the point of view of Jesus, who is the one who was raised from the dead. Oh, there is one cryptic statement of Jesus to Mary when she recognized Him: "Don't touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father." Because so many don't understand that and have no idea, they consider that not much help in understanding perspective. And there is an extended conversation on the road o Emmaus on Easter Afternoon, but He kept himself anonymous so that for the entire seven mile journey these two men who had known Him in life didn't even recognize Him, and most of the time was spent in a lesson from the Old Testament.
There must be a reason for this. When we are reading the account of a man who had been raised, we would like to hear something from him - what it is like, what is the experience like?. Because it's resurrection, we want to know about it. It's life after death that has our curiosity aroused, and we find nothing except the account of uninspired people whose faith has become inoperative.
I think the reason for this is that the resurrection of Christ did not really alter the conditions of human experience. Life must still go on based on trust and faith. Christ has been raised from the dead, but the conditions of human experience have not really changed. We still die, and this it is important for us to see that the resurrection does not really alter the facts of our life but it does give integrity to our faith. It is meant to enable us to live with trust and hope. Because of the resurrection we are to have more faith than His disciples who were impotent and hopeless.
Thus I would like to suggest that the resurrection testifies to the integrity of Jesus. Let's look again at the account .....the angels at the tomb said to the women, "Why are you looking in a tomb for someone who is alive?" He isn't here. He has come back to life again." And then they concluded: "Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see Him there, just as He told you before He died."
It seems to me that the angel was making a point here, that there is a certain matter of integrity of Jesus of Nazareth at stake. He said that after three days He would rise again. Now that's not difficult to say - I could say it, you could say it; but if I said it, my integrity would be at stake if it didn't happen. So, in a sense, the resurrection of Christ testifies tot he integrity of the man.
........read part two tomorrow.......
 

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What to do when you need communication, clarity, healing and reconciliation.

10 Top Conflict Don'ts:
Don't attempt reconciliation when emotions are high
Don't work to identify blame
Don't forget fallibility
Don't avoid the truth we've learned
Don't try to fix things alone
Don't demand a chance to confront
Don't publicize the rift
Don't force the timetable
Don't require an apology
Don't expect one conversation to settle everything

10 Top Conflict Do's:
Look for Jesus
Listen to your own heart
Simplify the issues
Grade your behavior by Scripture
Gain perspective with counsel
Forgive as best you can.
Emotions do not indicate the quality of our forgiving.
Be quick to ask forgiveness
Sow blessing into the offense
Wait patiently for a new outcome
Expect to revisit these steps

As long as we are breathing, we are candidates for conflict. But if we are committed to live like genuine Christians, we must work to resolve it. The promise is clear. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the Son of God. Let's paraphrase this verse to read. Anyone working to heal relational strife, on any level will find God there and sense His approval in that activity. Here God affirms our family relationship as we do the single ministry. He values more than all others: reconciliation the healing of relationships. (See 2 Cor. 5:11-21)As a general rule, there are few ways to begin healing without first accepting liability for any rupture that occurs. This is the heart of it.
Only as I accept my own responsibly, do biblical, practical and in the moment, God's instruction in steps to resolve conflict become clear. Peacemaking is a better way to live. God will give you the opportunity. Will you take it?

Why not inquire about series on forgiveness that are available on tape or CD.
Another great help to you and suggested gifts for the upcoming Christmas season is to look on our website and see the resources that are there. They not only make great gifts but they help the ministries.

Prayer is the key to heaven but faith unlocks the door !!

Your friend and servant in the Lord Jesus,

Gary Musgrove