Dealing with Death – EGP Blog post from December 11, 2012

Intellectually, we can know that people “broke” the world by choosing what we want instead of God (sin), but Christ will renew it again. Those who put our trust in His saving power will be brought back to life (resurrected), never to die again, He’ll wipe away all our tears, and live with God for eternity. () But we still feel the pain of loss…

In John 11, we read about Lazarus, a dear friend of Jesus, who became very sick and then died. Mary, Lazarus’ sister, met with Jesus and said “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” () Jesus told her “I Am the Resurrection and the Life. Those who believe in Me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again. They are given eternal life for believing in Me and will never perish.” ()

Martha went to Mary, her sister, and told her that Jesus wanted to see her. She came…RUNNING…fell at his feet and cried out the same words as her sister. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” () When He saw her and the others weeping…He was torn inside…and began to weep too.

Jesus wept when He saw how much Lazarus’s death hurt his sisters, and I believe He weeps for those affected by the loss of a loved one. So, it’s okay to weep and mourn over the death of a loved one, and you’ll probably miss them for the rest of your life here. But hold tight to the God of Comfort and look forward to the day of resurrection!

1 Corinthians 15:19–26 ()

[19] If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. [20] But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. [21] For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. [22] For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. [23] But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, [24] then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. [25] For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. [26] The last enemy that will be abolished is death.

1 Corinthians 15:22 I.e. the Messiah