Death is not last End / 死不是最终结局

[Dexu Xia]

Last Word

If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 1 Corinthians 15:19

Her name was Saralyn, and I sort of had a crush on her back in our school days. She had the most wonderful laugh. I’m not sure whether she knew about my crush, but I suspect she did. After graduation I lost track of her. Our lives went in different directions as lives often do. 

I keep up with my graduating class in some online forums, and I was intensely sad when I heard that Saralyn died. I found myself wondering about the direction her life had taken over the years. This is happening more and more the older I grow, this experience of losing friends and family. But many of us tend to avoid talking about it.

While we still sorrow, the hope the apostle Paul talks about is that death doesn’t have the final say (1 Corinthians 15:54–55). There is something that follows, another word: resurrection. Paul grounds that hope in the reality of the resurrection of Christ (v. 12), and says “if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (v. 14). If our hope as believers is limited to this world only, that’s just a pity (v. 19).

We will one day see those again who have “fallen asleep in Christ” (v. 18)—grandparents and parents, friends and neighbors, or perhaps even old schoolyard crushes.

Death doesn’t get the last word. Resurrection does.

Reflect & Pray

What does Christ’s resurrection mean to you? How might you express your faith and point someone to the hope of the resurrection?

Jesus, may the power of Your resurrection become more and more evident in my life. May it be clear in my words and actions, especially as I interact with those who do not know You.

 

最终结局

我们若靠基督只在今生有指望，就算比众人更可怜。-哥林多前书15章19节

她叫柔琳，在我们求学的那段日子里，我暗暗地倾慕她。她性情开朗，灿烂的笑容无人可及。我不太确定她是否察觉我对她的爱慕，但猜想她应该知情。毕业后，大家各奔东西，我便失去了她的消息。

后来，我在某些网络论坛与同届的同学取得联系，才惊闻柔琳已经过世，使我悲痛不已。我真的好想知道这些年她过得怎么样。如今随着年岁渐长，我失去更多的朋友和家人，然而对于这种悲伤的经历，人们大多避而不谈。

至亲离世我们固然悲伤，但使徒保罗谈到盼望，指出死亡并不是人生的终点（哥林多前书15章54-55节），还有更重要的紧接在后，那就是复活。保罗将这样的盼望奠基于基督死而复活的这个事实（12节），并且说：“若基督没有复活，我们所传的便是枉然，你们所信的也是枉然！”（14节）如果我们这些相信基督的人只在今生有盼望，就比所有人更可怜了（19节）。

有一天，我们都会见到那些“在基督里睡了的人”（18节），我们的祖父母、父母、朋友与邻居，甚至是从前在学校里所爱慕的人。

死亡并非终局，复活才是我们的最终局。

慈爱的上帝，愿祢复活的大能在我的生命中愈加显明，
让我的言行，可以向未信主的人彰显祢的大能。

基督的复活对你有何意义？
你如何向人传讲你的信仰，指出复活的盼望？