▼

Saturday, May 2, 2026

Bible Readings for May 2, 2026

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for May 2, 2026: Let's read the Bible together in the next year.  Today, our passages are  Judges 15:1–16:31; John 2:1-25; Psalm 103:1-22; and Proverbs ...
at No comments:

Friday, May 1, 2026

Prayer Requests to be shared during Sunday’s service

On Sunday, May 3, Sligo Presbyterian Church will lift to God the needs below.

  • Adam & Shaina Hile
  • Antonio Jimenez
  • Bade Mohn
  • Barbara Yarchuk
  • Betty Phillips
  • Betty Terwint
  • Bob Varner
  • Brooke
  • Butch, Cass's brother
  • Cara Maguire Defibaugh
  • Carla Hepler
  • Cathy Hale
  • Corbin
  • Dan Wallace
  • Denny Myers
  • Don Free and Family
  • Duane Quinn
  • Evelyn Barkafelt
  • Fred Summerville
  • Gabe
  • Gavin Blazosky
  • Jane
  • Jason
  • Jayden Shorts
  • Jeb Rapp
  • Jeff Raybuck
  • Jerry & Tracy Hawks
  • Jim Mahle
  • Jim Mason
  • Joann Klamer
  • Joe Amaato
  • Joe Rainey
  • Karen Defibaugh
  • Kaylyn Bashline
  • Kirby McCall
  • Lana Todd
  • Landdon Chalmers
  • Len Gaulin
  • Levi Jack
  • Mary Young
  • Mason Martin
  • Matt
  • Mike Curran
  • Nancy Blauser
  • Pamela
  • Patty Divins
  • Rev. Bruce & Fab Gander
  • Ron & Shelly Haines
  • Ron Lerch
  • Rowan Pinson
  • Rudy
  • Ryan Cornecki & Family
  • Sam & Carol Mason
  • Tadd French
  • The John Kemmer Family
  • TJ
  • Tom Mason
  • Tyler & Tamlynn
  • Valerie Haight and family
  • Van Watkins
  • Vickie White Templin
  • Wes Summerville
  • William Ford
  • Zach Schieberl

at No comments:

From Easter to Pentecost (Two Endings in Mark - Mark 16:9-19)

The members and friends of Sligo Presbyterian Church are discussing the time after the resurrection. We meet on Thursday evenings, at 6:30 p.m., to consider passages that deal with the time between Easter and Pentecost. During this series, we’ll consider the following topics:

  • April 23 - Easter (Mark 16:1-8; Matthew 28:1-10; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-18)
  • April 30 - Two Endings in Mark (Mark 16:9-19)
  • May 7 - The Commission in Matthew (Matthew 28:11-20)
  • May 14 - Two Appearances in Luke (Luke 24:13-49)
  • May 21 - The Coming of the Spirit in John (John 20:19-31)
  • May 28 - The Commission in John (John 21:1-25)
  • June 4 - From the Ascension to the Spirit in Luke and Acts (Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:1-26)

In our second session, we looked at the two endings in Mark (Mark 16:9-19). The discussion and passages are below.

Mark 16:9 [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition]

The Intermediate Ending of Mark

[[And all that had been commanded them they told briefly to those around Peter. And afterward Jesus himself sent out through them, from east to west, the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation. Amen.]]

Mark 16:9-20 [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition]

The Long Ending of Mark

[[Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went out and told those who had been with him, while they were mourning and weeping. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.

Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were sitting at the table, and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it.]]

at No comments:

Newspaper Article - Two Events

Below is a recording and the text of an article that Pastor Rudiger wrote for the Leader-Vindicator.

A couple of weeks ago, two profound events impacted my life. On April 5, we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord. And even though I’ve led worship services on Easter Sunday almost forty times, it’s always special. You see, it comes at the end of a week in which we move from the enthusiasm of Palm Sunday to the pain and sacrifice represented by the cross. And Easter, well, that’s a wonderful way to finish this journey, with the hope made real by an empty tomb. And throughout my pastoral career, I’ve tried to help people focus on this pivotal event. 

