by Rev Douglas Brauner

When the World Sees Death, We See Life

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[Jesus said,] “Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.”
Luke 20:38 English Standard Version

My grandson was looking for snakes. He was sure that the holes in the ground were snake holes. Never mind that there was snow on the ground. Never mind that I told him that snakes don’t like the cold. Never mind that the holes he peered into were actually ground squirrel holes. Without a doubt, he knew there were snakes in these holes.

To the world outside the church it looks like we followers of Christ are looking for snakes in ground squirrel holes. When we peer into death, we see life. When we look at the grave, we see resurrection. When the world is falling apart, we see the new world promised.

The religious establishment was tired of Jesus. He was robbing them of power. People would rather follow him than their rules and regulations. These leaders were falling from their pedestals and they weren’t happy about it. In the last week of Jesus’ life, they tried to trap him three times. Each time they failed.

This third time the Sadducees tried to corner him on his belief in the resurrection claiming that Moses never mentioned the resurrection. Though it is true that you will not find the word resurrection in the books of Moses, you will find that the Lord claimed to be the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob even when they were dead.

“He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” Though Abraham, Isaac and Jacob died, they are very much alive awaiting the end of all things.

You and I are alive now, breathing the air created by the Master, yet living with the promise that even when we die we live. Even when that breath of life has left us, we are alive in Christ.

The day is coming when Jesus will return and raise the dead. Until that day may we continue to look for snakes down squirrel holes no matter what others think of us.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado