Friday, March 29, 2013

Life instead of death

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die" (John 11:25-26).

He is risen!  He is risen indeed!

Easter is about death giving way to life.  It’s about joy.  It’s about hope.  It’s about the end of living in fear.  But you cannot appreciate how wonderful Easter is if you don’t fully understand what Jesus accomplished.  Jesus overcame death not once, but twice.  He defeated the first death and the second death.

Yes, there are two kinds of death.  The first death is the death of the body—it separates us from our loved ones here on earth.  But as bad as that is, the second death is far worse—Jesus speaks of it in Revelation chapter 20: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life…and I will be his God and he will be my son.  But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.  The second death separates us from God and denies us access to heaven; the second death is eternal suffering in hell.

Thankfully, Jesus has overcome both death and hell.  He told Martha, He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.  Jesus will rescue us from the grave; He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.  Jesus will also keep us from being sent to hell; whoever lives and believes in me will never die

We focus a lot of attention on the first death, but give little thought to the second.  We spend all kinds of money on trying to look young and stay healthy.  We are terrified of death, and fight its coming with every resource at our disposal.  And when death finally claims us, we spend even more on lavish funerals.  We act as if the first death is the end of our existence. 

But the second death should be a much greater concern.  When we die, God has a decision to make—welcome us into heaven or banish us to hell.  In heaven, all is forgiven.  In heaven, there is peace.  In heaven, there is no stress or frustration.  Best of all, heaven is filled with love—the love of God, the love of the angels, the love of our fellow saints. 

Hell is just the opposite.  In hell, everyone is in pain. In hell, guilt and regret never stop eating away at you.  Hell is filled with darkness and rage and despair.  Hell is barren of love—it is a place that offers no gentle touch, no words of encouragement, not a single act of kindness. 

You’d think that people would do everything in their power to avoid the second death—yet most barely give it a passing thought.  They’re too wrapped up in day-to-day affairs.  They are focused on earning money and spending money.  They are focused on winning respect and being attractive.  They are focused on getting their way and overcoming enemies.  They worry about the first death, because it gets in the way of their plans—but they don’t worry about God or His rules.  They don’t concern themselves about facing the second death.

Actually, many people are dead right now, even though they are busy leading hectic lives.  From God’s perspective, they are dead already because they have no relationship with Him.  In his letter to the new believers in Ephesus, Paul speaks of how faith in Christ had changed their lives: you were dead in your transgressions and sins…But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved (Ephesians chapter two).  Paul takes up the same idea in Colossians chapter two: When you were dead in your sins…God made you alive with Christ.  Without Jesus in our lives, we are as good as dead.

The miracle of Easter is Jesus’ triumph over death.  But He did much more than just rise from the grave, as amazing as that was.  Jesus defeated death in all the forms it takes.  The Son of God gave life to our dead souls.  He ended the power of the grave to hold our bodies captive.  And He gave us escape from eternal death in hell.

Jesus gives life to our dead souls.  We are all sinners; we ignore God and rebel against His laws.  Because of this, we were separated from God and were as good as dead.  But Jesus died to change all that.  God punished His Son on the cross for our misbehavior.  Through His atoning sacrifice, Jesus earned the right to forgive us.  He rose from the dead so He could extend His nail-scarred hands to us.  He offers us forgiveness and reconciliation with God.  In Christ, we are filled with life.  He told His followers, I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10).

Do you realize what this means?  When Jesus forgives you, you are freed from guilt.  You are no longer weighed down by regret.  Jesus refreshes you with these beautiful words: Friend, your sins are forgiven (Luke 5:20).  You are reconnected to the God who gave you life.  You are freed from the burden of old mistakes.  And you get another benefit as well—Jesus enables you to forgive and be reconciled to your parents and grandparents, your brothers and sisters, your children and grandchildren.  Jesus makes it possible for you to forgive and be reconciled to the person you married and to your best friend, to your boss and co-workers and subordinates, even to your enemies.  The human heart is shriveled, hard, and dead, but Jesus gives it life, tenderness, and compassion.

Jesus also gives life to our dying bodies. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).  Physical death must come, sooner or later—it is the inevitable result of sin.  But although death is terrifying and painful, it can also be a blessing if you trust in Christ.  Although Jesus forgives us, we struggle with sin every moment of our lives.  Death puts an end to that wrestling match—Scripture says, anyone who has died has been freed from sin (Romans 6:7).  Death ends our struggles with temptation.  Death stops us from speaking hurtful words and doing harmful things. 

Make no mistake—death is our enemy.  Death steals away our loved ones.  Death changes our lives and our plans for the future.  Death is not a good thing.  So we can be grateful that Jesus overcame death on Easter morning.  He rose from the grave, proving His power to free anyone from death’s clutches.  He promises us new life, life that is not marred by birth defects or disease or crippling injuries.  Paul tells us, the Lord Jesus Christ…will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body (Philippians 3:20-21).

Jesus suffered and died because He loves us.  He was willing to do whatever it took to keep us from burning in hell, lost and alone.  He endured the cross to spare us from the second death.  In Revelation chapter two the Lord made this wonderful promise: Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life…He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.  If we cling to Jesus and trust in His love, He will guarantee us a place by His side in paradise. 

No matter what form it takes, Jesus has overcome death.  As a result, we don’t have to live in fear.  We don’t have to fear God, because Jesus has reconciled us.  Jesus is an expert at mending broken relationships; He gives us patience to put up with each other, courage to admit when we’re wrong, and the willingness to let old hurts fade from memory.  We have no reason to fear our mistakes—with Jesus’ help, any damaged relationship can be salvaged.

Because Jesus overcame death, we can face the tough days of life with hope.  Our bodies are ravaged by sickness, injury, and the effects of aging.  Jesus suffered too—suffered so much that He died on Good Friday.  But Jesus rose from the dead on Easter morning, fully restored to health.  On the Last Day, Jesus will raise us too, and we will be free from any health problems; this gives us hope during our days of pain and illness.  When death takes our loved ones, it is hard to say goodbye.  Many people watched Jesus die and mourned His passing, but their grief was short lived because no grave could hold the Lord of Life.  By stepping alive from the tomb, Jesus proved that death is only a temporary thing; and although every funeral is a grief-filled time of parting, we can live in hope of a heavenly reunion. 

Jesus has defeated death in all its forms.  He makes it possible for us to live in hope, not fear.  This gives us joy, a satisfaction with life that cannot be duplicated by power, money, or popularity.  We have a joy that fills us with inner peace, even when days are frustrating or the future looks uncertain.  In Christ, we are alive—alive with love, alive with kindness and compassion, alive with a positive attitude that sees possibilities for growth in every challenge.  Life—this is God’s Easter gift to you.  May you rejoice in it always, and share it generously with others.

Blog Top Sites
Blog Directory & Search engine
Blog Directory