We know this because of several passages in the Bible like Colossians 1:16.

Genesis 1:26–27 reveals that human beings were the pinnacle of God’s good creation because they were Following God’s lead in the creation act of Genesis 1, humans were tasked to work and rest. Genesis 1:26 points explicitly to the ruling aspect over all the other creatures.

You're already fully saved even though you do not yet fully realize all the benefits of it. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 45 Q. How does Christ’s resurrection benefit us? A. First, by his resurrection he has overcome death, so that he might make us share in the righteousness he won for us by his death. Second, by his power we too are already now resurrected to a new life. Third, Christ’s resurrection is a guarantee of our glorious resurrection. Summary The NIV has an excellent translation of the opening words of Colossians 3. Whereas other translations render it "if you have been raised with Christ...," the NIV brings out the emphatic and forceful nature of the Greek grammar that Paul uses with the words "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ." In other words, if you confess and believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, you don't need to wonder if the victory He won applies to you. Since you believe, you have been raised with Christ. Paul draws out the logical ramifications of your salvation. Since you've been raised with Christ, your life is different from non believers. Physically everything stays the same for now (which is why it's often so easy to forget you're different), but mentally and spiritually, you're living in an entirely different world than other people, so it only makes sense that your heart and mind be focused on things above, not on earthly things. Notice the timeline that's set out in v3-4: PAST You died (in that you were included in Christ when He died) PRESENT Your life is now hidden with Christ in God FUTURE When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Dig Deeper How much needless worry, stress, and anxiety are you experiencing because it's so easy to forget this gospel timeline? So many people reduce their salvation to something that will happen in the future, after they die. They just see God standing there at the finish line, cheering you on the way parents encourage a young child in a race, but yet either unable or unwilling to interfere with the problems you are facing right now. But today be reminded that "you too are already now resurrected to a new life." Yet you live in tension: we often say that we are already fully resurrected, but we do not yet fully realize all of the benefits that come from our salvation. What that means is that even though your life is most certainly hidden in Christ at this very moment, you are still subject to the temptations and consequences of sin, both the sins you commit yourself and those others around you commit. So you're not exempt from the the problems of this world, but you can begin to see them in the light of Christ. This is the key to peace in this life: set your heart and mind on things above, not on earthly things. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Father God, who has our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ sitting at His right hand. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be reminded often that salvation is not just a future benefit, so that you will keep your heart and mind set on things above already now. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Matthew 14

Much of their conviction was based on these words we read today from Romans 1.

the right hand of God; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - 1

When your focus is Christ, life is a gift, but so is death. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 42 Q. Since Christ has died for us, why do we still have to die? A. Our death does not pay the debt of our sins. Rather, it puts an end to our sinning and is our entrance into eternal life. Summary Paul’s words for the Philippians express how Christ is his reason for being. For as long as Paul is breathing, he will live in service to Christ’s message, values, and mission. The words that tend to raise eyebrows are what follows: “to die is gain”. To die is to lose one’s life, so how can that be to gain? The gain to which Paul is speaking is not the loss of life, but what comes after this life: to be with Christ. Paul is wrestling with these two realities. On one hand, Paul desires to be with Christ, yet he recognizes what is left to be done on earth. Remaining in the flesh, in his physical body, Paul can continue his ministry, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ so that more might hear and believe. Although his desire was to be with Christ, Paul recognized what still lay before him. Paul believed that his work was not complete, that his remaining in the flesh was necessary for the sake of the church in Philippi. However, Paul was not in control of his fate. Paul was writing during his time of imprisonment for Christ. While he expected to be released, this outcome was not a certainty. Regardless of what Paul’s individual fate may be, his desire was to see Christ honored. Being convinced that God had more for him to do in the Philippian church, Paul believed he would be freed. However, if the outcome of the trial turned out to be unfavorable, Paul was not in fear of death. For while there was more to do in his body, Paul was confident that even if his life was taken from him, he would not be worse off, since dying meant to be with Christ. Dig Deeper One of the most common fears is the fear of death. Arguably even more prevalent is the fear of a loved one dying. I have lost track of how many movie villains are the product of a misguided effort to thwart death. Perhaps this villain backstory is reused so often because it makes the “bad guy” relatable. The fear of death, or at least the desire to save others from it is understandable. Yet I can’t help but be reminded of the words of a fellow minister, who stated that “sometimes death comes as a friend in the night." If you have ever seen a loved one suffer in the last days of life, these are words you understand well. As much as we cling to this life, there is something greater in store in the life to come. This life, marred by suffering and sin, cannot compare to the eternal life that awaits. This life is precious, each breath a gift from God. Like Paul, find God’s purpose for your time on earth. And when the day comes where Jesus calls you home, fear not, because to die is gain for on that day you go to be with Christ. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who in His perfect will determines how long we live and when to call us home; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you live in such a way that confirms the words that to live is Christ and to die is gain. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Matthew 10