But for me, this year was different. My father died on April 3. And although it was unexpected, it really wasn’t a surprise. Dad would have been 92 on April 15, and frankly, the last year was challenging. Still, he was in very good physical shape; therefore, we didn’t expect him to pass. As a matter of fact, my wife and I were planning to go down to Norfolk, Virginia during the week after Easter for a visit. Of course, we still went, but the reason was radically different. 

And as I’ve been working through these two events, I believe I’ve found a genuine sense of hope and peace in the resurrection. You see, as the Apostle Paul reminds us, “But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life.” [1 Corinthians 15:20, CEV] In other words, since those women found the tomb empty, someday ours will be too. 

And I’ll tell you, just believing this has given me enormous hope and peace. You see, my faith is grounded in something real and solid, not vague and obscure. Simply put, I trust that I’ll see my father again, along with my mother, grandparents and all those to whom I’ve said, “Good-bye,” because a process started when God raised Jesus from death. Again, as Paul wrote, “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.” [1 Corinthians 15:21-23, CEV] Now this is at the core of my faith. You see, my trust is not based on disembodied spirits floating around on clouds. Instead, it’s grounded in the sound of a trumpet, in the mortal bodies we now have putting on immortality and in the fulfillment of that promise: Death has lost the battle! Where is its victory? Where is its sting? [1 Corinthians 15:54b-55, CEV] And to me, that’s why the resurrection is important.

For me and my family, both events that recently impacted my life are now in the past. We celebrated Easter, and we endured a funeral. But personally, I doubt that I’ll ever be able to unlink the two, because I can now see that the time of separation we’re facing will end in the twinkling of an eye when God does for us what he’s already done for Jesus Christ. You see, as I’ve tried to convey during every Easter service, our hope is grounded in the resurrection.

at No comments:

Bible Readings for May 1, 2026

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for May 1, 2026: Let's read the Bible together in the next year.  Today, our passages are  Judges 13:1–14:20; John 1:29-51; Psalm 102:1-28; and Proverbs...
at No comments:

Thursday, April 30, 2026

Mission Yearbook: ‘Christian Minimalism’ author explains why more is never enough at conference

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Mission Yearbook: ‘Christian Minimalism’ author ex...: A TV commercial years ago asked: “Who thinks more is better than less?” The answer was that of course more is better. Image The Rev. Dr. Bec...
at No comments:

The Program and Bulletin for the SPC Worship Service - Sunday, May 3, 2026

On Sunday, April 19, we started a sermon series entitled The Good News of Resurrection: An Exploration of 1 Corinthians 15. During this five-past worship series, we’re looking at how the Apostle Paul viewed the resurrection of Jesus and discuss how it might shape our faith and outlook. We’ll consider the following topics:

On Sunday, we’ll focus on 1 Corinthians 5:20-34 and discuss how we might live between Jesus's resurrection and our own. Below is the program and bulletin for the service. 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.










at No comments:

Bible Readings for April 30, 2026

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for April 30, 2026: Let's read the Bible together in the next year.  Today, our passages are  Judges 11:1–12:15;  John 1:1-28 ; Psalm 101:1-8; and Proverbs...
at No comments:

Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Mission Yearbook: Inspiring Bible study challenges participants to persevere in Christian witness and explore disability theology

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Mission Yearbook: Inspiring Bible study challenges...: The Garden of Gethsemane, described in Luke 22, serves as a pivotal backdrop in the hours leading up to Jesus’ arrest — a moment filled with...
at No comments:

On the Road from Jerusalem: A Study of Acts (The Plot Thickens - Acts 23:1-35)

In our Wednesday morning Bible study, we're using the Acts of the Apostles to discuss the growth of the earlier church from its birth in the city of Jerusalem to Paul’s arrival in Rome. During our time together, we’ll look at the following:

In our twenty-fourth session, we looked at Acts 23:1-35 and discussed Paul speaking before the Jewish council in Jerusalem. The discussion and passage are below.



