Jesus Is Life

The following is a preview of this summer’s curriculum, “Who Are You Jesus.” This is written by Karen Matthias-Long from the ELCA Outdoor Ministries Curriculum. Karen is an alumni staffer from Camp Mount Luther. Our theme on Day 4 is “I Am the Resurrection and Life.”

Eric was anxious to get to camp this year. Last fall there had been afire along one of the camp’s trails. He had seen pictures of the devastation in the camp’s newsletter. Everything looked fried to a crisp.

One day at camp, Eric and other campers took a hike along that trail. Eric was surprised when they got to the spot where the fire had been. Eric expected to see ashes. Now there were green shoots rising from the ashes. He could see some wildflowers growing in that spot, too. signs of new life were everywhere. He was amazed to see lite starting to rise out of a forest floor that had been nothing, but everything dies. As much as we don’t like to talk about it, death is part of life. Forests die. Pets die. Friends die. Family members die. Death may seem

final, and yet Jesus says to us that those who live and believe in him will never die. That means death is not as final as we might think. There is nothing to fear when we live in Jesus because we – like Jesus-will be given new life. In Jesus Christ, death is conquered once and for all.

God’s Word: Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Read about it in John 11:1-44.

Think about it: If you had the opportunity to extend your life a couple hundred years, would you do it? Why or why not? What does this say about truly believing that Jesus is the resurrection and the life?

What you can do: Read your newspaper. Look for signs of new life rising out of ashes. Make a scrapbook of these articles to serve as a reminder that life comes out of death.