The resurrection of Jesus takes place in space-time, but it isn’t merely a great event within human history. It is the good news that God has broken into history with the powers of another world. He has done so, decisively shattering the powers of darkness that ruled over us. Now Jesus reigns supreme over all other powers in heaven and earth visible and invisible. So, the resurrection is the good news that God is creating a new humanity in a new creation enjoying new freedom under the reign of the risen Lord.

Jesus is raised as the New Man who is head over God’s New Creation. However, Jesus isn’t raised simply as an individual, for we are raised with him as New Humanity in him (Eph. 2:5, 6; Col. 2: 12, 13). Now, we, as new humanity in Jesus, look towards God’s new world to come. At the same time, we know that the future has already begun. Already there is new creation: the old has gone; the new has come. The resurrection of Jesus opens an entirely new age in which the future resurrection has already happened. For with the resurrection of Jesus God’s new creation has already broken into the midst of the old.

In the Spirit, we look backward to God’s decisive act in raising Jesus as the new man. And in the Spirit, we also look towards the future horizon of Jesus coming again in ultimate triumph over all the powers of darkness. We do so in the sure expectation that when he is revealed we shall appear with him in glory as the New Humanity in New Creation.