While Paul was looking intently at the council he said, “Brothers, up to this day I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God.” Then the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near him to strike him on the mouth. At this Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting there to judge me according to the law, and yet in violation of the law you order me to be struck?” Those standing nearby said, “Do you dare to insult God’s high priest?” And Paul said, “I did not realize, brothers, that he was high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a leader of your people.’ ”

When Paul noticed that some were Sadducees and others were Pharisees, he called out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” When he said this, a dissension began between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection or angel or spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge all three.) Then a great clamor arose, and certain scribes of the Pharisees’ group stood up and contended, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” When the dissension became violent, the tribune, fearing that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered the soldiers to go down, take him by force, and bring him into the barracks.

That night the Lord stood near him and said, “Keep up your courage! For just as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also in Rome.”

In the morning the Jews joined in a conspiracy and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. There were more than forty who joined in this conspiracy. They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food until we have killed Paul. Now then, you and the council must notify the tribune to bring him down to you, on the pretext that you want to make a more thorough examination of his case. And we are ready to do away with him before he arrives.”

Now the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush, so he went and gained entrance to the barracks and told Paul. Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to report to him.” So he took him, brought him to the tribune, and said, “The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you; he has something to tell you.” The tribune took him by the hand, drew him aside privately, and asked, “What is it that you have to report to me?” He answered, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more thoroughly into his case. But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him. They have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink until they kill him. They are ready now and are waiting for your consent.” So the tribune dismissed the young man, ordering him, “Tell no one that you have informed me of this.”

Then he summoned two of the centurions and said, “Get ready to leave by nine o’clock tonight for Caesarea with two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen. Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and take him safely to Felix the governor.” He wrote a letter to this effect:

“Claudius Lysias to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, but when I had learned that he was a Roman, I came with the guard and rescued him. Since I wanted to know the charge for which they accused him, I had him brought to their council. I found that he was accused concerning questions of their law but was charged with nothing deserving death or imprisonment. When I was informed that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once, ordering his accusers also to state before you what they have against him.”

So the soldiers, according to their instructions, took Paul and brought him during the night to Antipatris. The next day they let the horsemen go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they presented Paul also before him. On reading the letter, he asked what province he belonged to, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia, he said, “I will give you a hearing when your accusers arrive.” Then he ordered that he be kept under guard in Herod’s headquarters.
at No comments:

Bible Readings for April 29, 2026

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for April 29, 2026: Let's read the Bible togeth er in the next year.  Today, our passages are  Judges 9:22–10:18; Luke 24:13-53; Psalm 100:1-5; and Proverbs...
at No comments:

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Mission Yearbook: Oak Flat vigil draws faith leaders from around the country

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Mission Yearbook: Oak Flat vigil draws faith leade...: Image Oak Flat by Russ McSpadden, Center for Biological Diversity Faith leaders from across the nation recently gathered for a prayer vigil,...
at No comments:

The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, April 26, 2026

On Sunday, April 19, we started a new sermon series entitled The Good News of Resurrection: An Exploration of 1 Corinthians 15. During this five-past worship series, we’ll look at how the Apostle Paul viewed the resurrection of Jesus and discuss how it might shape our faith and outlook. We’ll consider the following topics:

  • April 19 - The Foundation of the Resurrection (15:1-11)
  • April 26 - Why the Resurrection Matters (15:12-19)
  • May 3 - The Order of the Resurrection (15:20-34)
  • May 10 - The Resurrected Body (15:35-49)
  • May 17 - Victory and Application (15:50-58)

In the second message, we focused on 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 and discussed why the resurrection matters. Below is a video of the service, a presentation of the sermon, and the program & bulletin for the service. 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.












at No comments:

Sunday's Message - Why the Resurrection Matters (15:12-19)

On Sunday, April 19, we started a new sermon series entitled The Good News of Resurrection: An Exploration of 1 Corinthians 15. During this five-past worship series, we’ll look at how the Apostle Paul viewed the resurrection of Jesus and discuss how it might shape our faith and outlook. We’ll consider the following topics:

In the second message, we focused on 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 and discussed why the resurrection matters. Below is a presentation and the 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, here we are, week number two in our exploration of the resurrection as explained by the Apostle Paul in the fifteenth chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians. And as y’all might recall, during our first discussion, we talked about how the resurrection of Jesus Christ rests on a pretty solid foundation, in other words, it’s something in which we can trust because it’s grounded in genuine history, eyewitness testimony and divine grace. Now, that’s what we talked about last week. 

