1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 14
For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Jesus started his ministry with 12 disciples. It is still growing strong worldwide over 2000 years later. There has always been opposition, disbelief, and skepticism. That is where faith comes in. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) Faith brings us to the invisible spiritual things. Faith is what we have before a prayer is answered. Christianity, Jesus dying for me and rising for me is too good to be true. That is the point. It is too good to be true. I am reminded in Romans (3:23) “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”. We had no hope until Jesus. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). For me to reject or ignore such infinite love must be the greatest of all sins. Lord, may I never forget the empty tomb. The tomb may be empty, but Jesus, and his Holy Spirit is alive and well in my heart. Jesus is not dead, but alive within me. Lead me and guide me to let others also know about your unending love. Amen.