November 11, 2007; The 24th Sunday after Pentecost Readings: Job 19:23-27a; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5; Luke 20:27-38; Psalm 17:1-8.   The Rev. Dr. Hilary B. Smith Children of the Resurrection You will often hear me talk about our faith and the Christian community in terms of how we live in the world now. Last Sunday when we baptized Makenna Blair, she became a member of the body of Christ. She was baptized not out of fear for her soul after death, but out of joy for the life she will live as a Christian on this side of heaven. The Episcopal Church, in our day-to-day life in community, does tend to focus on dynamics of faith and God's promises to us as they relate to our present circumstances. Meaning, we embrace God's call to us as Christians to live into the fullness of who God calls us to be now, and we embrace God's call to us to seek and serve Christ in all persons during our lives. Our focus on enjoying the first-fruits of eternal life now, is, in part, a reaction to those who seem to pressure people to accept Jesus as their savior so as to escape the torments of Hell. You may have had the experience of being questioned by and pressured by Christians, who demanded to know if you believed you would go to heaven. I have certainly had that experience, and based on my responses, I was not judged to be in good shape by those who posed the questions. Their entire presentation of Christianity focused on the threat life after death presented for one who was not 'saved.' The Christian faith has much more to recommend it than as an insurance policy for getting into heaven. While we in the Episcopal Church may focus more on matters of faith for this life, what we believe about our life with God includes belief in life after death. We can present our belief in life after death in a much more live-giving way for the present moment. Christian funerals are celebrations of God's promises to us about eternal life even, as we grieve the passing of our loved one. The burial office found in the Book of Common Prayer, takes for its opening sentences words from Job. You may have recognized the phrases and the conviction: As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives and that at the last he will stand upon the earth. After my awaking, he will raise me up; and in my body I shall see God. I myself shall see, and my eyes behold him who is my friend and not a stranger (BCP p. 491). Our belief in eternal life and the resurrection of the body is a core brief. We do not pretend to know the exact details of that life we will live with God-but from what we do know, we have confidence that God will never let us go. As St. Paul states in Roman's, nothing can separate us from the love God in Christ Jesus, neither death nor life. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection to eternal life. So when they question Jesus about the details of eternal life, they are attempting to show the foolishness of a brief in resurrection. Jesus takes what they have to say seriously and teaches that eternal life will be different than anything we can understand now. The Sadducees' question was less about love lasting and more about ownership as defined by the cultural norms of the time. Jesus directs them to think more broadly about relationship with God that lasts for eternity. Eternal life is a gift from God, just as our life is so. We did not do anything to earn this life and we cannot do anything to earn eternal life. Through God's grace, God's free gift to us, eternal life is given. Sometimes Christian's find an answer to their questions about death in the belief in reincarnation. Reincarnation and the Christian faith do not go together. In fact for Christians who are exposed to a sort of new-age understanding of reincarnation it is the idea that if we just try hard enough we can achieve salvation that is appealing. After all, that sort of works righteousness is part of our culture and easy to understand. It is less easy to understand, in a rational way, the great gift of God through Christ that give us eternal life. There is not much in our culture to encourage us to think about death and eternal life. We are encouraged rather to focus on the immediate situation and how it can be improved. With an understanding of death in the full context of God's love, we can have a healthy understanding that gives us freedom. In our church, we encourage people to plan their funerals in advance. I certainly am; my family would not know my wishes unless a write them down. We can deal with all of life, which includes death, because we know that death is not the end. Our knowledge of eternal life is also a great gift that we can share with others. Helping people to understand our belief in eternal life helps to improve their lives. We can share good news about God's gift to us through Jesus, not as a threat but as an accomplished fact. Many people live anxious lives because they fear death. Many seek ways, religious and otherwise, to quiet their fears. Many people avoid talking about end of life issues because it is too horrible a topic to consider. There is an alternative to those who attempt to influence others with threats about heaven and hell. The alternative is a healthy awareness that this life is just the beginning---an important beginning to be sure. But knowing that our physical death will not be the end gives us a freedom and a perspective for living in the present. As we celebrate Veterans Day, I think of our veterans who were willing to sacrifice much, including their lives, knowing that some things are worth such sacrifice. A healthy and balanced perspective on life brings a freedom to be who God calls us to be whatever the risk because we know that God has it in hand. Jesus came to make us children of God and heirs of eternal life-children of the resurrection. Amen.