Troy M. Troftgruben, Intern Pastor

First Sunday of Easter - April 7,  2002

Lessons: Acts 2:14a, 22-32 (also Rom. 6:3-5)

"Death's Sole Conqueror"

I. Today we're going to begin on a light-hearted note: Death…, death…, death…

OK, now what images, feelings, or thoughts came to your mind as I said that? (scary, the Grim Reaper, darkness…). Generally, death is not the most dreamed of, thought of, or spoken of subject for light conversation at the family dinner table.

First, for most folks, death is a rather avoided topic:

A. Woody Allen quipped, 'It's not that I'm afraid to die. I just don't want to be there when it happens'

B. John Wayne at age 71 explained that he had difficult moments watching his old movies: 'It's kind of irritating to see I was a good-looking 40-year-old and suddenly I can look over and see this 71-year-old. …I'm not squawking…, I just want to be around for a long time' (ABC Special Report w/ B. Walters, Jan. 1979).

Second, for many more, death is a scary & eerie enemy

A. Samuel Johnson, at the death of a close friend, stated, 'I felt a sensation never known to me before: a confusion of passions, an awful stillness of sorrow, a gloomy terror without a name'

B. Ghandi, the great Hindu spiritual leader, one of the greatest of world leaders in the last century, shortly before his death wrote: "My days are numbered. I am not likely to live very long--perhaps a year or a little more. For the first time in fifty years I find myself in the slough of despond. All about me is darkness; I am praying for light."

Finally, for all, death is an unavoidable encounter:

A. Voltaire, on his deathbed, addressed his doctor: "I am abandoned by God and man. I will give you half of what I am worth, if you will give me six months' life." (Obviously, that request was not granted)

B. Thomas Hobbes, probably the greatest of British political philosophers, towards death said that were he the master of the world, he would give it all to live one day longer.

No matter how avoided, no matter how fought against, death is a reality. …avoided by none, and conquered by none, …except One

II. Acts 2:22-24 ~ "…because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him" (v.24).

The movie Jurassic Park - parts 1, 2, & 3 - is a fun sci-fi movie series that shows unbelievably realistic animation of real dinosaurs rampaging a remote island in the ocean waters. In all three of movies, there is the same basic message in every one. The first movie shows a fellow trying to set up a dinosaur zoo; the second, a big game hunter trying to tame the Tyrannosaurus Rex; the third, more adventurous explorers trying to tame the Tyrannosaurus Rex. …the basic message in every movie is the same: man bites off more than he can chew when he tries to capture & conquer the dinosaur.

Well, in a similar way, here (Acts 2:24) death bites off more than it can chew when it tries to capture & conquer the Lord Jesus. (It's not often that I would compare Jesus to a Tyrannosaurus Rex, but…) like in that movie, the Lord Jesus cannot be conquered; He cannot be lorded over; and He certainly cannot be caged nor captured. As the Scripture says, "…it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him" (Acts 2:24).

Obedient to the Father's will, He willingly gave of Himself, taking our punishment on His shoulders, He allowed Himself into the clutches of death's grip. …but for Him to remain there indefinitely, would be like expecting a lion to remain imprisoned by a mousetrap.

Death's sting could not penetrate the Him, nor could it produce any lasting effect. When it tangled with the Lord of heaven and earth, death found its Match, its Superior, its End, its final & ultimate Conqueror. Jesus is Lord, has always been Lord, and forevermore will reign as Lord over all the forces of evil. Certainly, "…it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him." (Acts 2:24).

III. So what does that mean for us?

Rom. 6:3-5: "Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection."

Through the act of baptism, and the ongoing faith relationship we have the Lord Jesus, there is a deep, spiritual uniting that occurs between our Lord and us, …between the Lord Jesus & you. It's sort of like when you get married; when you marry, you thenceforth lose all true individualism: from now on you share meals, a bed, the bathroom, a checkbook, a house, a car, family, a last name; sometimes even clothes, chapstick, desserts, drinks, random toiletries and toothbrushes. Everything - the good, the bad, and the ugly - you share completely in a marriage relationship. …so it is in faith relationship with Jesus Christ. It's like a marriage - except in this marriage, we get the good, while Jesus gets the bad & the ugly! As Luther said, in our uniting with Christ, there is a "Happy Exchange" that occurs, wherein Jesus takes our sin, death, & hell, while we take His righteousness, life, and heaven. (We sure get the good side of the bargain!). …it's a spiritual uniting by faith. So that just as Christ was raised from the dead, so also will we be raised from the dead - our marriage covenant says so!

Does that mean we won't die? …obviously not. As you see in the newspaper obituary page, Christians are no more immune to death than non-Christians are. But for those united with Jesus, death's teeth are removed.

A story is told of a boy and his father, who were traveling in a car when a bee flew through the open window. Now, the boy was so highly allergic to bee stings that both he and his father knew that his life was in danger. As the boy frantically jumped around and tried to avoid the agitated bee, the father calmly reached out and grabbed the bee. When he opened his hand, the bee began to fly again, terrorizing the boy once more. The father then said, 'Look, son,' holding up a hand with an implanted stinger, 'his stinger is gone; he can't hurt you any longer.' …that is what Jesus has done for you. He has taken away death's sting, death's permanence, death's finality.

In the Divine Drama Bible study (that I teach on Sunday nights), there is a transparency slide we use, showing 8 little pictures that tell the salvation story. In one of the pictures there are given two individuals (us) standing next to a skull (death). This shows humanity in its sinful condition. A few pictures later, after Jesus has come and brought salvation, the people are now redeemed and praising God, while the death skull that was once stood is now turned into a door, or a gate. …That is what Jesus has done for us: He has transformed death from a scary, looming end, …into a doorway unto the life beyond with Him. That is how Jesus has torn out the stinger of death for you who are united with Him: death is no longer the end, but is now a gateway unto the most exciting hope ever known.

You'll see this difference made at funerals. Simply observe the sadness, the pain, and the finality you find at a funeral of an openly non-believing person. Compare that to the peacefulness, happiness, and under-riding celebration found at the funeral of an openly believing Christian. …that, in itself, is proof enough of the difference Jesus makes where death is not allowed to have the last word.

IV. Conclusion

Jesus has conquered the power of death, and He offers you today the victory which He has won. He offers to transform a once-scary 'end' into a gateway to life eternal with Him. He offers life over death to you today. …won't you receive Him?