every day mattered

Few weeks back my good friends Dana and Deanna and I were talking about this new book Dana is reading, called Found in Him: The Joy of the Incarnation and Our Union with Christ by Elyse Fitzpatrick (find book here). 

Dana talked about how enlightening it was and how she had never thought so much about how the Incarnation of Jesus influences our life. Deanna and I admit that we hadn't really taken the time to think about Jesus' life, like a real person doing real things. 

I think sometimes the person of Jesus is so swallowed up by his birth, death, and resurrection, that we hardly take time to think of him as God, the Incarnate. Its so true in my own life. 

Then, Dana said something that hit me sideways and changed everything I thought about the Incarnation. 

In Fitzpatrick's book, she suggests that Jesus' life was about more than being innocent. If Jesus' only purpose in coming to Earth was to be sinless or innocent, Herod could have killed him when we has a toddler, or for that matter he could have died shortly after birth, and would have been completely innocent. 

Jesus' actual life mattered, and still matters. But why?

Days went by and I just kept thinking about what she said and how profound that was. But it still didn't completely satisfy my curiosity. I kept thinking back on that verse in Hebrews 4:15,

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

This verse helped me a little, but I still couldn't figure out what exactly God was trying to show me. As of right now the closest similarity I have to Jesus is that I live a normal life, fighting flesh and sin. I wasn't born miraculously, and I haven't yet died and resurrected with him. 
So, why does Jesus' life matter so much to my life? How does the gospel of Jesus Christ speak into my everyday life? 
That's the question I was wrestling with...
So as I was wrestling with those thoughts in my own mind, my husband and I were preparing for our small group Bible study at our house. We were reading Romans 5 over dinner when I came across a verse that honestly confused me. Romans 5:10 states, 

For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

I started to break it down in order to understand it a little better. Then it hit me... There is something profound in this one verse and God gave me the eyes and mind of faith to receive it. 
Paul seems to be setting up two different situations or two statements, referring to death and life.

For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son...
1. Before we professed faith in Christ  while we were Gods enemies, we were made right through his death. Basically Jesus death makes us holy and pleasing before the Lord. 

After reading that first part I thought to myself, "well that seems good enough, right?" I mean Jesus died to bring us near to God and now that's accomplished so everything is all gravy....
But we still have that same question, what about Jesus' life?

...how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
2. Number one shows us that we were reconciled by death, but this statement talks about now that we are reconciled, to those who have professed faith in Jesus or also called saints. On this side of the cross and through faith we are saved through his life.

This means Jesus' life matters for our continual salvation.... I am not saying that you can lose your salvation, in fact I am saying the opposite. 
Jesus' life matters because we cloth ourselves in Christ (Romans 13:14) which means we not only take upon his death and resurrection, but also his actual LIFE. 
Jesus didn't just live 30ish years because it seemed right or because God liked that age. 
Jesus lived every moment, day, and year in perfect obedience to God on our behalf. Every day mattered in Christ's life because he lived perfectly in every situation. 

When I lie to my friend and turn my back on her, I am saved because Christ was a perfect friend and completely faithful on my behalf.
When I am angry at God and I ignore him and choose sin, I can look to Jesus' life, that although he had seemingly good reasons to be mad at God, he was perfectly faithful and joyfully chose obedience to the Father. 
When my mother fails me and lets me down, I can look to the Christ who was true to his word and gave me a new, everlasting family.

Now, on a side note I do want to say this is also referring to true life in the resurrection of Jesus. But even in that we can look to Jesus as the first fruits, the one who went before us perfectly, even in his death and resurrection.

I plead with you to dwell on Jesus' life...
There was not a day the Father ordained by accident in Jesus' life. 
All he did, written and unwritten, mattered.
He is not just a moral example or an innocent human. 
This is our hope of life with God as he makes us more like Christ until we dwell together one day. 
Clothe yourselves in the life of Jesus Christ and look not to your failures but to the perfection of Jesus Christ and the righteousness he offers to the glory of God.