Resurrection Hope

1 Corinthians 15:17

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 

At least once a year I like to start a story with my Volleyball Team like this, “when I was in prison I played middle hitter and got one of the best blocks of my life.” Every time I say that, the reactions are priceless. “You were in prison?” “What were you in for?” 

Of course, I left out a few details for the setup to make it shocking. I was on a ministry volleyball team while attending the Word of Life Bible Institute. We went to Lake Placid Medium security prison to do sports ministry. It’s not as shocking when you hear the explanation, but it does lead to funny joke from time to time.

We played against the inmates in a best of 3 match, students vs prisoners. A few of the inmates took the refereeing positions and we began to play. Every time the ref made a questionable call, the inmates in the bleachers took our teams side and cheered us on. It was an amazing experience. 

After the game, I had the opportunity to talk with an inmate and share the Gospel with him. He looked at me with a futile, hopeless gaze and said, “God won’t forgive me, I killed two people.” 

My heart broke for his hopelessness. How sad it is to believe that you’re an irredeemable person. I began to show him in the Scriptures that Jesus died to offer him forgiveness, and that there is hope. He didn’t want to believe that could be possible. 

Prison is a hopeless place. Many were in for life and had given up hope. Prison, being a place for hardened criminals and murders, just has a depressing feel that is palpable even as we drove on to the premises. 

As depressed as it felt at Lake Placid Prison, how much more would the feeling have been for the apostle Paul as he spent time in a 1st century Roman prison? Although Paul faced shipwreck, flogging, stoning and prison, he never lost hope. Why do you think that is?

He had hope, not in himself, or his present circumstance, but in the risen Lord, Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:3–4

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.

(Read John 19:31-42 for more context.)

In his statement here, Paul wants us to know and be sure of three things when it comes to the passion of Jesus Christ: Jesus really died, Jesus was really buried, and Jesus really rose from the dead.

Jesus really died. (cf. Mark 15:42-46)

There are theories about the life and death of Jesus that are spread from time to time. Theories that Jesus is a fictional character, that he never really lived in Jerusalem, that he didn’t really die, that the disciples stole his body, and so many others. People want to deny historical facts that attest to the truth about Jesus. 

The evidence that Jesus of Nazareth being a real historical figure is overwhelming and no serious scholar, Christian or atheist, would deny it. However, some want to deny the biblical account of his death. Here are a few reasons we believe he really died the way the Gospel accounts tell it.

Rome was in charge of the crucifixion. Roman soldiers were trained in death, they knew the signs of death. Chronological snobbery is often employed to make it sound like people in the first century didn’t really know what death looks like and so they were mistaken. Sorry to break it to you, but humans have been dying since Cain killed Abel, and the signs of death are pretty obvious. 

When the soldiers went to break Jesus’ legs, they noticed that he was already dead. Just to be sure, they drove a spear into his side and punctured his heart, causing blood and water to flow. This is known as pericardial effusion, a sign that the heart was punctured ensuring death.

All four of the Gospel writers tell us that Joseph of Arimathea asked for the body of Christ and buried in his own tomb. J. Warner Wallace points out that Joseph and the others attending the dead body of Jesus would have had extended contact with the corpse. In order to take him off the cross, transport him, clean him, prepare the body and place the body in the tomb, it would have taken time.  

A dead body begins to display signs of death rather quickly, unlike someone who fainted. These signs are loss of temperature, the body gets cold. Rigidity, the corpse stiffens up. Lividity, the discoloration of the body as blood settles from not being pumped. (See J. Warner Wallace for more)

One of the significant things about mentioning Joseph of Arimathea by name is that he was still alive at the time of the writings. Sometimes, we as modern readers, struggle with names in the Bible, but they are very significant, especially for the first readers of the books. Every time a name is written in, that name directs the reader to a person alive at the time of the writings. The reader could go and check the story with the individual. 

Not only did Jesus really die on the cross, but he was buried in a borrowed tomb.

Jesus was buried.

Joseph took Jesus off the cross, prepared his body and quickly buried him in his own tomb. Why would someone do this for a crucified person?

