As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
We all have known someone who seems to walk around with a cloud over their head. No matter what happens, their attitude is one of clarity that something terrible will happen any minute and there is no hope. Paul might call this person the man of the dust, like Adam. He is human through and through, replete with sin and mortality. His worldview is that when you are dead, you are dead. Life has no meaning at bottom and any meaning we attach to life is a social construct. Paul was of heaven, like Christ. In fact, when Paul was martyred, it was not meaningless. He bore the image of the man of heaven.
Our entire outlook as Christians hinges on the resurrection, though scarce few of us talk about it to the man of the dust who has no hope. At the very least, they should see the absence of the cloud of despair over our heads and wonder why that is. If they did, these verses would be a good place to start with our answer. We were once of the dust but are now of heaven. We looked like the man of dust but someday, we will be like Christ. That should take the cloud away.
Dear Lord, thank you that we will be like Christ. Help us to be conformed to his image while we tell others about the hope of Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church