Numbers 16:1-32 (NIV) Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan But all people are obliged to join and unite with it, keeping the unity of the church by submitting to according to God’s Word, to separate themselves from those who do not belong to the church, in order to join And so, all who withdraw from the church or do not join it act contrary to God’s ordinance.

Easter has come & gone, but continue to be grateful for your Savior's suffering. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 37 Q. What do you understand by the word “suffered”? A. That during his whole life on earth, but especially at the end, Christ sustained in body and soul the anger of God against the sin of the whole human race. This he did in order that, by his suffering as the only atoning sacrifice, he might set us free, body and soul, from eternal condemnation, Summary The book of Isaiah has many prophecies concerning the Messiah (Christ). Many of them focus on the birth of Jesus and his life. Isaiah 53 focuses on his suffering and death. There is no way to make this less extreme: Jesus suffered mightily on our behalf. Isaiah’s prophecy speaks of what Jesus would endure for us: Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed (v4-5) Through his death, Jesus bore our suffering. Through his crucifixion he took our punishment. Jesus was nailed to the cross so that all who call him Lord would not have to be. Our sin put Jesus on that cross. Why? The last part of verse five tells us, By his wounds we are healed. Dig Deeper Our only hope for salvation is through Jesus. This has been the focus of our worship, reflection and celebration, especially these last few days, and also our primary focus as we've read through the Bible this year. Today we are going to focus on Jesus’ suffering. Here is what the gospel of Matthew says Jesus went through on our behalf: Jesus was betrayed by one is his disciples, Judas and deserted by the others. Matthew 26:47-9 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. He was beaten and mocked. Matthew 26:67 Then [members of the Sanhedrin] spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?” He was flogged, mocked again, and mistreated. Matthew 27:26-30 But [Pilate] had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. [The soldiers] stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After all of that, they crucified him. Jesus went through all of that to save God’s elect. While we should feel sorrow over what Jesus went through to save us from our sins, we can also feel gratitude. Jesus was betrayed, deserted, beaten, spit on, mocked, flogged, and crucified to save God’s children. Jesus knew exactly what he had to do and he did it to save the lost. Thank you, Jesus. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Jesus, you are our Savior who suffered on our behalf; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: May I be grateful for your suffering ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Matthew 3

