Victory in Christ Alone

I. Introduction: Preaching the Gospel to Ourselves

a. Death looks like defeat, it feels like a finality, we speak of the deceased in the past tense as if they no longer exist. But death is not the end, it the beginning. For the Christian, death is not the champion, for Jesus our savior conquered death.

b. John 11:25

John 11:25 ESV

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

So I want to remind us of 5 gospel truth that you can carry in your heart as you grieve and I also pray that you will embrace these truths and Jesus as your Savior.

II. Victory in his Righteousness

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

This is called the great exchange. (use hand and bible illustration)

III. Victory in his Strength

1 Peter 2:24 (ESV)

24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

IV. Victory in his Love

1 John 4:10 ESV

10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

V. Victory in his Mercy and Grace

Ephesians 2:4–7 (ESV)

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 1:3–10 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

Romans 3:21–24 (ESV)

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

VIII. Victory in Christ Alone

John 14:6 ESV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

IX. Conclusion:

We know that Charlie professed faith in Christ and demonstrated that faith by a life that treasured Christ.

Who is our hope in life and death - CHRIST ALONE!

Today we are confronted with death - I implore you to put all your hope in Christ alone. If you have trusted him for years, resolve to continue to trust in him until you reach the end of your race.

If you are here are you are not trusting in Jesus - I plead with you to repent of your unbelief and to embrace Christ by faith and you too will have the hope of victory in death.