Freedom From the Fear of Death

Introduction

From 1665 to 1666, the last major outbreak of the bubonic plague ravaged London, killing about 25% of the city's population. Eyam was a town about 150 miles north of London...It was later discovered that Eyam's tailor had ordered a bale of cloth from London, which happened to be carrying plague-ridden fleas. Many of Eyam's residents considered fleeing once the plague broke out in their village.

The newly appointed rector William Mompesson realized that Eyam's fleeing villagers could create outbreaks in neighboring cities of Sheffield and Manchester. So Mompesson gathered its 750 residents to lay out a plan for containing an outbreak of the bubonic plague.

Mompesson, along with the previous rector appealed to the community's religious values, convincing them that, according to Christian teachings, the town had a moral duty to do something good for humankind. They arrived at the decision to voluntarily quarantine, with no one leaving or entering until plague cases ceased.

The village placed rocks in a 1-mile circle around Eyam to create their isolation zone. Over the next few months, no one entered or left the town. Nearby villages would leave food and supplies by the cordon rocks in return for coins that were soaked in vinegar, a practice the townspeople believed would prevent the plague from spreading.

In 1665, Eyam had between 750 and 800 residents. By the time the plague had taken its toll, 260 of them had died, representing over a third of the total population. Fortunately, the self-imposed quarantine was successful in preventing further transmission. Had the plague reached Manchester or Sheffield, it most likely would have become a severe epidemic with thousands of fatalities.

Tens of thousands of tourists visit Eyam each year to admire its villagers' sacrifice and to learn about an era ravaged by plague epidemics....and God is glorified by a group of villagers who chose to love their neighbor…to put the needs of others ahead of their own…to be salt and light to a dark world.

How can people face death…choose love and have courage to think of others ahead of themselves? How can people live their faith in such a fearless way?

We are currently facing one of the greatest hardships any of us have known. It is an inconvenient experience. It is costs us financially. Some are grieving the loss of friends and family...And it is creating a great deal of fear among us.

Right now the the mortality rate for the Corona Virus stands at around 3.4% in the United States. Officials tell us that number may decline in the coming weeks as more are tested but that they expect the rate to stay much higher than seasonal flu. The fear of this number has crippled our economy and changed the way we live.

Fear isn’t always a bad thing. It keeps us from putting our hand on a hot stove. it prevents us from leaping off the top of tall buildings. Fear is a God given emotion meant to keep us safe.

The Bible says fear can even work in our favor spiritually. To fear the Lord is to revere, respect or honor Him. But it is also to recognize that He is our judge and jury. God is sovereign and our entire future is determined by Him. So fear of God actually moves our heart to repentance, wisdom and faith.

But out of control fear is destructive. When folks begin to see their fears bigger than God, or have no God to begin with, fear ceases to have its intended affect. Fear in such a case fails to move us toward God and instead moves us away from God

US sales of alcoholic beverages have risen 55 percent in the week ending March 21, according to Nielsen data. Hard alcohol, such as gin, tequila and premixed cocktails, is on the top of the pour list, and spirits have seen the highest increase with sales jumping 75 percent compared to the same period last year...Wine and beer are heavily flowing also: Wine sales are up 66 percent, and beer sales have risen 42 percent.

The Corona Virus is moving people to out of control fear...moving many to uncontrolled anxiety…and they self medicate to cope…Alcohol is just one of the many ways as is…drugs…overeating…compulsive spending…suicide…denial...and all kinds of behaviors which could best be called a “grasping of straws” in a vain attempt to escape what makes them afraid....All of these are vain attempts to escape fear.

Make no mistake…fear is a constant of the human experience. We are all going to be faced with it. The greatest enemy of mankind is death and Covid 19 has reminded us of the fear it can bring.

It is funny that we have to be reminded of the reality of death and our own mortality...

Do you know what the mortality rate is for human beings…taking into account all causes of death? 100%. Death comes for all of us sooner or later…and with death can come a whole lot of fear.

