Studies for Lent and other times
These 40 devotional studies from veteran teacher and preacher Michael Raiter will help you revel in the joy and hope that comes from the resurrection, seen in both Old and New Testaments, exemplified through Jesus, his prefigures and his followers.
UP FROM THE GRAVE
The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 8:11 that the same Spirit that powerfully raised Jesus from the dead lives in us, giving us life. We can’t love, serve and obey Jesus without this resurrection power. While our focus on Christ crucified is necessary, we must not lose sight of Christ alive and ruling, inadvertently missing out on the confidence that Jesus’ resurrection gives his people.
Suitable both for Lent and other periods of the year, the studies also come with questions for group discussion or personal study.
ISBN 978-1-922866-15-8
9 781922 866158
Michael Raiter
Michael is the Director of the Centre for Biblical Preaching, which trains people across Australia and the world in biblical preaching. He’s married to Sarah and they have four adult children and three grandchildren. He is the author of over 40 books and articles, including the 2004 Australian Christian Book of the Year, Stirrings of the Soul, and two previous Lenten studies, Shadows of the Cross and I Saw a Lamb. Mike enjoys Scandinavian crime novels and walks with Sarah to coffee shops.
UP FROM THE
GRAVE Our hope in Christ’s resurrection
youthworksmedia.net
Michael Raiter
UP
FROM THE
GRAVE Our hope in Christ’s resurrection
Michael Raiter
An imprint of Anglican Youthworks Published September 2023 Copyright © Michael Raiter 2023 This book is copyright. Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism and review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part of this book may be reproduced by any process without the express permission of the publisher. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc. PO Box A287 Sydney South NSW 1235 Australia P: +61 2 8268 3309 E: sales@youthworks.net W: youthworksmedia.net National Library of Australia ISBN: 978-1-922866-15-8 ISBN: 978-1-922866-16-5 (eBook) Editor: Rachel Macdonald Theological editor: Tess Delbridge Cover and internal design: Rachel Aitken
DEDICATION To all the preachers I’ve mentored through the ministry of the Centre for Biblical Preaching—you’ve taught me more about God, the Bible and preaching than I have ever taught you
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
1
Day 1
Gathered to his people Genesis 49:29–33
3
Day 2
The ‘no go’ area 1 Samuel 28
5
Day 3
I will see him Job 19:23–27
7
Day 4
Eternal pleasures Psalm 16
9
Day 5
Wealth, death and eternal life Psalm 49
11
Day 6
Afterward, you will take me into glory Psalm 73
13
Day 7
Their bodies will rise Isaiah 26:1–19
15
Day 8
Dry bones, live! Ezekiel 37:1–14
17
Day 9
The bright stars of heaven Daniel 12:1–4
19
Day 10 Death be not proud Hosea 13
21
Day 11 Spewed out! Jonah 2
23
Day 12 The resurrection and the life John 11:17–44
25
Day 13 After three days, rise again Mark 8:31–38
27
Day 14 Marriage made in heaven? Mark 12:18–27
29
Day 15 The resurrection of the holy ones Matthew 27:45–53
31
v
Day 16 Reasons to believe Matthew 28:1–15
33
Day 17 The quiet resurrection Mark 16:1–8
35
Day 18 I believe, I don’t believe, I’m not sure Luke 24:9–12
37
Day 19 Stranger in the night Luke 24:13–35
39
Day 20 Around the clock John 20:11–18
41
Day 21 The dawn of a new age John 20:19–23
43
Day 22 The great unbeliever John 20:24–31
45
Day 23 Breakfast in Galilee John 21:1–14
47
Day 24 Death could not hold him Acts 2:22–36
49
Day 25 Stop preaching the resurrection! Acts 4:1–12
51
Day 26 Preaching and providing Acts 4:32–37
53
Day 27 The final proof Acts 17:16–31
55
Day 28 The coronation Romans 1:1–5
57
Day 29 Raised for our justification Romans 4:18–25
59
Day 30 Raised with Christ Romans 6:1–14
61
Day 31 The gospel by which we are saved 1 Corinthians 15:1–8
63
vi
Day 32 Don’t pity us! 1 Corinthians 15:12–19
65
Day 33 Pictures of resurrection 1 Corinthians 15:20–28
67
Day 34 Wise up! 1 Corinthians 15:29–34
69
Day 35 The glorious body 1 Corinthians 15:35–49
71
Day 36 In the twinkling of an eye 1 Corinthians 15:50–58
73
Day 37 The tent and the building 2 Corinthians 5:1–5
75
Day 38 The power of his resurrection Philippians 3:7–11
77
Day 39 In the heavenly places Colossians 3:1–5
79
Day 40 The hope-full 1 Thessalonians 4:13—5:11
81
QUESTIONS FOR GROUP DISCUSSION OR PERSONAL REFLECTION
83
Days 1–5
84
Days 6–10
84
Days 11–15
85
Days 16–20
85
Days 21–25
86
Days 26–30
86
Days 31–35
87
Days 36–40
87
vii
INTRODUCTION Part of my work with the Centre for Biblical Preaching involves running workshops on preaching and mentoring preachers. One question I’m often asked is, ‘Do I have to mention the cross in every sermon?’ Certainly, Christ crucified is central to the gospel we proclaim. But interestingly, I’ve never been asked, ‘Do I have to mention the resurrection in every sermon?’ As I’ve written these studies, I’ve been reminded of—and rebuked by—the importance of the resurrection to both preaching and Christian living. I don’t want to, in any way, relegate the importance of preaching Christ’s atoning work, but I do want to promote the preaching of his resurrection. Indeed, when it comes to all that God has done to save us, these two central events in human history are inseparable. The resurrection of Jesus was foundational for my early Christian life and critical to my perseverance as a Christian. At university I studied English, history, philosophy and psychology. I was regularly assailed by doubts and questions. I’d ‘experienced’ Jesus, but I needed a firmer foundation to persevere and give a reason for the hope that I have (1 Peter 3:15). I found that foundation in Jesus’ resurrection. If indeed Jesus rose from the dead, that changed everything. It confirmed everything he said about himself and everything he did. Following Christ was no longer optional. I’d be foolish to live any way other than under the rule of my risen Lord. Then as my Christian life went on and I daily battled the world, the flesh and the devil, I needed a power that I intrinsically did not possess. The Apostle Paul tells me that the same Spirit that powerfully raised Jesus from the dead is living in me, giving life to my mortal body (Romans 8:11). Quite simply, I couldn’t love, serve and obey Jesus without this resurrection power. Now, as I enter the twilight of my life (or, as I prefer to think of them, my best years), death is more clearly on my horizon. It’s the resurrection of Jesus and the certain hope of meeting him that keeps me persevering and growing ever more hopeful.
