Justin Tucker, LHBC Worship Pastor

1 Corinthians 15:54-55

When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

Our Savior displayed on a criminal’s cross

Darkness rejoiced as though heaven had lost

But then Jesus arose with our freedom in hand

That’s when death was arrested and my life began

That’s when death was arrested and my life began

“Here rests what was mortal of Samuel Burr, age 42. In search of help far from home, death arrested his progress on April 2, 1831. Quietly he fell asleep in the Christian hope of immortality and glory forever.” This is what drummer and songwriter, Brandon Coker, read from an old tombstone one morning while out walking. Not knowing anything about this man’s story, Brandon still thought that it was such a creative way to say that a man had passed away. Just a couple of years later while writing songs with some friends he read those same words that he had written down from that tombstone but this time, it landed on him a little differently. This time he realized that if Mr. Burr had fallen asleep with the Christian hope of immortality and glory forever, then death didn’t really arrest anything. It was actually Jesus that arrested death! 

We as Christians believe that when Christ’s eyes opened in the tomb and air filled His lungs again, He conquered death once and for all for anyone who puts their faith and hope in Him. It’s that simple. The song starts with our brokenness and need of a Savior, it moves to His redemptive nature and sacrifice on the cross, and then we get to the end of the song where we respond to what He has done for us and how He has set us free, “free, free, forever I’m free, come join the song of the redeemed!” 

I want to encourage you today to lean into that freedom that has been bought and purchased for you through the blood of Jesus. We have a freedom not just from death, but also in life; we are free from the comparison trap, free from fear and doubt, free to be who God created us to be. He has called us to be followers and worshippers of Him. 

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to lean into the freedom that you have purchased for us. Help us to be the followers and worshippers that you have called us to be. Thank you for freeing us from fear and comparison and an eternal separation from you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK: 

1 Timothy 6:11– 11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.