Living with Hope: Embracing Life Beyond Death

Devotional

Day 1: The Resurrection of Jesus Changes Everything

The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of Christian hope, assuring us that death is not the end but the beginning of new life. Paul reminds the Corinthians that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, rose from the dead, and appeared to many witnesses, making it clear that the resurrection is a historical reality. This truth is not just a theological idea but the very core of our faith—if Christ has not been raised, our faith is futile. Because Jesus conquered death, we too can trust that death does not have the final word over our lives. [48:59]

1 Corinthians 15:3-8, 14 (ESV)
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me… And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.”

Reflection: In what ways does the reality of Jesus’ resurrection shape your perspective on death and the future today?

Day 2: Trust God with the Mystery of Life After Death

While it is natural to have questions about what happens after we die, Paul encourages us not to get lost in the details of the process. He uses the analogy of a seed being sown and transformed, reminding us that God is fully capable of handling the mystery of resurrection and new life. Our focus should not be on trying to figure out every detail of the afterlife, but on trusting that God, who has always brought life from death, will do so for us as well. [52:00]

1 Corinthians 15:35-42 (ESV)
“But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?’ You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another… So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.”

Reflection: What questions or anxieties do you have about life after death, and how can you entrust those uncertainties to God today?

Day 3: Jesus Prepares a Place for Us

Jesus assures his followers that there is a place prepared for them after death, and that place is with him. On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus comforted his disciples by telling them that his Father’s house has many rooms and that he is going ahead to prepare a place for them. This promise is not about a vague celestial destination, but about being with Jesus himself. We are invited to trust in his preparation and to find peace in the knowledge that our eternal future is secure in his hands. [56:24]

John 14:2-3 (ESV)
“In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”

Reflection: How does knowing that Jesus is preparing a place for you change the way you approach both life and death today?

Day 4: What We Do with Our “Dash” Matters

Our lives are marked by a beginning and an end, but it is the “dash” in between—the choices we make, the love we show, the faith we live—that truly matters. The sermon reminds us that while preparing for death is important, it is even more crucial to consider how we are living the one life we have been given. The way we spend our days, our relationships, and our pursuit of Jesus will echo into eternity. [59:31]

Ephesians 5:15-16 (ESV)
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”

Reflection: What is one intentional step you can take today to make your “dash” count for Christ and for others?

Day 5: It’s Never Too Late to Turn to Jesus

No matter our past, our doubts, or our failures, Jesus extends mercy and hope to all who turn to him—even in their final moments. The story of the criminal on the cross next to Jesus shows that it is never too late to ask for his grace. Jesus’ response, “Today you will be with me in paradise,” is a promise of immediate acceptance and eternal fellowship for all who trust in him. [01:05:29]

Luke 23:42-43 (ESV)
“And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’”

Reflection: Is there an area of your life where you feel it’s “too late” for God to work? What would it look like to bring that to Jesus and trust him with it today?

Sermon Summary

Today’s exploration centered on one of the most profound and universal questions: What happens after we die? This is a question that touches each of us differently—some with curiosity, others with deep personal urgency, and all with a sense of inevitability. The journey began by challenging a common assumption: the Bible never actually uses the phrase “go to heaven,” even though it speaks of heaven hundreds of times. Instead, the biblical witness, especially in 1 Corinthians 15, points us to the resurrection of Jesus as the foundation for our hope beyond death. Paul’s testimony, written just twenty years after the resurrection, insists that the risen Christ was seen by hundreds, and that this event changes everything about our future.

Paul’s focus is not on the mechanics of what happens after death, but on the certainty that God is trustworthy with the process. He uses the metaphor of a seed: what is sown perishable is raised imperishable. The details of our resurrection bodies are not for us to fully grasp, but we are assured that God, who brings life from seeds, will bring new life to us as well. The greater emphasis, both in Paul’s letter and in Jesus’ teaching, is on how we live now. Jesus promises that he is preparing a place for us, but he also calls us to abundant life in the present. The “dash” between our birth and death is where our choices, our love, and our relationship with Christ are lived out.

The question of “place” after death is answered not with detailed blueprints, but with the assurance of presence: “You will be with me.” Jesus’ words to the thief on the cross—“Today you will be with me in paradise”—remind us that it is never too late to turn to him, and that our hope is ultimately in a person, not a process or a place. The invitation is to trust Jesus, to follow him in this life, and to rest in the promise that death has been swallowed up in victory. The challenge is to live our “dash” with purpose, faith, and hope, knowing that what we do with this one life echoes into eternity.