And this morning, we’re going to continue through the chapter by considering why the resurrection matters, at least, why it mattered to Paul and should matter to us. You see, for the next fifteen minutes of so, we’re going to focus on the importance of God raising the dead, but primarily not as it applies to Jesus, that was last week, instead, how it’ll apply to us, in other words, why is it important to believe that we’ll raised from death. And in that discussion we’re going to look at what Paul actually wrote to the Corinthians. And then we’re going to talk about how his view of and reason for the resurrection of the dead may be different from what we’ve been taught in the past. And then, we’ll consider how the truth that lies behind our coming resurrection can affect us in three pretty profound ways. And hopefully, by the time we leave here this morning, we’ll all be on the same page about why the resurrection matters.

Of course, as Paul wrote this letter, well, he was directing it toward Christians who were not really like us, and I think that’s important to remember as we listen to what he wrote. I mean, since they lived two thousand years ago, their culture and knowledge and assumptions were different from our own. For example, based on what we have here in this letter, evidently, they had some doubts that I’m not sure anybody here this morning shares. Just listen to what he wrote to those first century believers: 

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. [1 Corinthians 15:12-15, CEV]

Now that’s what he wrote. You see, evidently, there were some Corinthians Christians who didn’t believe in the resurrection of the dead. And although that may seem a little odd for us, it made some sense back in the day. You see, this business about the dead rising, well, that was really a Jewish idea, because, based on the Old Testament, they believed that every person had a body and a soul that couldn’t be separated. In other words, you couldn’t have a body without a soul anymore than you could have a soul without a body. Now that’s what they believed; therefore, to have any kind of life after death, both the body and soul had to rise, you know, a resurrection of the dead. Well, the Gentile Corinthians didn’t believe that. They believed that the body contained the soul and when the body died, the soul went somewhere else. In other words, the two weren’t bound together. Now that’s what they believed; therefore, it didn’t make sense for a soul that had been freed from suffering and disease and death and may have actually joined God in heaven, it didn’t make sense to force that eternal soul back into a physical body just so that it could be raised. Let’s just say that, for them, the resurrection of the dead was, at best, unnecessary and at worst, ridiculous. 

But for Paul, a former Pharisee who believed what the Jews believed about the unity of the body and the soul, well, the resurrection of the dead, in other words, our resurrection, man, it was a big deal. And I think that was why he wrote this:

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. [1 Corinthians 15:16-19, CEV]

You see, for the Apostle Paul, it was very simple. If the dead, including both the body and soul that were bound together, if the dead were never going to be raised to new life, then the resurrection of Jesus was just a spectacular miracle, but really not much else. And if what happened to Christ was something that only applied to him and not to us, then, when you get right down to it, man, we’re just wasting our time talking about the resurrection. It really doesn’t involve us at all, not in any personal way. I mean, if the soul is going to leave the body anyway, the resurrection of the dead kind of gets in the way, doesn’t it?  No, outside of its “Wow factor,” the resurrection of Jesus, something that Paul grounded in genuine history and eyewitness testimony and divine grace, for Paul, this event has no real meaning unless it was directly related to something we’re going to see ourselves. And for him, man, it did. And for Paul, that’s why the resurrection mattered. 

