Sermon - Judica 2020 - John 8:42-59

If there’s one thing that this current pandemonium makes clear, it’s that death scares people. Covid, in the scheme of things and the scope of human history, relative to previous pandemics and pestilence, Covid is minor. Worst case scenario with this virus is that about 3% of the population dies. That’s pretty bad, it’s a lot of people! However, compared to previous plagues where 50% or more died, people are relatively safe still today. Nevertheless, this virus has forced many people to come to terms with the possibility of dying.

In a secular culture like ours, in a culture which foregoes the spiritual and religious and focuses entirely on this life, it makes sense that people would absolutely panic in the face of death. When this life means everything to you, and death means the end of this life, that means that death is the end of everything in your mind. The secularist when faced with death can only panic and react with fear and hysterics, because the secularist has no framework beyond this life. It makes sense that a secular society would flood the stores and buy everything they can, because they want some security and the only place that they know to look for this security is in the stuff of this life, like toilet paper and food.

For generations we’ve been transitioning into this secular society, turning away from God and religion. Yet the Lord of creation and the God of our forefathers remains with His church in the midst of our growing secularism. So that when the world is brought to her knees, trembling in terror when faced with the grim reality of death, God remains to bring hope. 

Dear Christians, there is hope, and God has preserved you for this time so that in the midst of a frightened secular world, with their secularist worldview crumbling beneath thier feet, you might be present to proclaim our hope of immortality. Your hope cannot be purchased, the security you have can’t be found in a grocery store or any of the other so-called “essential business.” Your hope and security is found in Christ. The security that this world is desperately searching for was bought for us by the Son of God who shed His most precious blood on our behalf. That hope and security in the face of pestilence and death has always been freely available. That’s the kind of treasure we ought to store up and keep, not the kind that moth and rust destroys and thieves can break in and steal.

The word of the Lord gives the gift of immortality, in the face of death, to those who keep it. Jesus promises: “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” My friends, that’s the good news of Jesus Christ, that’s the Gospel worth sharing! Our world is frightened and desperate, looking for just a glimmer of hope, and we have the full glorious Sun of hope rising with healing on the horizon! “In the midst of life we are in death, from whom can we seek help? From You alone O Lord!”

I know, it’s confusing and it doesn’t make human sense how we can be in the midst of both life and death simultaneously. The Jews didn’t get it either, they objected to this, saying: “Now we know you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’” Obviously Abraham was a man of great faith and in faith he kept the word of God, so why did he die? The Jews didn’t get it, and often neither do we. It doesn’t make sense that Jesus would say you won’t die if you keep His Word, but then you still end up in a casket. 

The reason the Jews didn’t get this teaching was because they were mostly entirely secularists. They were looking for a Messiah to come, but not to bring them to heaven, rather just to set up an earthly kingdom where the Jews would be served by the Gentiles as their slaves. They were looking for a bread king, not a Savior. So the idea of the Messiah coming to take them out of this world made no sense to them, since this world meant everything to them.

But Jesus explains what he means and shows that Abraham didn’t truly die. Jesus said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” How did Abraham see the day of the Lord? He saw it because Abraham lives in the resurrection! Abraham is alive in Christ and has seen the Messiah! 

Abraham confessed his faith in the resurrection when he was walking up Mt. Moriah, where he knew he was going to have to slaughter and offer up his adult son as a burnt sacrifice, because he said: “I and the boy will come again to you.” Abraham heard the word of the Lord and kept it!

In the face of death, knowing that his son must be killed, he kept the word of God in faith, trusting that God would resurrect his son. Isaac, who was an adult at this time, must have had faith in the resurrection since he allowed himself to be bound with ropes by his elderly father. Together Abraham and Isaac trusted in God’s Word of promise that they would live. 

Indeed, Abraham and Isaac saw God’s promise come true when the ram was given in place of Isaac. They saw the divine foreshadowing of Christ, the Lamb of God, take the place of all sinful mankind. The Word of our Lord promises life! “I am the resurrection and the life!” “Come to Me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” “In my Father’s house are many rooms; I go to prepare a place for you.” The Word of God is filled with life for dying people like us!

Christians! Don’t let the secularists drag you down into grim despair and fear. Be bold and encouraged! The Son of God, Jesus the Christ, our Savior and Messiah spoke from His own lips saying: “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.”

What more powerful and comforting words have ever been spoken?  “Whoever keeps my word, will never taste death!” What a joyous refrain that is for our lives! Jesus comes and brings pleasure eternal! He comes in order to die, to be the scapegoat, to suffer death by crucifixion. He offers up His own life and His own blood for ours. He dies so that we might live! 

Where do we receive this precious gift of eternal life? In the Word of God. Therefore, heed Jesus’ command and keep the Word. Treasure it up and cling to it daily. Plant it deep within your heart where it might sprout and grow, removing your old heart and giving you a new one. Keep this word in faith, don’t abandon it nor forsake it, but believe it and trust in it. This Word of God that Jesus speaks is Spirit and life! Where else shall we turn? Only Christ has the words of eternal life! 

Don’t fear death and the plague like the secularist does, but walk in faith. “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage.” Hold fast to the Word of God in firm faith, not doubting but believing that by it you shall live and not see death.