Here Comes Eternal Spring For Your Soul!
Andy Nagahara
A. The winter of our souls（Psalm 31:9-14）
Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors; I am a dread to my friends-- those who see me on the street flee from me. I am forgotten by them as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery. For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side; they conspire against me and plot to take my life. But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God." （Psalm 31:9-14）
God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. （1 Corinthians 10:13b）
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. （John 10:27,28）
B. Eternal life beyond despair （Mark 16:1-8）
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, `He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'" Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. （Mark16:1-8）
C. Let's embrace eternal life with Jesus（Hosea 6:1-3）
"Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." （Hosea 6:1-3）
Summary
The resurrection of Jesus sets us free from fear of death. We easily forget that everything we have, including our own lives, is on loan from God. We are always afraid of losing things because we thing they belong to us. We brought nothing into the world and we can't take anything with us when we leave, but we know that we belong to God, and God will never abandon us. The resurrection of Jesus is the beginning of everlasting life in which we are always with Jesus beyond the limit of time and space.
For Discussion
1) What is your biggest fear?
2) What does Jesus' resurrection mean for you?