"The Blessed Hope"

I Corinthians 15-16

I had a professor who said, "A key to understanding a person's theology (their understanding of God) is hearing his or her eschatology (their understanding of last things)." What he meant was that knowing how you believe everything turns out in the end will shape the hope you have in what happens on the way there. For instance, if one's eschatology is based on "an escape hatch" version of the rapture in which people don't have to worry about the ills to come, then the approach will tend to be about getting people ready for the rapture and less concerned with taking on the major issues in society (world hunger, nuclear proliferation, over-population, inter-religious dialogue, globalism in its positive and negative effects, the communication revolution in its positive and negative effects, scientific and technological advances in their positive and negative effects, and developing the next generation of Christian leaders to deal with those challenges). If one's eschatology is that there is no hope for history or for us when we die, then one's approach to faith and life will be fatalist (taking care of oneself, "eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die"). My own eschatology sees God at work in history working for reconciliation, redemption and re-creation, pictured in Christ's dominant image of the kingdom of God. I understand the church to be a demonstration of that kingdom as an alternative society. When Christ comes again in glory, it will be to establish that kingdom forever and ever. Until that happens, we witness to that kingdom and invite the world into that kingdom through relationship with Jesus Christ and the adoption of kingdom values in society. On offense, we continue to creatively proclaim the crucified and risen Savior, Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit, inviting people to become followers of Jesus. We continue to work diligently and creatively for making this world more like the kingdom to come. On defense, we stand in solidarity with those who cannot speak or act for themselves and we confront the forces of darkness that cheapen human life, degrade creation and fracture relationships. My eschatology is both hopeful and activist. What is your eschatology?

The church in Corinth expected Jesus to have already made his triumphant second coming. Now they were having to deal with things they hadn't counted on - ongoing problems in the church, persecution of their brothers and sisters, false teachings that corrupted some, and most of all, the death of their first generation (I Corinthians 15:6). Paul's hope is first of all based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ and his appearances to the first disciples and other witnesses. Second is his own experience of the risen Christ on the Damascus Road.

A haunting question comes to all of us: What if this is all there is? It confronts us most dramatically at funerals, but it happens at other times, too. Is the resurrection just something we wish was true? That's why Paul's arguments are so carefully given here. First, the witnesses to Christ's resurrection are many, including to as many as 500 people at a time. The critics claimed that Jesus' resurrection was a fabrication, but there are just too many witnesses (with enough variety in their accounts to let us know they didn't just copy it from each other!). Second, the changed lives of thousands of people were also witnesses of the resurrection power of Jesus. Third, we have the promise of Christ that there would be resurrection for him and for us.

But Paul is right, if there was no resurrection of Jesus and there is no resurrection of our dead loved ones, then we are "of all people most miserable." Without the resurrection, we have all been victims of a crazed hoax. But, if the resurrection is true (and I believe it is) then we are of all people most blessed and most hopeful. We are part of what people will one day see as a victorious movement of faith, hope and love.

This passage was obviously written to answer some questions, which includes "What will our heavenly bodies be like?" I do wonder how people will recognize each other in heaven. What age will I be there? Will I be perfect? Will I play a harp? Again, we are only given a glimpse, here. One thing for sure, death does not have the final answer. Resurrection life in Jesus is the final answer.

The last chapter is a personal summation, including the collection of an offering. I won't take an offering, but I do want to conclude this study and our classwork together, with a note of great gratitude for sharing in this journey of faith with you. I continue to be amazed at your deepening walk with Christ and your willingness to embrace the challenge before us as the Church. My heart is blessed that more and more people at St. Luke's are hearing God's call to be ministers in their day-to-day world. I truly believe that will be the story of the 21st century Church, no matter what the denomination or non-denomination. This is the century when the gospel escaped the walls of the Church and went to where Christ wanted it all along - in the marketplace, in the neighborhood, in the schools and universities, in the courts, in politcs, in manufacturing, in technology. Look out. The gospel is back on the streets. That's where miracles happen. That's what changes the world. Have a great day.