Resurrection Hope

I was interviewed by my friend Leslie for the Walnut Women podcast. Below is a transcript, edited for clarity and length. There may be spelling or grammatical errors.

Leslie Ho

Hello, Aaron. Welcome to Walnut Women LIVE. Thanks for joining me again. We are going to be celebrating another big celebration this upcoming weekend. So, I thought it would be really fitting to hear from some of our church members, servants, and leaders about what the resurrection means to them. I'm hosting you. So, I get to ask all my questions. So yesterday, I had this really spontaneous idea because you are a teacher and preacher, and you're also an artist and a songwriter, you lead music and write your own songs. I thought it would be amazing if we could take a well-known Easter hymn and rewrite it on the spot. So the song is Because He Lives. What follows is the statement I can face tomorrow. Because he lives, another benefit is all fear is gone. I know he holds the future, and life is worth living just because he lives. What other implications, benefits, and spiritual realities do we have as believers because he lives? So I'll start. Because he lives, I can face hardships with God's grace.

Aaron Lee

Because Jesus lives, everything that Jesus promised to us is true.

Leslie Ho

Amen. Okay, I'll go again. Because he lives, we can take his suffering, and I know it will lead to glory.

Aaron Lee

Because Jesus lives, then we can also live. There's life after death in heaven. Actually, everybody has life after death, but we have life in heaven after death. 

Leslie Ho

Yeah. Good implication of the resurrection. All right, that was to break the ice. We're going on to talk about how the resurrection of Jesus Christ impacts us spiritually, or how it impacts us as we live on this earth. So I want to ask you the lines of priorities. What are your priorities now, as a dad of three, married, and living in Walnut? And has the resurrection of Christ impacted what they are?

Aaron Lee

Okay, let me think about this. Well, my priorities, I think, are to God, being a Christian. And then being a husband. And then being a father. But I think what you're asking, what the question is, is how does the resurrection impact my priorities? Is that that kind of more what you're asking? 

Leslie Ho

Yes. So those are your priorities? And is that a result of your biblical convictions? Or does it change the way you view how you invest your time and your resources?

Aaron Lee

I think what I listed is more a result of just being a Christian. I mean, that includes the resurrection, obviously. But I think if you're going to pinpoint specifically how the resurrection impacts how I live my life and priorities, like what I focus on, then I think it does make me more Kingdom minded, Kingdom oriented. More concerned about about God's priorities in God's kingdom. Let me try to explain. With the resurrection, we believe that everything that Jesus says is true. And Jesus really is the Son of God. And so if that's real, and he's going to come again, and there's life after death, then people need to know about Jesus. Yeah, that affects everything that I do. I think that's why I would list those in priority. God obviously needs to take first place in my life at that point. Everything is to fall in line under God and his prerogatives. Let me give you a practical example. A more practical example is that the resurrection also means that you and I are going to live again after this life. And so I think a lot of times people might say that like, Okay, this is like all we have, and we have to make the most of it. And I think that's true in one sense, right? We need to make the most of the time because Jesus is coming back again, and people need to know about him. But in another sense, I don't think it means that like, oh, I need to enjoy everything that this life has to possibly offer me, because I don't believe that this life is the end. I think that there's an infinite amount of time in heaven to be with God and enjoy things that are going to be way better than anything this world has. So, I think that shapes a lot of the way I prioritize things here. Let me give you an example. For my family, the resurrection means that these relationships that we that we have on Earth actually matter because of the fact that people need to know about Jesus. And so for me and my family, we decided that we're going to adopt as a means to evangelize because evangelism now has a very urgent priority. Adoption is actually a way to evangelize. And so that was one of the reasons why that was important to us. It was a priority for us to actually adopt. You know our story. We adopted first, as our first child. I would definitely say that the resurrection impacted that choice.

Leslie Ho

Thanks for sharing. Yeah, so basically, you're talking about like, how it changes your earthly mindset and gives you insight into the eternal perspective and when we get to enter into the eternal kingdom of God, and I think that's a really important perspective to have, because that does impact everything you do now on Earth. And then I think you talked about like living for today's pleasures versus the pleasures that we'll get to enjoy in heaven, which will be spiritual and it will be encompass of, you know, the fellowship, we get to share with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and the body of Christ. It sounds like you've taken up the call, the discipleship call, seriously. I think I just want to know, because Aaron, like you do serve in so many various types of ministries and capacities. Is that a way for you to express your kingdom minded prayer through this?

Aaron Lee

Yeah, I'd say so. I guess I gave you more like, like, personal life examples. I'll give you more ministry examples. In the grand scheme of things, I'm just one guy. But I do believe that God gifts all of us and has us steward individual gifts. I encourage everybody to try different things and see what works. I think the Walnut Woman podcast is a way that you steward the gifts and talents that God has given you and finding ways to impact the kingdom. I think the resurrection places a priority on our ministry endeavors. I think that there is a way to do ministry where you can look for short term gains and goals, but I do want to think that I like to look towards the long term goals and think, Okay, how can this impact later down the line? I think that's the one thing about media ministry, is that these videos will be there later to consume. Even if it's a small amount, they're still there for us, and for me, personally, having it there online helps me remember what we actually did.

Leslie Ho

Yeah, I really appreciate your effort to invest spiritually. I think you're making great spiritual investments. And the giftedness and the abilities, I think God just really asks for faithfulness. You don't have to be great at it, just if you desire it, or you can do it. Just be faithful with it. So this is an interesting question. Does the resurrection of Christ help you love people who can be difficult? Just to help you in your relationships? 