You likely are in authority over some and in submission to others. Humble yourself before the Lord in both roles. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 104 Q. What is God’s will for you in the fifth commandment? A. That I honor, love, and be loyal to my father and mother and all those in authority over me; that I obey and submit to them, as is proper, when they correct and punish me; and also that I be patient with their failings— for through them God chooses to rule us. Summary This famous account of David being confronted with his sin makes for an excellent model for how parents ought to discipline as well as how children ought to submit themselves to that discipline. Remember what we were reminded of yesterday, that the fifth commandment obligates us to not only honor our parents, but all those in authority over us. King David is a powerful, rich and very well established monarch, and normally men in his position are above the law and able to do as they please. The fact that David humbled himself before Nathan is a tremendous example of how even people and institutions who have authority over some spheres of life must submit themselves in other spheres. Parents have authority over their children, but must submit to the government and the Church. The Church must submit itself to the Lord and, to a much lesser extent, the government. The government, in an ideal world at least, submits itself to the people and to a lesser degree, the Church. In this way, everybody who has authority must also simultaneously be in submission. Ultimately, like David, we must recognize that all authority is delegated by the Lord, so all submission is ultimately to Him. It's likely that David felt internal guilt for the sins he had committed, as he writes about it so poignantly in Psalm 51. Even so, the initial inclination of most of us when we're called out for something we instinctively knew was wrong is to deny we did it or make excuses for why we did it. Yet David does none of that. We're so used to seeing those with power squirm their way out of trouble when they've been caught red handed, but David instantly and genuinely confesses his sin against the Lord. Dig Deeper Nathan provides a beautiful example of how to discipline those you've been given authority over. He responds to God's call to insert himself in a very awkward and potentially dangerous situation to confront sin (this is a call we all have to one degree or another). He doesn't maliciously attack or impugn David's character, but instead he winsomely guides David into condemning himself. And he instantly communicates God's grace upon David's heartfelt repentance while at the same time holding David accountable for the awful consequences that come as a result of the sin. Keep both of these humble, godly men in mind as you exercise both authority and submission in your life. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who uses authority figures to call us out of our sinful ways; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for the examples of David and Nathan and pray that you will fulfil the roles God has given you in a godly way; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Titus 3

Learn how to deal with the toxic people in your life. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 104 Q. What is God’s will for you in the fifth commandment? A. That I honor, love, and be loyal to my father and mother and all those in authority over me; that I obey and submit to them, as is proper, when they correct and punish me; and also that I be patient with their failings— for through them God chooses to rule us. Summary In general, we're accustomed to the New Testament reducing the burden of the law upon those of us who are in Christ. After all, Jesus met "the righteous requirement of the law" on our behalf and so "set us free from the law (Romans 8:2-4)." In looking through all of the strange requirements in the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible), it's relieving to know that most of the instructions we read were meant to make Israel look separate and distinct from the people around her (the definition of holiness), and are not ongoing expectations for people made holy in Christ. But here, near the end of Paul's letter to the Ephesians, Paul does the opposite of what we've come to expect. Just like Jesus before him did in the Sermon on the Mount, Paul expands the implications of Old Testament law rather than restrict it. Not only must you honor (give weight to) your parents, you must honor all those in authority over you! Even slaves must respect their masters (most people were slaves of some sort in the first century, so the relationship is akin to our modern relationship between employee and employer). And the respect you show to those you work for must be sincere, not just the plastic smile you put on when you're being watched! This new understanding of the fifth commandment doesn't just have implications for children and employees! Those who have been given authority - fathers and masters (bosses/supervisors) - have even greater responsibility: Fathers must nourish their children in such a way they come to know the Lord and employers must honor God, who is Master over all. Dig Deeper Let's face it. Some people are way easier to honor than others. Some people treat you so well that honoring them is just a natural reaction. Wouldn't it be awesome if all your relationships were modeled after the fifth commandment and Ephesians 6? But they're not. It's so easy to let toxic people make you miserable. Sure, it's best to avoid toxic relationships whenever you can, but ultimately you're going to have to deal with people who drag you down, whether you work for them or they work for you (or whether you call them mom or dad, or they call you that). So hold tightly to the Holy Spirit's instruction in v7 and "serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people." It isn't easy to look past the miserable immediate situation and instead see the Lord, who seems all the more invisible in times like this, but it's worth it, because "the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do," no matter what role you play in the relationship! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who defines goodness in His law and then rewards us for doing good; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the strength and patience to submit to those in authority over you, even when it seems impossible, and to nurture those you're responsible for; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Titus 2