Connected in The Word 11-6-25
Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him. Luke 20:38
One of my favorite traditions in the church is the placing of the funeral pall over the casket or urn at the beginning of a service for a Baptized Child of God who has died in the faith. The imagery reminds us that even in death this person is alive because they have been Baptized into Christ. The verse above being part of this weekend’s Gospel reading, as well as the fact that we have a couple funerals here at Immanuel over the next several days, means this is a perfect time to talk about what happens when a Christian dies. Spoiler Alert: Some of you are going to be surprised!
Fair warning, the Scriptures tell us some things – But not everything! There are times in life when we must simply yield to and trust in God’s wisdom, power, and love. When a Christian dies, their spirit is safe with Jesus, or you could say resting with Jesus in heaven. Either word works – If you are safe with Jesus you can rest with Jesus, and if you are resting with Jesus then you are indeed safe with Jesus. If you have a loved one who has died in the faith, THEIR SPIRIT IS WITH JESUS! Fear, sickness, loneliness, the devil, and their sin are no longer things they must worry about. The are experiencing the glory of God in a way they never have before. I can only imagine what that is like!
But wait! There’s more glory to come! Jesus has promised to return and on that day the dead will be physically raised to life (That should make you scratch your head a little). If your loved one died in the faith, their spirit is safe with/resting with Jesus right now. But on The Final Resurrection Day, all people will get their bodies back. That means that the children of God who died in the faith will get their bodies back too, but they will be new, sinless, and purified. They will be like Jesus! “Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.”
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