By Bill Brettschneider. May 5, 2011. BLOWING ROCK -- Each Tuesday morning, the Men's Connection meets at Chetola Mountain Resort, Blowing Rock, for breakfast (7:30 am), fellowship and Bible study. Blowing Rock News is pleased to share these weekly meditations, by discussion leader Bill Brettschneider.

Meditations

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

The history of the human race is full of prophets and prognosticators, each of whom has promised to reveal timeless truths to their devoted disciples.  Each has or will attempt to answer questions that have been raised over the centuries – Why am I here? Is there a purpose behind my existence?  If so, what is it?  Is this world all there is . . . or is there something greater?  What will happen when my body finally gives out and my life here is ended?

Of those who attempted to address these issues, many have come and gone; others will come and go.  Only one has promised and proven that there is life beyond the limits of this known world.  Only one, Jesus Christ, has conquered death and the grave.  Only one, having done so, now extends to us the choice to “have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)  By His resurrection and ascension, Jesus fulfilled His words of promise when he spoke – “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” (John 11:25)

This week we looked into the precedents for “life after death,” a concept as challenging to worldly wisdom as the “virgin birth.”  Even as the latter noted the beginning, the former represents the culmination of the ministry of Christ – the keystone of Christianity.  With the Resurrection, the story becomes whole; without it there are holes in the story.

Throughout the Old Testament are numerous “types” of victory over death. These confirm the possibility even as Jesus Christ confirmed the reality.  As in the scriptures that foretold the crucifixion, we also see pointers to the resurrection in Psalm 17:15, “As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness”, and in Isaiah 53:10-11, “Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,  and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied.”

In 2 Kings 4:32-35 we see in the tale of Elisha a foreshadow of the power over death –

When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the LORD. Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm. Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.

In 2 Kings 13:20-21 we see a foreshadow of the resurrection –

Elisha died and was buried. Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.

In Job 19:25-27 we see a foreshadow of the confidence we can have –

I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

Truly we have a blessed assurance “for nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)

To what might Jesus have referred as he spoke with the travelers on the road to Emmaus “and beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself?” Consider but a few prophetic words looking ahead to the resurrection –

Isaiah 26:19

But your dead will live, LORD; their bodies will rise - let those who dwell in the dust wake up and shout for joy - your dew is like the dew of the morning;

Ezekiel 37:7-10

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

Daniel 12:2

Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.

Hosea 6:1-4

“Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him.As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”

Compare these foretelling words with the confirmation found in Luke 24:4-8 -

While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words.

Consider also the powerful presence of Christ resurrected in His appearances to Mary, the disciples and in particular Peter, followed by the multitudes prior to His ascension.  Lives were changed by the persuasive reality of the risen Lord!  Yet, as Jesus said to Thomas - “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Having “seen”, what was their response?  Luke 24:50-53 provides a wonderful picture as Jesus prepares to leave them – “When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.”

For we who have “not seen and yet have believed,” let us worship with great joy, praising God continually!  Let your heart and voice join with Fanny Crosby as she penned –

To God be the glory, great things He has done;
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.

Refrain

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

Join us this coming week Tuesday, May 10, 7:30 AM, as we continue to explore the Mission of Jesus – His Ascension and His Exaltation.  Bring your Bible . . . and bring a friend.

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