Josephus, the most important Jewish historian of the period, wrote: “The Jews are so careful about funeral rites that even malefactors (criminals) who have been sentenced to crucifixion are taken down and buried before sunset.”

Not only was Joseph a righteous Jew, he was also a follower of Christ and wanted to treat Jesus with respect. 

If you ever get a chance to visit Israel, you will realize that there are often 2 or 3 sites for each event in Scripture. The tomb of Jesus is no exception. There is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, inside the old city walls of Jerusalem, where some believe Jesus was buried. But just outside the city is a garden tomb, where he could have been buried. 

When I visited the garden tomb, it seemed like the place Jesus could have been buried. It was evident that it was a rich man’s tomb. It was in a beautiful garden that they have uncovered. It was in the side of a hill that has evidence of a severe earthquake. And one evidence that stood out to me, the tomb was very precisely carved out, with one exception, at the head of the tomb an area was quickly chiseled out to make the tomb a few inches longer. This could be explained by Jesus being taller than Joseph and being a borrowed tomb, he had to make it a little larger. I think that is a pretty cool detail.

Being buried is another sign that Jesus died. His death was complete and Jesus tasted death for our sins. 

Jesus really died, Jesus was really buried, and Jesus rose from the dead!

Jesus rose from the dead. 

This is the source of our hope, that Jesus overcame death. For a summary of this, check out this video: HERE if it doesn't display below.

Everything changes when we believe that Jesus rose again. He is not just another fairytale, He is the risen Lord. He offers hope, forgiveness and justification for those who follow Him. 

One of my professors in Seminary, Dr. Gary Habermas, is a leading scholar on the resurrection. When he went through his darkest times, he came to the conclusion that if Jesus really rose from the dead, he truly is the source of our hope and he has overcome the darkness. (see more here)

The resurrection is something to be celebrated, not just on Easter, but every day of our lives. We can live victoriously over sin because of the risen Lord. We can be hopeful, even in the darkest places of this world, like prison, we can have hope because of Jesus. 

Remember the inmate I talked to you about, that one who didn’t believe God would forgive him? When our time came to an end, a Christian inmate came up to me and told me he would follow up with the inmate. That’s when I found out that many of the inmates had received Jesus through the prison ministry and they had a discipleship group that was thriving. They had the hope of Christ in the eyes and were excited that we brought an opportunity through volleyball to share Christ with others. 

The Good News of the resurrected Lord is hope and light to all who believe. It shines brightly in the darkness. Let us be ambassadors of hope this Easter and share the Good News with others. 

Shine Brightly

Darkness. 

What comes to mind when you think of darkness? Fear? Isolation? Disorienting?

Darkness is powerful. Darkness is the natural state of the world. Darkness was over the face of the earth when God spoke, “Let there be Light!”

The unfortunate truth is, that our first parents, Adam and Eve, allowed spiritual darkness to reign in this world when they rejected God’s command and chose to eat that fruit. Since the beginning, darkness has been a plague in our world.

Yet, once again, the darkness of this world was pierced by the voice of its Creator, but this time, instead of a command, it was a cry of a newborn. Jesus entered into our darkness to be the light and life we desperately needed.

John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Jesus came to give us abundant life, or life to the full. He came to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. One of the descriptions about Jesus in the Gospels is “the Light.”

Jesus is the Light

Why is it significant for us to know that Jesus is the Light? 

One reason is that Light is the Source of Life. 

John 1:9–12

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God

The true light that pierces the spiritual darkness is Jesus Christ. He came to bring the truth and life to all those who believe. Those who receive Him are given the power to become children of God, adopted into His forever family!

The way to abundant life is in Jesus Christ.

Another reason is that Light is a Source of Safety. 

There’s nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night, trying to walk across the room, only to trip on something. Think of how safe you feel when you turn on the light and can see the obstacles in your way.

John 1:5

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Jesus is the light that shines into our darkness and reveals the obstacles in our way. We can be overwhelmed with the difficulties of this life, but they cannot overcome Jesus. He has won the victory for us, we need to turn to Him to drive out the darkness. 

And Light is the Source of Direction.

