2022-05-31
Hebrews 2:14 NCV
The thought of death can be scary, but we don’t need to be trapped by this fear. The Bible says: ‘Since these children are people with physical bodies, Jesus himself became like them. He did this so that, by dying, he could destroy the one who has the power of death – the devil – and free those who were like slaves all their lives because of their fear of death’ (v.14-15 NCV). Through the resurrection, Jesus proved He has power over death, and that by believing in Him, we need not have any fear of it. We can look forward to an even better life in heaven.
Paul wrote: ‘When our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:54-57 NLT).
The chapter ends with these words: ‘Be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless’ (v.58 NLT). Jesus’ resurrection guarantees that we each have a place in heaven. There is hope, even right to the last second of our earthly lives, because when we put our trust in God, we know we’ll be reunited with Him. Death has no power to scare us, no victory over us, because we are God’s redeemed children.
1 Kings 8-9; Matt 13:24-35; Ps 108; Pro 12:14
Hebreërs 2:15 NLV
Die Bybel sê: ‘Omdat hierdie ‘kinders’ mense van vlees en bloed is, het Jesus ook ten volle mens net soos hulle geword. Want Hy kon net sterf as Hy ten volle mens was en Hy kon net deur self te sterf klaarspeel met hom wat mag oor die dood gehad het – die duiwel. Net op hierdie manier kon Hy ons almal vrymaak wat ons lewe lank uit vrees vir die dood in slawerny vasgevang gesit het’ (verse 14-15 NLV).
Die teoloog, Adolf von Harnack, het gesê: “Christus se graf was die geboorteplek van ‘n onvernietigbare oortuiging dat die dood oorwin is en dat daar ‘n ewige lewe is. Die sekerheid van die opstanding en van ‘n ewige lewe wat met die graf in Josef se tuin verband hou, het nie vergaan nie; en op die oortuiging dat Jesus leef, baseer ons steeds daardie hoop op burgerskap in ‘n Ewige Stad, wat ons aardse lewe die moeite werd en draaglik maak. Jesus het hulle verlos, wat hulle ‘lewe lank uit vrees vir die dood in slawerny vasgevang gesit het.'” Goeie nuus: Jy hoef nie uit vrees vir die dood in slawerny vasgevang te wees nie!
Dr Simon Greenleaf, professor in Regte aan Harvard en een van die wêreld se voorste kenners oor regsbewyse, het die soeklig van sy enorme kennis op die bewyse van die opstanding van Jesus Christus geskyn en elke draad van daardie bewyse aan die mees ingrypende kritiek blootgestel. Toe hy klaar was, het hy tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat die bewyse van die opstanding so geweldig was dat dit in enige onbevooroordeelde hofsaal op aarde as ‘n historiese feit verklaar sou word. Wat beteken dit alles dus vir ons as gelowiges? Eenvoudig die volgende: Christus se opstanding waarborg ons s’n!
Sielskos: 1 Kon 8-9; Matt 13:24-35; Ps 108; Spr 12:14
Hebrews 2:15 NKJV
The Bible says: “Inasmuch… as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death… the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (vv. 14-15 NKJV).
Theologian Adolf von Harnack said this: “Christ’s grave was the birthplace of an indestructible belief that death is vanquished and there is life eternal. It is useless to cite Plato… useless to point to the Persian religion and the ideas and literature of later Judaism. All that would have perished; but the certainty of the resurrection and of a life eternal which is bound up with the grave in Joseph’s garden has not perished; and on the conviction that Jesus lives we still base those hopes of citizenship in an Eternal City, which make our earthly life worth living and tolerable. He delivered them ‘who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage.'”
Good news: You don’t have to be in bondage to the fear of death! Dr. Simon Greenleaf, the Royal Professor of Law at Harvard, one of the world’s greatest authorities on legal evidence, shone the searchlight of his immense knowledge on the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and revealed every thread of that evidence to the most probing critique. And when he did, he concluded that the evidence was so tremendous that in any unbiased courtroom on earth, it would be proclaimed a historical fact. So what does all this mean for us as believers? Simply this: Christ’s resurrection guarantees ours!
Soul food: 1 Kings 8-9; Matt 13:24-35; Ps 108; Pro 12:14
2022-05-30
Psalm 17:15 KJV
There has never been a race of mankind that didn’t believe in some kind of future life; whether it’s the happy hunting ground of the Native Americans or the sensual abode of bliss of the Muslim. How do you explain that? Long before any evidence for this worldwide belief had been gathered, Cicero said, “In everything the consent of all nations is to be accounted the law of nature, and to resist it is to resist the voice of God.” On the night Socrates died, Crito asked him, “In what way would you have us bury you?” He replied, “In any way that you like, only you must get hold of me, and take care that I do not walk away from you.”
In his Phaedo, Plato presented powerful arguments in favour of immortality. Others argued for it, too; great thinkers like Thomas Carlyle, Thomas Jefferson, and the German poet Heinrich Heine. Alfred Lord Tennyson’s most famous poem goes like this: “For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place the flood may bear me far, I hope to see my Pilot face to face when I have crost the bar.” And Byron writes, “I feel my immortality o’ersweep all pains, all tears, all fears, and peal, like the eternal thunders of the deep, into my ears this truth – ‘Thou liv’st forever!'”
All these great minds shared the conviction of the psalmist: “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” When you think about it, “good night” here just means “good morning” over there.
Soul food: 1 Kings 6-7; Matt 13:10-23; Ps 101; Pro 12:12-13
Psalm 17:15 NLV
Daar was nog nooit ‘n generasie van die mensdom wat nie in ‘n soort toekomstige lewe geglo het nie; of dit nou die gelukkige jagveld van die inheemse Amerikaners of die sensuele blyplek van saligheid van die Moslems is. Hoe verduidelik jy dit? Lank voor enige bewyse van hierdie wêreldwye geloof ingesamel is, het Cicero gesê: ‘In everything the consent of all nations is to be accounted the law of nature, and to resist it is to resist the voice of God.’
Die aand toe Sokrates dood is, het Crito vir hom gevra: ‘Op watter manier moet ons jou begrawe?’ Hy het geantwoord: ‘Net soos jy wil, jy moet my net in die hande kry en sorg dat ek nie van jou af wegloop nie.’
Plato het kragtige argumente ten gunste van onsterflikheid in sy Phaedo voorgelê. Groot denkers soos Thomas Carlyle, Thomas Jefferson en die Duitse digter Heinrich Heine het ook in onsterflikheid geglo. Alfred Lord Tennyson se bekendste gedig lui as volg: ‘For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place the flood may bear me far, I hope to see my Pilot face to face when I have crost the bar.’ Byron skryf: “I feel my immortality o’ersweep all pains, all tears, all fears, and peal, like the eternal thunders of the deep, into my ears this truth – ‘Thou liv’st forever!'”
Al hierdie groot denkers het die oortuiging van die Psalmdigter gedeel: ‘Maar omdat ek reg gedoen het, sal ek U sien. Wanneer ek wakker word, sal ek tevrede wees in u teenwoordigheid.’ As jy daaraan dink, beteken ‘goeienag’ hier op aarde net ‘goeiemore’ in die hemel.
Sielskos: 1 Kon 6-7; Matt 13:10-23; Ps 101; Spr 12:12-13
