Embracing Hope: The Resurrection and Eternal Life

Devotional

Day 1: The Inevitability of Death and the Hope of Resurrection

Death is an unavoidable reality that every human must face. Despite our best efforts to defy it, death remains a certainty. However, the belief in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting offers a profound hope that transforms our fear of death into a motivation to live better and love more deeply. By focusing on the reality of death, we can live our lives without regret and with a vision for eternity. This hope encourages us to live fully, making the most of our time and prioritizing our lives around Christ.

Understanding that our bodies are temporary and that our spirits will be with the Lord upon death provides a sense of peace and purpose. When Jesus returns, there will be a resurrection of the body, a promise that gives us hope and purpose. This belief helps us to live with a sense of urgency and intentionality, knowing that our ultimate destination is to be with the Lord. [04:53]

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 (ESV): "So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body."

Reflection: How does the reality of death and the hope of resurrection change the way you live your daily life? What steps can you take today to live more intentionally and with a vision for eternity?

Day 2: Living Fully Alive in Christ

To live for Christ is to live fully alive, filled with joy, peace, and love. This means living with purpose, knowing that our ultimate purpose is to know God and love Him and our neighbors. It also means living with peace and joy that transcend our circumstances, and with significance and security that come from knowing we are loved unconditionally by God. Living fully alive in Christ involves embracing the abundant life He offers and sharing that life with others.

When we live fully alive in Christ, we experience a deep sense of fulfillment and contentment that is not dependent on our external circumstances. This kind of life is marked by a profound sense of joy and peace that comes from being in a right relationship with God. It also involves living with a sense of purpose and direction, knowing that our lives have eternal significance. [13:47]

John 10:10 (ESV): "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."

Reflection: What does it mean for you to live fully alive in Christ? How can you cultivate a deeper sense of joy, peace, and love in your daily life?

Day 3: The Importance of Purpose and Significance

Our purpose in life is to know God and love Him and our neighbors. This purpose gives our lives significance and security, knowing that we are loved unconditionally by God. Living with this purpose helps us to live fully alive and make the most of the time we have. When we understand our purpose, we can live with a sense of direction and intentionality, prioritizing our lives around what truly matters.

Living with purpose means aligning our lives with God's will and seeking to fulfill the unique calling He has placed on our lives. It involves using our gifts and talents to serve others and advance God's kingdom. By living with purpose, we can experience a deep sense of fulfillment and satisfaction, knowing that our lives have eternal significance. [14:56]

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV): "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Reflection: What is your unique purpose in life? How can you align your daily activities with this purpose to live a more intentional and fulfilling life?

Day 4: The Reality of Eternal Life

Eternal life begins when we are spiritually awakened and continues as we prepare for eternity. Death is not the end but a doorway into eternal bliss. This perspective helps us to live our lives with hope and purpose, knowing that our ultimate destination is to be with the Lord. Understanding the reality of eternal life changes the way we view our current circumstances and gives us a sense of hope and anticipation for the future.

Living with an eternal perspective means focusing on what truly matters and investing our time, talents, and treasures in things that have lasting value. It involves living with a sense of urgency and intentionality, knowing that our time on earth is limited and that we are preparing for an eternity with God. [23:39]

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV): "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Reflection: How does the reality of eternal life change the way you view your current circumstances? What steps can you take today to live with a greater sense of hope and purpose?

Day 5: Investing in God's Kingdom

To grow our heart for God, we must invest in His kingdom with our time, talents, and treasures. This investment will help us to live fully alive and prioritize our lives around Christ. By doing so, we will be rewarded in the life to come, and our lives will have a lasting impact. Investing in God's kingdom involves using our resources to advance His purposes and make a difference in the lives of others.

When we invest in God's kingdom, we are storing up treasures in heaven that will have eternal significance. This kind of investment requires a willingness to sacrifice and prioritize God's will above our own desires. It also involves being faithful stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us and using them to further His kingdom. [37:11]

Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV): "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Reflection: How are you currently investing your time, talents, and treasures in God's kingdom? What changes can you make to ensure that your investments have eternal significance?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we concluded our series on the Apostles' Creed by focusing on the final line: "We believe in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting." This belief addresses the fundamental human fear of death and offers a profound hope that transforms how we live. Death is an inevitable appointment for all of us, and thinking about it can help us live better and love more deeply. Despite humanity's efforts to defy death, it remains a reality we must face. The Apostles' Creed reminds us that our bodies are like cocoons that will one day be shed, and our spirits will be with the Lord. When Jesus returns, there will be a resurrection of the body, a promise that gives us hope and purpose.

