Jesus Rose. Now What?

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of all those who have fallen asleep.... Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:20, 58)

1 Corinthians 15 is the great resurrection chapter--the part of the Bible that spells out the eyewitness evidence for Jesus' resurrection and how that resurrection is central to our faith. It also begins to address the question--Jesus rose, so now what?

Easter is just one reminder that we really do believe that Jesus rose from the dead. And that's just the beginning! Because of the resurrection

• There is hope for all who have passed away.

• Humanity's enslavement to sin and death has been reversed.

• Death is a defeated enemy.

• All of us can share in Jesus' new life.

• All of us can share in Jesus' victory over darkness.

The chapter ends on a very practical note. Because we are now part of the resurrection life, our labor is not in vain.

Because we are now part of the resurrection life, our labor is not in vain.

Whatever we do in the name of Jesus--loving and serving, washing feet and sharing cups of water, resisting temptation and standing firm in what is good--means something permanent. We all know that earthly things eventually crumble and disappear, but in Jesus we are part of the new heavens and the new earth, working for things that will never perish.

For the next few weeks, I'll be preaching at Laughlintown Christian Church on this topic--Jesus rose, now what? Our weekly worship services are at 10 a.m. on Sunday. In addition, we have a few extra things going on:

• This Sunday (April 12) we have our monthly 9 a.m. breakfast, for those who can come early and join us in eating and chatting together.

• We're starting again with our Wednesday Bible Study, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. We'll do a series of studies on experiencing the closeness of God.

• We're beginning monthly youth activities (4th grade and up); the first one is this Sunday evening (April 12) at 6 p.m.

• April 18 (Saturday) is Family Movie Night; snacks and drinks will be provided.

Jesus brings us all together. If you aren't already included in another fellowship of believers, I invite you to come and be included here!

--Jonathan