Resurrection Changes Everything
Chapter 4 of Acts is incredible- but then, every chapter is incredible! As I was reading it, I kept thinking, ‘wow, wow, wow’ as I unpacked the verses.
Jesus’ disciples were teaching this crazy, new gospel of Jesus and it wasn’t going down well with the religious leaders who opposed it. Not only were the disciples teaching, but they were also performing signs and wonders in Jesus’ name. People were being healed, praising God and they were growing in numbers.
In Acts 4:2, the apostles were proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. This was major! The Saducees, a religious group, didn’t believe in life after death and so hearing the disciples teaching about this was a big red flag for them.
2 things struck me:
1) In Jesus.
Resurrection after death is in Jesus. It is made possible because of Jesus. It is a hope we can hold onto, only in Jesus. Jesus has made what is impossible with humans, possible, through his own life, death and resurrection. It was an opposing worldview then, and still is today. There are many who would say that when we die, that is it. There is nothing more. BUT, we believe that in Jesus, there is more! In Jesus is life that transcends death.
2) Resurrection of the dead changes how we grieve.
Resurrection of the dead changes how we grieve for those we have lost to death.
When someone we love dies, we grieve BUT we can grieve with hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 says, ‘Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.’
Resurrection of the dead in Jesus = HOPE.
I do not say this lightly or flippantly. Grief is a heavy weight to bear. To lose somebody we love is one of the most painful experiences to go through.
Today I am writing this on what would have been my Mum’s birthday. She would have hated me to reveal her age, so I shall keep it quiet! My Mum passed away, very suddenly, on 5th November 2016. My whole world flipped upside down overnight. It was as if somebody had turned the lights out, knocked me to the ground and left me there. The pain, grief, sadness and confusion was unparalleled to anything I had felt before. The only comfort I had was Jesus. Believing in Jesus’ gift of eternal life was my anchor in grief.
That is why, when I say that we can grieve with hope, I really mean it. It’s not just a platitude or something I say superficially, it is something I have lived through and continue to live through.
Today, let us praise Jesus for the resurrection of the dead! Let us praise Him for eternal life!
And if you are grieving, I pray that you would grieve with hope. As you weep and pour out your heart to God, I pray that He would draw near to you and grant you peace.
- Susie Raybould
Jesus’ disciples were teaching this crazy, new gospel of Jesus and it wasn’t going down well with the religious leaders who opposed it. Not only were the disciples teaching, but they were also performing signs and wonders in Jesus’ name. People were being healed, praising God and they were growing in numbers.
In Acts 4:2, the apostles were proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. This was major! The Saducees, a religious group, didn’t believe in life after death and so hearing the disciples teaching about this was a big red flag for them.
2 things struck me:
1) In Jesus.
Resurrection after death is in Jesus. It is made possible because of Jesus. It is a hope we can hold onto, only in Jesus. Jesus has made what is impossible with humans, possible, through his own life, death and resurrection. It was an opposing worldview then, and still is today. There are many who would say that when we die, that is it. There is nothing more. BUT, we believe that in Jesus, there is more! In Jesus is life that transcends death.
2) Resurrection of the dead changes how we grieve.
Resurrection of the dead changes how we grieve for those we have lost to death.
When someone we love dies, we grieve BUT we can grieve with hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 says, ‘Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.’
Resurrection of the dead in Jesus = HOPE.
I do not say this lightly or flippantly. Grief is a heavy weight to bear. To lose somebody we love is one of the most painful experiences to go through.
Today I am writing this on what would have been my Mum’s birthday. She would have hated me to reveal her age, so I shall keep it quiet! My Mum passed away, very suddenly, on 5th November 2016. My whole world flipped upside down overnight. It was as if somebody had turned the lights out, knocked me to the ground and left me there. The pain, grief, sadness and confusion was unparalleled to anything I had felt before. The only comfort I had was Jesus. Believing in Jesus’ gift of eternal life was my anchor in grief.
That is why, when I say that we can grieve with hope, I really mean it. It’s not just a platitude or something I say superficially, it is something I have lived through and continue to live through.
Today, let us praise Jesus for the resurrection of the dead! Let us praise Him for eternal life!
And if you are grieving, I pray that you would grieve with hope. As you weep and pour out your heart to God, I pray that He would draw near to you and grant you peace.
- Susie Raybould
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