Friday | Further Thought | August 21

August 21: Friday — Further Thought on Lesson 8

Read Bible

• 1 Corinthians 15:20–23, 35–57
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13–17

Spirit of Prophecy

• Ellen G. White, “God’s People Delivered,” The Great Controversy, pp. 635–652
• Also: The Desire of Ages, p. 530; The Story of Redemption, pp. 411–412

Summary

• Jesus is alive, and His resurrection gives us assurance of eternal life.
• The resurrection of Christ is central to the gospel because His death would have no meaning without His victory over death.
• The Bible gives us the testimony of those who saw the risen Christ, and we become witnesses by believing, living, and sharing this hope.
• If there were no resurrection, our faith would be empty, and life would have no lasting hope beyond death.
• The dead are sleeping until Christ returns; therefore, the resurrection is the hope of those who have died in Christ.
• At the Second Coming, Jesus will raise the righteous dead and change the living righteous into immortal beings.
• What death separated will be brought together again, as the redeemed meet Jesus and their loved ones in the air.
• The resurrection gives you hope when death, loss, and separation touch your life because death will not have the final word.

Question

• How does the resurrection of Christ change the way you face death, loss, and the future?

Answer

• It gives us hope beyond death, confidence in Christ’s promises, and assurance that those who die in Christ will live again at His coming.

Reflection

• Am I living as someone who truly believes that Jesus is coming to raise His sleeping children?

Takeaway

• Christ is risen, and because He lives, you can face death with hope, serve Him with faith, and look forward to the day when death will be no more.