John H Armstrong

The Hope of Future Life

I am amazed at how easily people speak of life after death with no real basis for what they think or say. It is apparent that Christian thought has so permeated our culture that even when Christian thought no longer holds prominence in morals, or in day-to-day decision making and living, people still cling to the Christian idea of life after death. Simply put, they believe they will go to heaven, whatever and wherever it is in the universe. Their views of heaven are undefined, or ill-defined, but they speak of it all the time at funerals and when they think of a deceased relative or friend. In fact, the requirement for going to heaven now seems to be simple: you die!

An extremely important part of Christian faith is the hope of triumph over death. It is common to most people, even in other religions and systems, to believe that they will live again after this life is over. There is no evidence that any other creature has such a belief or practice as humans. But what must be continually kept in mind is that there is all the difference in the world between a hope that has reasonable grounds and a hope that is a simply wishful thought. J. B. Phillips said, “In plain sober fact, our hope of passing through death to share in God’s eternal life rests upon Christ’s own demonstration with the enemy, his rising from the dead. It is the crux of the Christian faith.” If Christ was not raised then all his claims are false or irrelevant.

Sooner or later you have to make up your mind. Do you accept as sober historical fact the resurrection of Jesus from the dead? If you think at all you will soon realize there is little basis for your own life after death, and certainly for your own resurrection and the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21 – 22:4), unless Jesus was truly raised as claimed by the early disciples.

What launched the Christian Church into the ancient world? When I stood in an ancient second century church meeting place in Rome, back in March, I realized in a wholly different and powerful way that these believers gathered in this spot, over the remains of the cult of Mithraism, precisely because they believed Jesus was alive and still with them by the Spirit as he had promised.

The Clash of Worldviews on Easter Day

This day (Easter) more clearly demarcates the dividing line between the world view of fallen human power from the world view of Jesus of Nazareth than any other. (This truth is asserted each Lord’s Day since it is Easter that makes the whole of the calendar change once and for all!)

While Jesus was alone in the garden, on Thursday evening of Holy Week, the army of the powerful came to take over. They represent a world which cannot tolerate the existence of another world than the world of the “big deals.” It was necessary for them to destroy the threat of uncontrolled goodness which was revealed fully in the man Christ Jesus.

The unbelieving world view says:

• Big deals control the little people, the poor, etc.
• Big deals want mercy for some, the good people.
• Big deals want blessing for those who deserve it.
• Big deals want to reserve privilege for the righteous, people like them.
• Thus big deals believe the good news is for the rich and powerful.
• Big deals trust human power to get the job done in this world.
• Big deals promote the reign of death.

Jesus’ world view, as Easter demonstrates, was very different:

• All people can become partners with God and share in his mercy.
• God’s mercy is intended to bless all.
• Forgiveness is for sinners, the worse the sinner the greater the display of real forgiveness.
• Good news is for the poor and powerless who are pushed down by the world.
• Good news teaches us to trust in God’s power, Christ’s reign of life, and his victory over death.

The big deal religious leaders and the Roman rulers collaborated to arrest and condemn God’s beloved One who represented the dangerous reign of love and mercy, of shalom. They sentenced him illegally, stripped him publicly, flogged him mercilessly and then crucified him.

Committing his spirit into the hands of the suffering God, the incarnate bringer of peace and righteousness died. All creation groaned in travail waiting for shalom, for the reign of God to come in grace and mercy. Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross and buried in a borrowed tomb/stone grave. Guards were stationed there to seal it. The vote was in and the big deal power brokers had won. They had said:

• No to the life and teaching of Jesus!
• No to the proclamation of the reign of God.
• No to Jesus’ good news of grace and mercy for all.

The rulers returned to “normal” and the disciples were disheartened.

But one vote had not yet been counted. And you know what, it was the only one that really mattered. Yahweh entered the tomb and cried “Yes.” God cried yes to Jesus, yes to his life, yes to his death and yes to the kingdom of God. God said, “Get up Emmanuel, Come forth Lord Jesus!” All creation shouted for joy. The trees clapped their hands. The stars danced and the angels sang. The reign of God had triumphed on planet earth. Life conquered death. Jesus, who had died because the big deal wanted him gone, was now alive. Then God chose to empower a small group of women to serve as his first preachers of this new arrangement. Empowered by joy and belief, they announced: "He is risen!"

Today, almost two thousand years after that day, we still celebrate the reign of Jesus who conquered the grave to give good news to all the earth. Be filled with joy. He lives!