The gospel of the resurrection means not only that dead Jesus came back to life (though it means that) but also that Jesus has entered the realm of life, of the new creation and of the Spirit.  In him, the new creation has already begun and the kingdom has been established, though the creation is not yet fully renewed, restored, or transfigured into a new heavens and a new earth.  Only by faith does the believer know that, through his death and resurrection, Jesus fundamentally renovated the world, but his resurrection and ascension guarantee that he will in the end bring the world to its destined fulfillment.

Peter J. Leithart, Blessed are the Hungry

Order of Worship, February 4 2007

Redeemer Presbyterian Church of New Orleans