Broadly speaking there are two types of funeral: one for the person who knows Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour, and one for the person who doesn’t.
Often the funeral of the person who doesn’t know Jesus is a heavy with sadness that a life has ended and there is nothing left but memories. So, the response of those who are grieving is to look for evidence, in the life of the person, that they had lived a ‘good’ life. The nature of the ‘good’ life is spoken of in many and various ways: was a good person, enjoyed life, was kind, lived life to the full ... etc..
The funeral of a person who does know Jesus, whilst it may contain some searching for evidence of the ‘good’ life, is at heart very different. Although there is the sadness and grieving that comes with the separation of bereavement, there is also confidence and hope.
The search for the ‘good’ in a person is part of an unconscious desire (although sometimes it might be intentional) to make sense of the life that has ended.
Sometimes, when we talk about the resurrection of Jesus we take the same approach. God raised Jesus back to life to prove that he was a good Son – we look back on the life of Jesus described in the Gospels, we see how Jesus was faithful to His Father, how he did and said so many good things, and we come to the conclusion that the Father made Jesus alive again, because Jesus was a good man. But, in the Bible, God gives us a number of different reasons for Jesus being raised from death.
Jesus, himself, tells us (as he told his disciples on the night before he was killed) that he was going to his Father to prepare a place for his disciples, and that he would come back to take them there (John 13.36-14.7). He spoke clearly about returning. Later that evening we learn, through his prayer, that his concern is for everyone who believes him through the message of disciples (John 17.20). Jesus saw his death and his resurrection as necessary parts of bringing his friends home to his Father’s house. If he didn’t die, and if he wasn’t raised, then none of what he had promised would happen.
Some days earlier, when Jesus was speaking with the bereaved sister of Lazarus, he announced to her that he, Jesus, is the resurrection and the life. So, resurrection was not just a thing that would happen to Jesus, it is much more than that: Jesus is the resurrection. Resurrection only happens because of Jesus. Without Jesus there can be no resurrection; without Jesus there is no resurrection. We like to think that Jesus is love, but we should also remember that Jesus is the resurrection.
In our society that chooses to reject God, there is no expectation of resurrection. To have life after death would imply that there is some sort of unfinished business: some business that cannot be completed or resolved in this life. Life after death suggests that there is more to life than what we see, smell, touch, feel, and taste.
Paul, the man who vigorously opposed Jesus, the man who Jesus challenged and turned around, adds to our understanding of the importance of the resurrection in many ways. When he was explaining his message to the ruling council of Athens, the Council of the Aeropagus, in around 49-50AD, Paul gave another reason for the resurrection of Jesus. This reason also looks forward to a resurrection of all people – even those who don’t believe in God!
“In the past God overlooked such ignorance[1], but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17.30,31 (NIV)
Since the resurrection of Jesus is proof that the world will be judged, we will do well to be prepared for that judgement day by turning to the risen Lord Jesus, accepting his offer of safe passage, and trusting him to take us to his Father’s home as his friends.
Why resurrection? The resurrection of Jesus is yet another mark of God’s goodness mercy shown to a rebellious world, as the Almighty calls us back to engage with him as his people. If we trust the one who is “the resurrection”, we can look forward to our own resurrection with confidence. If we continue to reject Jesus, resurrection is a prospect to awful to imagine, but it remains a real and present danger.
[1] The ignorance Paul refers to here is the idolatry of misrepresenting God by making false images of Him and treating Him as if He needs human services.
