For believers in Jesus Christ it was great to attend meetings and hear again the wonderful and beautiful story of the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ expounded by anointed preachers; and to hear how, especially Lucas, firmly anchors the story in history less its beauty should have us think it is a legend -
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was Governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register - Luke 2: 1 to 3
But all this is now behind us as we advance without a pause into 2016. The problems that were held in suspense over the Christmas period return again to plague us. A pile of work awaits us, the date of that worrying specialist appointment draws near, and once again the day by day routine takes over, and in those spare moments that we have arise those puzzling questions - what is life all about, is this all there is? Why am I here! Is there life after death and if not, surely King Solomon must have been right when he wrote -
"Meaningless! Meaningless! Says the teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." - What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun - Ecclesiastes 1: 2 and 9
One can sense his weary cynicism, but at the end of the book he seems to have got over his despair and he writes -
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I have no pleasure in them". This is good advice. And I do trust that some young person reading this will take note and respond.
Solomon was wrong because life need not be ‘meaningless’. And at the end I believe he knew it.
"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" - John 10: 10
To know God, to have faith in Jesus Christ, gives abundant meaning to life from birth to death and beyond..
God declares -
Even to your old age and grey hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you, I will sustain you and I will rescue you - Isaiah 46: 4
The New Testament is very clear about life after death - Jesus himself speaking of Christian believers said - They can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are the children of the resurrection - Luke 20: 36
When Jesus wept and stood before the tomb of his friend Lazarus, he said to Martha his sister -
"Your brother will rise again." Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whosoever lives and believes in me will never die - John 11: 25
Then Jesus had the stone removed from the entrance to the tomb and called out in a loud voice -
"Lazarus come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen and cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, Take off the grave cloths and let him go - John 11: 43 and 44
The apostle Paul writing to the church in Corinth makes some tremendous statements about life after death, he says -
The trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality - then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
Where O death is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through Jesus Christ - 1 Corinthians 15: 52 to 56
One could quote many more portions from the Bible that speak, either directly or indirectly of life after death, but let me finish the above quotes with a very well known verse -
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life - John 3: 16
It tells us that God loves mankind, it speaks of Jesus Christ. It says that salvation is universal -‘whoever believes’ - and that, finally, there will be either judgement or eternal life, and that means life after death.
But we must not take God for granted the Bible is quite clear about it -
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature with reap destruction; the one who sows the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life - Galatians 5: 7 and 8
Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off - Romans 11: 22
God’s love is true love, not indulgence. He has shown his love to a sinful and rebellious mankind by coming to earth in the person of the Son - Jesus Christ. That mocked corned figure, blooded and mutilated, on the cross shows the extent of God’s love.
He loves you who are reading this article, and if you will pray to him now confessing your need he will change you eternally and make 2016 to be the key year of your life - IT WILL BE A NEW YEAR INDEED!
