St. Luke 7:11–17
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Don’t let anyone confuse confidence in Christ for naiveté. Don’t let anyone tell you your faith is just weak thinking, false hope, useless wishing. The world stumbles back and forth between two pits. Either they think: death is the end, that’s all there is. So they cling to every moment now, and do whatever it takes to keep on living as long as they can. Or they just parrot a lot of nice sounding, but empty clichés: “Death is just a natural part of life.” “He’s in a better place now.”
A Christian can say that second one: “He’s in a better place now.” But without Christ that phrase is entirely meaningless, utterly useless. In fact, it’s straight-up nihilism—there is no meaning to anything. Let’s just think through what that phrase is really saying. Without Christ and His resurrection, death means nonexistence. So, to say “He’s in a better place now,” without Christ, without His resurrection in view, then it means nonexistence is a better place than this world; not existing is better than this life. If that’s true, you might as well die right now and get it all over with.
Of course, most people don’t want to admit that logical conclusion, so they cover it up with nice sounding clichés, either stealing from Christianity, like “he’s in a better place now,” or “she’s at peace,” without ever mentioning Jesus. Or they borrow from paganism, like “she lives on in our memories,” or “now his spirit is one with nature.” All of that is some weak thinking and useless wishing.
Only Christians are really capable of seeing death for the absolute terror that it is, and at the same time, not being afraid of it. Christians do not wear rose colored glasses or bury their heads in the sand. We know and face head-on the hardship and ugliness of this world. Eternal life with our Lord is not an escape or a coping mechanism. It is the reward for faith in Him. But while we wait for His reward, we deal with the reality of death. On its own, apart from Christ, death is not good or peaceful or dignified. It is not just another part of life. It is the punishment for sin and the end of life. It is the violent ripping apart of body and soul.
Sometimes parents have to bury their children. Widows are left alone. Sometimes the cancer comes back. Both drunk drivers and good soldiers can kill innocent victims. Christians recognize that this world is full of death. But only Christians, are really capable of staring death in the face because we know that death is not what God intended for anyone.
For the widow of Nain, it seemed that all hope was lost. She was facing the reality of death, first her husband and now her only son. And no nice-sounding cliché was going to help her. It appeared as though God was against her and had completely abandoned her. Into that ugly and desperate scene, Jesus steps in. And He had compassion on her—not because her son was too young or because it wasn’t fair on her. They were sinners like everyone else. That young man deserved to die. That poor widow deserved to die as well. But it was our Lord’s compassion that brought Him to die for sinners and so destroy death. And so, it was on that basis that He took away the woman’s tears and gave life back to her son.
When the world says, “All is lost. Death is the end,” the Christian always responds, “Not so. Jesus still lives.” Jesus has compassion for sinners and His compassion moves His power for sinners. He raised the widow’s son. And that resurrection was a preview for our own. This miracle proves that for God there is no lasting barrier between death and life. Jesus makes this point Himself in Matthew 22: “Have you not read what was said to you by God: ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living” (31–32). So, although Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are dead, with God they are still alive. Although we die, with Him we are not dead. This Scripture and this miracle show us how Christ has power over death, so that in the face of death we may take comfort in Him. We don’t take comfort in the world’s pleasant platitudes and sweet nothings, and we don’t fall into the world’s despair. Death frightens us, but by faith in Christ we are not afraid. Death can scare us, but that’s all it can do to us.
I may not want to die, but I know I must. So when I think of death, I think about my Savior and what He has done and what He has promised to do for me. My Savior declares: “Death, I shall be the death of you. Grave, I shall be your destruction. You can kill My Christians, but in turn I can throttle you, and call My Christians back to life.” Even though death will take me, one day my Lord will do for me what He did for the widow’s son in Nain. He will say to me, “Anthony, I say to you, arise.” With those powerful words, He will put my body and soul back together. And I will get up and begin to speak and sing and praise My Lord, the God of the living. Those who die are not dead to God. They live in Christ. And He will raise us from the grave as easily as waking us up from sleep.
I still wonder why so many people avoid talking about Jesus, even when they like talking about heaven or life after death. Why do they like talking vaguely about that “better place” when the real, flesh and blood Gospel is so much better? I think it’s because they view God only as the Judge. They think they are saved by being a good person. And if Jesus is not the Savior of sinners, then He is only the Judge. This would mean that you have to get yourself right with God by your deeds, rather than rely on righteousness of Christ. This is a lie from the Devil, and it makes Christ worse than death itself. This is why they are still afraid, even if they pretend not to be. They are still afraid of death and Judgment Day, because they do not know the real Jesus.
But true Christians do know their Savior and they can view death and Judgment Day differently. Are you afraid to die? It’s okay to be honest. It’s good to confess it. Yes, death scares me. But, I am baptized and believe in my Lord Jesus Christ. I eat His immortal body and drink His life-giving blood. He died for my sins, and by His resurrection He has made me right with God. Although I die, yet shall I live.
Death is not our end and God is not our enemy. Christ is not coming to damn us, nor does He offer empty comfort. He is our helper and advocate with the heavenly Father. He is coming to us with compassion, just as He came to the distressed widow and her dead son. He is coming with real comfort for the living and real life for the dead. He is our confident hope, our victory, our life. In Him, I am not afraid.
In the Holy + Name of Jesus. Amen.
Inspired by Martin Luther’s Sermons, Baker, Vol. VII, pp.24–35.
