honor – La Vista Church of Christ

In a Manner Worthy

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 19:13:47 +0000

by David Gibson

This is not about the Lord’s Supper, but instead draws on six passages on how we are to live.

“. . . like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory” (I Thessalonians 2:12).
“. . . we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:9-10).
“Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that . . . I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel . . .” (Philippians 1:27 NASB).
“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3).
“I commend to you our sister Phoebe . . . that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you . . .” (Romans 16:1-2 NASB).
“Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are . . . . You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth” (III John 5-8).

Observations

Living in a manner worthy involves both the vertical dimension: “fully pleasing to Him” (Colossians 1:9-10) and the horizontal: “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:1-3) and assisting Christians who actively serve and evangelize (Romans 16:1-2; III John 5-8).

What a tall order He has given us! But He never requires the impossible. With His strong help, walking in a manner worthy is altogether doable. Otherwise, He wouldn’t expect it of us, would He?

Honor Your Mother

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 11 May 2025 18:56:08 +0000

by Doy Moyer

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12).

It is appropriate to think about the roles of father and mother as those who have had the most impact on our lives. While we often focus on the men who were integral to God's plan revealed in the word, we should equally remember the great influence of women. From Eve to Mary or from Ruth to Eunice, women’s roles in shaping both the world around us and our salvation in Christ are beyond measure.

Paul’s reminder to Timothy highlights the importance of this on a personal level: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well” (II Timothy 1:5). This made it so that “from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (II Timothy 3:15). Never underestimate the value and significance of what mothers (and grandmothers) do.

Let’s think briefly about mothers in the book of Proverbs. First, note that both folly and wisdom are personified as women (see chapters 7-9). While the warning against following lady folly is critical, the exhortation to listen to lady wisdom is just as important. Read Proverbs 7:1-5 and note the need to treasure wisdom as a sister and friend. In this context of listening to wisdom, hearers are told to listen to their mothers. A mother’s teaching is not to be forsaken (Proverbs 1:8). It is the foolish son who is a sorrow to and despises his mother (Proverbs 10:1; 15:20). One who chases away his mother brings shame and reproach (Proverbs 19:26), and the one who curses father and mother has his lamp put out (likely a reference to a shortened life — see Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1-3). Mothers are not to be despised (Proverbs 23:22), but should rather be able to rejoice in their children (Proverbs 23:25). Godly mothers and wisdom go hand in hand.

We should also appreciate that a mother gives instructions to her son in Proverbs 31: “The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him” (Proverbs 31:1). Note, too, that her son was a king. Yet he still needed to listen to his mother. She taught her son not to give his strength to women or wine. He was told to open his mouth for the mute and judge righteously, defending the rights of the poor and needy (Proverbs 31:1-9). Also in this context is the great passage that brings Proverbs to a close: an acrostic about the woman of virtue (Proverbs 31:10-31). What was personified as Lady Wisdom earlier in the book is now brought to life in a worthy woman who blesses her home and others as she fears the Lord. This is all part of a mother’s instructions to her son (yes, the passage on the virtuous woman was taught to a young man!).

The point to take away is that there is a connection in Scripture between a righteous mother and the wisdom that emanates from God. Children who listen to their mothers (and godly fathers) will be blessed. They honor and obey their parents. They bring to fruition the wise, godly attitudes and counsel that their parents sought to instill within them. Parents are not to be despised or forsaken as they age. Rather, they are to be cherished, loved, and given due credit for their part in raising children who ought to bring blessings to the world.

There are reasons why we know something about the mother of Jesus. She was especially chosen as the mother of the Lord as He entered this world. When Elizabeth greeted Mary (both of whom were with child), she said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (Luke 1:42-45). Mary believed and was blessed, and she had the privilege of being “the mother of my Lord.” She raised Him as God desired. She suffered when Jesus suffered; she was pierced through when He was pierced. She stayed close to Him all the way through.

Let us honor our mothers who rejoiced with us, cried with us, suffered with us, and will love us to the end. A godly mother is one of the greatest blessings given by God. Listen to her wisdom and counsel. She longs to protect us from harm and will always love us. We ought to be deeply grateful. And remember, though we may lose an earthly mother, we have many more in the Lord by whom we are richly blessed (see Mark 10:28-30).

Honoring Men and Honoring God

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 23:15:40 +0000

by Floyd Chappalear
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 4, December 31, 1987

We do not honor these men by merely naming a "holiday" after them. On the contrary, we honor them by incorporating into our daily lives the good principles for which they stood. We practice the things they taught us to practice.

