(Part of my message from our Maundy Thursday Chapel - April 9, 2009)
This past week when I attended the funeral of a very good friend of mine. I know there are people in this room who have experienced the loss of a loved one, and it is hard. Where is our peace and hope in that scenario? Death is made out to be so final, so permanent.
Our hope my friends is when we are reminded that Enemy has been defeated. He was defeated when Jesus Christ became alive again on Easter Sunday. If you believe the tomb was empty and that Christ rose again – if that is not a fairy tale to you, but the absolute truth – then you know that death couldn’t hold Him down. Christ rose and sin, death, and the power of the devil lost their hold on us forever!
Our hope is absolute assurance of knowing that because He rose, we will rise as well. John 6: 40 says, “For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
Our hope is the certainty of knowing that we have eternal life waiting for us after our days are done on this earth. John 5:24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life."
We were all certain that my friend knew that, and we could celebrate his victory over death.
Folks, we were reminded again this week that we don’t know when our days will be up on this earth. The two friends from the Santa Margarita HS community thought they had a lot of days left I’m sure, when they went on their car ride. Two weeks ago, we play acted what a crash might feel like I our school. Our friends at Santa Margarita are experiencing that pain and loss in real time this week. I pray that if anyone has doubts in this room about the truth of the death and resurrection of Jesus, they will surrender those doubts to Him today. The truth is this from John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but has eternal life.”
You and I are victorious people – our God won!
When our future looked hopeless at the crucifixion - our God won!
When the enemy was starting to celebrate - our God won!
When everything looked like it was falling apart – our God won!
No more crying there, no more dying there, only life eternal there because – our God won!
Let’s celebrate the fact our God won – and because He won – all who believe he won have an eternity with Him in heaven after life ends on this earth!
Shout unto God
The enemy has been defeated
And death couldn't hold You down
We're gonna lift our voice in victory
We're gonna make Your praises loud
Shout unto God with a voice of triumph
Shout unto God with a voice of praise
Shout unto God with a voice of triumph
We lift Your name up
We lift Your name up
