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The Communicator
March 2013
Pastor's Notes
The hope and dream of many in this hyper-technological era is that we might somehow overcome our greatest enemy. That enemy is not poverty, or world hunger, or war, or racism, or terrorism, or abuse, or environmental genocide, or any of the other social ills which degrade humanity and threaten civilization as we know it. The greatest enemy we hope to overcome is death.<?xml:namespace prefix = o />
On the frontiers of medical science are brilliant researchers seeking to engineer our genetic composition in such a way that we will live substantially longer spans of life with less disease, and generally less imperfection in our bodies. Medical research has essentially declared war on the perishable and mortal nature of the “human machine.” How far this technology may go, or perhaps I should say however far almighty God will allow this technology to advance, is anyone’s guess.
We who place our ultimate hope in the One who creates and sustains life have come to understand (or are in the process of coming to understand) that death is already defeated. God’s “technology” does not prevent or subvert death in advance of the grave, but rather resurrects life beyond it. In God’s plan, the perishable is reclothed with the imperishable, and mortality reclothed with immortality (1 Corinthians 15). All this is a part of a natural progression which the resurrection of Jesus confirms. In the Heidelberg Confession found in our Book of Confessions [part 2 of our PC(USA) constitution], it is stated: “The resurrection of Christ is a sure pledge to us of our blessed resurrection.” P. Mark Achtemeier, Professor of Theology at Dubuque Theological Seminary, puts it this way: “Jesus’ resurrection establishes his sovereign Lordship over all creation, and casts down every principality and power. The ultimate coercion that earthly powers can hold over our head is the power of death. But Christ has forever broken that once unshakeable power.”
So as we rejoice in the empty tomb at the end of this month, and in the post-resurrection witness to our Lord Jesus Christ, we can place our hope in Him who has already overcome our greatest enemy. Let’s not be timid about sharing this good news in our hyper-technological era, and to the present generation which so wants and needs to hear it.