At the same time, we do not "honor" God by merely saying that we do. In fact, God said that some men "honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, teaching as their doctrine the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:8-9)

Whenever a church teaches something not taught in the word of God, it teaches the doctrines of men and not the precepts of God. Judging by the myriad doctrines represented on this page, one would conclude that many do not submit themselves to God's righteousness but fashion their own forms of "righteousness." Is this any way to serve the God of Heaven? To learn more about this, please visit, write, or call.

Honor the Emperor

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 19 Jan 2025 20:22:15 +0000

by Chadwick Brewer

“…living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor” (I Peter 2:16-17).

Often in Scripture, within a list of commands, one command or concept seems dissimilar to the others. I believe this serves to throw its importance into sharp relief. It is meant to be very attention-grabbing.

Peter begins by saying that we should live as servants of God. To do that, we need to love the brotherhood and fear God. These two instructions seem obvious but are worth remembering. The readers would also likely accept the concept of honoring everyone. While challenging, it aligns with the command to love your neighbor and to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

The command that seems a bit out of place is, “Honor the emperor.”

The emperors of that time would have been extremely difficult to honor, especially those who persecuted Christians. Yet Peter did not include an exception clause. Note that Peter did not say, “Honor the position or office of emperor.” He said, “Honor the emperor.” They had no choice in who their emperor was. On the other hand, we have a choice—or at least a vote—in our government. However, that does not permit us to disrespect the person God has placed in office. Whatever authority exists is given by God.

Fear God. Honor the emperor.

An Honorable Man: Mordecai

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 17 Mar 2024 23:13:09 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/An-Honorable-Man-Mordecai.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: II Corinthians 13:1-10

I. Because of Paul’s late arrival on the scene, his apostleship was at times questioned.

A. In Corinth, though established by Paul, the church struggled with many sins.

1. There were some among the Corinthians less inclined to correct their problems or to heed Paul’s rebukes

2. Paul warned that if he must he will come displaying his full authority - II Corinthians 13:2-3

B. It was the Corinthians who needed to examine themselves in regards to whether sin was in their lives - II Corinthians 13:5

C. Paul didn’t need the truth of his apostleship to be examined by them - II Corinthians 13:6

D. However, it was Paul’s prayer that the Corinthians would not sin - II Corinthians 13:7

1. Not because he said so, but because it was the honorable thing to do

2. Paul could tolerate not having an opportunity to prove his apostleship if they remained out of sin

E. “I pray to God that you do no evil ... that you should do what is honorable (or right)”

1. We don’t talk about honor that much in our society

2. The Greek word kalos means things that are beautiful, good, excellent, advantageous, and noble.

F. In Galatia a similar problem was erupting - Galatians 4:17-18

1. Instead of doing what was noble and honorable, people were trying to get Christians to be followers of men.

2. Christians need to be zealously honorable at all times, and not just when someone is standing over them.

G. It was Peter’s wish that all Christians conduct themselves with honor, even while living in a world lacking in honor - I Peter 2:11-12

1. And it is a struggle - Romans 7:18-19 (second “good” in verse 18 is kalos)

2. Thus we must fight the honorable fight of faith - I Timothy 6:12

3. Making ourselves a example, or pattern of honorable works - Titus 2:7-8

II. There is a man of noble character found in the Old Testament, a man by the name of Mordecai.

A. A man of responsibility - Esther 2:7

1. Mordecai took in his cousin and raised her as his own daughter

a. There was no law requiring this of him

b. It was needed, and Mordecai took up the burden

2. A man is responsible to provide for his own - I Timothy 5:8

a. Instead we find ways for others to care

b. Or as becoming a common practice, men bringing children in the world and simply walking away because they made no commitment

3. The providing is not just financial - Ephesians 6:4

a. Fathers are needed for training,

b. A fact to which our society is slowly waking up

B. A man of loyalty - Esther 2:21-23

1. Circumstances caused Mordecai to become aware of a plot on the life of the king

a. He didn’t “forget” what he heard out of fear

b. He didn’t say “I don’t want to get involved”

c. He reported it to Esther who passed on the information to the king

2. Here was a man who feared God and honored the king - I Peter 2:17

3. How much loyalty do we show to our Lord and King? - Matthew 6:24

a. When sin abounds around us, do we timidly avoid it? Or should we do something about it?

