Trinity 11

1  We Die and Live in Christ

Can you tell that you’re alive?

You can put your hand to your heart and check its beating. You can see whether you’re breathing.

But is a beating heart and breathing lungs enough?

Some people don’t think so.

Consider the thrill-seekers in the world:

adrenaline junkes.

Skiing just within your limits of control, surfing where there’s no hope of rescue, jumping out of a flying airplane with only a parachute, leaping from a skyscraper with only a bungee cord.

They risk their lives, and many die. But those who live can’t get enough.

They know that they’re alive.

But are they fully alive?

Adrenaline, drugs, gambling, and even sports:

they can make you feel alive,

but they don’t actually give you life.

Can you know or tell that you’re alive?

It’s not really a medical question, nor a scientific question, nor a philosophical question.

There’s much more to it than that.

It’s a spiritual question,

because it’s about the definition and meaning of life.

I suggest that we leave behind our old notions of life and death:

forget the beating heart and breathing test, forget the thrill of living, forget the chemical descriptions of living beings.

Who are we to define a thing like life?

Instead, let’s learn from the God who makes alive.

He provides us with a fresh perspective on life and death:

a perspective both spiritual and true, a perspective that’s not from any human imagination.

We die and live in Christ

Because His death took away the guilt of our sins. Because His resurrection gives us life before God.

2  1 Corinthians 15:1–10

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you — unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

2.1  His death took away the guilt of our sins.

Our Gospel lesson shows a contrast between two men:

one Pharisee, outwardly righteous, the other a tax collector, outwardly penitent,

The Pharisee thought he was something, when he was nothing.

He thought he had a life to call his own.

The tax collector knew he was nothing,

and because of his guilt, he deserved no life of his own.

We die and live in Christ.

Oddly enough, the dying comes first,

just as we see in the example of the tax collector.

The tax collector was being killed by the Law of God.

Because of that, he would have the benefit

of another man’s death, upon a cross.

The death of Jesus was deliberate.

He died to save others.

Jesus wasn’t the only one to do that. Private Ross McGinnis did the same on December 4, 2006.

He covered a grenade with his own body, saving the lives of his Humvee crew.

Others have willingly died for their comrades, too.

Jesus also died deliberately,

but unlike the others, He died in place of the whole world. Also unlike the others,

He would never have died otherwise,

but had the power to defeat death.

It bears repeating, and we do repeat it in our confession of faith,

just as Paul wrote in our text:

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

There are other differences between the sacrifice of soldiers

and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

For one thing,

our own self-sacrifices are for those whom we love:

our own comrades-in-arms, our own families, our homeland.

Practically, we would never give our life

to save or rescue our mortal enemies.

But that’s exactly what Jesus did.

He died for very same ones who crucified Him.

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The self-sacrifice of soldiers and others

is honored by the highest authorities, as it should be.

What really makes such a sacrifice so honorable

is that it follows the pattern set by God’s Son.

Now, the men whose lives were saved by Private McGinnis

will live in constant gratitude for what he did.

Every moment is like borrowed time:

a gift from their selfless friend.

If they see their families again, raise children, grow old:

they owe it to the one whose love saved them.

The same is true for all of us, from the death of Jesus.

Without Jesus,

the guilt of our sins would tear us to shreds.

We would have only pain and misery on earth,

and be damned to hell for eternity afterward.

Now because of Jesus’ death, we can rise each morning

at peace with God.

We can lie down at night certain of God’s favor.

In sin, we had no right to the sunlight, or the rain,

no right to the air we breathed.

But since Christ died for our sins,

we can enjoy every part of life

as gifts from God.

Do you see why Paul places such importance on this simple fact,

Christ died for our sins.

Simply realizing the rich meaning of that fact

makes the difference

between the Pharisee and the tax collector.

It makes the difference

between living in constant death

and dying to live eternally.

The death of Christ took away the guilt of our sins.

2.2  His resurrection gives us life before God.

We die and live in Christ,

because His resurrection gives us life before God.

There are a lot of people walking around

who — spiritually speaking — are dead.

We all were that way at some point.

But the death of Jesus in our place

has freed us from this everlasting death.

Now because He lives, we have everlasting life.

Hear again the creed that Paul lists for us: I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

He was buried, and rose again the third day.

(At that time, they counted Good Friday as day 1.)

This is just as important for us as Jesus’ death.

It proves that what Jesus accomplished is far greater

than the heroic deaths of other men.

It proves that what Jesus said about His death:

that it counts for the sins of the world,

is absolutely true.

We hear many doubts about the resurrection of Jesus.

The unbelieving Jews wrote their version very quickly:

that His disciples stole His body from the tomb.

Others say that it’s a myth, like so many old stories.

If it never happened — if He didn’t rise,

then we may as well all go home now, and never come back.

But if you stay now, then this is the reason:

that you believe Jesus did rise from the dead.

There were witnesses. Lots of witnesses.

Their testimony agreed, and did not change, even under torture.

Even when they were tortured to death.

We have the longest list of witnesses of the risen Christ

right here in our text today. Count them, if you like.

Paul wrote:

He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also.

By any fair standard of proof,

all of these eyewitnesses, recorded in this letter so near to when it happened,

make the verdict clear: Jesus rose.

For people like us: imperfect humans, sinners:

formerly idolaters, impure, drunks, liars, cheaters, and worse,

we walk around every day,

but without Jesus, would be worse than dead.

Without Jesus, we’d have less value than plants and animals. Without Jesus, we wouldn’t have the right to live.

The Pharisee in our Gospel lesson was like us,

only he was without Jesus.

Oh, he wasn’t without God,

but there’s a big difference between believing in God

and believing what He says.

Even the devil believes in God.

So the Pharisee prayed, and was so proud of himself.

I hope we all see his foolishness,

because such pride is damning for any of us.

Rather than such pride,

we should always be conscious of our failings.

As a result, we should despair of ourselves,

so that we may depend utterly upon Christ.

Despair of yourself, but not of Jesus.

St. Paul is a good example for us.

He didn’t claim some life on his own.

For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

Paul’s knowledge of his guilt,

his spirit of daily repentance,

these removed his pride

— even in a man with colossal talents and great intellect.

But since he repented and died in Jesus Christ,

Paul was also given a part in Jesus’ resurrection.

Because He lives, we have received life that will last forever.

This life may look the same as our old life,

but it’s different.

We don’t live any more by the food filling our stomachs,

but by the food Jesus provides in His Word and sacraments. by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

We don’t rely upon our own strength or cleverness,

but now we may rely in all things

upon the promise of our risen Lord.

We don’t allow our own will and desire to rule over us,

but we may confidently submit to the will of God.

This life is not a burden we now have to live up to,

but a gift from God, received through faith alone in Christ.

I know you have your daily frustrations and conflict: we all do.

Our families and associates, even our own hearts would turn us away from God’s Word.

Do you have the time this week for Jesus?

It’s not that He needs you. It’s that you need Him.

You may not feel worthy of His help,

but He came to save sinners, not the righteous.

Death hangs just over our shoulders,

and doubts float in the back of our minds.

But today you are here with your risen Lord. Today He bestows upon you His forgiveness. Today His death again becomes yours,

and you are made a part of His resurrection.

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Unto Christ, our heav’nly King, Who endured the cross and grave, Sinners to redeem and save.

We die and live in Christ,

because His resurrection gives us life: true life before God.

Amen.

Soli Deo Gloria!