Key Takeaways

1. The Resurrection of Jesus is the Foundation of Our Hope The central claim of Christian faith is not merely that there is life after death, but that Jesus’ resurrection is the guarantee of it. Paul insists that if Christ has not been raised, our faith is futile. The resurrection is not just a doctrine to believe, but a reality that transforms our understanding of death and gives us a living hope that death does not have the final word. [48:59]
2. God Handles the Process—We Are Called to Trust Paul’s metaphor of the seed reminds us that the specifics of what happens after death are ultimately in God’s hands. Just as a seed must die to bring forth new life, so too our earthly bodies are transformed in ways we cannot yet comprehend. Our calling is not to obsess over the mechanics, but to trust the God who has always brought life from death. [52:00]
3. The Focus is on Living Well Now, Not Just Hoping for Later Scripture’s primary concern is not with the afterlife, but with how we live the life we have been given. The “dash” between our birth and death is where our faith is made real. Jesus offers not just eternal life, but abundant life here and now, inviting us to live with purpose, love, and freedom from fear. [58:39]
4. Our Hope is Rooted in Relationship, Not Just Destination Jesus’ promise is not simply a place, but his presence: “You will be with me.” The heart of Christian hope is communion with Christ, both now and forever. The story of the thief on the cross shows that it is never too late to turn to Jesus, and that our future is secure not because of our performance, but because of his mercy and faithfulness. [65:29]
5. Death Has Been Swallowed Up in Victory—Live with Courage Paul’s final word is a triumphant declaration: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” Because of Christ, we need not fear death or the unknown. Instead, we are free to live courageously, to love deeply, and to trust that God’s victory is already at work in us and will be completed in the life to come. [66:21]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[44:40] - Introducing the Big Question: What Happens After We Die?
[45:50] - Why This Question Matters to All of Us
[46:39] - What the Bible Really Says About Heaven
[48:18] - Paul’s Testimony and the Resurrection
[48:59] - The Good News: Jesus Changes Everything
[49:58] - Questions About the Process of Resurrection
[51:03] - Paul’s Seed Metaphor and Trusting God
[52:00] - Living for Christ in the Present
[53:37] - Heaven: Not Just an Evacuation Plan
[54:13] - Cultural Pictures of Heaven
[55:19] - Jesus’ Promise of a Place
[56:24] - Preparing Ourselves for What’s Next
[58:39] - The Dash: Living Well Between Birth and Death
[60:55] - Fellowship with Christ: Now and Forever
[61:44] - Jesus is the Way
[64:25] - The Thief on the Cross: It’s Never Too Late
[66:21] - Death Swallowed Up in Victory and Benediction

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

1 Corinthians 15:1-8, 12-22, 35-44, 50-58 (ESV) — (The main text for the sermon. Read as much of the chapter as your group has time for, focusing on these sections.)

> 1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,
> 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
> 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
> 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
> 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
> 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
> 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
> 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
> ...
> 12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
> 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
> 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
> ...
> 35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?”
> 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.
> 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain.
> 38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.
> ...
> 42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.
> ...
> 50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
> 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
> ...
> 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
> “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
> 55 “O death, where is your victory?
> O death, where is your sting?”
> 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
> 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
> 58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Observation Questions

According to Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, what is the foundation of Christian hope after death? ([48:18])
What metaphor does Paul use to describe the resurrection of the dead, and what does it suggest about our future bodies? ([51:03])
In the sermon, what does Jesus promise to his followers about “place” after death? ([55:19])
What is the significance of the “dash” between birth and death, as described in the sermon? ([58:39])

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul emphasize the resurrection of Jesus as central to our faith, rather than focusing on the details of what happens after we die? ([48:59])
What does the metaphor of the seed teach us about trusting God with the unknowns of life after death? ([51:03])
How does the story of the thief on the cross challenge our assumptions about who can receive hope and assurance from Jesus? ([01:04:25])
The sermon says that our hope is rooted in relationship with Jesus, not just a destination. What does this mean for how we think about heaven and eternal life? ([55:19])

Application Questions

The sermon challenges us to focus on living our “dash” with purpose, faith, and hope. What is one area of your life right now where you want to live more intentionally for Christ? ([58:39])
Paul says, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile.” How does the reality of Jesus’ resurrection shape the way you face fears about death or the unknown? ([48:59])
The metaphor of the seed reminds us that God handles the process of resurrection. Are there areas in your life where you struggle to trust God with things you can’t understand? What would it look like to surrender those to him? ([51:03])
Jesus promises, “You will be with me.” How does the idea of being with Jesus—rather than just going to a place—change your perspective on what matters most in life? ([55:19])
The story of the thief on the cross shows it’s never too late to turn to Jesus. Is there someone in your life who needs to hear this message of hope? How might you share it with them this week? ([01:04:25])
The sermon says that death has been “swallowed up in victory.” Are there fears or anxieties about death that you need to bring to God in prayer? How can the group support you in this? ([01:06:21])
The focus of Scripture is on living well now, not just hoping for later. What is one practical step you can take this week to love others more deeply or serve with greater courage? ([58:39])

Sermon Clips

If Christ hasn't been raised, our preaching is useless, and so is your faith. Basically, he says, if Jesus didn't beat the grave, we are all wasting our time. [00:50:01] (17 seconds) #FaithDependsOnResurrection

If we don't want heaven here, why would we want it later? Heaven and hell are simply continuations of what we choose, love, and live here and now. An interesting perspective, isn't it? [00:53:46] (17 seconds) #HeavenReflectsOurChoices

That dash is what makes all the difference in our afterlives. And the older I get, the more I realize that dash is appropriately named because the years are dashing by. [01:00:40] (15 seconds) #DashGrowsShorter

Jesus Christ makes the bold claim, and Paul backs it up later in his letter, that those who strive in their time on earth, in that dash, to have fellowship with Jesus Christ, will be rewarded in their time after earth with the same thing, fellowship with him. [01:00:58] (21 seconds) #FellowshipRewardsTheDash

Because if we take Jesus at his word, the answer to the question about what happens to us after we die has everything to do with a person. A person. It has to do with how we choose to relate to the person who claimed to be the son of God and who said that he was the way to the heavenly father's house. [01:02:03] (24 seconds) #RelationshipOverAnswers

``He responded with mercy and with compassion and with truth. And he said, truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise. [01:05:11] (17 seconds)

It is never too late. It's never too late to say you trust Jesus and you want to follow him in this life and in the life to come. [01:05:29] (16 seconds)

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