“You did a nice job,” I often say after a student has preached his sermon in class. Then I share what he did well and how he might improve. Every now and then I add, “One more thing. You left Jesus dead.” The student looks puzzled. “You did a nice job of saying He died for our sins, but you never said He’s out of the tomb.” Without Jesus’ resurrection, ascension and return in the forefront of our lives, we have a weak Gospel.
Job #1 for my retirement is writing the Concordia Commentary on 1 Peter. In three major passages about Jesus (1:18-21; 2:18-25; 3:18-22), Peter presents Jesus’ death for us but doesn’t stop there. Throughout the epistle we’re told Jesus is alive and will soon come again for us. “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” (1:3-4). When Jesus visibly returns, your faith “may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1:7). So, “Set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1:13). God “raised him from the dead and gave him glory” (1:21). Baptism gives us a good conscience “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him” (3:21-22). “The end of all things is at hand” (4:7). Finally, “The God of all grace… has called you to his eternal glory in Christ” (5:10).
We pastors are not curators of a museum. “Look at the wonderful things Jesus did for you 2000 years ago.” Jesus’ death is indeed eternally important. One of our church’s confessions says we are righteous before God “when we believe that Christ has suffered for us and that for his sake our sin is forgiven and righteousness and eternal life are given to us” (Augsburg Confession, Article IV). “Eternal life” because the One crucified for us was raised from the dead, is glorified, and will come to take us to heaven. Let Jesus out of the museum! He’s alive today and soon we’ll see Him.
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