Our Resurrection Epitaph In Jesus

"Today's Devotion" For April 15, 2006

Read: I Corinthians 15; Job 19:25-27

OUR RESURRECTION EPITAPH IN JESUS

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you..." (I Peter 1:3-4)

Tomorrow Christians all over the world will celebrate the Resurrectionof Jesus Christ, the Son of God, from the grave. At the same time, somewhere in the world today (and tomorrow) people are and will be dying. Death is a very real part of life. For some of those who are dying today or will die tomorrow, the hope of the resurrection in Jesus that is their hope by faith in Him fills their hearts and puts a song on their lips. Death holds no terror for them because they are filled with the pure joy and peace that is the blessing of faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior from Sin, Death, and Satan. At the same time countless others are and will be dying alone - empty, afraid, and lost in the despair of Sin and unbelief. Rather than dyingwith the certain hope of eternal life as a forgiven sinner in Christ, they will enter into an eternity without the presence of God.

As we contemplate and remember the events of that "Good Friday" almosttwo thousand years ago and anticipate our resurrection celebration tomorrow, it's very important for us, as God's people in Christ to take the time to absorb the marvelous grace and mercy of God. God's great gift in Jesus is a faith that trusts in the promise of the resurrection and fills the believer with wonder, peace, and joy. In the face of a lost and dying world and all the "troubles" we've seen, it's really very easy to get overwhelmed by them and lose sight of the power of the Word and Spirit which continue to fill us with the wonder of the resurrection. To know and believe in the resurrection of the dead unto eternal life because of the sacrifice of Christ Jesusis to take heart in the words of Job when he says, "I know that my Redeemer lives...(and) in my flesh I shall see God when He calls me to Himself on the Last Day.

It's quite amazing how God gets the message of the Resurrection out to the world. He sometimes uses some incredible events and things to focus our attention on His love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness for us- blessings from Him He will never take away. No less a statesman thanBenjamin Franklin was caught up in the spirit of the resurrection as St. Paul shares it in I Corinthians 15. Benjamin Franklin, in tribute to God's grace wrote the epitaph for his tombstone which goes like this:

The body of Benjamin Franklin, printer
Like the cover of an old book, its contents
torn out and stripped of its lettering and gilding
lies here, food for worms.
But the work will not be lost,
For it will appear once more
In a new and more elegant edition,
Revised and corrected by the Author.

By faith in Jesus Christ, we are blessed to have Mr. Franklin's attitude about death. It frees us to live life in marvelous and wondrous ways, as we are filled with God's peace. Our lives as witnesses to God's love in Christ reflect the power of the resurrection to give people hope and peace in the midst of the worst possible circumstances. Although epitaphs are for tombstones, the resurrection is the gift of life for those who are alive in Christ. Live in the assurance of this promise of God today and everyday.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, in the resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christmy Lord and Savior, You showed that You had accepted His sacrifice for my sins and the sins of the world. Your forgiveness is mine in Him for which I give You humble and hearty thanks. Help me to live in anticipation of the resurrection on the Last Day, drawing strength and courage from Your promise as I live each day for You, giving testimony in word and deed to Your love, grace, and mercy for all to see. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2006 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.