b. Matthew 5:10-12 - willing to face persecution

c. Being loyal (holding to) the faithful word - Titus 1:9

4. What loyalty to our marriage? - Ephesians 5:28

C. A man of discernment - Esther 3:1-5

1. We are not told why Mordecai refused to bow to Haman.

a. There are cases in the Old Testament where people gave honor to men - Ruth 2:10; I Samuel 20:41; II Kings 1:13

b. We must suppose that Mordecai did not find Haman to be a man worthy of honor - Psalms 15

c. Righteousness is not about accepting or tolerating everything

2. We too need to discern between good and evil - Hebrews 5:13-14

3. Be picky - I Thessalonians 5:21-22

D. A man of brotherly love - Esther 4:1-4

1. Mordecai genuinely was distressed over the fate of his people.

2. It is the characteristic of Christians - John 13:34-35

a. It is a common concern for our fellow Christian - I John 4:20-21

3. But it is also a concern for man in general

a. Our fellow men are in danger - II Corinthians 5:11, 20;

b. We strive to bring every man to perfection - Colossians 1:28-29

E. A man who encourages righteous action - Esther 4:13-14

1. Mordecai did not wallow in grief, but took steps to save his people by encouraging Esther to take action

2. Speak words of encouragement - Ephesians 4:29

3. Set a proper example - I Timothy 4:12

III. We all need to be people of noble character

A. Let your light shine so the world sees beautiful, honorable deeds and there by give glory to our God - Matthew 5:16

B. As seed on the honorable, noble ground, yield an abundant harvest - Matthew 13:23

Honor the King

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 18 Feb 2024 18:04:05 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/Honor-the-King-1.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: I Peter 2:13-17

I. I Peter 2:17 - Honor the King

A. It is getting hard to avoid the problems this country has with its leaders

B. Everyone knows about the sins commit by some of our recent presidents and each has his own opinion on the matter

C. But knowing that a leader has sinned creates a difficulty for Christians

II. Romans 13:1-17 - We are to show respect for authority

A. Every soul must be subject to the governing authorities

B. The authorities are called God’s minister or God’s servant three times!

C. They rule by God’s decree

D. As Christians we are obligated to pay our taxes and to give proper honor

E. Romans 13:5 - We must obey because of the wrath of these men but also because it is the right thing to do

III. There is no escape clause

A. Look at I Peter 2 and Romans 13 again. Do you see some qualifier that states it is OK to withhold honor from dishonorable leaders?

B. Is there some indication that you do not have to give respect to a disrespectful ruler?

C. Many have a hard time believing there has ever been a time or place where righteous leaders have been in such scarce supply

IV. Recall the time when these words were written

A. Rome, which ruled the world in Paul’s day, began as a republic, but by the first century was ruled by dictators who called themselves emperors

1. Some were noble men but few would have served as examples of good behavior

B. Claudius ruled from A.D. 41 to 54, during the time Paul wrote many of his letters

1. He was known as an able and efficient administrator

2. But he is the one who issued the order expelling all Jews from Rome - Acts 18:2

a. Two who were expelled were Aquila and Priscilla, Christians of Jewish ancestry, who moved to Corinth where Paul found them on his second journey

3. Claudius assumed the throne after the murder of his nephew, Caligula

a. Caligula was an insane man who ruled from A.D. 37 to 41

b. Like Caligula, Claudius’ reigned also ended with his violent death

C. Yet, it was about these ruling men that Paul said to give honor as kings!

D. Then there was Nero (A.D. 54 to 68), a well-known hater of Christians

1. Followers of the Way had never enjoyed popularity among the Romans

a. They refused to worship the emperor as a god

b. Therefore, their loyalty to Rome was questioned

2. But Nero raised the persecution of Christians to new heights of evil

a. Nero, at times, set Christians on fire or had them torn to pieces by wild dogs in his arena

b. Even his fellow Romans were appalled by his cruelty

3. It was to Nero whom Paul appealed for a review of his case in Palestine - Acts 25:10-12

4. Later, when a large part of Rome burned in A.D. 64, Nero blamed it on the Christians

E. Yet both Paul and Peter wrote while living under Nero – Honor the King!

F. There are many others we could name, such as Domitian, who reigned near the end of the first century and surpassed Nero in the persecution of Christians

