Preached in Markham Baptist Church, March 27, 2005

WHAT'S IN A NAME? - PART 5: "THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE"

I am aware that there are some Sundays when we do not sing enough. Easter is one of those Sundays, for how can we express the wonder and the joy of the miracle of the resurrection of Jesus Christ without singing?! 

“Up from the grave he arose with a mighty triumph o’er his foes; He arose a victor from the dark domain, and he lives forever with this saints to reign. He arose, He arose, Hallelujah! Christ arose!” 

Is it any wonder that we sing? For we do not worship a dull, lifeless God - we worship the one who conquered sin and death – He is the living God and so we have a singing faith. And we celebrate not only that Christ the Lord is risen today but we celebrate that “soar we now where Christ has led, Following our exalted head, Made like him, Like him we rise, Ours the cross the grave the skies, Alleluia, Alleluia!” We have a singing faith and this morning especially we can sing the good news of the resurrection. 

But I can’t help but wonder if behind the singing and the power of those hymns and the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ there is a very real fear of death. There is of course some who sing with conviction and mean it from the depths of their hearts. They know death has been defeated and they will live forever with Christ. There is no doubt. May we all emulate their faith. 

There are others who perhaps who do not share this confidence. There are days when they can sing the great Easter hymns of victory with conviction. There are days when you know in whom you have believed and know that He is able to keep what you’ve entrusted to Him for that day. But there are other times when the thought of death overwhelms and depresses and while you may sing the hymns of victory there is a very real fear of death and dying. 

This morning I want to address this fear of death. 

Let’s first face this fear of death honestly. Let’s face it squarely. 

Indeed Scripture does not sugarcoat death. It does not deny its reality and nor should we. The followers of Christian Science (which is a strange name for a faith that is neither Christian nor science) denies the reality of death, but that’s not the view of Scripture. In I Corinthians 15:26 death is called an enemy. And in our text Jesus stands at the mouth of Lazarus’ tomb and weeps. Why does He weep? I believe He weeps because of the tragedy of it all. 

He knows since He created us – in the first chapter of John we read that all things were made through Him and without Him nothing was made that has been made – since He created us He knows that death wasn’t part of the original plan. But because of sin, death was introduced and look how He weeps. He recognizes that death is the enemy and He cries with those who cry. Death is a very real enemy. Let’s be clear about it. 

Max Lucado calls death the “bully on the block of life. He catches you in the alley. He taunts you on the playground. He badgers you on the way home. ‘You too, will die someday.’ You see him as he escorts the procession of hearse-led cars. He’s in the waiting room as you walk out of the double doors of the intensive care unit. ‘You’re time is coming,’ he jabs.

We try to prove him wrong. We jog, we diet. We pump iron, we play golf.”¹ 

Like Martha and Mary we call on Jesus to intervene to keep our loved ones from it, “Lord if you had been here our brother would not have died. You could have healed him!” So we call on Jesus to keep us from death, but we know that at best we are only postponing it. 

Death is a very real enemy. In fact, it is the greatest enemy there is. It is the ultimate enemy robbing us of the joy of youth, the peace of later years and the wonder of life. It is the ultimate enemy because it separates us, destroys, haunts and is only a step away from anyone of us. 

Death is real. And for those who fear it, it is no use trying to deny it. It is a very real fear. I’ve seen it in the faces of people in the countless funerals I’ve attended. And I’ve felt it in the pit of my stomach. That’s where it shows up most frequently for me, right in the hollow of my stomach. I feel an overwhelming sense of anxiety when I dwell on death. 

And what do I do? Sometimes I try to think of my “happy place”. I try to think happy thoughts. But I wonder if that’s the best way to defeat this fear? I know it’s not. We have to face it if we are going to defeat it. 

So, let’s face it squarely - let’s call it what it is, our ultimate enemy. But then lets face this fear with the awareness that we do not face this fear alone. For those of us who are Christians we face it while we hold on tightly to the hand of the one who is the resurrection and the life. It makes all the difference in whose hands you are. As a child do you remember the darkness wasn’t quite so dark when you were holding the hand of your mom or dad –guiding, helping, holding you firmly? The imagined terrors seemed to disappear in the presence of one whom you know loved you, cared for you and would defend you. 

