Lord's Day Devotion-Chasing Death Away

Death chasers; that is, those people who want to banish all thoughts and mention of death.  Death, however, is part and parcel of life.  It cannot be chased away for it is the inevitable end of all life on earth, unless, of course, followers of Jesus Christ are raptured beforehand.

Jesus Christ was the only one to be born, who purposely, and who's purpose, was to die.  Not to just simply die for no reason because of His humanity, but that He may take away the sins of the world and the very sting of death.  He set His face like a flint to do His Father's bidding, providing salvation's rescue plan for one and all of His human creatures.

It's said in Romans 4:24-25 (ESV),

"...It will be counted to us who believe in Him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification."

Praise be to God, Jesus accomplished that for us!

We learn from 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 (ESV) more of what that selfless sacrifice of Jesus effected,

"Death is swallowed up in victory.  O death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting?"

"The sting of death is sin, the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

You know, since both my parents "passed away" last year, one at each end of the year, it seems so many others that  I've known &/or had been my parents' peerage and friends, have also gone on.  A lot of sadness when thought of in earthly terms.  

However, when looked at from God's perspective, we can rejoice.  What we call "death" and see as "sting", which is really rather like a violent slap on the face or a rough shock treatment to the system, is gone.  We mourn, but feel glad we will see them again in God's good timing.

When Jesus was here on Earth, He raised certain people from the dead.  Think of Jairus' twelve year old daughter.  Jesus said she was, "asleep" (Luke 8:52 ESV).  Everyone laughed at Him though, "knowing she was dead" (Luke 8:53 ESV).  Lazarus, Mary and Martha's brother, was also "asleep" and Jesus told his disciples He was going to go wake him up (John 11:11 ESV).  The disciples mistook Jesus to mean "just asleep" and that that would help the sick man get well; why would He wake Lazarus up?  Jesus had to tell them plainly, "Lazarus has died" (John 11:14 ESV).  This is the story where "Jesus wept" (John 11:35).

The sting was still there and we still feel that sting nowadays, yet the everlasting effect is annulled.  In Jesus' death and resurrection there is victory over death.  Our dearly departed loved ones will "wake up".  They are only asleep.

The eternal sting is removed for those of us who have put our faith in Jesus Christ.  Those of us who "fall asleep in Jesus" are/will be "with Christ" (Philippians 1:21-23).  We will wake up in that good place with our Lord and Savior.

Any who die are just asleep.  They will wake up to face either of two eternal destinations:  heaven or hell.  I pray each one reading this will have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior before it is forever too late and that I will eventually see you in Heaven with the myriad of believers who have gone to be with Jesus before us.  The sting will be permanently there otherwise.

There is a wonderful promise written about in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 (ESV).

"But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.  For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep.  For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.  And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord."

So, you see, whether we are alive or have already "fallen asleep in Jesus" by rapture time, we "will be caught up together...to meet the Lord...and ...will always be with the Lord". 

What a marvelous and delightful future ahead.  We do well to remember this, not just at funerals but each Lord's Day as we remember what Jesus has done for us as we partake of the bread and cup of wine together with the body of Christ with whom we gather.

Praise the Lord we followers of Jesus Christ can embrace our "sleep" and do not have to be chasing death away.  I know my Mom did.  Although she did nothing to hasten her end of life on Earth, she very much looked forward to her sleep in Jesus.  What victory!!

                                                              ~ERC  April 2019~