If Jesus Rose from the Dead, then (#39) He Left and Turned It Over to Us

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event in history. It is the most important truth claim in a biblical worldview. It is the key apologetic for Christianity. Over the next seven weeks, I would like for us to think through forty compelling arguments and implications that are true if Jesus, indeed, “rose from the dead”. This will take us through Ascension Day and Pentecost. Both are important days of remembrance following the Resurrection and we will highlight them. But more importantly, I want for us to see the tremendous significance of the Resurrection by looking at not only the many proofs, but also the many implications. And this, I pray, will lead to deep contemplations in our hearts and minds. Paul states that without the resurrection, our faith would be in vain and we would still be lost.  “… if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.”      1 Corinthians 15:17 This is not a minor statement, and it should cause us pause, for it puts this unique historical event into sharp perspective. Without the Resurrection, we are hopelessly lost. We are without a true faith and we are unforgiven, still condemned in our sins. We should probably read that verse over several times before plowing forward. It is easy for me, and possibly you, to treat Easter as another Christian holiday marked by multiple, and possibly extensive, preparations. Church choirs rehearse diligently and on overtime, special services are prepared (think Good Friday and sometimes Sunrise Services), thousands of lilies are tended and provoked to bloom at the right time and are purchased to line sanctuary rails, special meals are planned and prepared and joyously consumed, treasure hunts are created, painted eggs are hidden and Easter baskets are filled with chocolate bunnies, peeps, and who knows what else the market has, and will, come up with.  The point here is that just like Christmas and Thanksgiving and every other holiday, including birthdays, anniversaries, and the multitude of “take-your-boss-to-lunch” kind of days, they are preceded with much preparation, happy execution, and then forgotten except to toss the wrappings into the trash and press on with life as usual. When I was at the White House, the annual “Easter Egg Roll” on the south lawn was a big deal with weeks of preparation, followed immediately by a massive clean-up and the Secret Service hustling folks out of the “compound”. For the Resurrection, however, Paul implies that it is something so critical to our faith that it should be an ever-present reality. The astounding cry, “He lives!” should be ongoing, not a one-and-done holiday. I believe it is important for us to frequently ponder and meditate upon the deep implications that the tomb was really, truly empty and the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is absolutely true… a historical fact that has everyday implications. So, we will look at not only these implications, but also the apologetic propositions and the incredible truths that logically follow this unmatched historical assertion. We will not go through these in any particular order. We are not going from the least to the greatest or vice versa, although we will generally lay down the apologetic arguments first and then deal with the implications. And hopefully, after seven weeks, we will have imprinted these truths deep in our hearts such that they will help us with our walk into the darkness we call future. Because it is the Resurrection of Christ that stands at the forefront in the apologetic reality of who Jesus is and what God has done for us. As a famous hymn states: "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow." [Next: The Seal Was Broken]

When Jesus was telling His disciples that He was going to die and then be raised on the third day, He also let them know that He was going to leave. But whenever He talked about leaving, He gave them comfort, either by telling them that the Holy Spirit would come or that He would come and be with them. We looked at these things several times before. There is a passage that we have left alone up to this point. Now that we are beginning to draw all of this to a close, it is time for us to examine it. I hesitate to do so, because it is a favorite passage for use during funerals. However, I want to offer an additional perspective that might stimulate our thoughts about our purpose here on earth. Here it is: Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:1-3, NKJV This passage has always troubled me a little bit. I don’t mean for that to sound ironic, but it may since Jesus begins by saying “Let not your heart be troubled.” Nevertheless, here is why it has been troubling. It is hard for me to imagine that Jesus, who was the creator, speaking the stars into existence, was somehow in heaven with a hammer and nails building “mansions” for all of us over the last 2000 years. Does this not seem strange to you? I have heard people refer to this passage many times saying that Jesus is in heaven "building" our mansions. Once I heard someone say that the reason Jesus has delayed in coming back is because He was building us some really elaborate houses. Some have used it in the “health and wealth” perspective to prove that God wants us to all have castles and Porsches and Lear Jets. As I am writing this, I pulled up the old song, sung by Elvis, “Mansion Over the Hilltop”[1]. The lyrics express satisfaction with just a cottage here on earth because there is a mansion, made of gold and lined with silver, waiting for him in heaven, just over the hilltop. Now, I don’t doubt that heaven is going to be phenomenal and beyond our wildest dreams. I don’t begrudge anyone longing for a golden mansion. One is certainly allowed to imagine grandness in his heavenly inheritance. But I have a hard time thinking that Jesus is building those things for us when He can simply speak an entire universe into existence out of nothing. At the risk of upsetting some long held mental images, let’s examine a few words in the passage that will lead us to a spiritual application that goes beyond a mansion of gold. Here are the verses again with the key words highlighted: Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:1-3 The Greek word for “mansion”, or as it is translated in the ESV, “dwelling place”, is monai which means “abode”. It is the same word used a few verses later when Jesus tells them: If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our “abode” with him. John 14:23 The Greek word for “place” is topas. This is an interesting word because it can be used to mean “position of influence” or “an opportunity for action”. We sometimes use “place” this way as in “what is your place in the world”?  This is how Paul used “topas” when he was on trial before King Agrippa: “I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity (topas) to make his defense…” Acts 25:16 So, the word “opportunity” is the same word that Jesus used when He said He was going to make a place for us. What if Jesus wasn’t talking about making a mansion for me, but instead He was making ministry opportunities for me… and for you? What if He is continually making those opportunities for us all the time? What if He providentially placed us next to our neighbors and our neighbors providentially next to us so that we might have the opportunity to minister to them? And what if Jesus meant that when He makes those opportunities for us, He would be with us as we met those opportunities? What if we understood this passage to mean something like this:  “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. I’m going to leave you physically, but I will be dwelling with you all over God’s kingdom. I am going to make special opportunities for you right in your neighborhood. And when I do, I will be right there with you.” Do you think it would make a difference if we really believed that Jesus was actively making opportunities for us wherever we live and wherever we go? I don’t know about you, but this gets me much more excited than a gold mansion with silver lining. Isn’t this consistent with all that we have looked at so far? Jesus told the disciples that He wouldn’t leave them as orphans, but that He would come to them. He said that He and the Father were going to make their “abode” with them—with us. That abode is here. That abode is right now. It is not merely off in some unknown future when we depart this world. Now, I don’t think you need to give up this passage for funerals, for surely when we die, we will depart and be with the Lord in our spiritual bodies. But, I would encourage you to think of this passage as both “here and now” and “later”. Then use it for your life today while you are still breathing. Next time you see your neighbor mowing his yard, think about Jesus making that moment as an opportunity for you and see what happens. [previous] [next]     [1] Ira Stanphill, 1949, published by HymnTime Publishers; performed by Elvis in album: “His Hand In Mine”