The themes of despair and hope, and death and life, run throughout the Scriptures for this coming Sunday.
Remember that in these days of Eastertide we're asking the question: "The resurrection... so what?" In Sunday's Acts passage, Peter tells the crowd that the amazing things they are now witnessing come from the same God-- they share the same power source-- as the God of their forefathers.
The psalmist reminds his listeners that the hope they have in God, even in the midst of despair, is always available:
You have put gladness in my heart more than when their grain and wine abound. I will both lie down and sleep in peace; for you alone, O LORD, make me lie down in safety.
Likewise, the other Scripture passages urge us to find hope in our standing with Christ, even in the face of death. If, however, there is no resurrection,
then these and other promises of hope are worthless. So, grab your Bibles, check out the Scripture for Sunday (next column), and ask the question: The resurrection... so what?
Living in the truth of the resurrection with you,
