The following days after Chuck’s death came a funeral, which even in Covid, much of the family was able to attend. The funeral itself was beautiful, and I wouldn’t have done things much differently. I largely differed to the family as to what they wanted from me, and it resulted in their home church taking on the challenge of the service and sermon. As a pastor, it is hard to listen and be changed by another teacher without being overly critical. I try not to be – but there was one statement that stood out that I might address. The pastor referenced the baptism and even death we have with Christ Jesus, so just as Christ rose again we too might experience new life. The pastor said that in Chuck’s death he is resurrected into a life like Jesus Christ and is being made new. I found it strange that he said this as a continual process rather than in death we are automatically and completely made new. The pastor may not have meant anything by it, and may not have even meant to say it the way he did. Yet, there is something profound in this.
When we were baptized we go down into the water to die a death like Christ died, so that when we arise we experience a life like his. Although we simply begin a life of being sanctified in the Spirit ever becoming more like Christ – God no longer sees our process but sees his Son. In the Lord’s eyes, our sanctification is complete because he now sees our lives exchanged for Jesus life. Jesus takes on our sin, makes us white as snow, and ultimately makes all things new.
Mary was waiting on something, hoping that things would have gone differently. We too are waiting on something, hoping that in death things would have gone differently. Yet, what the Gospel of John presents next is the declaration that is what we all have been waiting for:
John 11:23-26
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
And that is the question we are left with. When Chuck breathed his last, do we believe that he was simply dead and a legacy ended? Or do we believe that through his faith in Jesus Christ he is raised to a new life where he can now see and hear perfectly???
We all might respond like Thomas: “Jesus I believe, help my unbelief.” Look to his hands, his feet, his wounds that made us whole.
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