What happened: Death Defeated

“…Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,”
—2 Timothy 1:10

What This Means: Don’t Seek The Living Among The Dead

[5] …“Why do you seek the living among the dead? [6] He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, [7] that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”
—Luke 24:5–7

“All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end.
—Blaise Pascal

What This Offers: Life and Hope

Ephesians 2:1-10

• Hope: Made Alive

[4] But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, [5] even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
—Ephesians 2:4-5

“Joy will never come by denying our deep sinfulness; rather, it must come by seeing how huge our sin really is and how completely it has been dealt with in Christ.”
—Barbara Duguid - Extravagant Grace

• Hope: A Restored Future

[7] so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. —Ephesians 2:7

“…God was going to do for the whole cosmos what he had done for Jesus at Easter.”
—N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope

[4] He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” —Revelation 21:4

• Hope: A Glorious Purpose

[10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
—Ephesians 2:10