Christ's Power Over Death

 Christ's Achievement

 Powerful statement

 … declared with power to be the Son of God, by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 1:3-4, NIV)

 Having been declared to be the Son of God with power by His resurrection from the dead, Christians regard Jesus as the Creator of the world, and the eternal Son of the Father.

 Death defeated

 "Death has been swallowed up in victory." (1 Corinthians 15:54, NIV)

 Death Transformed

 bitterness removed

 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law." (1 Corinthians 15:55-56, NIV)

 Gateway to Heaven

 You guide me with your counsel, and afterwards you will take me into glory. (Psalm 73:24, NIV)

 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed– in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:51-53, NIV)

 Our changed attitude

 Because He lives

 … all fear is gone

 He placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. (Revelation 1:17-18, NIV)

 … death is not the end

 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord for ever. (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, NIV)

 … desire for God

 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. (Psalm 73:25-26, NIV)

 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, NIV)