In opening an Easter sermon, Michael Milton says, “Recent archeological expeditions have unearthed surprising finds of families buried together in age-old cemeteries, side by side, destroying older ideas about Neanderthals in Europe. Now, we understand they had the same questions about death and the hereafter as we do. No doubt, an ancient human figure from the mountains of Europe held a dying child in his arms, looking up into the heavens, seeing the signs of life, death and rebirth all about him in nature, and asking himself, “What about this child? Will I see him again?”

As a pastor, I have seen that very picture in my ministry many times through the decades. The questions remain the same. Death is a familiar, if not foreboding, force that I have seen enter the lives of my own family members and the families of so many of our people, leaving us with the same questions as the ancients. Not much has changed…or has it?

The apostle Paul picked up on the theme of death and what happens when we die in 1 Corinthians 15. Some had taught, even as in Jesus’ time, that there was no resurrection from the dead. Others had taught—and this is dealt with in another place—that the soul merely sleeps in the grave until Jesus comes again. Paul, in refuting this bad theology, advances a powerful argument: that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not only central to the Christian faith, but it is the center point on the salvation plan of God in human history. As such, this event has powerful consequences for eternity and for now.

This leads us to a tremendous truth for our lives this day. In the resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has overcome the dark tomb of our ancient despair with the bright promise of His new hope.”