The empty garden tomb of Jesus Christ says so much. First and foremost it is the testimony to mankind that "as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive"(1 Cor. 15:22). We are assured that our physical bodies will be reunited with our spirits after we die in an inseparable union of glory. Thus, the resurrection gives us hope in an Eternal hereafter that is everlastingly spiritual and physical; indeed the resurrection shows that we need our bodies in order to fulfill our eternal purpose. Else why was it necessary for Christ to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead?
Within the resurrection we also find hope for a better world here, for "whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which chope cometh of dfaith, maketh an eanchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in fgood works, being led to gglorify God." (Ether 12:4). The witness of the resurrection serves as an anchor to our souls that makes us sure, steadfast, and abounding in good works; abounding good works improve our world here. Thus I find in the resurrection a hope for a better hereafter, and a hope for a better world around us.
We can already see the effects of humanity's abounding good works. The World Bank reports that the number of people living on less than one dollar a day has more than halved since the 1950s, and at the current rate of decline, it is estimated that the number of people in the world who live in absolute poverty will hit zero by 2035(1,2). In fact, the UN says that poverty was reduced more over the past fifty years than in the previous five hundred. To be more specific, compared to fifty years ago, the Chinese are ten times as rich, and live 28 years longer; Nigerians are twice as well off, and live 9 years longer (3). In the US, the most poverty stricken Americans have a television, telephone, electricity, running water, refrigerators, and indoor plumbing- 71% have a car. That's more than Henry Ford and Cornelius Vanderbilt had just 100 years ago, and they were among the richest men in the world. In fact, move the most poverty stricken Americans to Somalia, and those Somalians would consider them to be incredibly rich (4).
I promise that a better world is coming. In fact I promise that we are living in a better world than that of our ancestors. Praise be to God for the empty tomb of His Son. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the anchor of my hope for a majestic life in the heavens, and an abundant life here on earth. He is Risen, and He will come unto you and me if we come unto Him in Faith , Hope, and Charity.
REFERENCES
1."World Development Indicators," World Bank, 2004
2. Ridley, ibid, p.15
3. "Abundance", Diamandis p.142
4. "Abundance", Diamandis p. 25
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