We have all sinned against God and the result is the curse of death…we can prolong life through medical advances but we can never escape it.

In 2013 Google launched a new venture called “Calico.” The goal of this new company was and is to “solve death.” The company wants to study and solve aging and give everyone eternal life on earth.

I have bad news for them…death is a consequence of a spiritual problem…not a physical one. And there is only one power that can ever solve such an issue in the human condition…God Himself.

When we sinned against God and were cursed with death as a result…we no longer had the capacity in our sin sickened bodies to live forever one earth. And this curse brings fear…a real, terrible, constant fear…in fact scripture tells us death enslaves us to fear.

Hebrews 2:14-15

Hebrews 2:14–15 NASB95

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

Do you see what death does to the human race in that verse? It enslaves us to fear. It is normal to fear death…it is the human condition…

Jesus has defeated death…and set us free from the slavery to fear it brings. This is what Easter is about…It is the exclamation mark on the salvation of man from sin and death.

The message of Christianity is one which resonates with every single human being…because every single human is born a sinner, destined to die and a slave to the fear these states bring.

We don’t have to be a slave to fear. We do not have to live with uncontrolled anxiety over our coming earthly demise.

He Arose!

Matthew 28:1-7

Matthew 28:1–7 CSB

After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards were so shaken by fear of him that they became like dead men. The angel told the women, “Don’t be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here. For he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see him there.’ Listen, I have told you.”

Jesus went to the cross and died for our sins. He took upon Himself all of the sins we ever committed…he died to pay the price owed for them…death…all had sinned and the wages of sin was death…Jesus had never sinned yet He died…an unjust event had it not been for the fact that our sins were placed upon Him.

Then He was buried in a tomb for three days. His corpse was as lifeless and dead as any corpse in the ground today. But on that Sunday morning He rose from the dead. He defeated death…and the promise for those who have faith in Him is simple…our sins are paid for in Jesus…and we defeat death in Jesus as well.

The resurrection of Jesus was a picture of what we have to look forward to as well…a resurrection morning when our body, like His, will come out of the tomb.

We may die a physical death here on earth but we don’t stay dead. Our soul goes to be with God…and someday our body will rise from the grave too. In that moment our bodies will be perfected…recreated without the curse of sin and all of its effects. Our spirit will reenter our body and we will live forever in that body in a new heaven and a new earth.

This is real…Jesus did rise from the grave and one day…we will too…the question is simple…will you rise to life or eternal death?

The Choice

Some will rise to life and some to death…those who have faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins and eternal life will rise to life…those who reject the message of Christianity…reject Jesus and His sacrifice for their sins…will rise to death.

Death need not be an experience of destructive fear and uncontrolled anxiety…if you have faith in Jesus for eternal life. John 3:16

John 3:16 CSB

For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Jesus changes everything…Jesus changes our life here and now and gives us assurance of a life after the here and now.

Someday…whatever the cause…you are going to be in the last moments of life…your eyes will begin to close to this world and open to the next…what will you see? What will you hear? Who will you see?

Recently I spoke to a man who runs a hospice…He told me of the varying experiences of those who die. Many times Christians will begin to see loved ones who knew Christ in this life…some hear beautiful music and see heaven. These have a peaceful passing…but others have a different experience…those without Christ fight for life to the bitter end…and one story in particular will send chills down your spine…of a man who saw demons.

Life is real…you know it…you are self aware…there is a life to come that is just as real…how and where you spend your life in eternity is completely dependent upon a choice you will make right now…to receive or reject Jesus Christ as your Savior from sin and resurrection to eternal life. What will you choose?

What is God speaking to your heart this morning? Would you like to be free from the power of sin and death? Would you be set free from the slavery to fear death brings? Would you turn from sin and give your life to God this morning? Would you have faith in Jesus and give your life to Him?

And for those of us who have believed…He arose! What a glorious thought! What a glorious life! What a glorious future to come!