The Resurrection

On Friday night I am due to be speaking at our Church’s Global Cafe. It is always nice to have a free reign on what to speak on, so this time I decided that I would speak on something I have been thinking about alot recently – The Resurrection.

The Passage I have chosen is Luke 24: 36-49. This is a passage that I spoke on whilst on a mission trip in Malawi back in July 2008, however there are quite a few changes that I am making for this Friday night. The way I am going to start is by asking the simple question of ‘What is Mankind’s Biggest problem?’ – Answer: Death! There is absolutely nothing we can do to stop it. The 1 in 1, 1,000,000 in 1,000,000. Everyone dies.

From there there is only one way to go which is to look at the only One who ever beat death. I am quite nervous speaking about this subject but at the same time it is the job of any preacher to bring the reality of Jesus and the Gospel home to any who are present and listening.

Whilst thinking about the Resurrection a few things keep coming up in my mind over and over again.

1. I can’t comprehend the idea of ‘forever’, how can there ever be something without an end that doesnt go bad or get boring?

2. It means that evangelism needs serious urgency! Only today I was speaking to somebody who told me a close relative of theirs was dying who is not a Christian, they said ‘It is a clear choice for them – Heaven or Hell.’ This is the choice we all face and when I think of that forever concept it is pretty terrifying that some of the people closest to me are heading for damnation without Christ.

3. It makes some Doctrines really hard to accept. The Doctrine of double predestination is a really tough one to grapple with. This life is just a passing mist if eternity is eternity, meaning that it is never ending. So therefore it is really hard to grasp that it is part of God’s perfect plan that some of my colleagues, friends, neighbours and even, I hate to say, family members could be predestined to suffer forever, this is pretty scary and hard to grasp.

These are my thoughts in a nutshell. Of course I, by nature, and thinking alot more than I am writing at right now, but I hope it doesnt sound like im trying to point the finger at God, just raising my trouble in dealing with reality, if anyone has helpful thoughts would love to hear them.

Why Me?

Roger Carswell

Why Me? by Roger Carswell is a book containing 8 short stories of people who’s lives have been hugely changed and affected by horrible circumstances they have been through. From disabled and dying children to murdered spouses, this book will move you as you read it.

Instead of writing a work of Christian Apologetics about suffering and evil Carswell instead just hand picked 8 individuals who all testified to the grace of God in their lives. They all talk of how God had used their bad circumstances to bring about good and how all of them seemed to have a deeper relationship with the living Lord as a result of what they went through. Some even said they felt the tangible presence of God with them as they went through their tragedies.

This book will certainly move you and hopefully helps us all to see how God is always in control. He will always bring about good for those who love Him (Rom 8:28).

I liked the way the book was finished. Carswell reflects on how the Christian in someone who has God to thank when everything is going well but they also have a God to cry out to when everything is going wrong. He is a God who will always listen and never abandon us, the God who said

“Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”         Matthew 28:20

It is an amazing thing that God should care about us, but He does!

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.       1 Peter 5:7

John Piper is incredibly wise on the subject when he comments in some of his poetry

Beware the thought that all is vain, in time God’s wisdom will be plain.

C.S Lewis described pain and suffering as being God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world, this is so often true. It is so often in the darker times of life that people ask questions of the meaning of life and what the point in life is when there is so much hurt. Thank God that we have a God who knows what it is to suffer, and who is always with us.

This Psalm I have found to be hugely encouraging to me:

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

The Lord will watch over our coming and our going, in this life and the next, now and forevermore!