resurrection – MessageWeek

“See you later, or I will see you later!”

Brenton’s voice over the phone was troubled. My heart sank. “Dad died early this morning,” his words faltered as the worst realisation suddenly sank in. “Oh, NO!” Holding the phone to my ear, my head sank to the desk. Rebecca hurriedly entered my office, and placed a comforting arm on my shoulder.

I have worked and travelled extensively with pastor Phil for so many years, and now with so much unfinished business, his death seemed so untimely. That’s what it seem for us, in this life, in the here-and-now, but of course not from God’s perspective. In the past few months, Phil had confided in my how much his heart’s chronic failure was rapidly deteriorating. On signing out of the online Zoom Bible Study last time, he half mischievously said, with an undercurrent of seriousness, “I’ll see you later, or I’ll see you later.” While his jovial but prophetic words weren’t lost on me, I wanted and chose to believe otherwise.

A few days later, after a surgical procedure at the Adelaide hospital, he called the hospital, his voice in an unusually serious tone, saying that “it had went well,” further explaining the doctors’ verdict that his heart was beyond repair and likened to a “blown engine”.

Rebecca and I flew to Adelaide for the funeral last Friday. By then, we had shed our tears, and it was time to remember and celebrate the life of a Godly man. Phil loved the LORD, loved God’s people, and gave his life to the service of the church, the Kingdom of God in microcosm. It was Phil’s desire that I facilitate the main funeral message. I spoke for a few minutes on the only subject I know at a time like this – resurrection hope, reflecting on the many years we’d worked together, and the love of the Lord Jesus Christ that characterised Phil. Of the 150 faces in the auditorium, most were relatives and friends I had not previously met. The rest were church members from near and far.

In the days since the funeral, Rebecca and I have spent the time with the brothers and sisters in Christ in Adelaide, talking, dining out, answering questions, discussing where we move from here and how we pick up the momentum. We were blessed to stay with Michael and Erin; they also offered us the use of one of their cars. I really enjoyed speaking with the local leaders there, sensing an overwhelming commitment and willingness to share the work of moving church life forward.

Before flying back home to Western Australia today, Rebecca and I visited Phil’s grave site one more time. Again, we wept. Not because we don’t believe, and not because we don’t have hope. We wept and hugged each other because we will dearly miss him. I loved him. I enjoyed working with him. I valued our numerous phone and Skype video calls each week. We worked well together, supporting each other, giving good counsel to each other, and vision casting to where we would one day have multiple pastors and elders forming an Australian ministerial council.

We were intent on raising up new leaders in the church. This is without dispute a process that takes time, wisdom and discretion. And because in our church family as elders we’re so few on the ground, servicing such a large continent, his passing seems so untimely and unfair. Besides, I’m not sure anyone is ready to step into shoes so big and established. Somehow we get thrust into service, as someone put it. I was happy to have Phil at the helm. He was the man for the moment. But, it is what it is. We’re all stewards for just a short time. And thus, I’m all the more aware of my own mortality and responsibility to raise up more Godly leaders. When Brenton originally called me, I reminded him of what someone one said about being a son in “being the strongest person at your father’s funeral.” He seemed to understand, and confirmed the commitment to continue the work his father had begun.

Now, we must let grief morph into gratitude, listen to the comfort and counsel of the Holy Spirit and love and comfort those around us. I believe the church in Adelaide is well and truly capable to take the baton and run.

While I have written extensively about resurrection hope, preached numerous sermons on the subject, as well as having written various articles over the years, nothing can quite prepare one for the rawness of death. Death is an enemy, introduced by the Devil in the Garden of Eden. Although the Tree of Life was freely available then, the first humans chose otherwise. And thus the reigning curse of death could only be remitted by the author of life, the righteous Judge, the Lord Jesus Christ. The law of God is perfect, holy, just and good, as it is true and righteous, but as such it condemns us all to death. The law can’t save us. But the Lawgiver can and did and does. And because of that we have victory. Phil ran his race. He fought his fight. Now a crown of righteousness awaits him on that day of resurrection glory.

