Flesh and Bones

Passage: Luke 24:36-53

The film Ghost tells the story of a man who is stuck on earth as a disembodied spirit. He has been murdered, and because his life ended prematurely he is unable to “move on.” He lingers over his home and his wife until he finds closure.

This impression of the afterlife has been repeated so often in human art and literature that it is imbedded in our minds and we take it for granted as true. Even Bible-believing Christians think that when we die we become disembodied spirits; some even think we come back as ghosts. In fact, none of this is supported by the truth of Scripture.

We are provided a preview of the afterlife in Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension. Luke’s descriptions of both are helpful. In Luke 24 the resurrected Jesus appears to his disciples. They, like many today might be, are initially terrified because they think Jesus is a ghost. Jesus says, “I don’t believe in ghosts, and neither should you. Here, touch me! Here, give me that filet-o-fish!” He takes a bite. He is, it turns out, not a ghost. Jesus then proceeds to pass from earth to heaven not as a disembodied spirit, but in his very flesh. Earlier Jesus told his disciples that he is going ahead to prepare a place for them (John 14:1-4). The Apostles, most notably Paul, go on to recognize that Jesus is the “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). In other words, where Christ went first, all those who are in Christ will follow. Our future is not to linger over the earth as ghosts, nor is it to float around in a cloudy heaven as disembodied spirits. We will enter glory as robustly embodied human beings. And, raised to life in a “new heaven and a new earth,” we can expect to enjoy in eternity the kind of existence we were meant to live here. A life of unimpeded communion with each other and with God; a life of exploring and learning, creating and stewarding; an abundant life to which the richness of this life can’t begin to compare. Jesus’ Ascension is the guarantee of that glorious passage awaiting each of us.