Bethany Bullet - November 3, 2009

“Death is swallowed up in victory! Death where is thy victory? Death where is thy sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (I Cor. 15:54-57 NIV)

The Message puts it this way,

“Death is swallowed by triumphant Life! Who has the last word, oh, Death? Oh, Death, who is afraid of you now?”

It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three: sin, guilt, and death – are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God!”

All Saints’ Day at Bethany, as in many congregations, is a day that includes recalling those from our midst who this past year joined the heavenly congregation. Death is a factor in our All Saints’ worship services.

Saint Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, declares that there is a death that changes how we view death. This passing we ought not to pass by lightly. It is the death of one born long ago.

This birth was more or less like that of any of the children of men. ‘Twas conceived as mother and father collaborated together. It didn’t take long before this newborn had the entire family wrapped around its finger; the entire human family that is.

While we need to recognize its death there is no denying that it had a long life. There was no one who could stand up to it, most were afraid of it, some would brave it – but none could best it. It was the top dog from shortly after the dawn of time, till daybreak on the first Easter. The death of the one of whom St. Paul speaks is death itself. Death has died!

Death lost its sting. In Jesus Christ death met its match. In Jesus, death found one it could not best. It tried, it even looked like it had done the job as it concealed His body three days behind a sealed tomb, but from the moment Jesus breathed His last, death breathed its last fearsome breath. Now the best death can do is hurt the living!

That’s obvious you’re thinking, once you’re dead death has done its job to you. That is not what I mean. Read these words again. Because of Jesus Christ, the best death can do is hurt the living – those still living when it, death, has acted. Jesus didn’t just render death weakened, He made it impotent! Death has NO power! Sure it can still act but it can no longer inflict! Death has been swallowed up in victory! It is now nothing but the portal of everlasting life for those who belong to God in Jesus Christ.

-Pastor Kevin Kritzer