That day, Jesus will descend from heaven and with a loud shout, call Phil’s name from the grave. In one of the oldest passages of scripture, it was the patriarch Job who asked, “If a man dies shall he live again? All the days of my service I would wait,” before crying out, “You will call, and I will answer you, and you will desire the work of your hands.”

By then, he’ll also be calling my name from the grave. If you’re read this far and nodded in agreement, he’ll probably also be calling your name as well!

With All Alacrity

Eyes fixed not on the storm but on Jesus and on him alone.

Baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Another year is over, and we’ve enjoyed the challenge of further researching and developing gospel content that speaks into the issues of this generation. From the perspective of what has been accomplished in the past by Jesus and what remains yet to be seen as the scriptures indicate, we have significant work yet remaining. The gruesome death and literal bodily resurrection of Jesus sets the stage for all we aspire to.

Based on this, our forward-looking approach is also inspired by the distinct promises and assurances that Jesus now gives. He assures us that he will never leave or forsake us. That he will dwell with and in us. That his words will come from our mouths, and as such our testimony remains. That in this world we’ll experience hostility, adversity, suffering, trial and tribulation – realities for which we’re encouraged to rejoice and face with all alacrity! Why and how? Because it ends well. There is hope. There is reason, purpose, morality and objective identity. And so whatever 2022 holds, we’re unafraid of whatever the path ahead bodes because we’re faith filled – eyes fixed not on the storm but on Jesus and on him alone.

We’re planning another motorcycle ride from Perth to Sydney, filming along the way, sharing the gospel with fellow travellers and sojourners, as well as visiting those in Christ scattered across this great continent. Our goal is to have a freshly printed 6th edition of Resurrection HOPE which we’ll again promote along the way. Seven years ago we gave away 48 copies of this Christ-centred book. This 6th edition features a new introductory chapter. May God grant us courage, grace, favour and opportunity in sharing the best good news message we could ever hear!

The Terrifying Truth

Bloodied, bruised, beaten, nailed and speared. It was hard to believe that Jesus, the Son of God, the Word (Logos) was dead. After all, He was the Messiah – the promised, long-awaited Anointed Saviour! Ancient prophecies told of his rulership, might and power. During his ministry, he healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, raised the dead and forgave their sins, and if you knew those ancient scriptures, then only God can lay claim to that. And now the lifeless body of the Son of God hung, bloodied, pierced and expired.

The brutality of Roman rule seemed to triumph once again. The King of the Jews was dead. Those who had hoped in a different outcome now cowered in a mixture of fear, contempt and brewing anger.

The turn of events, unpredictable at best, was not what any of Jesus’ disciples anticipated. Earlier in the ordeal, when the soldiers came with clubs, swords and lanterns to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, they fell over when Jesus asked them who they were looking for. “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.

The power of “I am,” conveyed in Jesus’ response caused even battle-hardened warriors to collapse in helplessness. But, then, Jesus let them arrest Him. That’s when Peter, seeing “events seemingly go so wrong” clumsily wielded his sword, but failed to decapitate the high priest’s servant.

Now, hours later, Jesus was dead. Darkness and terror lay in the hearts of the living, most of all his followers. It just wasn’t meant to happen that way! Or was it?

The gospel narratives clearly show that on several occasions Jesus predicted his death to be followed by his resurrection three days and three nights later. But it didn’t really register even to his closest disciples. Jesus’ detractors, however, the Jewish religious rulers namely the Pharisees, did remember Jesus’ prophetic assurances, and so added security was enforced around the tomb, ensuring no unpredicted outcome.

The belief in the literal resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of Man, is at the heart of the Christian message, hope and doctrine. There is no other central teaching, no other matching doctrine. Jesus died on a Wednesday afternoon, was buried before sunset prior to the high day of Unleavened Bread, and rose from the dead sometime after sunset that following Saturday night. When Mary arrived at the tomb early on the Sunday morning, Jesus was gone.

The angelic messenger questioned her, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He’s not here. He is risen!”

