What To Make Of Ghosts
Preaching
Shaking Wolves Out Of Cherry Trees
And 149 Other Sermon Ideas
Purpose Statement: If our church members think about it, we'd better discuss it. Are there ghosts? And if so, what does it mean?
Paul said just as there is a physical body in this life, there is a spiritual body after we die (1 Corinthians 15:44). One question we have is: Can we ever see one of those spiritual bodies while we are still here on earth? Those who believe in, or think they have seen, a ghost would say, "Yes." For the disbelievers, I remind you there are at least four bona fide ghosts in our Bible.
a. I don't believe in ghosts. I would like to, but until I see one (like flying saucers), I will remain a skeptic. I will not ridicule anyone who believes in or claims to have seen one; however, I need evidence. It is not important one way or another, or is it?
b. But the Bible has ghosts in it. Jesus is the best-known ghost. The Gospels have several stories of the resurrection to verify his return. I can imagine an argument raging over whether Jesus was a ghost or not. Some would say no, because he came back to life. Others would say yes, because those who are dead are alive. The appearance of Jesus after the resurrection takes on ghostly qualities. Mary Magdalene did not recognize him outside the tomb (John 20:11-16). He asks her not to touch him (v. 17). He enters a locked room where the disciples were (John 20:19). Two of his followers on the road to Emmaus did not recognize him for quite a while (Luke 24:13-31). If Jesus doesn't qualify, then Moses and Elijah certainly do. Matthew 17:1-8 gives us the "transfiguration" event where Jesus spoke to, and Peter, James, and John saw, Moses and Elijah. Equally interesting is the account where Saul (1 Samuel 28:3-19) first runs all the mediums or witches out of the country and then four verses later asks for a medium to come and help him. Upon Saul's request, she conjures up the ghost of Samuel, whereupon the two visit a while. These ghost stories are hard to dismiss.
c. What would ghosts tell us? It would be wonderful to "pick their brains" for information about what heaven or eternal life is like. I wouldn't appreciate the experience because about two minutes after I saw a ghost, I'd probably be one! If nothing else, if there really are ghosts, they tell us one of the most important things we can ever know -- that there is a heaven or eternal life. We already have ample evidence (see, for example, J-10 and G-8), but reinforcement is always nice.
Paul said just as there is a physical body in this life, there is a spiritual body after we die (1 Corinthians 15:44). One question we have is: Can we ever see one of those spiritual bodies while we are still here on earth? Those who believe in, or think they have seen, a ghost would say, "Yes." For the disbelievers, I remind you there are at least four bona fide ghosts in our Bible.
a. I don't believe in ghosts. I would like to, but until I see one (like flying saucers), I will remain a skeptic. I will not ridicule anyone who believes in or claims to have seen one; however, I need evidence. It is not important one way or another, or is it?
b. But the Bible has ghosts in it. Jesus is the best-known ghost. The Gospels have several stories of the resurrection to verify his return. I can imagine an argument raging over whether Jesus was a ghost or not. Some would say no, because he came back to life. Others would say yes, because those who are dead are alive. The appearance of Jesus after the resurrection takes on ghostly qualities. Mary Magdalene did not recognize him outside the tomb (John 20:11-16). He asks her not to touch him (v. 17). He enters a locked room where the disciples were (John 20:19). Two of his followers on the road to Emmaus did not recognize him for quite a while (Luke 24:13-31). If Jesus doesn't qualify, then Moses and Elijah certainly do. Matthew 17:1-8 gives us the "transfiguration" event where Jesus spoke to, and Peter, James, and John saw, Moses and Elijah. Equally interesting is the account where Saul (1 Samuel 28:3-19) first runs all the mediums or witches out of the country and then four verses later asks for a medium to come and help him. Upon Saul's request, she conjures up the ghost of Samuel, whereupon the two visit a while. These ghost stories are hard to dismiss.
c. What would ghosts tell us? It would be wonderful to "pick their brains" for information about what heaven or eternal life is like. I wouldn't appreciate the experience because about two minutes after I saw a ghost, I'd probably be one! If nothing else, if there really are ghosts, they tell us one of the most important things we can ever know -- that there is a heaven or eternal life. We already have ample evidence (see, for example, J-10 and G-8), but reinforcement is always nice.
