The world gets everything wrong, including death. It imagines that there is nothing worse than to die. Some vainly and foolishly imagine that we might be able to crack the code and cheat death. But these are only delusions of those who call God a liar. Certainly, for those who do not know the comfort of the Gospel, death is terrifying and nothing could be worse. In their case, the death of their bodies is only the gate to eternal death and suffering. But for the Christian, death is no longer a thing to be feared because the Blood of Jesus has emptied it of all its condemnation. As Jesus said of the little girl “she is not dead but sleeping.” In faith, death truly is but a slumber from which the body of the Christian shall awaken on the Last Day as it is united again with the soul and together they begin eternity in the presence of God and the Lamb. “O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?” For you, dear Christian, raised from death in the new birth of Holy Baptism, death has neither victory nor sting. It is as sweet as laying your head down on your pillow and getting a good night’s sleep. Do not fear death. I look forward to gathering with all of you this Lord’s Day as Jesus comes into our midst to cast away the dark shadows of death and comfort us with the life of His Holy Word.
Pastor Ulmer