Death & Life

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

The Gospel in seven words. That’s our theme for this Lent. That’s our goal during these forty days before Easter. “Always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that we have. As we take Peter’s instruction seriously, we’re considering how we might summarize the gospel in clear and simple terms. In seven words. As we’ve discussed, seven words can’t tell everything that needs to be said about Jesus. But the hope is that we can capture the core of the Gospel - to start conversations with people around who need to hear the good news.

As we have talked about, confessing the gospel involves communicating two vital truths. First, we must say the bad news. Sin, death, separation from God. That’ the source of all that is wrong in life. We need to make this clear when we confess our faith. But secondly, the heart of the Gospel is good news. It’s the good news that God has come to save us through the life, death, resurrection, and promised return of His Son, Jesus. Together this bad news and good news is the truth of the Gospel.

Last week, we considered these things by thinking about captivity and freedom. We took seriously the imprisonment of sin and we rejoiced in the freedom God has won for us in Jesus. Today, we are going to look at another Biblical theme, death and life.

When you hear the word death, what words come to mind? I think of words like separation. or pain. I think of finality. I think about the unknown. And to be honest, it raises up some fear. Let’s be real. Death is really scary. If you aren’t afraid of death, simply show up at a funeral. At funerals, we gather around one who had been full of life. One who had been present. One who had been with us. But they are no longer. If you ever needed evidence that things are not right with this world, that there is something terribly wrong with this world, all you have to do is show up at a funeral and take a look around. Some people say death is natural. That death is even beautiful or good. But those are empty words. We know better. Even when it is expected, even when it brings an end to pain of suffering, death is never good. It is never the way things should be. It never was. Return to me to the beginning. To the garden of Eden. It was overflowing with life. Good life. Very good life. God had been clear. Life would continue as long as we listened to Him and obeyed. As long as we trusted Him and lived accordingly. But, God said, if you eat from that tree, you will die. Eat from the tree and life will end. And you know the story. We ate. And we died. And so it has gone for us all ever since.

In our reading from John 11, Jesus got up close and personal with pain, the separation, the grief that accompanies death. His dear friend Lazarus, fell ill and died, leaving behind two sisters whom Jesus also loved. This death brought Jesus to tears. John says He was deeply moved in His spirit and greatly troubled. Death is a terrible thing.

We don’t know because John doesn’t tell us, but I would imagine that the emotion Jesus felt at Lazarus’ death must have reinforced for Himself what He had come to accomplish. It was must have reminded Him what mission He had come to do. And what was that mission? What did Jesus come to do?

You tell me. Really. I’m going to read through a few passages that may be familiar to you. But as I read through them, I’m going to leave out some key words. If you’re not comfortable saying it out loud, simply speak the missing words in your heart. All of these are from the Gospel of John. All except the last of them is from the mouth of Jesus ,Himself.

The first one Jesus said to Martha as they mourned the death of Lazarus. “I am the resurrection and the ______________. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” (John 11:25)

I’m sure you know this next one: “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal _________.”(John 3:16)

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of ____________.” (John 8:12)

“For this is the will Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal ___________.” (John 6:40)

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have ____________, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

“I am the way, and truth and the _________.” (John 14:6)

Just one more. At the end of his Gospel, John summarizes the reason for his writing. “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have __________”. (John 20:31)

Are you noticing a theme here? Nineteen times in the Gospel of John we read that Jesus has come to give life! Real life, abundant life, meaningful life, eternal life. In a world that is filled with death, that’s what Jesus came to do. That’s what He came to give. “Lord to whom shall we go?” the disciples asked. “You have the words of eternal ________!” (John 6:68).

It’s His words that make all the difference. Jesus spoke them throughout His ministry to those who were broken and hurting and sorry and sad. Words of forgiveness. Words of promise. Words of peace. Words that literally gave life. To Jarius’ daughter. To the widow of Nain’s son. To Lazarus in our reading from John. Jesus spoke and the dead were brought back to life. And then He sent His disciples to speak those words. To Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and to all the ends of the earth. To you. To me. To everyone living in the valley of the shadow of death. He continues to speak these words to us as we gather in this place, as we confess our sins, as we gather around His table. And then He sends us to speak these words as we return to our homes and communities.

Psalm 118 talks about these things. Did you know that Psalm 118 was Martin Luther’s favorite psalm? “This is my own beloved psalm.” he said. “Although the entire psalter and all of Holy Scripture are dear to me as my only comfort and source of life, I fell in love with this psalm especially. Therefore I call it my own (LW 14.45) Luther’s personal motto in life was verse 17, in that psalm (Psalm 118:17 “I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.” jdjdj and some historians say he had carved it on the wall in his study.

Do you know what Psalm 118 verse 17 says, “I shall not die, but I shall live and recount the deeds of the Lord.”

Brothers and sisters in Christ, take that to heart! “I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.” One more time say it with me. That’s the good news, friends. That’s the Gospel. That’s what we recount. That’s what we confess.

So how shall we put it tonight? Which seven words shall we choose? How about this? God gives real life in Christ alone. He gives it freely and fully. Abundantly and eternally. He gives it to us, and he gives it through us. God gives real life in Christ alone. May God continue giving life to all who are living in death.