Will you forgive me if I depart from the usual Christmas theme this morning? --
With the recent death of Clayton Krontz (whose funeral was held here yesterday) -- & then Stella Sanchez’s passing Friday afternoon -- (which everyone is talking rather hard) -- I just feel that what we need today are words of Comfort & Assurance!
In 1 Corinthians 15 - Paul discuss the subject of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ -- & the final resurrection of the dead.
He tells us that someday -- our perishable earthly bodies will be transformed into heavenly bodies; -- bodies that will never die!
Then at last the Scriptures will come true! -- & the Apostle Paul asks those remarkable questions recorded in 1 Cor. 15:55 -- “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
And in 15:57 -- comes that great affirmation of faith & assurance -- “But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” -- And then come the words of admonition in vs. 58!
O how we thank God this morning -- who gives us victory over sin & death -- through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Imagine something with me this morning! --
Just in your mind -- try to visualize what I am about to describe.
You are leaving the church building. -- The funeral is over.
The burial is next. -- It is now on to the grave yard.
Ahead of you walk six men who carry the coffin that carries the body of your son; -- your only son.
You are numb from the sorrow; -- you are stunned.
You lost your husband in death some time ago; -- & now you have lost your son. -- Now you have no more family.
If you had any more tears -- you would weep!
If you had any more faith -- you would pray!
But both tears & faith are in short supply -- so you do neither!
You just stare at the back of the wooden casket in front of you.
Suddenly, suddenly it stops; -- the pallbearers have stopped; - you stop.
A man has stepped in front of the casket! --
You don’t even know him. -- You have never seen him before.
He wasn’t at the funeral. -- You have no idea he is.
You have no idea what he is doing.
But before you can object -- he steps up to you -- & with a look that overflows with compassion -- he says: “Don’t cry.”
You think to yourself -- “Don’t cry? -- Don’t cry? -- This is a funeral! -- My son is dead! -- You say don’t cry? -- Who are you to tell me not to cry?”
Those are your thoughts -- but they never become your words.
Because before you can speak -- he acts!
He turns -- & he looks to the coffin -- places his hand on it -- & says in a loud voice -- “Young man, get up.”
One of the pallbearers begins to object. -- But before he can speak -- there is a sudden movement in the casket!
The men look at one another -- & quickly lower the casket to the ground.
It’s a good thing they do -- because as soon as it touches the sidewalk -- the lid slowly opens...
Does this sound like something out of a science fiction novel to you?
It’s not! -- It’s right out of the Gospel of Luke! -- See for yourself!
Luke 7:14-15 -- Jesus walked over to the coffin & touched it. --
The pallbearers stopped. -- Jesus said, “Young man, get up.”
Then the dead boy sat up -- & began to talk to those around him!
And Jesus gave him back to his mother.
Incredible! -- don’t you think?
“The dead boy sat up & began to talk.”
Dead people don’t sit up! -- Dead people don’t talk! -- Dead people don’t leave their coffins! -- Unless -- unless Jesus shows up!
When Jesus shows up -- you never know what might happen!
Dwight L. Moody was called upon to preach his first funeral!
He began to search the Scriptures to see what Jesus might have said to grieving hearts -- grieving parents -- grieving spouses.
He wanted to know what kind of sermon Jesus might have preached at a funeral.
The only discovery D.L. Moody made was that Jesus interrupted every funeral He ever attended!
Allow me to sight another example!
In Luke 8 -- we are told of a man named Jairus -- a leader of the local synagogue -- who came & fell down at Jesus’ feet -- begging Jesus to come home with him.
His only child was dying; -- a little girl 12 years old.
Suddenly a messenger comes running with the news -- “It’s too late! -- Jairus, your little girl is dead. -- There’s no use troubling Jesus now.”
But when Jesus heard this -- He said: -- “Don’t be afraid. -- Just trust me -- & she will be all right.”
Now what? -- There is hope as long as there is life!
But when someone has dead -- all hope is gone!
And yet Jesus is saying: -- “Don’t be afraid. -- Just trust me.”
So now what do we do?
Jairus can tell us; -- for when they arrived at the house -- the funeral had already begun.
