“Eternal Victory”

I have told the story before, of the day, about fifteen years ago, I walked into the little, local shopping mall in the town where I lived, and recognized, ahead of me, an acquaintance: Garwin Smith. He was nominally a Baptist, though he had not entered the building much at all, since childhood. Nice fellow. I knew his daughter too, a great person, one of the local doctors. 

Anyway, I was going into the Home Hardware so I did not catch up with Garwin. I think it was when I was on my way home that I thought to myself, ‘Wait a minute… Garwin Smith. He died. I had his funeral. And buried him! That must have just been a look-alike.’

Perhaps you have had a similar experience. Think you saw someone who is gone. Depending upon how well you knew the deceased, the experience could be upsetting, confusing, comforting, kind of spooky, or just laughable. 

Life after death. We are just at the edge of a new Church season that will lead us to the pivotal death and resurrection story of Jesus. As a few disciples got a glimpse, one day, of bright, glorified Jesus on the mount of transfiguration, today we look ahead to where Lent will lead us. To face death. To glimpse resurrection.

After skipping the middle, we come today to the finale of 1 Corinthians 15, the so-called Resurrection Chapter. It ends with some grand, poetic language about the future of those who die. They won’t stay dead. There will be resurrection for the dead. People will be different, will be changed, will be amazing then - Thanks To God. 

In the earlier years of my ministry, verses from this chapter would be used often at funeral services. It is printed out in all the service books for ministers: Baptist, United, others. Some of these words also get sung in Handel’s Messiah. Part III, after the Hallelujah Chorus, is mostly from 1 Corinthians 15. 

The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised,

be raised incorruptable. And we shall be cha-a-a-nged.

(I’ve never ever sung in Handel’s Messiah. Does it show?)

As with so much Biblical language, it makes an impression, it gives a message, without giving all the exact details. What happens is good. What we become is different. What is accomplished is amazing. We just can’t explain it all. 

As I was saying three weeks ago, much of our New Testament Bible speaks of life after death in the form of resurrection. People die. Later on, they are brought back to life, in a new form. 

Notice how, in the past, death was often called ‘sleep?’ This was done back in the Bible days, and up thru the 20th century. Read the inscription on the memorial stained glass window out by the front door by the offices. It is in memory of our former Minster’s wife.  

IN MEMORIAM  SARAH WHITMAN STEELE

FELL ASLEEP IN JESUS, SEPT. 3rd, 1911

She fell asleep in Jesus, and so awaits the resurrection.

Likely we all knew quite a few people who are now dead. Some were like Garwin Smith was to me - simply a pleasant acquaintance in town. Some were like my grandfather, George - a family member I knew all my life. Some were like my grandmother, Daisy - a family member I have not seen since I was eight years old. We have our ways of thinking about them, and about what happens now. Our ways of feeling about them, and sensing them far from us now, or close. Plus our concept of the God we are called upon to trust, for care in the life to come. However and whenever this resurrection happens. 

‘Death and dying’ almost always has its hard parts. I visited friends in Digby yesterday. One minute we talked of my friend Greg’s sister-in-law, dying in the nursing home. She has not had food or drink for six days - and is still alive, with family at her side, 24/7. The next minute we spoke with firefighter Jonathan of a fire in an apartment building there on Friday - one resident did not make it out. He died that sad way. 

The great resurrection chapter has its finale, with poetic promises that all will be well. Those who died will live. The next life we will rise in a different form than this. Evil and wrong will be gone. It is spoken of as a victory. A victory over death itself, and evil. The One who wins the victory for us is God, the God we see in Jesus. The apostle Paul, the writer of this letter, gives a taunt song, making fun of death, like a defeated enemy. 

Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?

Did you know Paul is using the Hebrew scriptures, here? If not quoting it, making a strong allusion to Hosea 13:14. But he is turning it, twisting the words to become good news. 

For it had been bad news. Dig into your Bible to find Hosea, and read chapter 13. It is a harsh message, in the language and culture of those ancient people! A chapter of divine judgment against God’s people, the Israelites. The poetry pictures God as an angry bear, and a lion. Later, there is terrible violence against women and children! We usually don’t want to think of God behaving like this. Hosea’s message from God included this curse upon the people: 

O Death, where are your plagues? (i.e, bring them on!)

O Sheol, where is your destruction? (bring it!)

Compassion is hidden from my eyes.

Centuries later, Paul, the early Christian, practically quotes these words of a curse, and turns them into a blessing. He uses them to make fun of death, which Jesus makes powerless, when it’s all said and done.    Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?

Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory, 

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

With Christians around the world this week, we start an annual journey of spirit: Lent. We face our weakness and mortality. We face our evil and our needs. We turn our faces to follow Jesus to the place where He will face suffering and death. And to where the light of a whole new, unbelievable day will dawn! I want us to take the journey together for the sake of hope and togetherness. We can find a way through the wilderness of this life, and of death, with our Master. 

So, my beloved siblings, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord because you know that in Christ your labour is not in vain.