1. Other rulers have committed atrocities against Christians through the ages

2. They feared those who would obey God over men - Acts 5:29

3. These were men who were accountable to no earthly power

4. Under his rule, John was exiled - Revelation 1:9

5. Christians in their countries found they had two choices: obey the ruler and live, or obey God and die.

G. Yet they were told to honor the king!

V. We live in a country where the people have a say in who rules them

A. We vote on many issues and vote on our leaders

B. Our laws allow us to speak freely on anything we desire, though these laws are being eroded

C. Unfortunately there is no guarantee that those elected will have the same high moral standards as Christians

D. Nevertheless Paul’s words in Romans 13 and Peter’s words in I Peter 2 remain the same.

E. Yes, we should strive to elect men who will stand for biblical principles

F. Yes, we should try to persuade others to live by the Bible as well

G. But once they are elected, never forget our responsibility to give honor to those who have the rule over us.

H. Remember that honor doesn’t include unswerving obedience. We honor and obey God above all others.

I. Honor the king, and pray they rule wisely - I Timothy 2:1-4

Is not taking God’s name in vain just about swearing?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 03 Feb 2024 23:03:36 +0000

Question:

I also would like to ask if you think this commandment refers only to oaths or if it may refer to saying the name of God without purpose, like "God willing..." without God in mind.

Thanks in advance!
God bless your work.

Answer:

This particular commandment is focused on men treating God with honor and respect. See You Shall Not Take the Name of God in Vain.

Saying "God willing" has a purpose. It acknowledges that I am not in control of the future. Whatever I do is only accomplished if the Lord is willing for me to do the task I plan.

"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.' Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that'" (James 4:13-15).

"The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the LORD weighs the motives. Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be established" (Proverbs 16:1-3).

Response:

Thank you, sir, for your attention!

Worthy Art Thou: An Understatement

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 21:15:26 +0000

by Terry Wane Benton

"And they sang a new song, saying: 'You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation'" (Revelation 4:9).

So, a new song comes out in the form of a prayer to Jesus. There was no thought that a song to Jesus was unscriptural or forbidden. All things are new in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17), and therefore the song is new. It is due to new things to sing about that John is viewing the twenty-four elders singing a new song before the throne. The Psalms speak frequently of singing a new song. (Psalms 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1), due to new experiences and realizations of our relations to God, and our new realizations of His glory. These never get old.

This new song is based on knowing and seeing Jesus as the only One worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, and the reason He is worthy to do this was because He was the perfect, unblemished sacrifice that “was slain”, and what John already knew about the Lamb of God being slain is that Jesus was displaying perfect love for us, the unworthy sinners. His love was selfless and sacrificial. He was doing this to redeem us, to buy us off the slave market of sin and condemnation. He was doing this with His own precious blood. The blood of the perfect and holy for the imperfect and unholy. He didn’t do this for just one person or one nation. He did this for every tribe, every tongue, every people (Jew or Gentile), and every nation. That gets every reader who should have “ears to hear” this. As Paul said, “He loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). It is truly touching to realize it was for me as well!

John is impressed with the song about the worthiness of Jesus. It is a song that should be “new” to us and “renew us” day by day (II Corinthians 4:16ff). It should be fresh and new to give us new seasons of refreshing. How can we not join in to praise Jesus? As an old hymn by reason of years, it should still be new to today’s refreshing of the heartstrings,

“Worthy of praise is Christ our Redeemer,
Worthy of glory, honor and pow'r!
Worthy of all our souls' adoration,
Worthy art Thou! Worthy art Thou!”

The thought rises up within:

“In vain and high and holy lays,
My soul her grateful voice would raise;
For who can sing the worthy praise
of the wonderful love of Jesus!”

The twenty-four elders were indeed singing such thoughts of marvel and elation. How can we not also be captivated by such a worthy One as Jesus? Great men with crowns cast them down before this throne and sing of the worthiness of Jesus. Come up and see! You too will have a new song!

Earthly Politics Versus the Almighty

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 20 Jan 2024 00:41:03 +0000

by Terry Wane Benton

"Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever" (Revelation 4:9).

In John’s vision “up here” he sees the living creatures giving honor, glory, and thanks to God on the throne, and he knows that God is eternal, while the men on earth that fight against the church are not even in charge of their own lives. They die. They are temporary! Keep this viewpoint in front of your mind, and then notice the twenty-four leaders who served God on earth. Are they disappointed that they served God on earth? Look and see!

"The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying" (Revelation 4:10).