Living for Christ means living fully alive, filled with joy, peace, and love, and sharing these with others. It means living with purpose, knowing that our ultimate purpose is to know God and love Him and our neighbors. It also means living with peace and joy that transcend our circumstances, and with significance and security that come from knowing we are loved unconditionally by God. Finally, it means living without regret, making the most of the time we have and prioritizing our lives around Christ.

To die is gain because it means being face-to-face with Jesus, free from sin, sickness, and sorrow, and finally being in our real home. It also means being rewarded for how we spent our lives. We are called to invest in God's kingdom with our time, talents, and treasures, which will grow our heart for Him. As we go from here, let us live mindful of God's purpose for our lives and keep our hope in the reality that to die is gain.

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Key Takeaways

1. The Inevitability of Death and the Hope of Resurrection: Death is an unavoidable reality, but the belief in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting offers profound hope. This hope transforms our fear of death into a motivation to live better and love more deeply. By focusing on the reality of death, we can live our lives without regret and with a vision for eternity. [04:53]
2. Living Fully Alive in Christ: To live for Christ is to live fully alive, filled with joy, peace, and love. This means living with purpose, knowing that our ultimate purpose is to know God and love Him and our neighbors. It also means living with peace and joy that transcend our circumstances, and with significance and security that come from knowing we are loved unconditionally by God. [13:47]
3. The Importance of Purpose and Significance: Our purpose in life is to know God and love Him and our neighbors. This purpose gives our lives significance and security, knowing that we are loved unconditionally by God. Living with this purpose helps us to live fully alive and make the most of the time we have. [14:56]
4. The Reality of Eternal Life: Eternal life begins when we are spiritually awakened and continues as we prepare for eternity. Death is not the end but a doorway into eternal bliss. This perspective helps us to live our lives with hope and purpose, knowing that our ultimate destination is to be with the Lord. [23:39]
5. Investing in God's Kingdom: To grow our heart for God, we must invest in His kingdom with our time, talents, and treasures. This investment will help us to live fully alive and prioritize our lives around Christ. By doing so, we will be rewarded in the life to come, and our lives will have a lasting impact. [37:11]
### [37:11]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:45] - Introduction to the Apostles' Creed
[03:17] - Reciting the Apostles' Creed
[04:53] - The Reality of Death
[06:38] - Defying Death: Cultural Examples
[08:19] - Resurrection of the Body
[09:04] - Living for the Final Day
[09:54] - Three Resurrections
[10:42] - Spiritual Resurrection
[11:41] - Philippians 1:21
[12:33] - Living Fully Alive
[13:47] - Ingredients of a Full Life
[14:56] - Living with Purpose
[18:11] - Peace and Joy Beyond Circumstances
[20:09] - Security and Significance
[22:04] - Living Without Regret
[23:39] - Seeing Life and Death from God's Perspective
[25:21] - Death as Gain
[27:01] - Face-to-Face with Jesus
[30:37] - Our Real Home
[32:14] - Rewards in Heaven
[33:58] - Good Works that Follow Us
[37:11] - Investing in God's Kingdom
[39:20] - Closing Prayer and Worship

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What does Philippians 1:21 mean when Paul says, "to live is Christ and to die is gain"? How does this reflect the sermon’s message about living fully alive and the hope of resurrection? [11:41]
According to John 10:10, what is the purpose of Jesus coming into the world? How does this align with the sermon’s emphasis on living a full life in Christ? [14:19]
In 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, Paul describes the resurrection of the body. What are the key differences between our current bodies and our resurrected bodies as mentioned in the sermon? [10:42]

Interpretation Questions

How does the belief in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting transform our perspective on death and how we live our lives? [04:53]
What does it mean to live fully alive in Christ, and how can this be practically manifested in our daily lives? [13:47]
How does understanding our purpose in life as knowing and loving God and our neighbors provide significance and security? [14:56]
How does the promise of eternal life and the resurrection of the body influence our priorities and actions in this life? [23:39]

