February 20, 2019 Text: 1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Dear Friends in Christ,
Years ago George A. Buttrick wrote: “When he does die, the undertaker strives to make it appear that he has not died: he dresses him in a (suit), and lays him in a narrow box as if he were asleep, even though a man does not usually sleep in a (suit) in a narrow box. There is a funeral, for, unfortunately for our evasions, the man has died: ‘Too bad about So-and-so. But let’s not think about it!’ So we run to our familiar hiding place in the sensate world. And the cynic calls religion an ‘escape!’” . . .
That is our starting point for this morning. We are going to die. The fact is we are dying. A sportscaster on ESPN used to say of an injured player, “He is day-to-day but aren’t we all.” We are. We don’t know when it’s coming just that it is coming and we can’t escape it. That we would be a fearful statement if it weren’t for what Christ has done for us. He is resurrected. He has been raised. He is alive. He has given us who will fall asleep in Christ . . .
“THE GREATEST VICTORY”
What is your greatest victory? What makes your top 5? Family? Work? A game? I’ve been blessed to make game winning free throws with no time on the clock, a game-winning shot that got us into the district championship against Greg Sheley and his Lincoln Jr. High teammates; I’ve had the pleasure of watching victories by Karson and Holden, but “The Greatest Victory” is not a movie title or TV show it is what Christ Jesus has done for you and for me. Why do we need “The Greatest Victory?” Listen carefully to this:
“The world today is trying to get into the Church in a way different from that of former times. The radio is a most wonderful invention, and by it the pure Gospel is brought to thousands who otherwise would not hear it; but by the same means false teachers are admitted into the homes of many who otherwise would not hear them. The automobile and good roads have shortened distances and made travel more convenient; however, the automobile is not only used to bring people to churches, but also to take them away from it. The moving picture is a most valuable educational means; but it is largely used in the service of sin…The rapid growth of our cities is making it possible for our Church to reach more people than ever…but at the same time it is, for various reasons making the work of the church more difficult and is destroying home life. The elimination of much hard work by labor-saving devices is not conducive towards emphasizing the dignity of toil and has a tendency to make people think that hard work in unworthy of a gentleman or lady.
“We are living in a restless and restive age. Life today is much more strenuous and nerve-wracking. People, especially the young, are impatient of control and hard to keep in check.”
Those words were penned by Lutheran Professor Dr. John H.C. Fritz and penned in 1932. Eighty-seven years ago! So, what’s new? Nothing. Your parents and grandparents lived in a restless and nerve-wracking time. Everyone does this side of the grave. O death, where is your victory?
Everything hinges on the resurrection. That is Paul’s argument in our text. People can argue and debate Jesus and His words all they want but the Resurrection confronts the world with the greatest, most colossal event ever. Complete victory over the grave. Your eternal life rests on it! My eternal life rests on it!
If He was not raised from the dead we are to be pitied. But we are here because we are resurrection people. We proclaim the greatest victory every Lord’s Day. We celebrate the greatest event that ever came to this earth: Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection to overcome sin, death, and hell for those who believe. And Paul instantly drags us from the roots we drive into this world, drags us past the headstones and states the case without question: “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (v. 20)
I still like the words of Alexander MacLaren here: “I believe in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, (among) other reasons, because I do not understand how it was possible for the Church to exist for a week after the crucifixion, unless Jesus Christ rose again. Why was it that they did not all scatter? Why was it the spirit of despondency and the tendency to separation, which were beginning to creep over them…did not happen? How came it that these people, with their Master taken away from the midst of them, and the bond of union between them removed, and all their hopes crushed did not say: ‘We have made a mistake, let us go back to…our fishing again, and try and forget our bright allusions’? That is what John the Baptist’s followers did when he died. Why did not Christ’s followers do the same? Because Christ rose again and re-knit them together.”
Christ has done that for us – re-knit us together. The broken pieces of our life re-assembled. The defeats conquered. “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 15:56-57) Because He lives we will live. Enjoy . . . The Greatest Victory!
Amen.