Today, we stand on the testimonies of those first century eye witnesses. We see their despair, and feel their darkness. And then, just as Jesus predicted, we too exult in their exceedingly great joy at seeing their Lord and Saviour again. Such joy and gladness continues to echo across the millennia in the endearing and enduring faith of those who would follow.

Many years later, one of Jesus’ closest disciples again saw the now glorified Son of God in a powerful and terrifying vision. Jesus said to John, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive for evermore…”

If it is true that Jesus, the Logos, the Son of God, died and rose again, then this narrative seriously needs our attention. It’s otherwise foolishness to relegate such compelling evidence as fables to be discarded to the realm of fantasy. As verifiable, factual recording of events, Jesus’ resurrection then however must be the most terrifying truth we could ever encounter, because it suddenly condemns our society’s atheistic suppositions as deceptively and dangerously wrong, just as it also opens up the realms of possibility and hope.

Without “resurrection” there is no hope; human life is otherwise just a random accident, neither good or bad, with no meaning or purpose. But, if the Logos who spoke everything into existence, then entered our reality of time, matter and space to demonstrate complete redemption and forgiveness by his own blood, and he is in fact who he says he is, then you and I have a responsibility to dare to ask: “What does it mean for me, and everyone else who has ever lived?”

Are we willing to explore the compelling reasons to believe and hope in the power and promise of glorious resurrection life?

Orthodox Fallacy

Are we sure Christianity has “gotten it right” in all its core faith essentials? What about those historical pagan practices now embedded within church culture? This short message may shock a few and is certain to make many uncomfortable, but doesn’t Jesus want us to make those necessary course corrections?

I share this video by way of a deep and lingering concern that we sometimes allow apathy and disregard to prevail when it comes to the accuracy of what we believe and celebrate. Have we not simply taken convenient shortcuts on truth? It’s not that we’ve intended to pave a path other than what the scriptures reveal, but our adherence to long-held traditions can easily veil and limit the truth of Christ. Oh that the reformation of 500 years ago had moved us further out of darkness and deeper into the truth!

Some churches develop their core essentials from a mix including the Bible, their tradition and their unique “apostle” or “prophet” (either living or long deceased). Others denominations give equal equity to the Bible as well as tradition. And yet others testify to adhering to the Bible and the Bible alone; that is, no prophets, apostles or popes, and no tradition that exists outside of the Biblical narrative!

The assertion in this video is really quite confronting as it claims that Christian orthodoxy has lapsed in its ability in basic mathematics. Jesus was dead in the grave for three days and three nights. No more and no less. And this then creates a problem for traditionalists and theologians alike.

As a sincere apologist, let us know whether you think it’s time for an honest rethink, some theological honesty followed by some significant recalibration?

ANZAC SONRISE

ANZACSONRISE

Today Australia celebrated the valiant young men of one hundred years ago. The ANZAC tradition of remembering the fallen in the words of “Lest We Forget” is truly an engraved part of our Australian identity. Those men and women were heroes, legends of their time, many of whom lost their lives in the quest for�peace.

One hundred years on, with the largest crowds ever in attendance, it�s been a day of remembering and reflection; for some their memories are awash with tears, for others too young to understand the symbolism of a dawn service with its parades, speeches and ceremonies, it is nonetheless a time to optimistically look forward. The least we can do is to remember and cherish those who gave the supreme sacrifice, and hope for a better future.

While we pause to remember the terrible price paid in the loss of those young lives a century ago, conspicuous by its absence in today�s ceremony was any reference to the future of those young sons who lie silent in their graves. Can we expect to ever see them again? What about a faith that speaks of being reunited? Have we forgotten the promise of resurrection “at the last day”?

Human life is meaningless without hope. Science tells us that our only hope is to migrate to another solar system in another galaxy before our sun and earth disappear in a fiery blast. Jesus, on the other hand, taught that our lives on this earth is just the beginning, and that a day is coming when everyone who has ever lived, both good and bad, will be resurrected back to life.

