The Glorious Vanquish of the King of Terrors. (11-20-16)

Freedom, isn’t free,” is a widely popular idiom commonly spoken in the United States of America. It is typically used to acknowledge the displayed bravery of those soldiers who laid their lives on the battlefields to secure the freedom this great nation is blessed to enjoy. Needless to say that it also implies the many threats our freedom have had by several enemies who have an insatiable thirst for absolute power. A most recent example of this terrifying menace is none other than Adolf Hitler’s campaign for world domination. During his reign of terror over a great part of Europe, the world found itself in a horrendous (yet necessary) war for six, grueling years. History tells us that the date that initiated the end of this nightmare is June 6, 1944; better known as “D-Day.” In the early dawn of this fateful day, the Allied forces were able to defeat Hitler’s forces on the beaches of Normandy, France. In the spring of 1945, the Nazi’s cruel yoke over the Old World had been broken and the ringing sounds of freedom’s bell were heard once more across the land. Although cheers of joy could be heard by the voices of those who were freed from Hitler’s terror, it is undeniable that it was attained at a very high price. The record books account for more than 4,000 valiant warriors, who served in the Allied forces, that voluntarily sacrificed their precious lives to vanquish the tyranny of the Nazi oppressors. History is filled with a vast amount of examples such as this one, illustrating the price paid to gain freedom. However, none of these historical records were able to secure humanity’s liberty from the world’s most terrifying tyrant. This marvelous feat could only be accomplished by one Man, and His cross (John 8:31-36). In His explanation to the Jews, the Master sought to explain to them that His death was a necessity for mankind. Without it, death would continue its reign of terror upon humanity. This same lesson is taught by the apostle Paul as he explains that “the sting of death is sin” (1st Corinthians 15:56). Let us reach into our memory banks and recall that man was not suppose to die, but rather it was his disobedience to God’s command that allowed this tragedy to spring forth (1st Corinthians 15:21). However, the rise of this feared king could not last forever “since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive” (1st Corinthians 15:21-22). Here is the glorious event that no other man could possibly accomplish but Jesus. It is dire to fully understand the entirety of the apostle’s extraordinary statement since it is true that several had risen from the dead before (John 11:43-44, Matthew 27:52-54). To be able to understand the magnitude of Jesus’ victory over death, it is wise to grasp the glaring difference between His resurrection and that of the others. From the previous passages (and several others similar to them) we are able to see that the dead had been resurrected before; yet the apostle John describes the Master as “the firstborn from the dead” (Revelation 1:5). This description is utilized by the apostle Paul also to exhibit Jesus’ preeminence over all things (Colossians 1:18). Hence the importance of comprehending the whole explanation the apostle gave to the brethren in Corinth as a means to solidify their faith in the promises made by Christ. That glaring distinction mentioned before is that unlike those who had risen from the dead before, “Christ having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him” (Romans 6:9). This is the why He is the “firstborn from the dead” and what makes Him preeminent over all of God’s creation. Our Master permanently rose from the dead and through this powerful action He “led captivity captive” (Psalm 68:18, Ephesians 4:8-10). Similar to the heroic actions of the brave soldiers who died on the beaches of Normandy in 1944, Christ, too, was required to give up His life to guarantee our freedom from death’s frigid grip. Undoubtedly, His resurrection would have been impossible if He had never died a human death (Hebrews 9:26-28). In destroying death’s dominion over Him, the Father “put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:21-23). Jesus Christ conquered death with His own power to reclaim His rightful place as humanity’s King. He vanquished the nightmare that death had poured over this

world by pouring out His life in propitiation for our sins. Our God, with His Omniscience, knew that the source of death’s power is man’s sin; therefore He removed its “sting” by giving humanity hope through His Son. Since Jesus has eradicated death’s hold over the world, man should no longer feel threatened by the idea of leaving this physical world. He gave hope to a world that was engulfed in despair. Our Savior was able to fulfill the hopeful promise made by Jehovah when His prophet wrote, “He will swallow up death forever” (Isaiah 25:8a). With this heavenly victory, Jesus has manifested the secret to defeating death. He has eliminated all doubt in the hearts of men concerning the uncertainty of being able to subdue death, because “I am the resurrection and the life, He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25-26). The apostle Paul, too, boldly states that “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23b). Man has always coveted everlasting life, desperately seeking to destroy the chains with which death enslaves him. Those cruel chains have now been released and the master who once ruthlessly ruled over us is now “the last enemy that will be destroyed” (1st Corinthians 15:26). From the day our Lord was killed by crucifixion, buried in a borrowed tomb, to resurrect triumphantly and never again die, man received the solution he sought to death. However, it is important to understand that man can only enjoy this defeat of death “if the Son makes you free” (John 8:36). Like it was stated in the beginning, “freedom, isn’t free.” It required a price, and the Son of God has paid it for us with His own blood (1st Peter 1:18-19). Therefore, as a means of emphasis of the significance of Christ’s victory over death, let us imitate an old English expression: “The king is dead; long live the King.”

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