The Resurrection

Some of us remember the old songs that used to be popular in church:

• This World is not My Home ("My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue")

• Won't it be Wonderful There ("When with the Savior we enter the glory land")

• Mansions Over The Hilltop ("I'm satisfied with just a cottage below; a little silver and a little gold")

• By and By ("Trials dark on every hand and we cannot understand all the ways that God will lead us to that blessed promised land.")

Most of these songs were written when life was hard and people looked forward to a "land of rest" when all of God's promises would come to fulfillment. Among African-Americans the spirituals had a similar theme such as this once familiar song, "I am a poor wayfaring stranger, a traveling through the world of woe."

As life became easier we stopping writing and singing these songs. Instead of thinking about Jesus' return, the end of time, resurrection, judgment, and eternity; we began to talk more about the blessings God has for us in this life. Christian bookstores are full of guides teaching us how to enjoy all the blessings of God right now. The epitome of this emphasis has become what is called the "Prosperity Gospel" or the "Gospel of Health and Wealth" which teaches that God wants to bless all of his children with health and wealth in this life.

Reading 1 Corinthians 15 in light of this emphasis seems strange indeed. For Paul, this world is messed up and needs more than a make over. It needs a complete purging. The world is held captive to sin and is ruled by death. Jesus' resurrection truly was the beginning of the End. We are living in the "last days" and the earth as we know it is passing away. We must resist the temptation to live as though this is our home. We are all here on assignment but our home is somewhere else. Resurrection means we are to live this life in preparation for the life to come.