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• What are your two biggest concerns?
• There is strong evidence for the resurrection of Jesus.
• The resurrection of Jesus Christ equips us to face the two biggest fears in the world.
• In the storm, Jesus asked his disciples about their faith.

• The first stage is denial.
• Illustration: The people sitting next to us in church are terminally ill, and our snickering at that is denial.
• The second stage is anger.
• The third stage is bargaining.
• Illustration: A terminally ill woman bargains with God to keep her alive until after the daughter’s wedding.
• Illustration: Frenchman bargains with God in a World War II prisoner of war camp to go to church if he was released alive.
• The fourth stage is depression.
• The fifth stage is acceptance.
• Illustration: Huffman went fishing and snorkeling, and reacts with all five stages when he sees a shark.

• First, the resurrection helps you face the fear of dying, because we know he’s gone to prepare a place for us.
• Second, even in our grieving, the resurrection gives hope to those of us who remain after a Christian has died.
• Third, the resurrection promises a reunion, and a release from the specter of hell.

• Jesus offers us meaning.
• Illustration: In his A Confession, Leo Tolstoy described the search for meaning when he entered his 50s.
• The temptation is to become conservative, looking to the past; or radical, trying to reshape the future.
• Instead, we are to live in the present until Christ comes.