I Am The Resurrection And The Life, August 10, 2014

I am the Resurrection and the Life

1 Corinthians 15:51-58, John 11:17-27

Grace Presbyterian Church

August 10, 2014

Rev. Dr. Richard E. Miller

 

How’s Buffy?  Some years ago, when I was taller and my hair and beard was very dark, I was at the back of the sanctuary in my black robe shaking hands with the members following worship. A young couple with their six year old daughter approached and before I could say anything, the daughter grabbed my hand, looked up at me and said, “How’s Buffy?” I replied, “I’m sorry, I don’t understand.” “I said, How’s Buffy?” I still had a blank look when the little girl’s mother leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Buffy was her kitten who just died this week. And we assured her that Buffy was alive and in heaven with Jesus.  She thinks you’re Jesus.” So I looked down at the little girl and said, “Buffy is doing just fine. Even though she misses you a lot, she’s very happy in heaven.”

The little girl asked the same question many of us have asked through the years. “Is our loved who died happy in heaven?” But we might add to that question many others, such as “What happens when we die?” “Will I see my loved one again in heaven?” “What is heaven like?”

Birth and Death  This morning I will try to address such questions as these by focusing first of all upon Jesus’ proclamation, “I am the resurrection and the life.” These words are usually heard only at services when someone dies.. But sometimes at funerals our minds are so full of emotions that it is difficult for us to remember anything that is said.

A time to be born and a time to die  I’d like to start by reminding us of these words from Ecclesiastes, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die.”

Being Born  Now the first part, the part about being born, is a time of celebrating and congratulations. Prior to the birth, we have baby showers and buy things for the baby’s room.

And when our child is born, we send out birth announcements saying “It’s a girl!” or “It’s a boy!” And we confer upon our child a name which we had thought about for months ahead of the birth.

Dying  However, deaths are another matter. Sadness replaces rejoicing. Tears replace laughter. Obituaries replace birth announcements. And the older we become, the more likely it is that we have experienced sadness, tears and obituaries as the result of the death of loved ones - grandparent, parent, spouse and even our children.

Two Parts of the Gospel  In the midst of our grief, we need to remember that the Good News of the Gospel has two basic parts - the forgiveness of sins and life after death.  

1. In the first part, Christ's death paid the penalty we deserved to pay for our sins.  When we repent of our sins and turn back to God, God will forgive us and lead us into a new life. As a result, God guides us, comforts us, and strengthens us. It is because of this good news that we rejoice every day of our lives.  

2. The second part, the resurrection of Christ. is the ground and basis of our personal resurrection when we die. Jesus not only said, "I am the resurrection and the life; he followed that statement by saying, he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die." (John 11:25-26)   "Because I live, you shall live also." (John 14:19)

Here is the foundation of our Christian faith and the ground of our hope and assurance at time of death. Simply stated, because Christ rose, we too shall rise. Because he lives, we too shall live. For this we rejoice, give thanks, and sing praises to God. 

This is of great importance to us this morning since someday, somehow, somewhere, each of us will die. However, because of Christ, when we die, life continues beyond the grave. Heaven is real! How do we know this? Because Christ rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.

What Happens at Death?  "This is wonderful," we say, "but what exactly happens when we die?  What kind of a body will we have in heaven? Will we know our loved ones who have gone before us?" These are the same questions which the members of the Corinthian church were asking themselves.

In his first letter to them, Paul devotes the entire fifteenth chapter to answer these resurrection questions. Paul writes that if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised.

If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching and our faith is in vain. However, Paul continues, the fact is that Christ has been raised. Because he has been raised, all who believe in him shall be raised as well. This glorious resurrection of his followers will be the final fruit and benefit of the forgiveness of their sins.  

Spiritual Body  Paul then addresses their concerns about the body we will have after death. This is an important question since all of us identify ourselves in relation to our body. Existence after death without a body just doesn't make much sense. Paul's answer is that our resurrection body will be imperishable and spiritual and will bear the image of Jesus. That means that our spiritual body will be far superior to our mortal bodies, he says, in the same way as the grown wheat plant is superior to the seed from which it has sprung. We were born of the seed of Adam, a living being. We will be raised as a spiritual body in Christ.  And yes, we will recognize, greet and embrace loved ones who have gone on before us.

Is There Really a Heaven?   Throughout our lives, we’ve talked and heard about heaven.

In the Lord’s Prayer, we say, "Our Father, who art in heaven..."  At his ascension, it says that Jesus was "taken up into heaven." (Mark 16:19) The Book of the Revelation states that heaven has twelve pearly gates and streets paved with solid gold.

All that is well and good, but when a loved one dies, or when we're about to die, we start to wonder. Is there really a place to which we go called heaven? Perhaps for the first time in our life, it has become the most relevant question we’ve ever asked. Of course there is heaven. Very simply, heaven is where God is, and heaven is being in a perfect and glorious relationship with God, no longer shackled by sin. Period.  

Kind of Life  So what kind of life will we have in heaven? First it will be a joyous life with God, without any pride or greed or unfaithfulness getting in the way of our fellowship.   And it will be free of pain and sorrow.

In the Book of the Revelation, John said, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Revelation 21:3-4)

Can you imagine a life without sin or guilt, free of physical or emotional pain? Without arthritis, cancer or heart attacks? Without anxiety, worry, tears or sorrow? Without fear or dread of any kind? This is what heaven is like. Can you imagine greeting parents, husbands, wives, children and friends that have died before you? And can you imagine reaching out to former enemies with open arms of love? That's what heaven is like.

Paul put it this way: "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." (Romans 8:18)   "For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." (II Corinthians 4:17)  Eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison!  Can you imagine a life in which the most stirring music, the most beautiful sights, and the deepest emotions of love experienced on earth will pale in comparison to the music, sights and love we will experience in heaven?

Last Wednesday, I called up a friend and wished him a happy birthday. He said, “It means that I’m one year older.” And, trying to be cute, I replied, “Well, it beats the alternative.” And he said, “Are you sure?”

 

 

 

Comfort from God   Even though we know that the life to come will indeed be wonderful in every way, the death of a loved one still brings sorrow and tears. And rightly so. So in the midst of our intense missing of loved one and time of mourning, and in the midst of our feelings of bewilderment, denial, fright and anger, Jesus says to us,

"Let not your heart be troubled.  Ye believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:1-3, 27)

Yes, Christ went on ahead to prepare a place for us in heaven. When we die, the doors of heaven are thrown open and Christ receives us unto himself with open arms.

The story is told of a woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. She contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes she told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what dress she wanted to be buried in. The woman also requested to be buried with her Bible. Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leaven when the woman said, “There’s one more thing.” “What’s that,” asked the pastor.  “I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.” The pastor looked at the woman, not knowing quite what to say. “That surprises you, doesn’t it?” the woman asked. “Well, to be honest, I am puzzled by the request,” said the pastor. The woman explained. “In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, “Keep your fork.” It was my favorite part because I knew that something wonderful was coming -- like velvety chocolate cake or deep dish apple pie. Something wonderful and with substance. So I just want people to see me there in the casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder, ‘What’s with the fork?’ Then I want you to tell them: “Keep your fork, the best is yet to come.” So the next time you reach for your fork, let it remind you oh so gently, that the best is yet to come. Amen!
1 Corinthians 15:51-58 NRSV

Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:

‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’

‘Where, O death, is your victory?

   Where, O death, is your sting?’

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.

John 11:17-27 NRSV

The background of this event is as follows. In the town of Bethany, Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, died. When Jesus heard about it, he walked the two miles from Jerusalem to Bethany to the house where Mary and Martha awaited him.

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.’