Lord’s Day 22: Q&A 57-58: Body and Soul
It can be easy for Christians to forget about the physical nature of existence when considering eternal life in the New Heavens and New Earth. When we think of stereotypical depictions of Heaven, everyone is some form of angel hanging out in the clouds, but that is not what Scripture teaches us. As we read in this week’s Q&As, our souls will not be the only things resurrected, but our very bodies. Just as Christ ascended and is bodily present at the right hand of the Father, so too we will be raised in perfected bodily form.
This extends to the whole of Creation as well. It’s even easier to ignore the fact that there will not just be a new Heaven, but also a New Earth as well, so just as we need to take care of our bodies, we need to take care of the Creation which we have been trusted with. The promise of bodily resurrection can give us hope, especially for those among us whose bodies are broken. Even our ill and achy joints will be perfected on the last day. This is the hope of the resurrection.
Lord’s Day 22
Q&A 57
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (Psalm 139:13)
Father God,
You knit us together in our mother’s womb.
Our bodies are a gift from you,
But we often don’t feel like they are a gift.
You created our bodies good,
But we feel the sin and evil of this world in our bodies.
Whether it is our bodies attacking themselves with cancer,
Our minds not creating enough serotonin,
Or our internalization of unrealistic body standards that lead to pain.
We confess that we don’t always see our bodies as a gift.
Somedays, we wish we could shed this physical form forever.
Loving God,
We confess that our bodies can be a way we sin against others.
Whether it is shaming others because of their size,
Excluding those because of physical or intellectual limitations,
Or hating our neighbors because of their skin color or ethnicity,
We have not loved our neighbors' bodies, God.
Forgive us Lord.
Remind us that our redemption comes from a physical human body.
That we are saved through the body of our incarnation Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON (Philippians 3:21)
Leader: Our incarnate Savior has the power to bring everything under his control.
All: Through his glorious body, we have been redeemed by our fully human fully divine Savior.
Leader: Christ redeems us, transforms us, and brings our fallen bodies under his control.
All: Thanks to God
Q&A 58
PRAYER (John 17:3)
One True God, you have gathered us into your presence today by the power of your Holy Spirit. Whether we come with joy and excitement, or with pain and sadness, we are in your beautiful and wonderful presence, God. Holy Spirit, work in our hearts today to remind us that we enter this place to worship you, God, and rehearse for everlasting life. We pray we grow to know you more and more, Savior Jesus, as we begin to experience your eternal joy in this place. Hear our praise, Sovereign God, and join them with all the saints around the world and who came before us. It is the name of the Son of God that we pray, Amen.