The people thought the best Jesus could do was offer some kind words about how good -- how sweet a little girl the daughter had been.
Jesus had some words all right!
Not words about the girl; -- but words for the girl!
Jesus took her by the hand -- & said in a loud voice: “Get up, my child!”
And at that very moment -- her life returned -- & she immediately stood up! -- Jesus told them to give her something to eat.
Her parents were overwhelmed! -- Wouldn’t you be?
Can I tell you one more incredible story? -- Read about it in John 11.
Lazarus had died! -- His sisters, Mary & Martha, were grieving!
They had sent word to Jesus that their brother was sick -- knowing He would come at once -- & heal their brother!
But Jesus waited; -- waited too long! -- & Lazarus died.
When Jesus does finally show up -- four days after the burial -- the sisters both say the same thing to Jesus.
When Martha got word that Jesus had arrived -- she said: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Just a little later, Mary also spoke the exact same words: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
There is hurt in those words; -- hurt & disappointment.
The one man who could have made a difference -- didn’t!
And to be truthful -- Martha & Mary want to know why!
Maybe you do -- too!
Someone you love -- ventures near the edge of life -- & you turn to Jesus for help! -- you pray; -- you hope; -- you believe.
You turn to the only one who can pull a person from the brink of death.
You ask Jesus -- the Great Physician -- to heal -- to give a hand.
But nothing happens; -- your loved one dies!
And so you ask -- why? -- Like both of the sisters -- you say: “Lord, if.”
“Lord, if you had only heard & answered my prayers -- things would be different.” -- Two words -- “Lord -- if ...”
Two words; -- one of them hurts -- & the other one heals!
If -- is the word that hurts; -- but Lord is the word that heals!
If -- we has only discovered the cancer earlier.
If -- the doctors had done more -- sooner.
If -- a cure could have been found.
If -- only God had answered our prayers.
The word if -- has been echoed in a thousand cemeteries!
If -- you had been here, Lord -- my brother would not have died.
If - you were doing your part, Lord -- my husband would have survived.
If -- you’d done what was right, Lord -- my baby would have lived.
If only you would have heard my prayer, Lord -- my arms wouldn’t be empty!
If -- is the word that hurts! -- Do you know why it hurts?
Because “if” -- looks to the past -- that cannot be changed.
If -- looks back & raises a host of questions that nobody can answer.
If -- is not a word that encourages faith -- because if looks backward -- where as faith looks forward!
There is another reason why if hurts!
If -- is a word that asks for explanations -- & life doesn’t always furnish explanations.
We will never understand why -- until we get to heaven -- & see the total picture!
Even if we did have a full explanation today -- it would not bring our loved one back -- & it wouldn’t heal our arching hearts!
The word ‘if’ -- suggest that perhaps God does not know what He is doing. -- But my friends -- God is still on the throne! -- & He knows -- & He cares! -- He is still our loving heavenly Father!
He knows just how you feel today!
He understands your sorrow!
He wants to bring comfort to your aching heart!
He wants to bring healing to your grieving heart!
If -- is a normal word for us to use in the difficult experiences of life.
But we must recognize the fact that ‘if’ -- is the word that hurts.
However -- the word ‘Lord’ -- is the word that heals!
When you & I come to JESUS CHRIST -- & we say “Lord” -- then the healing will begin in our hearts!
Martha & Mary were brokenhearted; -- their brother had died -- & Jesus apparently had done nothing to prevent his death.
But notice that both Martha & Mary were still able to say -- “Lord.”
What kind of a Lord is He? -- Why do I say that the word ‘Lord’ heals?
For one thing -- JESUS CHRIST is the Lord of love -- & love always heals!
In love -- Jesus came to them in their hour of sorrow -- just as He comes to us today; -- even this morning!
In love -- Jesus spoke words of encouragement -- just as He speaks to us today from His Holy Word -- the Bible.
In love -- Jesus wept -- & right now our Lord feels the sorrow of our hearts -- & He enters into our sorrows!
But the greatest proof of His love -- is not Jesus at the grave; -- nor Jesus weeping; -- the greatest proof of His love is Jesus on the Cross!
