One thing is for sure– death is a part of the curse of sin.
And it’s hard not to blame the world for being blind to it all. It’s just amazing how immediately everything else in the world seems completely unimportant the world is seen anew with fresh, tear-filled eyes– ones that now understand real pain. I don’t mean to sound angry at the people who don’t understand the pain. I wanted to scream, Don’t you all get it? I’m in pain, here! My family is suffering! Can’t you see how much this hurts?īut of course, they can’t hear me or my thoughts.Īnd on they go, like an aspen in the wind– faintly fluttered by small daily cares. The guy in the truck had his music playing too loud. The people walking down the street were too happy. I could think of nothing else to do.Īs I drove, the flood of emotions were unlike anything I’ve ever felt. Shaky knees, broken voice– a strange sense of fear and nervousness and pain– I got into my car to go home. I was the happy man in Chekov’s parable.īut after the call, the pounding of the hammer got my attention. Unlike thousands of others, before Thursday I had never lost a close loved one. The happy man lives at his ease, faintly fluttered by small daily cares, like an aspen in the wind– and all is well. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.When I received the call at 2:58, Thursday, with news that my cousin Tyson Larson was killed in an accident in his lab in Simi Valley, Anton Chekhov’s words– were all I could think:īehind the door of every contented, happy man there ought to be someone standing with a little hammer and continually reminding him with a knock that there are unhappy people, that however happy he may be, life will sooner or later show him its claws, and trouble will come to him– illness, poverty, losses, and then no one will see or hear him, just as now he neither sees nor hears others. 9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. See, I have told you.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee there you will see him. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.
3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.Ģ8:1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 14:2, 2Cor.5:8)Ħ2 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. HOW DOES THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST GIVE US RELIEF AND ENCOURAGEMENT TODAY? We are guaranteed of our own resurrection (1Cor. We are given power for living life now! (Rm. We are declared righteous before God! (Rm. WHAT DID CHRIST'S RESURRECTION ACCOMPLISH FOR US? To carry on His office of Mediator (Rm. For His own Glory and that of His Father (Jn. The resurrection of Christ brings us real victory and attending relief concerning our two greatest earthly burdens - guilt and fear No Guilt in Life, No Fear in Death (Matthew 27:62-28:10)
MaSermon: No Guilt in Life, No Fear in Death