The grief and sense of loss in remembering and celebrating the ANZAC tradition might also be�better facilitated and educated to also include reference to the promise of the resurrection of all people. In the words of Jesus our Creator:

“Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”
John 5:28-29 ESV

While the ANZAC spirit will surely live on in future generations, may those who remember also know and cherish that our fallen sons will one day rise again. It is a sure hope. It will happen as surely as the rising of tomorrow�s sun.

Please tell this hope to our children. Proclaim it in the streets. Our ANZACS will rise again! Oh, what consolation, what joy, and what hope!

By John Klassek

By Bike and Book

Your free copy of Hope of the Resurrection

Perhaps the three greatest questions�we could ever ask are:

Does God exist?
Why was I born?
Is there any reason to believe in hope beyond this life?

It’s the sort of question we just can’t escape. Most of the time we simply put it out of our minds. But being dismissive won’t resolve it. To that end we’d like to give you a free book that specifically addresses the last question. Is there any hope, any reason to believe in a great purpose in life?

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Now in its third edition, Hope of the Resurrection explores perhaps those important questions, and focuses on the hope beyond this life.

Order your free copy online now, and we’ll get it in the post to you.

You may also download Hope of the Resurrection in eBook PDF format. No cost. No follow up. Our gift to you.

John Klassek Written by Western Australian author and Church of God (Seventh Day) elder, John T Klassek

3rd edition, 154 pages, paperback, free

The Journey to Hell

Clara was just 18 months old when she died in the winter of 1911. Her small, unmarked grave lies forgotten in the old country cemetery in Goulburn, New South Wales. She would have been Larry�s great aunt. Larry�s grandmother seldom spoke of her, and on those rare occasions when she did, it was usually in terms of looking forward to being reunited on the day of resurrection.

The contention in the local then-quite-religious community was the belief that Clara had never been baptised, and therefore she could never be saved. Her lot, it was automatically assumed, was torment in hell, for she had never confessed faith in Jesus. The irony is, of course, she was too young to know right from wrong, and too young to comprehend God�s love for her.

Today, the pulpit is somewhat conspicuously silent on the subject of hell. Thankfully, there�s a new wave of understanding and discussion regarding God�s will and purpose. Clara�s future, and the millions like her who died, must be accounted for and not escape our heartfelt affection, as guided by God�s Spirit, if we�re to reconcile her future with a loving, merciful God.

Abraham, we read in the scriptures, believed that the Judge of the earth would do right. A lot hinges on the faith that God is righteous, that he will do what is right, and that his will is indeed that none should perish.

Jesus, interestingly, spoke more about heaven than he did about hell. Our knowledge of both is thus entirely dependent on his words. What we do have are the scriptures which, in several remarkable instances, recount where men of God were carried �in the Spirit� and given visions of the throne of God. Our curiosity is naturally piqued as we read and are gripped by their distinct and vivid accounts, whether it be Isaiah, Ezekiel or John�s extraordinary testimonies. Interestingly, little imagery is equally given for what hell might be like, other than of course being a consuming fire resulting in annihilation. Medieval paintings and folklore seem to make up the rest of popular belief.

Preachers in the past often promoted the �turn or burn� mentality through their evangelism. Thus, many religious people assume that those who die in this life without ever having encountered Jesus are automatically condemned to hell, a fiery and ongoing torture of �body and soul�. Like Clara�s predicament, they believe that they simply have no hope, never had any hope, and if we carefully think it through, Jesus� redemptive victory over sin and death at their moment of prophesied resurrection is somewhat eclipsed and rendered ineffective!

The questions that become apparent at this point are: Is this what the Bible teaches? Is such theology qualitatively little more than acquired supposition? Do the traditions we may have accepted so readily really find their origins in the Bible? In exploring the subject of hell, let�s pay attention to what the Bible actually does say, what it doesn�t say, and then exercise care by not adding or subtracting from its message.

From the outset we know that destruction by hell fire awaits those unrepentant and wicked people who refuse Jesus. This is consistently highlighted throughout many of Jesus� teachings. God is sovereign over life and death. Jesus explained:

�And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.� (Matthew 10:28)

To the religious leaders of Jesus� day who refused and persecuted him all the way to his crucifixion, who misconstrued the scriptures, whose words and actions trod on God�s grace, Jesus said (alluding perhaps to what the serpent in the Garden of Eden represented):

�Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?� (Matthew 23:33)

There is little ambiguity in Jesus� exclamation. That�s where those professing wise men were ultimately headed! You are either a child of God, or you are not.

