Good morning. Jairus, the leader of the Capernaum synagogue, would have been crushed when he heard that he was too late, his daughter had died only minutes before he could reach her. But he was not too late for Jesus, who took the little girl by her warm hand and restored her to life. The widow of Nain had grieved for a day or more. Her only child, her son, was lying dead and being carried to the grave in a funeral procession. Jesus touched his stiff and cold hand, ordered him to arise, and once again it was proven to be not too late for Jesus. The Lord’s friend Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. His sisters were wracked with grief and confused as to why the Lord hadn’t hurried to care for His friend. “If you’d have been here, my brother would not have died” Martha said to Him. Her point was clear, you are too late, and it has cost him his life. It was not too late for Jesus. He too wept, and then with a voice of command ordered the stone to be rolled away and for the dead to emerge. Lazarus would later enjoy supper with his sisters and his Lord.
Dead a minute, or a day, or for four days, it was never too late for Jesus. Jesus, who laid dead in the tomb for 3 days and then emerged victorious in life.
We are told in 1 Corinthians 15:20 that Jesus Christ is the firstfruits of those raised from death to life. This means that His death and resurrection pave the way and make it possible for all others to know the victory of eternal life.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 1 Corinthians 15:25
When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
1 Corinthians 15:54-55
`Perhaps you are wondering why I am sharing something that seems appropriate for a funeral message with you today. It isn’t that someone’s passing from this life is imminent, but that I think that these truths of the Lord’s great victory should always be with us.
It is important that we, as Christian people, live as people assured of victory, certain that there is no enemy greater than the power and the love of our Lord. No, not even death.
Vern