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In short, my Christian life, beginning, middle and end is imbued with the truth and power of the resurrection. As you read these Lenten studies, you may well ask yourself, ‘What about such-and-such passage?’ There are many other references and allusions to both the resurrection of Jesus and the resurrection of his people. Some, particularly in the Old Testament, are in a shadow more than the bright glare of the sun. But I’m limited to just 40—blame those who determined the length of this wonderful festival. Undoubtedly, I’ll later discover a seminal verse and castigate myself for not including it. But, Lord willing, there will be enough here to feed your soul, build your confidence, deepen your hope for a certain eternal future and cause you to praise the mighty God who powerfully delivered his Son up from the grave. Michael Raiter
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DAY 1
GATHERED TO HIS PEOPLE Genesis 49:29–33
From time to time, my wife and I discuss what we want done with our bodies when we die. That may sound a bit morbid, but should one of us die unexpectedly then it would be good for the other to know whether we wanted to be buried or cremated. Sarah is quite emphatic that, since she will then be with Jesus, she’s perfectly happy for us to cremate her. Personally I quite like the custom of burial, but I think my wife wants to consign me to the flames as well! The next question is then, ‘What shall we do with the ashes?’ Sarah again reminds me that, since she’ll be enjoying Paradise, she really doesn’t care. Of course, many people do leave clear instructions. They want their ashes scattered in a favourite garden, or at sea, or next to a loved one in a cemetery. Or perhaps they even want their ashes placed on the mantelpiece as a perpetual reminder that they’re gone but not forgotten. In these Lenten studies, as we approach Easter we’ll be walking through some of the passages in the Bible that talk about resurrection and life after death. In 1 Corinthians 15:1–8, the Apostle Paul gives us the essence of his gospel. He writes of Jesus, ‘… that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures’ (v 4). In other words, the Old Testament testifies to resurrection from the dead, both Jesus’ and ours. Sometimes it’s claimed that the Old Testament has almost nothing to teach us about life after death. Indeed, some of its reflections on life beyond the grave seem very sober. David laments in Psalm 6:5: ‘Among the dead no-one proclaims your name. Who praises you from the grave?’ For the Christian, life after death promises a rich and joyful existence in the presence of God. While faithful believers like David were confident of an existence beyond the grave, they had little concept of what that life would be like. At the same time, God’s people of the Old Testament had an expectation that beyond the grave was a reunion with loved ones. We find this in the very earliest chapters of the Bible.
3
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph desired to be buried with their family members who had passed away before them. Genesis closes with a long section on the death of Jacob (49:29—50:14). Although Joseph is the subject of Genesis 37–50, it’s the last words and death of Jacob that receive the most attention. Jacob’s final request is to be buried in the cave that holds the remains of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Leah. I want us to notice two things from today’s short passage. First, we see Jacob’s desire to be buried in the land that God had promised would be his inheritance. He had spent the last years of his life in Egypt, but this was not his home. He wanted to go back to where he belonged. Similarly, his son Joseph, who married an Egyptian and lived most of his life there, was embalmed and buried in Egypt (Genesis 50:26). But he made his brothers swear to bury him in Canaan when they finally occupied the land (50:25, cf. Joshua 24:32). While people today, and perhaps even Christians, may request to be buried in a place that holds some special significance for them, that is not our home. We have a land that’s been promised to us, the wonderfully renewed earth, and our longing and sure hope is to spend eternity there. Secondly, Jacob desired to be buried with his family. Jacob wanted to be with those to whom he belonged. Although he knew very little of what life beyond the grave would be like, he knew it would be with his own people who shared his faith in the one true God. We, too, know little of the nature of our relationships in the age to come, but we can be confident of a wonderfully joyful reunion with those we’ve loved on earth and with whom we’ve shared our love for the Lord Jesus (see 1 Thessalonians 4:17).
Prayer Heavenly Father, we thank you for the wonderful promise of a life and a home beyond the grave. We confess that we often cling too closely to this life and think too little of the life to come. We thank you for the victory of our Lord Jesus, who broke the bonds of death. Bring us safely to your eternal kingdom and the gathering of all your saints. Amen.
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