John 8:12

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 

Several years ago, I had the privilege of visiting Israel. One day, we decided to walk Hezekiah’s Tunnel. I guess it was a good thing that I didn’t know what was ahead, or else I may have missed on a really cool journey.

Hezekiah’s Tunnel was about 3 football fields in length and it was pitch black. Even with my flash light on, I could only see the one in front of me. There were times where the darkness closed in and the air got warm, and yet others times where it felt cavernous. Yet I followed the leader through the darkness and soon began to see the light and feel a fresh breeze.

We are in darkness, but Jesus is that light. If we follow Him, He will lead us through and direct us to the light. We keep our eyes on Him by spending time in His Word.

Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 

I would like the big picture or at least the architectural designs for my life. But what I am promised is the next best step. The key is to trust our guide, Jesus the Light of the World. He is the guide we can trust.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 

Christian You are the Light

You may have some questions about that header, but they are Christ’s Words, not mine. Something we need to unpack and remember every day. 

Your Light Shines 

Matthew 5:14–16

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

If you are a believer, then your light shines. You are not the source of that light, but you are the representation of Christ that people see. You were not called to Christ to hide your faith, but to put your faith on display.

This isn’t saying that you have to become the next Billy Graham or Mother Teresa, but is saying that your faith in Christ should permeate your daily life that people notice a difference in you.

Consider this poem by Arthur McPhee:

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

Are read by more than a few,

But the one that is most read and commented on

Is the gospel according to you.

You are writing a gospel, a chapter each day

By the things that you do and the words that you say,

Men read what you write, whether faithless or true,

Say, what is the gospel according to you'

Do men read His truth and His love in your life,

Or has yours been too full of malice and strife'

Does your life speak of evil, or does it ring true'

Say, what is the gospel according to you'

Or as William J. Toms said it,

“Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some person ever reads.” 

It’s a burdensome thing to think about, that we represent Jesus to this world. However, when we remember that Jesus is the Source of Life, Safety and Direction, all we need to do is faithfully follow Him and our light in this world will shine brightly!

Two areas I have noticed in recent years that cause people to observe a difference is our words and our purity. 

Take a look at what language is now acceptable on TV, in movies, or in music. Vulgarity is continuing to be popularized. As believers, when we refuse the social norms of dirty talk, swearing or cussing, the world notices. When we instead use our words to build up others and share the love of Christ, people notice.

I’ve said numerous times, but there is no place in a Christians life for foul language. Go to the Bible, read what it says about words, the power of words, language, and judgement. See if it permits us to be flippant about our words.   

Purity in relationships is another huge area. The world wants everyone to think that sex is just an act and no big deal. TV, social media, movies and music have been pumping our brains full of casual sexuality and romance. When we as believers live out standards of purity, it says something to the world. 

How can we be a light to the world when we are living just like the world. Go to the word of God and see what He calls us to, and follow His commandments. 

Walking in the Light Together 

1 John 1:5–7

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

When Jesus saved you, He didn’t save you to isolation but to community. The Church is a gift from God to help us persevere in walking in the Light. Life is difficult and we can easily be sidetracked from the truth. But when we are in fellowship with fellow believers we are encouraged and motivated to continue on.

Check yourself, are you walking in darkness? A good indicator of walking in darkness is when you don’t want to be around other believers. If you are afraid to get into a small group of fellow Christians because they might talk about real life, you are probably trying to conceal a sin area. If you have no desire to read God’s Word or talk to other believers about it, you are probably walking in darkness. 

But when we walk in the light, we are experiencing His forgiveness and cleansing. We recognize we are sinners who need a Savior and we march along with others who cling to Jesus.  

Jesus is the Source of Life, Safety and Direction. He has given us a mission to let our light shine in this world and to walk in fellowship with Him and other believers. As we prepare our hearts for Easter, remember who the Light is and how you can be a light to those around you. 

Developing a QT Habit

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I have a hard time realizing the Bible is “living” and “active,” especially as I read through the genealogies, Leviticus or Numbers. Right? There are a lot of difficult and dry parts of the Bible. Not only that, the Bible is intimidating! It’s a really thick book and hard to know where to start.

