This Changes Everything

"It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength." I Corinthians 15:42-43 

 
When the Olympics are held in a country with a different time zone, I have this habit of looking up the result of an event before it's played on primetime in the U.S. I just can't take the tension of the unknown. So, I find out what happens and then I can watch it without the emotional roller coaster ride. It drives my kids crazy. They don't want to know, but I'll keep asking, "Do you want to know what happens?" "No!", they reply with great emphasis. Knowing the end completely alters the experience of the moment. 

 
Paul frequently talked about the end. It wasn't the end of a book or a movie, but rather the end of one's life that he had in view. He wanted to make sure that no one he had told about Jesus was confused about the end of their story. Some of them began to start saying that there will be no resurrection of the dead. Yikes! If that were true, not even Jesus had been raised! He took this false teaching to task. He wanted them to live in the wonderful truth that death was not the end of their story. This reality changes everything!  
 

If you're like me, sometimes we get too worked up about temporary things. It's so easy to spend so much emotional energy, time and resources in things that are here today and gone tomorrow. How amazing would it be if we invested the same amount into that which will last forever - our relationship with God, his word, and the souls of other people? The reality of a future resurrection should inspire within us a very different perspective on all the stuff of earth. It's time to live in all the wonder of eternity in the here and now. 

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