Sermon - Easter Sunday - Isaiah 25:6-9

 

Christ is Risen!  He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!  Amen.

In Jesus Christ, death itself is done for.  By his death he has destroyed death, and by his rising to life, he has brought life and immortality to light.

In Jesus Christ, death is swallowed up in victory.

First, for himself.  Death could not hold him.  It could not even hope to contain him.  Death is no match for the Lord of life, by whom all things were made.  Death cannot hold a candle to the Lamb who once was slain, but lives, now, forevermore.  Though, he submitted to death for a time.  He laid down his life of his own accord, only to take it back up again.  Three days in the tomb was all it took, and Jesus rose.  Christ is Risen!  He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

But what is death?  Isaiah says it is the veil that covers the nations, the covering cast over all peoples.  Like a great and foreboding cloud of doom that overshadows every moment of our lives. 

Death is always breathing down our neck, whether we feel its hot breath or not – you are never more than a heartbeat away.  When sudden violence or disease or accident takes one of our loved ones away we are reminded that life is fleeting.  Any day could be our last.  We know the bitterness of loss and grief when a loved one dies.  And some day, those we leave behind will feel the same. 

Death is not welcome.  It is the enemy.  It is an invader, something never meant to be in God’s good creation.  Death is only here because of sin.  Death and sin go together:  the wages and the work.  And since all people sin, all die.  Death is the problem, the ultimate problem, that all men must face.  It is unavoidable.  Insurmountable.  It’s threats are real, terrible, and universal.

But our God has an answer to death.  He has, in fact, the only answer.

We celebrate this day the resurrection of Christ from the dead.  This is no small thing.  It is the high holiday of the church.  It is the feast of feasts.  For Christ who once was slain has been raised from death victorious.  Only Jesus is strong enough to conquer in this fight.  Only Jesus is qualified, true God and true man, the anointed one – prophet, priest and king – to accomplish our salvation.  His death on the cross destroyed death.  And his resurrection is the sign and seal and proof of it.

The Prophet Isaiah saw it coming.  First, he preached his doom and gloom as prophets do.  Isaiah 24 is one of the most fire-and brimstone-passages we see – “The Lord will empty the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants”, “all joy has grown dark, the gladness of the earth is banished.  Desolation is left in the city; the gates are battered into ruins.” And “Terror and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth!”  and on and on the terrifying oracle goes.

But here in Chapter 25 it all turns.  God’s entire disposition changes.  Now instead of doom and gloom we see a promise of peace.  The law gives way to Gospel.  It’s the difference between hell and heaven.

God’s grace is pictured in poetic terms – and our enjoyment of his grace is pictured as a feast.  A feast on the mountain (mount Zion, of course, the place of the temple – the place of his gracious presence in the midst of his people Israel).  Of course the feast is there, since he’s the host of the meal.  And what a great banquet it is…

It is a feast for all peoples!  Not just the Jews!  Not just those who claim special place or particular rights.  God is no respecter of persons, but desires all to be saved.  And so he invites all to the feast.

And look at the food!  “A feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.”  Perhaps you have a special Easter meal planned for some time today – maybe pulling out all the stops on a family favorite.  The feast God is throwing outdoes them all.  This is the best food money can buy, the finest food available.  God does nothing part-way.

But why the celebration?  What’s the occasion for such a great feast to be observed?  Simply this – death is no more.  It has been swallowed up.  It’s covering has been removed.

This is our Easter joy, friends, not just that Jesus has overcome death for himself, but that he has removed death from hanging over our heads, too.  Yes, we still face death – just as he did.  But as he has risen from death, so too will we rise.  Death has no victory.  Death has no sting.  For those who are in Christ share in his victory over death.  The biggest, baddest, final enemy now stands defeated.  Christ has swallowed death whole, and spit out the bones.  He makes short work of death, and leaves death in the dust where it belongs.

Isaiah’s prophetic vision of that day of joy comes to fulfillment, in large part, at the resurrection of Christ.  And yet, we still live in a world of sin and death.  We still see death all around us, sometimes, up close and personal.

It is a strange thing, if you recall, that Jesus wept at the grave of his friend Lazarus.  Particularly strange, that he would weep, even though he knew he was about to raise Lazarus from the dead.  For Jesus, your resurrection is just as certain.  His promise to you – that he who lives and believes in me will live, even though he dies – that promise is just as sure.  And yet, here he is, crying.

Perhaps it meant that Jesus wept for more than just Lazarus, but that death ever had to be.  Perhaps he wept for all his dearly beloved children who had to feel the smart of grief.  And surely, he wept, also to show us that weeping in the face of death is not sinful for his people, as an example to us who would still face death.

But the weeping doesn’t last.  Lazarus is raised.  Jesus himself is raised.  And your loved ones in Christ will be raised.  And you and I who are in Christ will be raised.  St. Paul says we are to grieve, but not like the world that has no hope.  We grieve death because we still face it.  But we grieve with hope because we know death isn’t the end for those who are in Christ.

Death has been swallowed up, but death is still with us.  Life and immortality have come to light, and yet we still go to the grave.  There is a tension here, a paradox, a now-and-not-yet reality to our Easter joy.

Isaiah sees the end – and it is the final victory.  Then, and there, the waiting is over.  There and then the tension is resolved.  There and then those who have waited for the Lord will see him and be glad in his salvation.  Because death is finally destroyed forever, the final enemy to be defeated.  No more Good Friday darkness, only a bright-shining, eternal Easter. 

Then and there, God wipes away the tears from all face.  A promise that is echoed in Revelation 7, “he will wipe away every tear from their eyes”.  Our eternal destiny is not death and grief, but life and comfort and peace.

The reproach of all the people is taken away.  There is no more shaming and scolding and disapproval or disappointment.  No more frowning countenance from the Father.  Because the sin of his people is taken away in Christ.

Isaiah saw Easter coming.  He saw death being swallowed up in victory.  We see it too, with the eyes of faith, as we look back to the empty tomb of Christ and rejoice that he isn’t there, but that he is risen, just has he said.  And one day even we will be brought to resurrection, Thanks be to God for the feast of victory over death that is ours in Jesus Christ our Lord.