Yet, I remember, as a kid seeing my parents getting up early in the morning to sit and read their Bibles with their cup of coffee, a habit they still continue today. I also remember when I shared a room with my older brother, I would pretend to be asleep when he would come in each night. He would turn on the lamp beside his bed, pick up his Bible and notebook, read and take notes. Both of these images are precious to me and were foundational in my concept of spending time with Jesus.

Parents, please know that your children are watching your patterns and habits. You are shaping their futures, whether you realize it or not. It’s never too late to establish new habits that will help them make good decisions with their future.

I wish I could say that those stories created a habit in me from an early age, but alas they did not. They laid a mental foundation, but not a practice. 

When I was 15 I had the privilege of attending a missions trip with Teen Missions International to Ireland. They required a 30 minute quiet time every day. They provided the time, but it was just alone time with the Bible. Again, the Bible is a big book, lots of pages and I had no idea where to begin. 

Someone had said that Proverbs was a good book to read, so I would read one chapter a day. That lasted 31 days (this fact makes a fun exercise to read 1 chapter a day each month that has 31 days). 

Then I heard James called the “proverbs of the New Testament”, so I read that. At the end of those two books, I didn’t know where to go, so I started back in Proverbs again. I gleaned a lot from those two books, and eventually I branched out to others books. But it was always a moment of uncertainty of where to go.

Then there is the blind, turn and point method. Have you ever done that? Randomly flip through the pages of the Bible and just point at a passage hoping to land on a message for each that day? It certainly is a better approach than not reading the Bible, but it also shouldn’t be looked at like a mysterious way to hear God’s voice like a Magic 8 Ball approach to God. 

The Bible is not just a book, it is a library of 66 books (39 books in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament). These books were written by over 40 different authors, most of whom never met one another, in 3 different languages, on 3 different continents over a period of 1,500 years. It is an ancient book, yet it’s message transcends time. 

Because it is an ancient book, it can take work to understand it. That’s why it is good to take small chunks of it each day and focus, mediate and pray over a little at a time. One good principle to follow is: “when the simple sense makes sense, don’t seek another meaning.” 

When you read the Bible and it makes sense, don’t think there is a hidden message in it. God delights in revealing His word to you. He has not put an elaborate code or hidden message in the Bible. Seek the plain things, as Allister Begg says, “keep the plain things the main things, and the main things the plain things.” God’s not out to trick you, He wants you to know His Word. 

Because of all these things, I chose the Word of Life Quiet Time journal as the resource for our youth. It is a tool that guides us through the major portions of Scripture throughout the year. It takes away the guessing game of “where do I go next.” It also has helpful questions to try to understand the simple and plain sense of the passage. 

I first encountered this tool at the Word of Life Bible Institute as a student. Again, I was required 30 minutes every day in Quiet Time. But this time, they gave me a journal with an assigned passage and two basic questions: what is the writer saying? and how do I apply this to my life?

This tool helped me maintain consistency and continuity to my time each day. I have used this tool with past youth groups and found it too be helpful. Recently, WOL updated their resource with interactive questions to help even more. They even have a journal for every age group of the family, so the whole family could do the same quiet time each day! Check it out HERE.

My encouragement to you is not to see the tool as a homework assignment or a task to be accomplished, but as a helpful guide in making the most of your time. You have permission to just read the text and talk to God. You can answer every question, or you can skip questions that you don’t find helpful. It’s not about getting the work done, it’s about connecting with Jesus. 

Personally, I love to get outside to be still and read my Bible. In Ohio, the weather doesn't always permit it, so my daily practice is to brew a pot of coffee and sit at my breakfast nook, and look out into my back yard with my Bible and my journal. The amazing thing is, every time I do my quiet time, God is there waiting for me. It's a joy and privilege to spend time with the Creator of the Universe. 

So whether you use the WOL QT journal or just grab your Bible and a notebook, look to the journey of growing closer to God!

Are you ready to start an amazing journey? The amazing truth is this, that when you spend time with God, He meets you there. 

James 4:8

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

As you develop this habit, you will begin to more and more aware of His presence in your life! Look to His Word, hear His voice and enjoy His presence!