I grew up in one of those families where there was a long list of “Things We Don’t Talk About,” and death and dying were definitely on that list, especially for children. When there was a death in the family, the children were relegated to baby sitters while the adults dealt with the mystery of a loved one being with us at one moment and seemingly gone forever the next. And, as children, we just sat and wondered when people disappeared and we were told things like “he’s gone to heaven to be with Jesus,” or even just “she’s gone away to a better place.” This did not make me very well prepared to understand Jesus’ death and resurrection. I was a young adult dealing with my own first personal loss of a loved one before I could even come up with the questions to ask. But, as one of my all time favorite verses says, (Romans 8:26) “Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words,” God knew and sent me some wonderful, very smart people to help me understand. I can’t pretend that I understand everything about Jesus’ death and resurrection, but Paul did lay out some good, solid truths about death’s role in the life of we mortal humans. Death is the enemy, and the enemy has been overcome. In that, we can hope and be blessed. It doesn’t really make any death “better.” Paul’s words aren’t meant to tell us we shouldn’t be sad when someone dies. Grief is a normal, complicated, human emotion. Paul did want us all to know that death wasn’t the end – not for our loved ones and not for ourselves, and that “The LORD God will wipe tears from every face.” (Isaiah 25.:8, Revelation 21:4) We can understand that God loves us so much that Jesus faced death, a hard, merciless death, as a human, in order that death would be defeated, and it was. It has no hold on us for eternity. And that’s where the hope comes from. As Pastor Adam says, “The worst thing is never the last thing,” and we can count on that. If you are struggling with the death of someone you loved and miss, or if you struggle and fear the end of your own life here in the mortal world, I know any of our pastors would love to talk to you about all of this. Just ask.
Daily Scripture
1 Corinthians 15:20-26
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead. He’s the first crop of the harvest [or firstfruits] of those who have died. 21 Since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead came through one too. 22 In the same way that everyone dies in Adam, so also everyone will be given life in Christ. 23 Each event will happen in the right order: Christ, the first crop of the harvest, then those who belong to Christ at his coming, 24 and then the end, when Christ hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he brings every form of rule, every authority and power to an end. 25 It is necessary for him to rule until he puts all enemies under his feet [Psalm 110:1]. 26 Death is the last enemy to be brought to an end.
Daily Reflection & Prayer
Paul laid out the stark reality of human life for the Corinthians: “Death is the last enemy to be brought to an end.” Sometimes, trying to be kind, people say “Death isn’t so bad—it’s nothing to be afraid of.” But only Jesus’ resurrection, showing the truth of God’s promise of eternal life, robs death of its “sting” (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57). “Mortality, which is connected to human sin (see 1 Corinthians 15:56; Romans 5:12), is humankind’s final and unwavering enemy until the resurrection.” *
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Paul contrasted “resurrection” with “death” as the core of the good news he preached. “To say that death is anything other than an enemy is to deny the goodness, beauty and power of God’s good creation. The point of resurrection is that it is the defeat of death…. since death is the unmaking of God’s creation, resurrection will be its remaking. That, and nothing less, is the Christian hope.” ** How can death’s defeat fulfil the promise that “The LORD God will wipe tears from every face” (Isaiah 25:8, Revelation 21:4)?
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In verses 21-22, Paul summarized the “plot” of the Bible’s sweeping story of redemption. “Death came through a human being: See Genesis 3:17-24; Romans 5:12-14. the resurrection of the dead came through one too: See Romans 5:15-18. *** Only as a human could Jesus go through death and thus defeat it. How does that truth link Christmas with Easter in your faith?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, as the saying goes, death may be as sure as taxes. But by defeating death at Easter, you made eternal life a sure reality for me, and all who trust in you. Thank you. Amen.
GPS Insights
Jennifer Creagar
Jennifer Creagar serves as the Community Assistance Coordination Director in Resurrection's Congregational Care Ministry. She is married and loves spending time with her family, and she enjoys writing and photography.
I grew up in one of those families where there was a long list of “Things We Don’t Talk About.” Death and dying were definitely on that list, especially for children. When there was a death in the family, the children were relegated to babysitters while the adults dealt with the mystery of a loved one being with us at one moment and seemingly gone forever the next. And, as children, we just sat and wondered when people disappeared and we were told things like “He’s gone to heaven to be with Jesus,” or even just “She’s gone away to a better place.”
This did not make me very well prepared to understand Jesus’ death and resurrection. I was a young adult dealing with my own first personal loss of a loved one before I could even come up with the questions to ask. But, as one of my all-time favorite verses says, “Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). God knew and sent me some wonderful, very smart people to help me understand.
I can’t pretend that I understand everything about Jesus’ death and resurrection, but Paul did lay out some good, solid truths about death’s role in the life of us mortal humans. Death is the enemy, and the enemy has been overcome. In that, we can hope and be blessed. It doesn’t really make any death “better.” Paul’s words aren’t meant to tell us we shouldn’t be sad when someone dies. Grief is a normal, complicated, human emotion. Paul did want us all to know that death wasn’t the end–not for our loved ones and not for ourselves, and that “The LORD God will wipe tears from every face” (Isaiah 25:8, Revelation 21:4). We can understand that God loves us so much that Jesus faced death, a hard, merciless death, as a human, in order that death would be defeated, and it was. It has no hold on us for eternity. And that’s where the hope comes from. As Pastor Adam says, “The worst thing is never the last thing,” and we can count on that.
If you are struggling with the death of someone you loved and miss, or if you struggle and fear the end of your own life here in the mortal world, I know any of our pastors would love to talk to you about all of this. Just ask.
© 2024 Resurrection: A United Methodist Church. All Rights Reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
References
* Charles A. Wanamaker, study note on 1 Corinthians 15:26 in The CEB Study Bible. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2013, p. 330 NT.
** Wright, N. T., Paul for Everyone: 1 Corinthians (The New Testament for Everyone) (pp. 214-215). Westminster John Knox Press. Kindle Edition.
*** Charles A. Wanamaker, study note on 1 Corinthians 15:21 in The CEB Study Bible. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2013, p. 330 NT.
