Looking Forward to Resurrection

Written By GHC Admin

April 2025

By: Ryan Rhew

Do you look forward to your resurrection?

I’m guessing that’s not a question you’ve been asked this week at work. But as pilgrims in a fallen world, it’s something we all should think about more often, both in our everyday faithfulness and during times of crisis.

And while we (should) celebrate every Lord’s Day as Resurrection Sunday, people across the globe are now approaching a hopeful moment in our shared annual rhythm:

“The dog days of winter are behind us. Spring has sprung. April showers bring May flowers. Everything is coming back to life!”

You will be resurrected.

It’s as if God created springtime to remind us of the Biblical truth that on Jesus’s return, all who are dead will be resurrected, either to eternal life or eternal condemnation (Jn 5:28-29, Ac 24:15).

Now, If you’ve recognized your need for salvation from God’s judgment, trusted in God’s free gift of His sinless Son Jesus who paid the penalty of your sin through His death, and turned from living for yourself to living for His glory, then you can look forward to your resurrection!

How is this possible? Because Jesus Christ did not remain dead; he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit, never to die again! (Rom 6:9) This is the basis on which we know that we ourselves will be resurrected too (1 Cor 15:20, Rom 8:11).

Why should I look forward to my resurrection?

There are at least seven reasons I can find in the Scriptures, that make our resurrection something to look forward to, over that Friday clock-out or the summer vacation. Perhaps you have never considered some of these before.

  1. Because you will see God in the flesh (Job 19:26, Rev 22:4). In the midst of all his affliction, Job makes an astonishing declaration of hope in 19:26 - specifically that he will see God with his own eyes, and not another. In Christ, we can echo Job in all of our trials, great and small. He will wipe every tear from our eyes. Wow.

  2. Because you will finally be made completely in the image of Christ (1 Cor 15:49, 1 Jn 3:2). The work of sanctification, or being conformed to the image of God’s Son (Rom 8:29), will be over. We will experience what it is to be truly and fully human, because we will be Christ-like, period.

  3. Because you will never again sin or be sinned against (1 Cor 15:54-57). There will be a day when you never hurt another person because of your fleshly pride or selfishness. Or when you are hurt by another person because of their fleshly pride or selfishness.

  4. Because you will have a beautiful physical body (Phil 3:21, Luke 24:39). Any imperfection you have now will be perfected. Any limp you have will be a distant memory. Jesus’s perfect beauty will be yours. And you’ll spend eternity delighting in how glorious God has made your brothers and sisters.

  5. Because you will be imperishable (1 Cor 15:52). That means you will never ever experience illness, weakness, dysfunction, pain, hunger, or thirst again. You will be free from the curse of sin on your body, and the effects of sin in the world.

  6. Because you will finally feel at home (Phil 3:20, Heb 11:13-16). We will never again have to remind ourselves that we are strangers and exiles on the earth, because we won’t be anymore. The faith of our fallen heart will become the sight of our resurrected eyes. By God’s grace we will reach our Heavenly homeland, where we will enjoy all the blessings of citizenship.

  7. Because you will get to make much of God with other real people, from every tribe, tongue, and nation (Rev 7:9). You will meet brothers and sisters from places you’ve never even heard of. And you will never tire of hearing each of their stories about how Jesus found and saved them.

That’s solid hope. With a promise of joy that reaches far deeper than the Friday morale boost at the pub, or the promotion at the end of the quarter.

How can I practically look forward to my resurrection?

Here are two practical ways we can actively feed our excitement for our resurrection. I invite you to Lean with me, and Listen with me:

  1. Lean into the church. I have benefited greatly from faithful church members who will not let me be content to live or think like I am a citizen of this world. I’m so thankful for my friendships with men who challenge me by their life and speech to look forward to my resurrection. If you’re a believer but not a meaningful member of a church, commit yourself to a healthy Bible-believing congregation so that you can be encouraged to look toward heaven. 

  2. Listen to gospel-saturated songs about resurrection. We are privileged to gather each Sunday to hear, sing, pray, and taste the truth of God’s word. Yet, how challenging it is to keep those truths in our minds and hearts throughout the week! Thankfully, God has given us the gift of song to help us remember and meditate on His word. Many gospel-centered hymns, including those we sing at church, end with a focus on our resurrection. Here are some personal favorites: 

Church, I can’t wait to dwell with and praise our glorious God together in our resurrected bodies. I can’t wait to never have to say “sorry” to people I hurt. I can’t wait to see your perfected beauty revealed on the last day. What about you? Do you look forward to your resurrection?

GHC Admin
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