When we come face to face with death -- the death of a loved one -- our definition of God is challenged!
And in turn -- our faith is challenged!
Why is it that we interpret the presence of death as the absence of God?
Do we think that if the body is not healed -- then God has failed?
Is healing the only way God demonstrates His presence?
Sometimes we think so!
And as a result -- when God doesn’t answer our prayers for healing -- we get angry -- resentful! -- Blame replaces belief!
We say -- “If you had been here, Lord -- doing your part -- then this death would not have happened.”
But my friends -- Jesus is not only the Lord of love; -- He is also the Lord of life!
Jesus announced to Martha -- “I am the resurrection & the life.”
Martha believed in the resurrection -- but she saw it only as a future event. -- Jesus said that the resurrection is a present experience!
Jesus said that those who believe in me -- are given eternal life! -- Not just at some future time -- but right now!
Those who have trusted JESUS CHRIST can experience resurrection power in their lives even today!
Oh that we might know Christ -- & the power of His resurrection -- in this hour -- & in every hour of life!
The power of His resurrection is what will carry us through today -- as well the days -- the weeks -- & the months ahead!
My friends -- Jesus Christ is the Lord of love -- & He is the Lord of life -- & He is also the Lord of glory!
The whole emphasis in John chapter 11 -- is on the glory of God!
According to 11:4 -- Jesus told His disciples that even Lazarus’ sickness was “for the glory of God.”
According to 11:40 -- Jesus reminded Martha at the grave -- “Didn’t I tell you that you will see God’s glory -- if you believe?”
God -- can take even the seeming tragedies of life -- & work them out for our good -- & for His glory!
The way we weep; -- the way we encourage each other; -- the way we carry our burdens; -- all of these can be used to the glory of God!
For the Christian -- the best is yet to come!
According to Jesus, our Lord -- death is only sleep!
From God’s viewpoint -- death is not permanent.
It is a necessary step for passing from this world -- to the next!
It’s not an end; -- it is only a beginning!
From God’s perspective -- death is a small price to pay for the privilege of someday sitting at His eternal banquet table!
Death is God’s way of taking people away from this old evil world!
God knows exactly when our time has come!
We do not know -- but God knows!
No person lives one day -- more or less -- than God intends.
The Bible says: -- “All the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old” (Psalm 139:16).
In God’s plan -- every life is long enough -- & every death is timely.
And though you & I might wish for a longer life -- God knows better!
Do you know what Jesus did at the tomb of Lazarus?
Jesus wept; -- then He said, “Roll the stone aside.”
When the crowd acted in obedience to His command -- Jesus stood face to face with the rock-hewn tomb -- & demanded that it release His friend! -- With a loud voice He cried out: “Lazarus, come out here!”
Deep within the tomb -- Lazarus began to move!
His stilled heart began to beat again.
A mummified man in the tomb sat up!
And the Gospel writer records: -- “Lazarus came out!”
Lazarus came out of the grave alive!
Please -- please understand -- Jesus didn’t raise the dead -- for the sake of the dead!
I heard Billy Graham say once -- that the reason Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus -- was because He was about to call Lazarus back to live a little longer here on this earth!
Jesus didn’t raise the dead for the sake of the dead!
Jesus raised the dead for the sake of the living!
He did it to show us that He in fact is Lord!
What kind of Lord is He?
He is the Lord who holds the keys to life & to death! -- He is Lord!
My friends -- He is the Lord who will walk with you & me through the valley of the shadow of death!
He is the Lord you & I want to have present at our funeral.
He will do it again -- & again -- & again!
We are told in the Bible -- that “the Lord Himself -- will come down from heaven -- with a loud command!” (1 Thess. 4:16).
That same voice that awoke the boy who laid in a casket; --
That same voice that stirred the still daughter of Jairus; --
That same voice that awakened the corpse of Lazarus; --
That same voice will speak again!
The earth & the sea will give up their dead!
There will be no more death! -- Neither sickness, nor crying!
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ made that all possible!
And we will cry out -- through out all eternity -- “O death, where is thy sting? -- O grave, where is thy victory?
Thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”
“Therefore -- my beloved brethren -- be you steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (15:58).