“What We Believe - Part 8"
“I Believe in Jesus Christ...Risen...Ascended...”
Text:
Thesis:
1 Corinthians 15:12-22 and Acts 1:1-11
Death is an experience we all face. But we believe that Jesus Christ
rose from the dead giving us life and the mission to extend that life to
others.
When we last left Jesus he was dead, dead, dead. I’ve been preaching on what we
believe. Last week, from the Apostles’ Creed we heard that Jesus Christ “suffered
under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into Hell.” All
these phrases emphasize the fact that Jesus of Nazareth died – really died. He
wasn’t in a coma. He didn’t fake it. He wasn’t in suspended animation. Jesus who
was fully human, fully died – he was dead, dead, dead.
What are our experiences of death? 8 days ago, Cathy Piper’s mother Ethel fell and
broke a hip. Two days later she was gone. Thursday we remembered her life and
witnessed to the resurrection. Friday we buried her ashes. Certainly this is a death
experience. We feel loss and grief. But other types of physical loss may be a death
experience. Losing a leg to amputation feels like death for a time. A woman with
Parkinson’s finally has to give up her driver’s licence – and it feels like death. An
irreversible physical or mental change will feel like death, at least for a time. We
grieve all these losses.
The loss of an important relationship is a death experience. Although my mother is
still alive, I’ve lost the relationship I once had with her because of her dementia – it’s a
death experience. Divorce is a death experience. The loss of a job is a death
experience. And we grieve these losses.
It doesn’t matter how it comes, death brings a range of emotions before we reach the
final stage of acceptance. We try to deny the loss. We get angry. We try to bargain
with God to prevent the loss. We are resigned to the loss and the sadness really hits.
But finally we accept the loss and are open to the change. Most of us have had some
experience of death. We know what it feels like. It doesn’t feel very good.
But there is good news. Because of Jesus Christ, death is not an ultimate experience
– no death experience needs to be a final ending. With the Apostles’ Creed, we
believe that on the third day Jesus rose again from the dead and that he ascended into
heaven where he sits on the right hand of God. (I’ll be saying more about that in a
couple weeks.)
When I began this sermon series, I thought that when I got to this point I’d focus on
something besides death and resurrection. After all, resurrection is a common theme
especially in the Easter season. And we touch on the ascension once a year. But
this past week reminds me that we can’t focus on resurrection too often. Our belief in
the resurrection of Jesus Christ and his ascension affect how we face death in our
lives. And death is a reality that we all face much more often than we’d like.
We believe that Jesus rose from the dead. Paul writes to the church in Thessalonika
in his first letter – “And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will
happen to the believers who have died, so you will not grieve like people who have no
hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also
believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him those who have died.”
(4:13-14, NLT) This is a passage often read at funerals. By the way, “funeral” is not
completely accurate. “Funeral” has to do with the ritual that goes along with burial of
the dead. Our service is a witness to the resurrection. Anyways, Paul speaks of the
hope we feel because of Christ’s resurrection.
Another passage I always read at a service is from John’s gospel, Ch 14. Jesus says
to his disciples in the upper room – “because I live, you also will live.” (v.19) So,
because of this hope, our grief is different. We go through all the stages of grief just
like anyone. But we expect our intense grieving to end at some point. We expect
new life – resurrection.
Ethel has died but we expect that she now lives with God. You grieve – you’ll miss
her. But you expect to see her again. But as I said, a death experience does not
always result in the body’s death. Many wounded veterans of the Iraq and
Afghanistan wars return with a limb amputated. I’m inspired by the number who
experience resurrection and life after this death experience. Daniel Gubler lost part of
an arm and much of his sight but with reconstruction on both eyes and a prosthetic
hand, he is back with his family and hunting again. [LA Times, January 9, 2006] I
know my sister’s divorce from her first husband felt like a death. But there was
healing and hope. Her remarriage, 2 beautiful children, and joy are evidence of
resurrection.
We believe that Jesus Christ rose again from the dead. We believe in resurrection.
We believe that death is not the end. Yes, we grieve our losses but not as those who
have no hope. We expect new life from death experiences.
We also believe that Jesus Christ ascended into heaven. The ascension also affects
our experience of death. Physically, Christ is no longer present in this world. He is
seated at God’s right hand – but his body is still present to us. The church as Christ’s
body is active in the world. John Michael Talbot wrote and sings... “Christ has no
body now but yours – No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes
through which he looks compassion on this world. Christ has no body now on earth
but yours.”
The ascension marks the change for the disciples. To that point, they were just
disciples/learners – receiving instructions from the master. Now, they are apostles –
sent on a mission. Earlier in scripture we heard Jesus say – “...you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) Elsewhere, Jesus
tells Peter, “If you love me, feed my sheep.” (John 21:15-17) In Matthew’s gospel,
Jesus sends the disciples into the world to make disciples, baptizing and teaching
them.
The disciples are now the body of Christ – responsible for Christ’s work in the world –
empowered by the Holy Spirit. So, if Jesus Christ is to feed the hungry crowds today,
we as his body must do it.
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If Jesus Christ is to proclaim the good news of God’s kingdom, we as his body
must do it.
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If Jesus Christ is to seek those who are lost in this world, we as his body must
do it.
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If Jesus Christ is to be physically present to the sick, we as his body must do it.
•
If Jesus Christ is to put real arms around those who are grieving, we as his body
must do it.
We bring Jesus to each other when we face death experiences. We do it when we
bring food to a family saying goodbye to someone. We do it when we visit those who
are shut-in at home. We believe that Jesus Christ ascended into heaven to sit at the
right hand of God and we are his hands, his feet, his arms at work in the world today.
Back when I was still on the board of the Coalition for Appalachian Ministries, I
remember attending a meeting. Judy, our administrative staff person, gave us news
about Nancy. Nancy is a woman we’d met at an earlier board meeting. She heads
up one of the projects that receives mission money. Nancy is a single mother with 2
children. A few weeks earlier, Nancy and her children lost their home – a trailer – in a
fire. It was a death experience. As Christians, we believe that new life comes even
from such a loss. But do we just say, “God will provide”? Or do we act as God’s
hands, as Christ’s hands, and pull out our wallets?... We pulled out our wallets.
We believe in Jesus Christ – resurrected...ascended... So, when we face experiences
of death – of loss – we grieve but with hope – hope that new life follows death. And
we, as Christ’s body, bring the support needed to others who are facing death
experiences. May we live out our hope. Amen