righteousness Archives - Marissa Henley

Jesus Christ conquered death {No Matter What Monday}

April 22, 2019 by Marissa Leave a Comment

I’ll never forget the look of joy on his little three-year-old face when he heard the news. My son Christopher was eating breakfast at the kitchen table when he started asking questions about Jesus. He’d heard repeatedly that Jesus had died on the cross for his sins. But apparently we failed to mention one crucial piece of information—Jesus didn’t stay dead. When I mentioned that Jesus rose from the dead, his eyes grew wide and he exclaimed, “Jesus is ALIVE?!?” He clapped his hands exuberantly and shouted, “Yaaaaaay!”

It was such a joy to witness the moment my son first learned the good news of the resurrection. He realized for the first time that death didn’t win. Jesus isn’t still in the grave. He is risen!

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep . . . “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (I Cor. 15:20 and 55, NIV)

Friend, this is good news: Jesus is alive! He isn’t just a suffering Savior who died in your place but a reigning King who conquered the power of death. He rose victorious over the ultimate enemy. We read in Revelation 1:18 that Jesus holds the keys to death and hades. Death has no power over Him.

Our risen Savior is the firstfruits of the resurrection. “Firstfruits” implies that there are more resurrection fruits to come! When He stepped out of the grave, He made a way for us to have new life in Him now and eternal life with Him forever. Death has no power over Him, and it also has no power over those of us who are in Christ.

This is another one of the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection that we’ve been studying this month. Jesus Christ has paid our debt, given us His perfect record, forgiven our sin, and conquered death for us.

Even though we feel the pain of death here temporarily, we can look at the empty grave of Christ and say with Paul, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” Jesus Christ took the sting of death for us, so we wait eagerly for the day when we feel it no more.

No matter what you face this week, the risen Christ conquered death for you.

He Restores My Soul {No Matter What Monday}

August 13, 2018 by Marissa Leave a Comment

Do you ever choose your coffee mug based on your mood? I do. When I need to feel productive, I pick the mug that says, “I turn coffee into books.” When I need a boost of confidence, I grab “Anyone can be cool, but awesome takes practice.” But I have one mug in my cabinet I reach for more than any other. I love its shape and how it feels in my hand, but mostly I love the simple script message on its side: “He restores my soul.”

There are many days when my soul feels depleted. I’m weary from serving my family. I’m frustrated by my sin. I’m burdened by the brokenness all around me. I won’t find what I need in the caffeine-laced beverage poured into my favorite mug. But I have a Shepherd who restores my soul.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:2–3)

We saw last week in Psalm 23:1 that we have a caring Shepherd who provides everything we need. In these verses, we learn that our Shepherd gives us rest, refreshment, restoration, and righteousness.

The Hebrew word translated “restore” means to turn back or return. Our souls were originally created for communion with God, but our relationship with our Creator has been ruined by sin. The good news of these verses is that our Shepherd has returned our soul to the fellowship it was created for, bringing us back into relationship with Himself.

Although David penned these words centuries before Jesus walked the earth, we learn from John 10 that these verses find their fulfillment in our incarnate Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Jesus said that He is the door of the sheep and if “anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:7,9).

We can rest because Jesus our Shepherd laid down His life for us. He refreshes our weary hearts with His love, grace, and mercy. He restores our soul with His Word. He guides His sheep as we grow in righteousness for His glory.

No matter what you face this week, God will give you rest, refreshment, restoration, and righteousness.

Our Savior Became Sin {No Matter What Monday}

March 26, 2018 by Marissa Leave a Comment

As I stand at the bathroom sink fixing my hair and makeup in the morning, my dog often torments me by curling up in the empty space I just left in my bed. I long to return to that spot—I’m not a morning person—and it makes me crazy to see him lay his little white head on my pillow and doze off.

Most days, I wish I could trade places with him. His life seems so easy: sleep, eat, repeat. But then I remember that he eats the same thing every day and has to go outside to use the bathroom, even in frigid temperatures and thunderstorms.

As we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ this week, let’s remember that He is the One who traded places with us. Our Savior saw our hopeless condition—we were sinners who could not save ourselves. He humbled Himself to take our place on the cross, so that we might have a place with Him forever.

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Christ became sin for our sake. In this passage, Paul is talking about reconciliation—specifically, how sinners are reconciled to a holy God. Christ took the punishment for our sin so we could be reconciled to God. Paul says He “became sin,” receiving what our sin deserved.

Christ became sin even though He was sinless. If He had sinned even once, the punishment He received would be His own. Only a sinless Lamb could trade places with us and take our place on the cross.

Christ became sin so that in Him we might receive righteousness. My kids and I call it “The Great Swap.” On the cross, Christ took our place and received the punishment our sin deserved. In exchange, He gives us His perfect record of obedience–His righteousness. We receive what Christ has earned: right standing before a holy God and eternal life with Him.

This Great Swap is the good news of the Gospel: those who are in Christ look at the cross and see their debt fully paid, their sin forgiven, and the righteousness of Christ given to them.

No matter what you face this week, our sinless Savior became sin so sinners might receive His righteousness.

Christ Jesus Made You His Own {No Matter What Monday}

February 26, 2018 by Marissa Leave a Comment

This week I’m taking my oldest child, who just turned 14, to test for his driving permit. (Pray for me!) To receive his permit, we need to take my driver’s license, to prove that I’m an Arkansas resident, and my child’s birth certificate, to prove that he belongs to me.

Because he’s my child, my son has certain privileges and also responsibilities. He doesn’t get food, clothing, shelter, and love because he’s earned them, and he doesn’t finish his chores each week to secure his status as our child. But rather, he receives privileges and has responsibilities because he’s our child.

I couldn’t deny my son even if I wanted to—the state of Indiana made it official in 2004 when they put my name on his birth certificate. In the coming years, there might be days when he ignores me, questions my goodness to him, or strays from my instructions. But nothing will change the fact that he belongs to me.

In Philippians 3, Paul makes this beautiful statement as he discusses his striving in the Christian life:

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” (Philippians 3:12)

The gifts we receive from Christ and our obedience to Christ both flow from what Christ has done for us—He’s made us His own. Paul revels in his status as God’s child, not because of a righteousness of his own, but because of a righteousness from God through faith (Phil. 3:9). He knows he isn’t perfect, but he’s secure in the perfection of Christ.

Because of this solid standing before God, Paul is pressing on in his faith (Phil. 3:13-14). We don’t chase after holiness as a way of proving ourselves to God. We pursue righteousness because the Righteous One has pursued and taken hold of us.

I hope this brings you comfort today, friend. Whether you’re struggling through suffering or wrestling with sin, remember that Christ Jesus died to make you His own. You can rest securely in His love for you.

No matter what you face this week, Christ Jesus has made you His own.