Aaron Lee

So when you first sent me this question, I was like, Okay, this is kind of interesting, right? Like, where's this coming from? How am I supposed to read this? But honestly, the first the first thing that I thought was, you know, I'm the difficult person. And so I think that, yes, the answer has to be yes. Because Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and he rose again. And the Bible's very clear that Jesus didn't come to save perfect people or easy people for his kingdom. But Christ came to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. I think we can just say Christ died to save difficult people. I think that's a good way to put it. And I think the answer is yes. So if I believe that Jesus died and rose again, and he secured salvation for me, and he secured our relationship with God and himself and the Holy Spirit for me, then I have to believe and set in my own heart that I need to love, relate to, restore broken relationships with difficult people. Because that's what God did for me. And I would hope that that's what other Christians would do for me as well, too. 

Leslie Ho

I liked that. You brought up those verses and basically when he came into the world, you reiterated that he came not to condemn us, but to come and save us. And so a form of us condemning others would be judging them when we see them. And I think our call now as believers is to respond the way that Christ has responded to us. Yes, we wronged him and offended him. So how does that lead you to reconcile broken relationships or hurt that you've experienced from people? That's something that's very common, we all experience hurt, whether it's purposeful or inadvertent hurt. 

Aaron Lee

You're absolutely right that the Bible says that we were enemies with God. And so we're not even just talking about being friends with people. We're talking about reconciling relationships with our enemies. And so I think it means that we need to put in the effort. I think it means that we need to extend the olive branch of offering peace. I think, to follow Jesus's example, it means that we need to take the initiative, sometimes, even though it might hurt. That doesn't necessarily mean I don't think that we have the ability like Jesus to restore everything perfectly. But because we're sinners, too, we need to make the attempt, and at least have the mindset of like, okay, I want to make things right again. At least that's what I tell my kids. I say we need to make things right. There needs to be a certain mindset where to move on and not acknowledge this or to try to move forward without fixing it would be wrong, and we need to make things right with our relationships. I think it means being forgiving towards people. Even if they don't ask for forgiveness, I think it means that we need to have the heart of forgiveness. I think it means that we need to overlook offenses. And I'm saying this as somebody who needs to take my own advice again. I'm not saying this from a lofty position. I think it means we need to overlook offenses, I think it means that we need to be patient and kind. Slow to anger, right? All these things that I'm not. I think it definitely means all of these things. 

Leslie Ho

Would you say that those desires and that command would apply for just family members, people within your own local church body, or even in the work environment? Or is it in a certain context that you think it is encouraged in which it can be applied?

Aaron Lee

No, I think it is limitless. I'm gonna eat my own words later, but I think it has to be applied everywhere. 

Leslie Ho

You feel like this is the biblical conviction and exhortation for us to reconcile and forgive. To make new.

Aaron Lee

Okay, so I want to say two things. First thing is that sometimes I actually think it's harder for us to reconcile with those who are closer to us. Let me give an example. For me and Jess, I can just be like, okay, you know, what, I'm just going to ignore this and ignore the problem, right? Whereas, like, maybe at church or work, you can't ignore stuff sometimes. If you want to move forward, you got to move on. But I could easily just be like, Oh, okay, Jess, I'm going to step away for us for a little while, for a long while. And I'm not saying that's right. I'm not saying that's right at all. Sometimes, it's harder to reconcile the way Jesus does with those who are closer to you. 

And then the other thing I wanted to say was that I do see the resurrection as also like Jesus was literally dead. And sometimes we have relationships that are literally dead or dying, and sometimes that's our own doing. Sometimes it's a both parties kind of doing. But if Jesus can come back to life again, to restore the relationships, I actually believe that it means that relationships can also be resurrected, too. I don't think relationships need to stay buried. I think stuff can can come out and find new life again. And I'm not saying that it's going to be perfect. But I do think God can make all things new and that includes our broken, messed up, dead relationships. 

Leslie Ho

Yeah. That's so good. I'm feeling so hopeful right now.

Aaron Lee

Oh, well, I hope so. Right? Without the resurrection, then we're people to be despised, right? We have no hope at that point. So yeah, I really did think about all these questions that you said. The resurrection does have relevance and can leave an impact in all aspects of our lives.

Leslie Ho

Well, thank you for sharing those insights. I just want to let everyone know that I sent Aaron a list of questions. And those are the ones that he specifically said he really wanted to answer to. I was very curious what you would share because there were all kinds of things you could have talked about. Yeah, again, I appreciate it. I think these are good discussions to have. How is the resurrection changing us? How's it changing every aspect of our life and how God can rebuild us and make us new creatures and make or take our brokenness and turn it into something beautiful for His glory? So yeah, I just love talking about this. Do you have anything else you want to say?

Aaron Lee

I just wanted to say thanks for the thoughtful questions. When I do questions, like in Sunday school class, or whatever, I try to make it personal, too, and not just like theological or intellectual concepts. But I think that because you presented these questions to me, I was like, Okay, do I believe this stuff? And where do I apply it? Or where do I need to apply it in my life? Looking over the questions was helpful for me, and I enjoy our conversation. It's refreshing. We don't talk about the resurrection of Jesus nearly as much as we need to. I was thinking recently, with bad news, or trials and stuff. Let's say you have this thing in front of you. Does the fact that Jesus conquered death and rose from the grave again, s that still good news to me? And does that trump anything else that can be presented in front of you? Just to keep repeating that again, over and over, and just saying, like, hey, Jesus came back to life again. It's good news.

Leslie Ho

The greatest act of love and God's power of salvation has already been revealed. And so what other good thing, good gift, can God give? 

Aaron Lee

Yeah. You get to see the results of it played out in your life.

Leslie Ho

Yes, exactly. The ongoing blessings. I appreciate it. Aaron, I did think these questions were kind of deep, so I appreciate you taking the time to share some of your thoughts with us tonight. 

Aaron Lee

Thanks for listening. Thanks for having me. I always love being on the Walnut Women Podcast.