(Sermon by Pastor Michael D. Schultz 02/11/07)

INTRODUCTION:

How do you remember the difference between the Pharisees and the Sadducees?  The Pharisees came up with all the extra rules you were supposed to keep, they were known for being self-righteous or work-righteous, but the Sadducees said there is no resurrection, no afterlife, that’s why they’re sad, you see?  Someone should probably hold up the cue cards for moaning and groaning, because that is undoubtedly one of the oldest puns you’ll ever come across.  But for as lame or silly as it might sound, it rings awfully true.  How sad is it, especially for professing Christians, to forget about or lose sight of what we recite every week – the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting!

If you could use a shot of confident hope or some true Christian happiness, you are in the right place, because that is what God is serving in this lesson.  It’s all about -

Resurrection – What It Says…
About Forgiveness, Funerals & Forever

There have always been people who have scoffed at the thought of a bodily resurrection from the dead, but when some Christians in the Corinthian church adopted that viewpoint, Paul was quick to point out that they needed to dismiss such thinking, because it was like knocking over the first in a long line of dominoes that would topple the entire Christian faith.

If people don’t rise from the dead, then Jesus didn’t, and if there’s no Easter, you and I are sunk.  A week and a half from now, Lent begins with Ash Wednesday (services at 4:00 and 7:30 p.m. on each Wednesday).  We recall Jesus’ sufferings and why he suffered – as one being punished by God for our sins.  Palm Sunday (April 1st) will see Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a donkey – to give his life as a ransom payment for our sinfulness.  The following Thursday night (Maundy Thursday) he is arrested.  On Friday (Good Friday), he is put to death by the Gentiles.  That afternoon he is laid in the tomb.  Shall we stop there?  Can we?

If we do, we go to hell.  If Christ died and stayed dead, our sins are still ours.  If Jesus remained in the tomb, he didn’t take our sins anywhere, certainly not away, and trusting that he did would be a pure waste.  If Jesus Christ didn’t rise from death, lust and greed are sins you’ll have to pay for.  Not praying and not caring about people are sins you’ll have to pay for.  Substance abuse and spousal abuse are sins you’ll have to pay for.  Pride and prejudice are sins you’ll have to pay for.  You and I have nowhere near enough to cover our debts.  Paying for them would take forever and it would take place away from God.  If you’ve ever caught yourself yawning to hear the phrase, “Jesus took your sins away,” try hearing the opposite: “Jesus did not take your sins away; he’s still dead.”  No absolution in a church service, no forgiveness of sins to fall back on, no clean slate, no white as snow, no as far as the east is from the west, no be of good cheer.  If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, your sins sink you and God forsakes you in hell.

But now is Christ arisen!  Delete the last paragraph I spoke, because all the “what-if’s” are irrelevant.  Delete all your sins, because God did.  Jesus’ rising from the dead is your receipt for his payment of your debt to God.  Hold onto your receipt.  Resurrection (specifically Christ’s resurrection) – What it says about forgiveness?  It says forgiveness is real.  It says forgiveness is full.  It says forgiveness is yours. 

And it gives you something solid to grab onto when it feels there’s no floor beneath your feet.  When Luke and I attended the conference in Florida, a prayer was spoken for the father of one of the Florida pastors.  Two of his sons are Lutheran pastors, two sons Lutheran teachers.  Those four men ended up in Michigan two weeks ago, at their father’s side when he died.  Cold symptoms on New Year’s Eve, a lump on his throat in mid-January, passed away before January concluded.  It was thought to be an infection that couldn’t be stopped.  Hundreds gathered for the funeral service – he’d announced Seminary football games for 31 years and had been a member of the same church all his life, 76 years.  Amidst understandable grief, what in all the world could lead family members and friends to still smile and rejoice and refer to that funeral as a Christian service of comfort and victory?

Resurrection.  By God’s grace that Christian man did not cease to exist, nor did he go off to purgatory (which doesn’t exist) nor did he go to hell (which does exist).  He fell asleep in Christ.  His soul went to be with Jesus and his body was laid to rest, to await the day of resurrection.  Resurrection – what it says about funerals is that while difficult and heart-breaking, they have become bearable, only because Jesus has turned a Christian’s death into a sleep, something that doesn’t hurt, something which (when you’re sick and tired) is actually desirable, and most importantly, something from which believers awake, refreshed, rejuvenated. 

On those unheard of days when you get eight hours of uninterrupted sleep (or six or four), how long does it seem from the time you fall asleep till the time you wake up?  Eight hours seems like eight seconds.  That’s the resurrection, whether it was Adam six thousand years ago or this gentleman a couple weeks ago – falling asleep to be raised to life and to awake in heaven.  Your loved ones who have died in Christ are with Christ now.  When they’re raised to life, I don’t know that they’ll yawn and stretch but I do know that they’ll awake to see Jesus, refreshed, rejuvenated, as if they fell asleep last night and woke up this morning.

We know that because Jesus already did it.  If you and I could find the largest orange grove in Florida, and if we could somehow identify the first orange that was ripe and ready to be picked, we would have a good picture of our closing point.  Christ rising from the grave is like that first ripe orange.  His resurrection means there’s a huge harvest that’s sure to come, all the hundreds of thousands who have fallen asleep in him and who will be awakened to join him on resurrection day, including you. 

So if we are looking to Christ only to get us through family/friend problems or marriage/money problems or retirement or the remainder of our lives, pity us!  Resurrection – what does it say about forever?  It says that our time here is a minuscule, negligent fraction of a percent compared to our time with the Lord for eternity.  As necessary, adjust your view of earthly life compared to eternal life.  Christ has indeed been raised from the dead and you will live and reign with him forever and ever and ever.

(Top Of Page)

(Back To Archive)

(Current Worship Page)