1 Corinthians 15:54-57

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Arachnophobia is one of the most common fears in the world. It is the fear of spiders and people with this fear, they have a fear of daddy longlegs, which technically aren’t spiders or cellar spiders. Now, whenever people see these, they’re afraid of them. But the daddy longlegs don’t have any venom glands, and the cellar spiders don’t have strong enough venom to affect human beings.

There is no need to be afraid of these spiders. And in the same way also, there is no need for us to be afraid of death. Death has no sting for us. Its venom cannot overtake us.

Death is scary. It is inevitable. We all march towards death. People try as hard as they can to prolong their lives with different lifestyles and medicines, just so they don’t have to face death. Scientists try to devise different ways to prolong human lifespans. The fear of death grips most people. It is seen as the ultimate end to every living creature. But death is not the end for believers in Christ. Hear these comforting words from Paul to the Corinthians.

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus took the sting of death away from us on the cross. He took all of your sins and paid for them entirely. You do not need to be afraid of death because when you enter death, it is not in defeat, it is in victory. It is not the end. It is the portal to eternal life with God. And we have the hope of the resurrection, where we will be reunited with all those saints who have gone on before us. Death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? We have the victory over death through faith in Christ. Amen.

Luke 23:42-43

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I have my father’s memory. These are the words that I speak to somebody when I’ve forgotten something that I was going to tell them, or I forgot something that they told me. My father can be quite forgetful at times, and I’m definitely his son in that regard. As human beings, we know this all too well. We forget a million things every day, but we also remember things for the rest of our lives.

Things such as good achievements and milestones that we’ve accomplished. Our first job. Our first relationship. Our first car, graduations, the list goes on. We also remember the worst things in our lives, such as the death of a parent or a loved one. We also remember the greatest sins that we’ve committed, whether that be lying to a loved one, to our wife, getting angry at our family, or our kids, lying on our taxes. There can be times when these sins weigh us down so much that we think it’s too great to ever be forgiven. It is in these times that we can remember the words of the thief on the cross next to Jesus.

Before he spoke these words, he was mocking God to His face while he was on the cross paying for our sins. But before he died, he spoke these words from Luke 23, verse 42.

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)

When you’re feeling weighed down by these sins that are stuck on your mind, when you’re feeling burdened by your conscience. Hear the holy and comforting words of Christ to the thief on the cross and to you. When he says,

Jesus said to him, “Amen I tell you: Today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

On the cross, Christ paid for all of your sins. He took the burden upon himself so that you will never face punishment. God accepted this payment and he has wiped away your sins completely from his memory. They have been forgiven and forgotten entirely. God loves you, and he desires for you to know that not only were your sins forgotten, but you are remembered as a child of God.

When Jesus comes on the last day, he will come to you and say, enter into my kingdom. Your sins will not be counted against you because the Almighty, all knowing God has wiped them from his memory. Jesus says to you, truly you will be with me in paradise. Amen.

Psalm 6:2

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I broke my collarbone and afterwards I had to get surgery. Because of this, my muscles deteriorated and I felt very weak and I was indeed broken. In these trials in life that we face, we can often feel weak, broken and in need of support. It is in these times that you can go to the Lord for strength.

Weakness and pain are evident all around us and we can see it in the news, of the impoverished people, war torn countries, famine, sicknesses, and death. We see these things affecting our friends and our family as well. They don’t only affect those outside of us, but they also affect us as well. Anxiety, depression, illness, injuries and stress all reveal to us how fragile we are. These things are a result of the fall into sin. They are not natural. You were not meant to be hospitalized. You were not meant to have a broken bone. You were not meant to die.

You do not have to face these trials that weaken you alone. God is with you. Call on the Lord in your trouble. Hear these comforting words of Psalm six that are also a great example of how we can pray to the Lord in our trouble.

Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak; (Psalm 6:2)

In your weaknesses when you don’t know if you can get through the day on your own. Call on the Lord. He is with you every step of the way, and he will listen to your prayers and he will answer your prayers. He sent Jesus into this world to not only bear your sins, give you forgiveness through faith, but to also bear your burdens upon himself. Christ is with you when you are feeling weak. He is your strength. The Psalm continues for us.

Oh Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled. (Psalm 6:2)

When you get a cut. When you get a broken bone, or when you get a torn ACL. Call on the Lord for healing. When you are injured internally, whether it be mentally, emotionally, or spiritually, go to the Lord. Jesus provides the healing for your soul and for your mind. God listens to your prayers and he answers your prayers according to his will. When you are in need of strength and of support, go to the Lord. He has given you forgiveness of sins. He has given you his love, and he has given you the promise that he is with you every step of the way.

When you’re weak, when you’re broken, go to the Lord. Amen.

Matthew 2:6

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One of the amazing things about this Christmas season and Christ’s birth, is that it was prophesied hundreds of years before he came. The scriptures declare to us even the location where he would be born. Here are these wonderful words from Matthew chapter two, verse six.

“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:6)

From near the beginning of time, God promised to send a Savior into this world for you. This promise first arrived as recorded for us in chapter three of Genesis from the fall into sin. This fall into sin caused death and suffering to enter into this world. You all experience these symptoms of sin as death and suffering are inevitable. And it is because you experience these symptoms that God promised to send a Savior for you. And this promise is fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

As the centuries went by, God revealed to us more and more about who this Savior would be, what he would do, and even what his name would be. Our verse from Matthew is first recorded for us by the prophet Micah, where we learn the location of where the Savior will be born.

God has given you many promises in this world. And this promise of a Savior is fulfilled in the perfect life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is that ruler who will come to shepherd you, his people. He took your sins upon himself on the cross and paid for them entirely. As your loving shepherd. He will defend you. He has conquered death for you as a shepherd defends his sheep from danger and death. So to Christ protects and delivers you from eternal death. The victory that he won on the cross is yours through faith.

Jesus will also sustain your life as a shepherd, guides and feeds his sheep, so to Christ guides and feeds you with His word. He promises to listen to your worries and to your anxieties, and he always fulfills his promises. So in this Christmas season, rejoice in this wonderful message of a Savior who came for you. Who delivered you from all of your sins. Who loves you and guides you and all your days. Cling to your loving shepherd. Amen.