An Artesian Well of Life
A man discovered that he had an artesian well on his land. An artesian well is not a freshwater spring. An artesian well is a well that you bore into the ground, only to discover that the natural water pressure underground pushes the water up to the surface without the help of a pump. Once you punch it into the ground, an artesian well starts to flow with water that keeps on flowing.
This man was absolutely tickled to know that he owned an artesian well. He now had a constant, effortless supply of fresh water for his family.
My family in Christ, God your Father describes Christ’s resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15 as if it were an artesian well — an artesian well of forgiveness of sins and victory over death flowing continually and eternally for you: “Thanks be to God, who gives/is giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (I Cor. 15:57)
God does NOT say in this verse that He HAS GIVEN you the victory, as if your victory over sin and death is merely a past event. Oh to be sure, your victory over sin and death is indeed an historic, finished event. Your victory over sin and death is roughly two thousand years older than you, having been fully accomplished for you by the death of your Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross. Of your salvation, Jesus says “It is finished”!
Again, God does NOT say to you in the Corinthians passage that He HAS GIVEN you the victory, as if your victory over sin and death is merely the past event of your Baptism. Oh certainly, the victory over sin and death most certainly came to you and wrapped itself around you on the day you were baptized. God means it when He says to you in Romans chapter 6 that you were baptized into Christ’s death so that you may likewise be joined by Baptism to Christ’s resurrection (Romans 6:3-5).
“Thanks be to God, who gives/is giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” With these Words, God also is NOT telling you that He WILL GIVE you the victory, as if you victory over sin and death is something that merely you are looking forward to in the distant future. Oh yes, in the future you will be living eternally in the New Creation in the unveiled presence of Jesus your Savior. But it isn’t just something just look forward to – it is a present reality!
“Thanks be to God, who gives/is giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”
With these Words, God your Father wants you to think of your victory over sin and death, not merely as your past or your future, but also as your present. God wants you to know that the gift and benefit of Christ’s resurrection serves you moment-to-moment, day-in-and-day-out, for the full scope of your life! There is never a time when God is NOT giving you the victory of Christ over sin and death, devil and grave. Like an artesian well that continually flows with water up from the ground, the resurrection of your Lord Jesus Christ continually flows with gifts and benefits for you.
First the hole was punched into the ground. This happened when “Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb” (John 20:1). Why had the stone been taken away? That we may see that Christ is risen! (He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!)
Then the water began to well up and flow with life-giving abundance for you. As Jesus told the Samaritan woman: (John 4:14 ESV) “whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
This first happened when you were baptized “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19), in accordance with our Lord’s promise and desire.
Once the artesian water of Christ’s resurrection began to flow, it continues to flow unabated and uninterrupted for you. That is why God so carefully says to you today that He IS GIVING you Christ’s victory, past and present and future, uninterrupted and without end. This is the preaching of the Word; this is the absolution that is spoken to you; this is the Holy Communion and the on-going, present reality benefit of your Baptism. In these things, God is giving you “the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” Truly, “Thanks be to God, who is giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” AMEN
Pastor