Application Questions

Reflect on Philippians 1:21. How can you live your life in a way that reflects "to live is Christ"? What changes might you need to make to align more closely with this principle? [11:41]
Jesus came to give us life to the full (John 10:10). Identify one area of your life where you feel you are just "existing" rather than living fully alive. What steps can you take to change this? [14:19]
The sermon mentioned living with purpose, peace, joy, significance, and security. Choose one of these areas and discuss a specific action you can take this week to grow in that area. [13:47]
How does the reality of death as an inevitable appointment impact your daily decisions and relationships? What practical steps can you take to live without regret? [04:53]
The sermon emphasized investing in God's kingdom with our time, talents, and treasures. What is one specific way you can invest more in God's kingdom this week? [37:11]
Reflect on the idea that "to die is gain" because it means being face-to-face with Jesus. How does this perspective change your view of life and death? [25:21]
The sermon encouraged us to see life and death from God's perspective. What is one practical way you can remind yourself of this perspective daily? [23:39]

Sermon Clips

1. "Death is a fundamental problem for all humans. It's the number one thing that most humans fear. How and when will I die? And talking about death, it's not the most. It's an exciting subject, but it needs to be spoken to, because it is an appointment that every one of us is going to keep. We don't know the day. We don't know how, but it's going to happen. And I'm a big believer in being ready for that day, for that moment, so that we live our lives without regret." [04:53] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "According to scripture, these bodies that we have of flesh and bones are like cocoons or they're like shells. That one day we're going to shed. This cocoon and our souls and our spirits go to be with the Lord. And then one day when Jesus returns, there will be a resurrection of the body. And that's what we believe. And that's what we're banking on. It's so important to stress that." [08:19] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "To live for Christ is to live fully alive. To live for Christ is to live for others. It's to, learn to learn how to live like Jesus lived because the opposite of living for Christ is living for myself and living for self is not going to be gain. It's going to be regret. And so to live for Christ is to put him first, to put others first, to learn how to be selfless." [12:33] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "God wants us to live fully alive rather than just exist. He wants you and I to live fully alive in Christ, filled with joy, filled with peace, filled with love, sharing joy and peace and love with those around us. So many people are stuck in neutral. So many Christians sometimes are, we're, we're stuck in neutral. We're existing with the day to day and the burdens and the busyness of life. And then we don't feel fully alive. But if we remember to live is Christ, then I think that that changes for us." [13:47] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "To live fully alive is to live with purpose. To live with purpose. Purpose is the reason why someone or something exists. That's what purpose is. And so many people are living their life without any purpose. They think their purpose is to have a great career or to make money or to do this or to do that. Jesus said that our purpose in John 17, three is to know the father and his son, Jesus Christ. That is what eternal life is." [14:56] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "To be secure is to know that you are loved unconditionally without needing to earn it. And people can't always give us that kind of secure love, but our Father does. And then the need for significance is, I got to know my life counts. You need to know your life, matters. You're important to God. You matter to God. Your life matters to God. And you can have impact on other people's lives." [20:09] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "You have no control when you die, most often, or how you will die, but you do have control over how you live. That's important. That's important. Let me challenge myself and you. Don't put off to tomorrow what you know you need to do today. God might be nudging you to step out in faith in some area of your life. Don't put it off. Trust Him. Let Him walk with you. Participate with Him." [23:39] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "To die is gain. To live is Christ, to die is gain. What do you think of when you hear the word gain? Why is death gain? Because if we were to be honest with ourselves, we look at death as the end, right? But not from God's perspective. Not from Jesus's perspective. Jesus said, I'm the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though they die, they will live. Death just becomes the doorway into eternal bliss." [25:21] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "Death is gain because we are face-to-face with Jesus. Death is gain because we become face-to-face with Jesus. In 2 Corinthians 5.8, Paul says, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Now, we have the presence of the Lord. We have the presence of the Lord. We have the presence of the Lord with us through the Holy Spirit 24-7, but we still are seeing, you know, through a glass dimly. We don't have, like, all the answers and things." [27:01] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "If you want a heart for God, invest in his kingdom. Invest your time, invest your gifts and your talents, and invest your generosity into what's most important to Jesus. You will have a heart for God. You will be stirred as you invest into his kingdom. With your life, you will see your heart for him, him grow." [37:11] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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