So let’s face death with that assurance, with that foundation. For it really is key. For if you have not yet placed your life into His hands, and I pray that you would today - if you haven’t then you have no basis on which to face the fear. 

Why? Because He is the resurrection and the life and if you belong to Him He has you firmly by the hand. That’s the first step. That’s part of the message of John 11 – Jesus is saying, Don’t be afraid, I’m with you on this, It’s going to be okay. I’ve got your hand firmly.

That’s the foundation. I often quote Psalm 23 at funerals and lay the stress on the verse, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me”. And I quote that to comfort the family in the midst of grief. But isn’t that just as true for those of us who are facing death? Isn’t it just as much a promise to the deceased? We need not fear any evil in death for Jesus your Shepherd has you firmly in His hand and in His care. 

Remember you are in Christ’s hands. That’s a good picture to keep in mind.  The New Testament picture is even better – it goes further – not only are we in Christ’s hands - as wonderful as that is - sometimes not much comfort to people because they fear slipping out of His hands – and if that’s your fear then the New Testament offers you something better - it says that we are in Christ. Read Romans 6 and we learn that whatever is true of Christ is now true for us. Because He is the resurrection and the life we can be sure that that resurrection and that life is now ours. 

Picture your life in Christ like Noah in the ark. After Noah built the ark, he and all the animals went in and God closed the door and the rains came down and the floods came up. And death was all around, but not for those who were in the ark. They arrived safely to new life. 

So you are in Christ. Death may be all around. But not for you for you are safely in the one who is the resurrection and the life. 

And He proves it as He stands at the mouth of Lazarus’ tomb and He calls in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” And deep within the tomb those stiff fingers twitch, the gauze stretches, linen pops as muscles that have been dead and confined for four days flex the dead man comes out. 

You are in Christ. The one who is the resurrection and the life, the same Lord who brought Lazarus to life and who more than that, died but on the third day rose from the dead. That’s the one to whom you belong. 

The first step as we face the fear of death.

There is something else here as we face death – I wonder if it’s not the finality of death that frightens us? Isn’t it a dreadful thought to think that all our dreams, hopes loves, relationships, and endeavours all come to an end at death. It is the last stop on the train of life. 

Just out side of the town of Acton where we lived for 11 years, there is a train museum. It has been some time since I visited it but I do remember going on a train ride, on a restored car pulled by an old locomotive, and it ran on a set of tracks that went in a straight line. There was no loop, no oval, just straight. And when you get to the end of the line you get off at a bit of platform in the middle of nowhere with nothing to look at but a few crummy shrubs. That’s all there is. You were finished. 

And many feel that is the way life is. It all ends with a hole in the ground with a few crummy shrubs planted around your grave. The finality of it all. 

But remember we are facing this fear while held firmly by Jesus and remember our text today, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies. And whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” 

So, for those of us who are in Christ death is not the end – it is but a portal, a gateway, a door to immortality. Really there is no such thing as death for a Christian. I told you that in I Corinthians 15 we read that death is an enemy, but do you know it is called a defeated enemy?!

Death has been swallowed up in victory, we read in I Corinthians 15:55,56 – “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. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Death is not the final destination, it is simply a doorway. 

So as we face the fear of death we seek to call death what it is. It is an enemy, but a defeated enemy for those of us who are in Christ. We go forward in Him, or holding on to His hand, knowing that death is not final.

But our fear of death may stem from a real fear of judgment. The fear of meeting God face to face and having our sins exposed and all our thoughts and words on record before the royal throne of judgment. 

This would be a real fear if…  if we were saved by our good works. But we are not. We are saved through Christ alone, we place our faith in him as the sacrifice that paid the price for our sin and we are declared new creations - God now looks at us as if we have never sinned. 

And even though we hear this message often there are many here today who still think that it is their good works that save them. There are many here today who tell me they are really trying to be good Christians. My friends - stop trying! Your salvation depends on Christ alone, on Christ alone.

What does Jesus say in our text? Does He say, “I am the resurrection and the life and who ever does good works, whoever really tries hard, will live even though he dies?” No. He says, “Whoever believes in me will live.” 

“Whoever believes in me!” That’s good news, because we all can believe. We all can have faith. 

