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From Pastor Liese

Reprinted from the October Trumpeter Newsletter

Died. But Didn’t!

Trinity has “lost” 2 belov’ed members these past weeks. I do NOT make light of their deaths. But I DO find Christ’s Reality amidst our sinful condition a bit of a quandary. Why?

Why is it that this world looks at the death of a beloved Christian friend or family member, and ONLY thinks of (and use words of) “LOSS?” …or… “They passed?” These are words I’ve heard for many years. It seems like people are afraid of the words, “He/She died.” Well…. STOP IT! The dear Lord Jesus has given us a NEW PERSPECTIVE. Yes, a New Perspective in the face of death!

We faced the deaths of Odis and Lala. Does it hurt? YES!! Do we suffer the void? YES!!

But we are Christians! So there remains SO MUCH MORE! We remember Odis & Lala as CHRISTIANS who died IN THE FAITH — and now see the Glorious Risen Christ Jesus face to face!

The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit created a creation that was NOT meant to die! We are CHRISTians!! Which means we are to look at this creation in a different way!

Read on! St. Paul writes, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12). Death comes to us all. Think of all of the deaths you have faced. I think the same. I’ve only had 57 funerals… yet all the same — saints of Christ who closed their eyes in death. I add the funerals of my belov’ed family/friends who died in “the Holy Christian Faith.”

Yes, death comes to us all. But it is the first death… but in Christ, NOT the second (eternal) death! My devotions took me to 1Corinthians 15: READ IT and LISTEN!! I will place my comments after the verses:

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

— Perishable. That’s us. We will die in the flesh — but Christ Jesus died for our sins and makes us “imperishable.”

51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality,

We shall be made imperishable. We shall be made immortal. And when Christ Jesus does that, the following applies:

then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

There is a beautiful German hymn called, “Komm Suser Todd” “Come Sweet Death.” The Victory is and remains in Christ Jesus! This life must endure death. But we, in Christ, will not suffer death. Yes, our bodies must die at some point unless Christ comes on the Day of the Resurrection to take us into eternity. But even our physical death, should it happen before Christ comes is NOT our disaster. That’s what we have to which we hold.

All of our belov’ed who have died in Christ … did not die eternally. They were, in fact, taken to be with the Lord Jesus until the time of His return. Until then, St. Paul writes: v58 “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

Dear Christians, WE HAVE PURE HOPE! Until Christ Jesus calls us home, we live with each other. And Holy Scripture tells us to rid ourselves of all malice, arrogance, and hatred. Rather, we should put on Christ’s love… His compassion…. And deal with each other with His love & compassion.

This side of heaven we are called to Love each other with Christ’s love. And in thinking about it…. THAT is the Only Way to go.

Keep your eyes on Christ, His Cross, and the life of Mercy & Grace which He gave us.

All glory to His Holy Name!!

Pr. Liese