Modern Christians often speak about the cross, but for the early church it was the resurrection and the reign of Christ. Without the resurrection there would be mercy, but there would be no grace. Without the reign, there would be no justice. Jesus lives and Jesus reigns and so we have hope, an earnest expectation that we will receive and see in perfect measure grace and mercy and justice. We live and we sing and we exult in Christ because He is our sacrifice, He is our resurrection, He is our life. He is our brother. He is the king of all creation. He is everything to us. Maranatha!