Happy Easter! I'm so grateful for having an Easter worship all together at this place, with songs and praises to the Lord. We had a holy week last week, and today, on this day, we have Easter. Since the globe is round - for the whole day today, we creatures will keep on saying "Happy Easter!" one after another.

I Corinthians 15:20: People often try to convince us that our faith is worthless [Have you noticed?] They keep saying that there is nothing in Christianity. But this verse is true! We hold that we will continue to live after our bodies die. For Christ was raised as the first fruits of all of those who have fallen asleep. This means, of course, that those who follow Christ in life will follow Him later on.

There is a certain christian hospice in Fukuoka [See CN198064]. In that hospital, all of the doctors and nurses are Christians serving with pure and warm hearts to give hope to all who are preparing to leaving this place [die]. Just recently, the chief doctor there published a book entitled "See you again." One of his patients had been very much afraid of dying. She was puzzled and experiencing panic. However, after receiving the doctors' and nurses' loving care, she became a Christian and said this right before her death: "Doctor, see you again in Heaven." Isn't it wonderful that we can live even when we die? We have to say our goodbyes to our friends and families, but we can meet them again, after we die.

Now, let us read the "Apostle's Creed." In this text, we read and acknowledge that Christ was crucified for our sins, and that He died. He went down to the place where we can't find God. Then, Christ was raised on the third day. The place where there's no God is often mentioned in the Bible (See Mt.25:41). Contrary to this terrible place is Heaven. We tend to think that, right after we die, we go to either Heaven or Hell. But, according to the Bible, that is not so. After we die, those who have Christ, will go to Paradise (which we interprete as Heaven). And, those who do not have Christ, will go to where you cannot find God; a place that is full of darkness. This place is totally different from Hell, I don't know the exact word, maybe it is "Hades". This location is somewhere between Heaven and Hell. In the Old Testament Times, everyone who died went to a holding place. This place is often described as a certain place beneath this world.

Luke 16:19-26. From this story, we can say that there are two different places in this dark place (more precisely, some say three). One place is where Lazarus was taken up to, the other is where the rich man was taken to. And to this dark place (Hades) Jesus, Himself, went! (See I Peter 3:19; Ephesians 4:8). Even those great Christians in the Old Testament couldn't go to Heaven before Christ's resurrection. They had to stay in Hades until then. But now, in this time of His grace, we have the choice of going to Heaven or going to Hell. The decision completely depends on us. It might be God's decision for us where to go after death. But now, we are given chances, and the opportunity to make that decision ourselves. We can choose to take Jesus as our Saviour.

Now here is a question regarding the chance to believe after death. Are there any chances to believe in Christ after death? Well, I do think there is. Jesus, Himself, went down into that dark place, Hades, and when He was taken back up, He took those who believed in the resurrection, those who had repented, with Him. God is the One who is fair! Beyond our understanding and reason, God prepares a salvation for all the people He created.

Translated by Junko Okamoto - Edited for the Net by Shido
For another sermon see: Oita Evangelical Christ Church
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