These twenty-four elders are before the throne, and they have “crowns” of life, but it seems that even the crown of their reward for faithfulness is as nothing compared to their amazing view of seeing the glory of the One who sits on the throne. They “cast their crowns before the throne” which means that nothing is more important to them than the honor of seeing the glory of the One on the throne. They don’t feel worthy of their crowns. All honor belongs to God. John sees them cast their crowns down before the throne as they say:

"You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created" (Revelation 4:11 NKJV).

They don’t feel worthy of their crowns. They feel that only God is truly worthy to receive glory, honor, and power. Our very existence is totally dependent on Him. Thus, if these twenty-four do not feel worthy of glory, honor, and power, then what of Nebuchadnezzar in the past or Nero in the present? Any crown they had is as nothing. Any “power” that they held is as nothing in comparison.

When you come up in this vision with John, you truly see that human powers on earth are nothing in comparison to the One on the throne. If we fear the powers of earthly forces, we need to see what John sees. We need to let the vision of John in the Spirit captivate our full attention. If we have “ears to hear” what the Spirit is speaking through John’s vision, we will fully believe that no political powers or rulers on earth deserve the power. Their very lives “exist” by the Creator’s will, and they have only the power God allows them to have. God is far greater! God is “worthy” of our full admiration and godly reverence! Don’t let the raging storms on the political scene distract you from seeing the One who walks on those waters! Come up here and get your focus back in the right place! Only He is truly worthy!

A Death, a Burial, a Resurrection

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sat, 20 May 2023 23:54:25 +0000

by Doy Moyer

Josiah was one of the greater kings of Judah who initiated reform and called the people back to God. Sadly, his reforms did not last and the people soon reverted to evil after his death. While Josiah himself would not live to see Judah taken into captivity, his children, who did not follow the Lord as he did, would see the devastation. Jeremiah prophesied during the final days of Judah. One of Josiah’s sons, Jehoiakim, was so wicked that he cut up and burned the scroll on which God’s word was written (Jeremiah 36). Here is what was read from Jeremiah in a prophecy against him: Therefore thus says the LORD concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:

“They shall not lament for him, saying,
‘Ah, my brother!’ or ‘Ah, sister!’
They shall not lament for him, saying,
‘Ah, lord!’ or ‘Ah, his majesty!’
With the burial of a donkey he shall be buried,
dragged and dumped beyond the gates of Jerusalem” (Jeremiah 22:18-19).

Jehoiakim would be buried like a donkey, dragged from the city, and dumped without any mourning or second thought. That’s the tragic end of a wicked king. Yet that is basically the end of all people if there is no God. People may mourn for a time, but a few years down the road no one will know or care. Life is gone and none will know the difference. There is no hope, for a universe without a God cannot care for anyone or anything. “For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 3:19).

Let’s contrast this with another death and burial. Jesus died by crucifixion, which was a particularly cruel and ugly death. To be crucified was to be cursed, a criminal, and a bane of society. A crucified man would be mocked and looked upon with horror, and Jesus was even dishonored by those who hung next to him. It was ugly, vicious, and humiliating. The cross was scandalous, worse than the death of a beast. No wonder Jesus despised the shame (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus’ death was worse than the most wicked of the kings. If that were the end of the story, we would all be most pitiable.

Jesus’ burial, however, was different. The King of kings suffered the worst of deaths but was then treated with respect and honor by those who buried Him. The women who followed Jesus cared for His body while Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy man, offered his tomb (Matt 27:55-61). This fulfilled the prophecy: “And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death…” (Isaiah 53:9). But even this was not the end, for the mourning was followed by great joy! As one writer notes, “In shame, ignominy, and powerlessness he died in suffering and agony and rose in power to become the risen temple of God, the living meeting place between God and his people” (D. A. Carson, Scandalous, 25).

While Jesus’ death was the worst shame imaginable and His burial treated with honor, what happened next is the reason any are or can be Christians. His death alone does not suffice, and His burial does not provide hope. “And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (I Corinthians 15:14). There had to be more, and the preaching of the gospel entails the full message: “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared…" (I Corinthians 15:1-5).

The resurrection is the basis for our hope and knowing that the end of life here is not the end of life altogether. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (I Peter 1:3-4). We live because He lived. His death was indeed necessary for His blood to remit our sins, but His resurrection is the capstone of all that He came to accomplish, and through this we have life: “and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (II Corinthians 5:15).