What I see as a real problem is the infant God syndrome. It is the way, when Jesus is mentioned at Christmas; he is constantly presented as a ‘babe in a manger’.  It is as if he never grew up! It is as if he is just a cute religious motif for the season. Please don’t get me wrong, it is not that I don’t believe that Jesus was born to the unwed Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem, announced by angels, visited by shepherds.  Those facts are part of the historical record about Jesus[1].  Of course I believe it all happened.  The problem is this: while we focus our attention on the vulnerable infant in the manger, we miss the incredible significance of his birth.  The celebration of ‘Christmas’ becomes a homely festival, instead of the anniversary of a world changing event when the Creator stepped into His Creation to become its Redeemer. Could you imagine taming the anniversary of 9/11 and turning it into a sentimental commercial and gastronomic celebration?

When Jesus was born God set in action his plan to redeem and restore the world and the people he had made from scratch.  Now, God didn’t do what he could have done: He didn’t arrive with troops to round up the guilty parties, to administer justice and clean up the mess humankind had made[2]. Instead, he showed his true character: humble, loving and generous beyond compare.  Instead, He chose to take the consequences of humanity’s rebellion on Himself, in the person of Jesus.  By doing that, he saved people, wherever possible, from the certain, and indescribable horror of coming face to face with the unique and pure power of God, an encounter we could not survive. Jesus, both man and God, became the human shield for us – at one time both suffering for us, protecting us. Jesus was certainly born: he was only briefly the infant God, but he grew up more than we can grasp – he was born to die in our place, redeeming us and our world.

[2] Jesus made it clear that he could have taken this course of action, but choice not to do that was consistent with God’s word.

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.

First, we must remember that death is offensive to God. He didn’t want death in His wonderful world.  (When God finished His work of creating He saw that the world was very good. (Genesis 1.31))  That is why the Lord warned and commanded Adam not to eat from that one tree.  But, Adam did eat, and death was the result; not immediately humankind was not wiped out immediately, but a long slow death entered the world.  Death became part of living.  We are always surrounded by death and decay.

At the other end of the Bible (Revelation 21) God tells us that there will be a time when there is no more death. This still doesn’t tell us why death of God’s people is precious – but, it points us in the right direction. You see, before there could be no more death, God had to deal with death, He had to destroy its power over life.

When He sent Jesus to call people back to Himself, the Almighty God showed that death can be conquered.  The Son of God was killed, but God raised Him back to life.  When He did this, the Lord God showed that He can, and He has, beaten death. But it was costly to beat death. Our Heavenly Father allowed His own Son to taste death for us. In order to destroy the power of death, Jesus died for us. That is one reason why the death of His people is precious in the sight of the Lord.

Breaking the power of death cost God the life of His only Son.  Every death of one of God’s people is a reminder of the heavy price God paid to save people from death.

Now, there is a bit of a myth, no, it is more than myth – it is just a falsehood that has grown up about how a person gets to be one of God’s people.

Some folks think that you have got to be good to get into heaven. But, that is not true.  Jesus made it clear that He didn’t come to the religious people who thought they were good enough for heaven.  He didn’t come to people who thought they were OK! We see this again and again in the Gospels. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10.25-37, Matthew 22, Mark 12), Jesus said “Woe” to those people who thought they had the right to get into heaven because they thought they were good enough (Matthew 23).  No, Jesus came to rescue people who were trapped, people who were stuck in a world that is falling apart because people have chosen to turn away from the Lord God. From the time of Adam’s first act of “self determination” when he chose against God and for himself the whole world has been groaning because death entered the world (Romans 8.18-23).

But, people still die.

Does that mean that Jesus failed?

No; not at all.

When Jesus was raised from death to life He showed that death is not the end. He showed that there is a way through death to new life; and, Jesus himself is the way (John 11.23-27; 14.1-6).  Now, that is another reason why the death of His people is precious in the sight of the Lord.

When God’s people die, they are still with Him, death is not the end. When God raised Jesus from the dead He changed death. It is no longer the end; it is now a new beginning – where Jesus leads the way home to His Father.  And, His Heavenly Father is waiting for all those people He is calling back to himself.