And yet contrasting this, to the battle-hardened Roman soldiers mocking, scourging and torturing him as well as casting lots over his clothes, Jesus� appraisal was quite different.

Then Jesus said, �Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.� And they divided His garments and cast lots. (Luke 23:34)

Jesus asked his heavenly Father to forgive those callous but ignorant sinners who were violently contributing to his suffering and death. Jesus� petition to his Father was one of forgiveness rather than that of condemnation. We cannot dismiss the heart of a loving and merciful God, expressing grace and forgiveness to those who were deceived and who lived and operated in a spiritually darkened world through little original fault of their own. The only light they may have been exposed to up until that point was Jesus� petition for forgiveness! (Note that Jesus� prayer and the powerful events surrounding his death resulted, interestingly, in the Roman centurion�s belief and path to conversion).

What Jesus emphasised and taught was quite contrary to the selfish and dismissive tendencies of human nature. He admonished his disciples when he said:

�But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven;…� (Matthew 5:44-45)

This is radical teaching! Elsewhere in scripture, we�re consistently told by Jesus not to judge, not to condemn, for only God is a righteous Judge. Instead, our mandate as his children is to extend grace � unmerited favour � to those who persecute us. We are to love those who hurt us; to do good to them and to pray for them. By so doing we are then truly children of God. In other words, if we are to really be like our heavenly Father, our first and only response must be that of love. Our judgment towards others is rigorously limited to Godly righteousness in the form of grace.

That�s the kind of judgment Jesus passed towards those who did not know any better, and so he wants us to do likewise. Ultimately, judgment is Jesus� to execute. He is a merciful, righteous Judge who, as the Creator of the world, redeemed it from destruction by his own blood. No one else is worthy of that honour and responsibility.

For those who presume that the second resurrection is a total and automatic wholesale assignment to the fires of hell, think again. The finality of hell is reserved for the wicked, who, although knowing better, by their defiance and wickedness �crucify the Son of God� all over again. This is evident in the following passage:

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. (Hebrews 6:4-6)

Now we�re narrowing down those whom scripture defines as having gone beyond the grace of repentance and forgiveness, and for whom there no longer remains any hope. They are those who knowingly and stubbornly refuse Jesus. They are those who have experienced God�s grace, who have tasted the goodness of God, who have experienced the Spirit of God, and yet have chosen a darker path. King Saul, the first Israelite king, might be an example. Anointed with the Holy Spirit at his coronation, he soon despised its counsel, and thus lived the rest of his life tormented by demonic influences. In his demise, he desperately consulted the occult before being killed in battle.

In Jesus� day, there were people who followed a similar path, and sadly there are those who tread that same way of life today. This was illustrated when Jesus� ministry was consistently refuted and discredited by those he reached out to. He said to those disbelieving religious leaders who opposed him:

�But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.� (Matthew 11:24)

What did Jesus mean by that? How could it be �more tolerable� for anyone in the day of judgment? Did Jesus� pronouncement, directed towards his audience, then amount to a judgment of condemnation?

Those who never knew God, never saw the light, never tasted the Holy Spirit, but instead lived their entire lives blinded and deluded in the grip of a Satanic deception, will awaken in the second resurrection when God will judge them.

Today, when we think of Sodom, we think of wickedness and depravity. Sodom is synonymous with heinous acts of treachery, homosexuality, and mob rule. God passed judgment on those wicked people, and they perished in a fiery blaze. But, one day, those same people will rise from their graves to face their ultimate judgment. So why will it be �more tolerable� for the Sodomites than it will be for the peoples of Jesus� day? The answer lies in Jesus� words.

�Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.� (John 5:24)

Those in Sodom, going on what Jesus is saying, perhaps had never heard of the true God. We can wonder whether they ever had the opportunity to believe in the One who became Jesus. And, if not, then how can they be accused of refusing the Son of God? But to the Jews of Jesus� day who opposed him, according to Jesus, it seems they�ll be judged with a less-than-favourable outcome. For them the prospect of annihilation in hell is dauntingly real!

