In many ways death mocks us from the very beginning. It mocks the couple struggling to conceive and those who face miscarriages. And the fragility of life and the possibility of death is not something we can escape throughout our life in this world. Time and again death mocks us by stealing away our loved ones and robbing us of life’s most precious moments.
To be sure, death has haunted us since sin entered the world. And it’s an enemy that comes for us all – whether we’re young or old, rich or poor, wise or foolish; no one escapes its grip. We can try to protect ourselves as best as we can and extend our lives as long as possible, but eventually death comes knocking at our door and we have no choice but to answer.
And left on our own death always has the upper hand and wins in the end. But Christ changes this dance. He died, was buried, and rose again on the third day. And through the power of his resurrection he conquers all of his enemies, and the last enemy to be destroyed is death itself.
As such, death still comes for us all, but death no longer has the final word in our story. Because Christ was raised from the dead we too will be raised to walk in the newness of life.
And this frees us to live life in this world to the full. No longer do we have to fear or dread death as those without hope, but rather we can be bold, courageous, and ever watchful for new life to breakthrough, even in this life as we wait eagerly for the next.
In the end, thank God daily for giving us the victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. Our last enemy is destroyed as death is swallowed up in victory!
Amen!