There is no good work that you can do that would be good enough to appease God. The only thing that can cleanse you of your sin of my sin is a perfect life, the perfect sacrifice. And that has been offered in Christ. Now all we need to do is believe. 

This gives us a confidence when we face death. We do not need to wonder are we in or are we out. What will God say to me? What will He do to me, because I’m not sure I’ve been good enough. 

I can tell you now - you haven’t been good enough. I haven’t been good enough. I will never be good enough. But thanks be to God, Jesus Christ is good enough, He’s perfect and through faith in Him we have life. And we can be sure that when we come before that judgment seat we will be seen as holy, pure, righteous, the character of God in us and surrounding us.

You see Christ has become our righteousness. So Paul writes to the Philippians, “I consider (all things) rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” (Philippians 3:9) 

So no one who is in Christ need fear judgment. 

During this series on the names of Christ we have only been able to examine 5 out of 107 there are so many that point to the reality that we have forgiveness of sins through faith in Him. “Saviour, Surety, Ransom, Redeemer, Physician, Friend, Lamb of God.”

No one who is in Christ need to fear the judgment. 

But there is this left to say - one more reason why we may fear death. Not only its finality, but thanks be to God it is not final. It may be judgment but thanks be to God, in Christ we new creations and he is our righteousness, righteousness being the character of God. But one other reason we may fear death and that is the fear of the unknown. We’ve never been there. It’s unknown. 

Janet and I don’t travel to much on our own because we are not great travellers. We are nervous about customs, we are nervous about planes, we are nervous about all the procedures and the paperwork connected with traveling. Thankfully we have been able to travel and see some wonderful sights in this world, but only because we went with a tour, a travel guide, and all of the details were looked after. But we would be very hesitant to attempt any travelling on our own. We are learning to grow out of it, but it’s not who we are. It’s unknown. 

And death for each one of us is unknown. And there is a fear of death because we don’t know the way. 

And just over to John 14 – Jesus tells His disciples that He is going to leave them. He is going to prepare a place for them, for us. And His disciples say, “We don’t know where you are going, and we don’t know the way.” 

And Jesus says He is death’s travel guide. He says, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”

There is a story told in Brazil about a missionary who discovered a tribe of Indians in a remote part of the jungle. They lived near a large river. The tribe was friendly and in need of medical attention. A contagious disease was ravaging the population and people were dying daily. An infirmary was located in another part of the jungle and the missionary determined that the only hope for the tribe was to go to the hospital for treatment and inoculations. In order to reach the hospital, however, the Indians would have to cross the river – a feat they were unwilling to perform. 

The river, they believed, was inhabited by evil spirits. To enter the water meant certain death. The missionary set about the difficult task of overcoming the superstition of the tribe. 

He explained how he had crossed the river and arrived unharmed. No luck. He led the people to the bank and placed his hand in the water. The people still wouldn’t believe him. He walked out into the river and splashed water on his face. The people watched closely, yet were still hesitant. Finally he turned and dived into the water. He swam beneath the surface until he emerged on the other side.

Having proven that the power of the river was a farce, the missionary punched a triumphant fist into he air. He entered the water and escaped. The Indians broke into cheers and followed him across.²  

Jesus Christ sees how we are enslaved by fear, the fear of death, and He explains the river of death is nothing to fear because “I have you firmly in my hand. You are in me, don’t worry.” 

But the pit in our stomach remains. 

Jesus says, you don’t need to fear the finality of death. Believe in me and even though you die you will live. Death is not the end, but a portal, a doorway. 

But that fear continues to hang on. 

So Jesus says, “you don’t need to fear judgment. You are forgiven. You are a new creation. And in me you are holy, righteous.” 

Yeah, but, we say, there is still that unknown!

And Jesus says, “Fine, this is what I’ll do.” And he jumps into the river of death and he swims through and on the third day, on the third day he punches a triumphant fist into the air and says, “Death has been defeated, death has been defeated! And you do not need to fear.” 

And so now for those of us who are on this side of death’s river. It’s time to sing and fear no more!

Copyright MBC and Tom Cullen - March 2005
 

ENDNOTES:

1.    Max Lucado, Six Hours One Friday, (Portland, Oregon: Multnomah Press, 1989) Page 133.

2. Ibid, page 157.
 

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