And you know, I believe it can matter to us as well, even though we might not be fully on board with this business of bodies and souls being inseparable. I mean, I understand that most of us tend to view people more like the Gentile Corinthians than Paul; therefore, we generally believe that when a person dies, the soul leaves the body and goes somewhere else, while the body, the shell, is buried in the ground, right? I’ll tell you, that’s what I’ve heard in nearly every Christian funeral I’ve attended. And so, the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ really doesn’t have a lot to do with what my father faced on April 3 or what we’ll face sometime in the future. In other words, the same thing’s going to happen whether Christ was raised or not. The soul is going to leave the body behind. Now that’s what I think most of us tend to believe, and we believe it, because it’s what we’ve been taught and frankly, it offers us a lot of comfort, especially when we think about those who’ve already passed. Personally, it offers me a lot of peace imagining that right this second the souls of my mom and dad are up there in heaven with their families and friends, standing in the presence of Christ. Now, I’ve got to admit, I really like that vision, even though I understand it’s not what the Apostle Paul nor all those other Jews who wrote the New Testament believed. You see, for them, the resurrection of the dead, something that started with Jesus, was and is the only thing keeping us from actually being worse off than anyone else.

But you know, even though a lot of us may not be ready to turn from what we’ve always believed and to adopt the words of Paul, I still believe the truth behind the resurrection of the dead, and I’m talking about our resurrection, it can shape our lives and our faith. In other words, regardless of whether, on one hand, we share the perspective of Paul and believe that since the body and soul can’t be separated, eternal life demands the resurrection of the dead or, on the other hand, believe that when we die, our soul is released from our the body; therefore, our resurrection is actual the rising of our soul to be with God; you see, regardless of how we define what’s going to happen, at its core, it’s still about something that God will do for us. And for that reason, I believe focusing on the resurrection can still impact our lives in three very profound ways. 

For example, regardless of how we see it, first, I believe the resurrection enables us to hope. In other words, because we believe that we’ll be raised to new life either in a new heaven and a new earth or a spiritual place that already exists, we can look forward to what’s going to happen with assurance and confidence and conviction. As a matter of fact, because we believe in our resurrection, we just may be able to understand the same kind of emotion Peter expressed in this first letter: 

Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on. God has something stored up for you in heaven, where it will never decay or be ruined or disappear. [1 Peter 1:3-4, CEV]

You see, we can have hope because of the resurrection. And I’ll tell you, from where I stand, hope sure seems to be in short supply now-a-days. For example, according to a poll taken last year, only about 59% of Americans gave high ratings when asked to evaluate how good their life will be in about five years. And even though when compared to other poll numbers, that may sound pretty good, 59% is the lowest percentage since Gallup began asking this question almost 20 years ago. In fact, that’s a 10 point drop in the last decade. Let’s just say, historically, we’ve become a fairly pessimistic people. And when you add to it all the personal stuff we all face in our lives that just don’t seem to ever get better, I think we have plenty of reasons to see the glass as half empty as we look forward. 

But that changes when we remember that, thanks to the power of God, resurrection is right there in our future and since it’s not something we control, it’s not something we can screw up. I mean, even though we might feel disappointed when we take a careful look at the direction we’re heading and even though we might feel discouraged as we try to figure out how today is going to affect us tomorrow and even though we might feel ready give into negativity because, as we all know, a pessimist is never disappointed, just remembering that, because Jesus was raised from death, we will be too, man, that changes the way we see the future, even if we’re not on the same page about how and when it’s going to happen. I mean, since it’s in God’s hands, it’s not going to be determined by a political party or a utility bill or a doctor’s report. You see, in spite of how everyone around us sees the future, the resurrection enables us to hope. And for me, that’s the first thing it does.

And second, it also helps us to endure. In other words, while it can change how we see the future, it can also shape how we live in the present, and in particular, how we get through the kind of problems and pain we all face from time to time. And I’ll tell you, that was something I think the Apostle Paul recognized when he wrote this to the Philippians:

But Christ has shown me that what I once thought was valuable is worthless. Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ and to know that I belong to him. I could not make myself acceptable to God by obeying the Law of Moses. God accepted me simply because of my faith in Christ. All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him to life. I want to suffer and die as he did, so that somehow I also may be raised to life. [Philippians 3:7-11, CEV]

You see, his faith in his own resurrection shaped the way he dealt with life in the fast lane.