The Sodomites faced their punishment a long time ago. And yet, it would appear from Jesus� own words, that it will be �more tolerable� for them on the day of judgment. That is, (please excuse the humour) will it be slightly less hot for them in hell than it is for others? Of course not! Does it mean that they may ultimately be given the opportunity for salvation in Jesus Christ? Think about it.

God is a righteous Judge. He is a God of mercy, and according to Jesus� own brother James:

�Mercy triumphs over judgment.� (James 2:13)

We must exercise care when we examine the scriptures. If we�ve assumed that the second resurrection is an automatic and indiscriminate condemnation to an eternal and fiery obliteration, think again. That�s not what Jesus said.

There are, however, certain characters in the Bible whose lives serve as examples, aiding our understanding of those who remain defiant despite being offered salvation in Jesus. One such man was Judas. He was one of the twelve disciples who, in the end, availed himself as an instrument of Satan. Judas� betrayal of Jesus seems more of a deliberate and premeditated action than something conceived �on the spur of the moment�. Judas was a thief, helping himself to the disciples� collective funds. A study of his life reveals a certain ongoing disgruntlement.

Judas lived a double life, right there among the brotherhood of disciples. Jesus knew this, John perhaps had an inkling of it, but to the others he effectively, it seems, travelled undetected. Judas sought and waited for an opportunity to �do his treacherous business�.

At a certain crucial point during Jesus� last meal with his disciples, we read where �Satan entered Judas�, whereupon he hurriedly left their fellowship to venture out into the night. What did Jesus say of Judas?

�It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.� (Mark 14:21)

Judas was a man who experienced the fullest extent of God�s light and love in the person and ministry of Jesus, and yet he chose a contrary, dark path. Jesus alluded that Judas� life was worth nothing. For all that Jesus had invested in him, Judas still yielded to the devil to motivate his actions and attitudes. The tragedy of Judas� life ended in suicide.

The lake of fire exists for those who reject Jesus, the same destiny that awaits the devil and his cohorts.

�Then He will also say to those on the left hand, �Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels…�� (Matthew 25:41)

The religious leaders of 2000 years ago also refused Jesus. They saw the miracles, heard the preaching, witnessed changed lives, were confronted by God�s grace, and, in denying the presence of the Holy Spirit, they blasphemed Jesus, who said to them:

�You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.� (John 5:39-40)

It seems from scripture that there will be those who, at their resurrection judgment and resulting condemnation, will exhibit a false display of sorriness at their imminent demise. Jesus illustrated this by using the recurring phrase of �weeping and gnashing of teeth�. With teaching directed at those pseudo-religious folk of his day who lived a lie, Jesus said:

�But He will say, �I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.� There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.� (Luke 13:27-28)

�Weeping and gnashing of teeth� seems to convey an agonising mental anguish, a too-late-regret tinged with anger, a state of mind perhaps much like the peoples of Noah�s day when they finally saw the rising flood waters. For years they had mocked God�s faithful herald, as they witnessed Noah building a big, wooden ship. They sneered at the idea of a global storm. God was the butt of their jokes and derision. But when the flood came, it was by then too late! The door had closed. The ark was sealed. And those wicked outside perished at God�s visitation. The account of Noah�s experience is almost a metaphor of what is set to occur again.

There is no room in God’s Kingdom for the unrighteous. God’s ultimate judgment is reflected in the closing words of the revelation given to John:

�He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.� (Revelation 21:7-8)

The finality of hell fire is total and final death, from which there is no longer any hope of redemption. God offers everyone extraordinary hope in the saving work of Jesus Christ. The rich tapestry of salvation history throughout the scriptures, in the lives of those who have lived before us, forms and defines this thread of hope. And while we do not have all the answers, we do have the sure and adequate words of scripture, echoing Jesus� very own thoughts, for which we would do well to take to heart:

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:2)

The truth is that God is not willing that any should perish, and thus the journey to hell only begins when the Holy Spirit is scorned through the unrepentant sinful things those who hate God intentionally say and do. Jesus reminded his listeners of the ultimate price that awaits those who don�t take him seriously:

�And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.� (Matthew 5:30)

Of course, as an infant, all this was beyond infant Clara. She sleeps in her innocence, awaiting the voice and justice of Jesus. The tears her parents cried way back in 1911 will be more than recompensed when they see and again embrace their little girl. She will be judged by what she had done in her short and innocent life. God�s goodness will be overwhelmingly evident and convincing!

