"Life and death" happens here on earth (June 6, 2010)
By Rev. Bert A. Thompson

There’s a common phrase we all use: “life and death”. We say “life and death” because that’s what happens here on earth.

But death is not what God wants to happen. God gives life in the Garden of Eden, life forever and ever with no death, ever. God is life, but we rebel. Every sin we do is a turning away from the God of life. Every sin brings death (Ezekiel 18:4). Sin turned God’s world of life into a graveyard. Even children die, as in our Old Testament lesson and young people die, as in our Gospel lesson.

The prophet Isaiah speaks of a death shroud covering the whole earth (Isaiah 25:7). We know it, but we try to ignore it. Woody Allen once said, “It’s not that I’m afraid to die. I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” We might wish that also, but we will be around when we die. And our sin is the cause of it.

God will not put up with our sin, but instead of destroying us, God came down and was born as one of us. God the Son came down to earth to be born of the virgin Mary. Christ came to live the sinless life that we cannot live. Then, Christ was punished for what we do wrong. Our sins cause death. Christ Jesus came so that death will die. We pulled death from the jaws of life but Jesus pulled life from the jaws of death.

How are we sure of this? Words are words, but where is the proof? Can we trust God? Yes. Throughout the Bible, God always gives proof of what He is going to do.

In the Garden of Eden, so quickly after that first sin, God comes to Adam and Eve who are covered with leaves, hiding in the bushes. He promises that a woman would bear a Child Who would crush the head of Satan who brought sin and death (Genesis 3:15).

Adam sees the start of that promise. Enoch is taken directly to heaven without dying (Genesis 5:21-24). With Enoch, God rips a hole in that death shroud that covers the whole earth. Later, God takes Elijah directly to heaven without dying (2 Kings 2:11). This rips another hole in that shroud of death.

But what about those who have died? In our Old Testament lesson (1 Kings 17:17-24), a child is raised to life, and death loses more of its power. In our Gospel (Luke 7:11-17), Jesus raises a young man in a funeral procession. Later Jesus raises Lazarus after he was dead and buried four days. Death is getting weaker and weaker. Then, at the resurrection of Jesus Christ, death suffers a mortal blow. On the Last Day, all the bodies will be resurrected and Death itself will die. Praise God! The curse of sin is going to end.

God always gives advance notice of what He is doing. Our Old Testament and New Testament lessons tell us what is coming and it’s not coming to a theatre near you. This is no movie. This is real. This resurrection is coming to your own body.

The raising of the widow’s son by Elijah and the raising of the widow’s son by Jesus were only for this life, but after Jesus was raised, never to die again, our resurrection at the Last Day will also be for everlasting life, never to die again.

You are in Christ Jesus. You have been placed there at your baptism. Just as Christ has eternal life in Himself, so also, because you are in Christ Jesus, you have His eternal life in you. Just as Jesus lived on this earth as a human being, so you live on this earth as a human being. Just as Jesus died and was buried, you too will die and be buried, unless the Last Day comes first. But because you are in Christ Jesus, you are given His righteousness and you are forgiven. You will go with Christ through death and the grave. You will join in His resurrection.

This eternal life began at your baptism, because at your baptism, you were joined to the crucified and risen Christ.

When everything in your life goes wrong, look up. You are in Christ Jesus. In Christ Jesus, even death itself cannot hold you because you are forgiven. In Christ Jesus, you fear nothing.

Today is special. Today our eighth grade students from St. Luke Lutheran School will graduate. What does 8th grade graduation have to do with life or death? Graduation may not have much to do with life or death, but what these students learned on their way to this day has everything to do with death and life. Allow me to digress and speak a little about our students.

All of them have learned their school subjects at the feet of Jesus. They have learned that everything we do flows from Jesus. They have learned that without Jesus we have nothing, no forgiveness of sins, no eternal life, no sure and certain purpose or meaning for this life, no reason for living and no sure and certain hope in dying. Without Jesus Christ, all accomplishments in academics are meaningless. Without Christ, all achievements in sports become glory days that pass us by. Without Christ, love and hope and joy are meaningless.

Even the theatre teaches us this. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, act 5, scene 5, after the queen is dead, Macbeth utters these words: “Out, out, brief candle! Life [is] but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more; [life] is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” That’s a true picture of life without Christ. Without Christ, we might as well end life as soon as it becomes painful, because without Christ, life means nothing.

But that’s not what we teach at St. Luke Lutheran Church and School. We are the Church of Jesus Christ, because Christ is the Lord of life. Because of Christ, St. Luke Lutheran Church and School is an outpost of life in a world of death, an outpost of forgiveness in a world of sin, an outpost of peace in a world at war.

Because of the forgiveness of our sins, because of eternal life now and forever, everything we do here flows from Christ Jesus. Because of Christ, we forgive each other as Christ has forgiven us. Because of Christ, we study our lessons in school to exercise the talents God has given us. Because of Christ, we play our best, showing Christian love and concern for the other team. Because of Christ, we eat and drink and work and play and do all things to the glory of God in Christ Jesus.

Daily, we are tempted to head back toward death, back toward sin. Daily we live in Christ’s forgiveness. Daily, the Holy Spirit empowers us to do battle with sin. Daily, we are filled with the fruit of the Holy Spirit, because He has made our bodies His temple. Through the Holy Spirit we now begin to show real love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) Daily we learn to imitate our heavenly Father, as His dearly loved children. (Ephesians 5:1)

Christ alone is the way of life! Christ is Life in the midst of death and in Christ, one day, death will be no more.
You parents, who drive your children all over to school and games and camps, it seems like you are always stopping at the gas station. Of course! You need that constant supply of gasoline. In a similar way, our souls and the souls of our children need the constant Word of God and our confirmed sons and daughters need the constant Body and Blood of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

In your hurry to live life, in your hurry to get everything done, do not neglect this, the source of life, the house of your heavenly Father and the altar of His dear Son, Jesus Christ.

The source of life is baptism, the Word of absolution and the Body and Blood of Christ. Without Him, there is only death, but in Christ Jesus, there is life; life forevermore.

God keep us in that life, right now and forever. Amen.