And I’ll tell you, it can do the same for us. And you know, that’s a good thing, because sometimes the problems that we face sure seem overwhelming. Of course, it’s not the exact same for everybody. I mean, for some, it’s financial stress, you know, that the cost of living is just rising too fast and that debt has become this huge, gaping hole and that one unexpected emergency could bring the whole house of cards down. And for others, it’s all about health issues, you know, like those chronic illnesses and emotional struggles and even lifestyle diseases that always seem to be lurking in the background. And for some others, it may involve relationship conflicts, and I’m talking about breakups and disputes that result in loneliness and alienation. And these are just three examples. Let’s face it, from time to time, I think we all face problems that can overwhelm us. 

And it’s right here where I believe remembering our resurrection can help us to endure. I mean, even though it won’t miraculously solve the problems nor eliminate the stress, focusing on the one who holds our destinies in his hands, well, that just might remind us that our suffering is only temporary and that ultimate victory awaits on the other side of death. In other words, we have a living hope that transcends finances and health and human relationships. And for that reason, we have absolutely no reason to be afraid of living, because, as Paul reminded the Romans, “I am sure what we are suffering now cannot compare with the glory that will be shown to us” [Romans 8:18, CEV] and “If God is on our side, can anyone be against us?” [Romans 8:31b, CEV] I’m telling you, regardless of the problems and pain we may be facing, resurrection helps us to endure. And for me, that’s the second thing it does.

And third, I believe it also motivates us to share, and I’m talking about conveying this good news to others and, as I’ve said before, to do so through the words we use and the works we do and the attitude we show. Man, we can share with others the resurrection, you know, our resurrection and their resurrection. In other words, it can be the focus of our message. And you know, I think that’s exactly what happened to Paul. Just listen to what he wrote to the Romans:

You are no longer ruled by your desires, but by God’s Spirit, who lives in you. People who don’t have the Spirit of Christ in them don’t belong to him. But Christ lives in you. So you are alive because God has accepted you, even though your bodies must die because of your sins. Yet God raised Jesus to life! God’s Spirit now lives in you, and he will raise you to life by his Spirit. [Romans 8:9-11, CEV]

Now that’s what he wrote. And just imagine if this was the kind message we decided to share with others. I mean, as we’ve already talked about, we live in a world that seems to be really pessimistic about the future, a world where people seem to believe that today is worse than yesterday and that tomorrow will be worse than today and where they’re so desperate for direction, so desperate for something to believe and someone to follow that they’ll believe anything and follow anyone who offers anything close to hope. And let’s get real, there are a lot of folks who feel like they’re drowning, and it doesn’t matter whether they’ve done it to themselves and it’s been done to them by others. Man, they don’t know where to turn, and they sure don’t know how to endure. Now that’s our world.

But brothers and sisters, in this world, I’m telling you, we have a message, a message that just might offer hope to the discouraged and strength to the weak. You see, we can share with them the hope that comes when we trust that the destiny of the universe is in hands of the one who’s perfect in both his freedom and his love, a freedom that he demonstrated when he caused Jesus Christ to rise from the dead and a love that’s going to cause us to rise as well. And we can show them how to endure, and I’m talking about, how to focus on God when life seems overwhelming and how to find strength and direction when we’re not sure how to deal with the issues that we face and how to lean on God’s people when we feel isolated and alone. You see, this is the message we have, one that the resurrection motivates us to share. And for me, that’s the third thing it does.

Now, as we continue through the fifteenth chapter, Paul wrote about the resurrection based on what he believed, that the time is coming when the dead will be raised to new life. And even though that’s also what I believe, I understand this may be different from what you’ve been taught. And that’s O.K. As the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews said, “God’s word is alive and powerful! It is sharper than any double-edged sword. His word can cut through our spirits and souls and through our joints and marrow, until it discovers the desires and thoughts of our hearts.” [Hebrews 4:12, CEV] Personally, the times when the cuts are the deepest, I’ve grown the most.

But whether or not you decide to share Paul’s perspective, we can still claim our coming resurrection. And I’ll tell you, when we do, I believe we’ll see that it can enable us to hope when the future is scary and it can help us to endure when life seems overwhelming and it can motivate us to share when we’re around those who lack confidence and strength. And my friends, for me, that’s why the resurrection matters.
at No comments: