Sunday's Message - After Easter: Living with Courage

Easter is the most important day in the year, because we celebrate the most important event in human history, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. During this sermon series, we’ll consider five ways the resurrection can impact our lives. They include the following:

• Living with Hope - April 27
• Living with Clarity - May 4
• Living with Purpose - May 11
• Living with Understanding - May 25
• Living with Courage - June 1

On Sunday, June 1, we'll focus on how we can live with courage. Faith in the resurrection empowers individuals to live with courage, knowing that death has been defeated and that our eternal destinies are in God’s hands.  Below is the podcast and text of the sermon. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).  You can hear a podcast of the service at the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel or the Sligo Presbyterian Spotify Page.

Well, like it or not, this morning, we’re going to turn the page, a phrase I’ve used a lot over the last few weeks. You see, since next week is Pentecost, we’re tying up a series we started on April 27 entitled After Easter: Living in a New Reality. And during that time, we’ve talked about how, thanks to the resurrection, we can live with hope, because the resurrection assures us that death is not the end but a passage to a new life in God’s presence. And we’ve talked about how we can live with clarity, because our faith in the resurrection forces us to recognize that we’ll encounter many people who don’t share our perspectives or opinions. And we’ve talked about how we can live with purpose, because the resurrection provides us with the motivation to live for Christ, claiming his command and sharing with others the reasons we have to trust in him. And then last week, we talked about how we can live with understanding, because the resurrection enables us to comprehend the significance of Christ’s coming and our role in continuing his ministry. Now, that’s what we’ve already covered. And today, we’re going to consider how we can also live with courage, because faith in the resurrection can empower us to live courageously, knowing that death has been defeated and that our eternal destinies are in God’s hands.

And you know, I think it’s interesting that we’re talking about courage this morning, because just this last Monday, we celebrated a day that I think offers a pretty good definition of what courage is all about, and of course, I’m talking about Memorial Day. I mean, even though its importance has sort of gotten muddy, with a lot of other stuff being tacked on, this day has really been set aside to remember all those brave men and women who were able to get past their fear and who stood firm in the face of danger and who, as a result, died for a cause far greater than themselves. And because of that, man, they need to be remembered. It’s like the American minister Minot Judson Savage wrote almost one hundred and fifty years ago: 

The brave die never, though they sleep in dust: their courage nerves a thousand living men. [Minot Judson Savage]

Now this was what he said. And I’ll tell you, that’s why, in my opinion, we should never forget who these brave men and women were and what they did. You see, their example can give us courage.

And you know, I think we can say the exact same thing about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. You see, I believe it can nerve us as we face a world in which the label Christian is claimed by an awful lot but actually shown by only a few. And it can strengthen us as we try, as best we can, to speak out and to stand firm and to move forward, but not because it will be easy or will make us popular or will earn us a lot of money. No, we can speak and stand and move, because we know it’s the right thing to do. And it can sustain us when those who don’t like what we say and value and do try their hardest to get us to shut up and to sit down and to go back. You see, during this message, the last one in this series, we’re going to use what the Apostle Paul wrote in his first Corinthian letter to consider how faith in the resurrection can empower us to live with courage. And I’ll tell you, based on what he said in the fifteenth chapter, I think it comes down to three things related to the resurrection we can decide to trust.

For example, first, I believe we can live with courage when we decide to trust that Jesus really was raised, raised from the dead. And I’ll tell you, this being a source of courage, well, I think it just makes sense. I mean, when we trust that this really happened, it naturally follows that God is greater, is more powerful than death itself. And knowing that, man, it’s got to boost our courage. And you know, I think that’s exactly what Paul was getting at when he wrote this to Corinthians:

If we preach that Christ was raised from death, how can some of you say the dead will not be raised to life? If they won’t be raised to life, Christ himself wasn’t raised to life. And if Christ wasn’t raised to life, our message is worthless, and so is your faith. If the dead won’t be raised to life, we have told lies about God by saying he raised Christ to life, when he really did not.

So if the dead won’t be raised to life, Christ wasn’t raised to life. Unless Christ was raised to life, your faith is useless, and you are still living in your sins. And those people who died after putting their faith in him are completely lost. If our hope in Christ is good only for this life, we are worse off than anyone else.

But Christ has been raised to life! [1 Corinthians 15:12-20, CEV]

Now, that was what Paul wrote and just think about what it means for us. You see, ever since Adam returned to the dust from which he came, death has always been beyond our control. I mean, even though we might delay it or maybe even cheat it, outside of Enoch and Elijah, in the end, nobody escapes it, and brothers and sisters, when you’re dead, man, you’re not coming back. That’s what it means to die. But that changed when those women peered into an empty tomb. And that changed when Jesus appeared to those two followers on the road to Emmaus. And that changed when, on a mountain in Galilee, he told his disciples exactly what he wanted them to do. You see, the resurrection demonstrated that God is stronger than death.

And I’ll tell you, because of that, man, we can be fearless. We can be fearless, as we speak up for principles that no longer seem all that popular now-a-days, you know, like justice and compassion and humility, and as we speak up for people who are often silenced and ignored. You see, we can be fearless, when we trust that we’re loved by the one who’s greater than what I think you could call the ultimate unknown, death itself. And we can be fearless, because we believe that Paul knew exactly what he was talking about when he said to the Romans, “If God is on our side, can anyone be against us?” [Roman 8:31b, CEV] Man, in the face of the worst that the world can throw against us, we can be fearless. And you know what, I think Jesus Christ himself knew it, and that’s why he said this to his disciples:

Don’t be afraid of anyone! Everything that is hidden will be found out, and every secret will be known. Whatever I say to you in the dark, you must tell in the light. And you must announce from the housetops whatever I have whispered to you. Don’t be afraid of people. They can kill you, but they cannot harm your soul. Instead, you should fear God who can destroy both your body and your soul in hell. Aren’t two sparrows sold for only a penny? But your Father knows when any one of them falls to the ground. Even the hairs on your head are counted. So don’t be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows. [Matthew 10:26-31, CEV]

You see, I think we can live with courage when we trust that Jesus was raised. That’s one.

And second, I also believe we can become more courageous when we trust that we’ll be raised too. Now I know I’ve said it many times before, but I’m going to say it again: since the grave of Jesus was empty, we can believe that one day, ours will be to. And you know, in my book that’s another source of courage. I mean, it’s like what Paul wrote to the Corinthians a little bit later in the fifteenth chapter:

But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life. Just as we will die because of Adam, we will be raised to life because of Christ. Adam brought death to all of us, and Christ will bring life to all of us. But we must each wait our turn. Christ was the first to be raised to life, and his people will be raised to life when he returns. Then after Christ has destroyed all powers and forces, the end will come, and he will give the kingdom to God the Father. [1 Corinthians 15:20-24, CEV]

Now that’s what he wrote. In other words, the resurrection of Jesus was not only the end of something old, as old as death itself; it was also the beginning of something new, and I’m talking about life. Jesus was the beginning, but others will follow. He was the first fruit, and the rest of the harvest is coming. As he was raised by the power of God, so will we. This is something we can believe.

And when we do, man, it’s got to fill us with confidence, you know, the kind of confidence that will enable us to stand firm on the Word of God and to stand firm for the gospel of Jesus Christ and to stand firm in the fellowship of the Spirit. In fact, I think it’s the kind of confidence that just might enable us to do what Edward Boatner had in mind when he wrote,

Though the tempest rages,
I shall not be moved
On the Rock of Ages,
I shall not be moved
Just like a tree that’s planted by the waters
I shall not be moved
[I Shall Not be Moved, Edward Boatner]

As a matter of face, I think this just might be the same kind of confidence that Jesus challenged Martha to have when he talked with her after the death of her brother Lazarus:

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Yet even now I know that God will do anything you ask.”

Jesus told her, “Your brother will live again!”

Martha answered, “I know he will be raised to life on the last day, when all the dead are raised.”

Jesus then said, “I am the one who raises the dead to life! Everyone who has faith in me will live, even if they die. And everyone who lives because of faith in me will never really die. Do you believe this?”

“Yes, Lord!” she replied. “I believe you are the Christ, the Son of God. You are the one we hoped would come into the world.” [John 11:21-27, CEV]

You see, I think we can live with courage when we decide to trust that, just like Jesus, we’re also going to be raised. And that’s two. 

And third, I believe we can live with courage when we trust that our ultimate destinies are in the hands of God; I’m telling you, whether we like it or not, we’re all in his powerful and merciful hands. It’s like what Paul wrote, again to the Corinthians:

Some of you have asked, “How will the dead be raised to life? What kind of bodies will they have?” Don’t be foolish. A seed must die before it can sprout from the ground. Wheat seeds and all other seeds look different from the sprouts that come up. This is because God gives everything the kind of body he wants it to have. People, animals, birds, and fish are each made of flesh, but none of them are alike. Everything in the heavens has a body, and so does everything on earth. But each one is very different from all the others. The sun isn’t like the moon, the moon isn’t like the stars, and each star is different.

That’s how it will be when our bodies are raised to life. These bodies will die, but the bodies that are raised will live forever. These ugly and weak bodies will become beautiful and strong. As surely as there are physical bodies, there are spiritual bodies. And our physical bodies will be changed into spiritual bodies. [1 Corinthians 15:35-44, CEV]

You see, for Paul, this is our future. And even though it may be difficult for us to understand right now, that’s alright. I mean, since we’re not the ones doing it, we really don’t need to understand when it’s going to happen or how it’s going to be done. The point is that, as sure as a seed grows into a plant, it’s going to happen and, as sure as the moon isn’t like either the sun or the other stars, it will be done. Why? Because it’s all in the hands of God.

And I’ll tell you, because we believe that the time is coming when we’ll see his will being done on earth as it is in heaven, man, we can be bold as we move forward: bold as we disciple all nations, bold as we teach folks about what Jesus actually taught and bold as we actively and intentionally invite them into the community of believers, confident that whether or not they come has more to do with Holy Spirit than either them or us. As a matter of fact, because we believe that we’re moving into a glorious future, we can reclaim the spirit and the perspective of the earliest church. I mean, just listen to how this fellowship was described:

After they had prayed, the meeting place shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and bravely spoke God’s message.

The group of followers all felt the same way about everything. None of them claimed that their possessions were their own, and they shared everything they had with each other. In a powerful way the apostles told everyone that the Lord Jesus was now alive. God greatly blessed his followers, and no one went in need of anything. Everyone who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles. Then they would give the money to anyone in need. [Acts 4:31-35, CEV]

You see, I think we can also live with courage when we trust that our ultimate destinies are in the hands of God. And that’s three. 

And you know, in this way, it really is like what we did on Memorial Day. You see, just like we can find our nerve by remembering those men and women who offered so much for so many, I think we can live with courage when we trust that Jesus was raised and when we trust that we’ll be raised too and we trust that our ultimate destinies are in the hands of God. And with this courage, I’m convinced that we’ll be able to speak up without fear and to stand firm with confidence and to move forward with boldness. And right along with living with hope and clarity, purpose and understanding, this can be our new reality, after Easter.