Those who may have doubted God�s grace in this resurrection to judgment will finally be gladdened to witness the fathomless depth of God�s love and redemptive power.

Today, Clara�s grave site is unmarked and forgotten. But not in God’s mind. Not far from where she lies sleeping in that old Goulburn cemetery is a weather-beaten tombstone from an earlier generation. Dated 1889, it remembers the tragic and untimely death of a fifty year old man named David; for all intents and purposes, however, it equally speaks of Clara�s hope. David was a goodly man, and apparently deeply missed. The final words his friends and family left with him feature on his curious but hope-filled epitaph.

Earth to earth and dust to dust
Calmly now the words we say
Leaving him to sleep in trust
Till the resurrection day
Father in thy gracious keeping
Leave we how thy servant sleeping.

Written by John Klassek, as a�new chapter for his book Hope of the Resurrection, the 4th edition currently being edited.

Why I wrote my book

Occasionally I am asked the reasons why I wrote “Hope of the Resurrection”. Others enquire in particular about the nuances of the second resurrection.

The scriptures are quite clear about those who reject Christ, in Jesus� day and in ours. (I had originally intended, with the editing of the 3rd edition, to write an entire chapter about hell, but decided that there was already sufficient in the book about this subject. Besides, an entire chapter on hell somewhat detracts from the overall “hope” value).

I trust that my book “Hope of the Resurrection” does not make any claims or implications that can be construed as un-Biblical. I do not believe in second-chance theology. Thanks for the opportunity to clarify this. Perhaps in a future edition and printing, I will continue�to further develop any passages that may not be as clear as they ought. Thanks for your grace in this.

We can take some comfort in Paul�s statement that, “we only know in part and therefore preach in part” [my paraphrase]. (1 Corinthians 13:9)

With regard to�any possible hope outcome in the second resurrection,�I like the dichotomy of “near-certainty versus mere possibility”. Many of us are somewhere between the two. On the other end of the spectrum, however, are those who believe in total annihilation of all at the second resurrection, regardless of whether they�ve ever heard the truth or not. This view is somewhat hard to reconcile with the Biblical text that discusses righteous judgment. (John 5:30) It is also hard to reconcile with a loving, merciful God who paid in total the sins of this world.

Thus, I believe there can be a range of “peripheral” understandings of what many regard as somewhat “unclear”. This is where our patience and grace ought to come to the fore. Please note that I always refrain from preaching about these “peripheral” things from the pulpit � knowing that in the fullness of time we�ll all understand!

I felt inspired to write “Hope of the Resurrection” after visiting several Christian bookstores, and seeing numerous titles, such as “To Heaven and Back”, “Ninety Minutes in Heaven”, and “Heaven is for Real”. Conspicuous by its absence, I found that there were no equal books that discussed the resurrection hope in Christ. (I have since discovered NT Wright�s book “Surprised by Hope” that also emphasises a Biblical resurrection hope). But, largely, books on Heaven vastly outnumber those on Resurrection.

My book�s original intended audience was simply for the “man on the street” � folk who may have casually heard about God, and who may be seeking answers following the loss of a loved one. The book has already been read by many thousands of people since it was first published in 2010, and I am delighted to constantly receive very positive responses from people whose lives have been significantly helped.

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John Klassek

On location film shoot

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A great morning’s work yesterday, filming for the upcoming resurrection film, probably titled, “The Awakening, Resurrection in Christ”. It’s been six months planning, scripting and sketching�to get to this stage. It’s a prayer every moment, every step of the way.