What Is Certain
We are living in uncertain days. It almost seems every time we connect to our news feeds, we hear of shocking, sad, almost unbelievable things happening across our world.
There is an old saying that in this world there is nothing certain except death and taxes. Although there is an element of truth in that, for indeed we can be sure to face both. Thankfully for followers of Jesus, there is a sure and certain hope that this life is not all there is. Death is not the end but a doorway into so much more.
A number of years ago, my husband and I had the huge privilege of working in Jerusalem for a few months at ‘The Garden Tomb’ – the area where the death and resurrection of Jesus took place. Some historians argue the tomb was in another location, but that’s not what matters most. The main thing is that wherever the tomb is located, it’s empty! Hallelujah!
Jesus did not stay dead. Rather, in rising again, He conquered sin, death, and hell forever.
There are many scriptures beautifully carved in stone around the garden tomb site, my favorite of which was from Romans 1. In this chapter, the apostle Paul states that Jesus Christ was declared to be the Son of God in power by His resurrection from the dead (1:4).
For a God to die for His people in order to take the punishment for their sin upon Himself, that is incredible. What hope would we have if we worshiped a God who was dead? Our faith would be in vain, and we would still be in our sins (1 Corinthians 15:13-14).
The Guarantee of the Resurrection
Jesus’ resurrection fulfilled Old Testament prophecy and declares both His divine and human nature in being the Son of God, having ultimate power over death, our greatest enemy. Because He lives, we shall live also (John 14:19). Death no longer has the final word in our lives (Romans 6:10-11).
This is the unshakeable foundation that our faith is based upon when we trust in Jesus, the One who gave His life for us and rose again. It is the gospel on which we stand. Paul, in writing to the believers in Corinth, wanted them, and us, to always remember what was “of first importance…that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
Not only do we have the declaration of Jesus’ resurrection written in scripture, but we also have eye witness accounts of those to whom He appeared. Hundreds of people testified to meeting with the risen Messiah (1 Corinthians 15:6).
Jesus’ resurrection is a guarantee for all who follow Him that we, too, will rise again. This is not only a sure and certain hope for the future. It’s a hope which shapes how we live today and every day until He returns or calls us home.
Resurrection hope is living and strengthens us in times of suffering (1 Peter 1). It’s a hope that takes the sting out of death, for we do not grieve as those without hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Of course we still grieve. We acutely feel the pain of separation and the heartache of an earthly goodbye with those we love. Ultimately, we have the assurance that our pain and grief is temporary, but our hope is eternal.
Hope in Life and Death
There’s a statement my pastor declares at every funeral to those who are believers. He states, “If the grave reminds us of the brevity of life, the resurrection reminds us of the brevity of death.” Hallelujah!
Our risen Savior gives us hope in life and death. As followers of Christ, our hope hinges on His resurrection. It’s not simply an “insurance policy” type of hope that is only fulfilled when we ourselves come to face death. The resurrection is fundamentally vital to our everyday faith.
Resurrection hope and the certain knowledge that there will be a day when we will no longer struggle with sin nor experience sickness, death, pain, or tears is the sure foundation for believers. It is especially felt and understood by our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world today. They stand firm in the face of imprisonment, death, injustice, violent attack, kidnappings, or being cast out from family. The Risen Savior, the Lord Himself, stands with them in their darkest moments. He shines the light of the promise of resurrection power and the comfort that eternally they will know a glory which will far outweigh all they have to bear now.
We can be confident, too, that whatever it is we have to face today – the disappointments, the dreaded diagnosis, the pain of loss, the joys, the blessings, the suffering, the sorrow, the best of days, and the worst of times – God is at work in us, writing our story that has its beginning and ending, its continuing and completeness in Him. He has given us resurrection life and eternal hope. It is ours, and it is only found in Jesus.
In his final book of the Chronicles of Narnia series, The Last Battle, C.S. Lewis sums this up wonderfully. He writes, “All their life in this world…had only been the cover and the title page. Now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read, which goes on forever in which every chapter is better than the one before.”
We have hope for now and hope for the not yet all because Jesus is alive! Our Savior conquered sin, death, and hell and won for us the victory of the promise of eternal life with Him.
Remember I mentioned that we served at The Garden Tomb? Visitors came from all over the world. In their times of worship in the garden, the chorus by Bill & Gloria Gaither was the one we heard sung every single day in so many different languages.
The hope we have because of our risen Savior leads us to praise and worship, declaring,
“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know, I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!”
Amen!
And so, dear sisters, let us rejoice and stand firm on resurrection hope.
