Death has lost the battle! Where is its victory? Where is its sting? ” When we think of Jesus and what He has done for us, we often focus on the fact that He has overcome sin. While true and crucially important, Jesus has done more than that. Indeed, if Jesus had only ransomed us from sin, but not from death, at the end of this life we would be forgiven beings who were not resurrected and, thus, essentially damned. But Jesus has done more than pay for sins. He has risen from the dead. And, because He is risen, we too will all be raised from the dead.
One of the saddest days in the life of we mortals comes when one whom we deeply loved passes from this life. The loss of a father, mother, spouse, or child can be devastating, and more so for those who do not believe in Christ or life after death. It has been said that the only way to take the sting out of death would be to take the love out of life. If we love no one, then death brings us no sorrow, no pain. However, if we love as God intended us to, then death will always bring some measure of mourning and sadness, even if we have hope in glorious resurrection and life after death.
Our verse for today asks the rhetorical but crucial questions: "Where is death's victory? Where is its sting?" "Death has lost the battle" because it is swallowed up in Christ! Because He has overcome death, we too shall overcome it. No one, absolutely no one, will be left in the grave. All shall live again! Of course, that is a hope-filled message. But the hope is increased, and the message is even better when we accept Christ; because only those who accept Him will enjoy eternal life in His presence. Live again, we shall! But living with Him is a choice; and may we all make that choice, so that "death" has no "sting"!
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. ” In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet Jeremiah is speaking to the Israelites at a time of great despair. They were exiled, living in Babylon, far from their homeland. Jeremiah's words were meant to offer hope and assurance during this period of upheaval. His message was not just for their immediate comfort but also to give them a perspective of a hopeful future planned by God.
This passage in Jeremiah speaks directly to the heart of encouragement, especially in the face of uncertainty and difficulty. It's a reminder that even when our current circumstances seem bleak or disheartening, there is a broader plan for good, for hope, and for a future. This can be particularly resonant for us when we face our own periods of doubt or when our path seems unclear. It's a call to trust in a greater plan that we might not fully understand yet.
