Pastor Dan Eddy

1 Corinthians 15:19-26

V is for Victory

4-4-10

I. Introduction: Contrasting Images…

There’s something ironic about the door to the Victory Museum. It looks like an ordinary door you’d see at any museum, but this door acts more like a gate, a portal in time if you will.

On the one side of this gate, visitors to the museum witness some of the most disturbing pictures, detailing one of the most horrific battles between Allied and German forces during World War II. And on the other side of the door is the spectacularly beautifully dense green forest area.

The museum is a memorial to the famous Battle of the Bulge, where over one million troops fought against each other in sub-zero temperatures. It was a battle where at one point Allied Forces were completely surrounded by the enemy. Photo after photo of blood, bullets, and bombs detail the death and destruction to nature, buildings, and humans. Over 800 tanks and 1000 aircraft, lost in battle, polluted God’s majestic creation. In terms of losses, it was the worst battles for American Forces with over 80,000 casualties; so much spilled blood that, at one point, defeat for our forces seems imminent.

What’s ironic is after you visited the dark and dreariness of the museum you go right through the door, the gate, the portal of time, leaving all this death and destruction behind, as you enter the beautiful, lush green, full of life Ardennes forest of today, which sits on the border between Belgium and Germany, the exact site of this battle 65 years ago.

The sounds of screaming men and bursting bombs are replaced with murmuring streams, chirping birds and happy families. Mourning turns to laughter. The clean smell of life surrounded by sunshine compared to the stench of death and destruction of a cold blizzard day are about as big of contrasting images as one can get between death and life.

Things may not always appear as they seem. Passing through the door is passing through a portal where one sees “life from death,” “victory from defeat.”

II. The Problem of Victory

I want you to keep this contrasting image in mind, because when we hear the words of our Epistle Lesson, hear the victory message of Easter and feel the joy of holiday in worship, it really contrasts with the life we live when we walk that door this morning.

The problem of hearing this victory story is either you are so immersed in battle that you feel you are surrounded by the enemies of life: Disease, death, financial tragedies, flooded basements, broken relationships, and people who think little of your faith in Christ. There’s no victory to be had.

OR you believe there is no real battle to fight in the first place. You think “Well we’re all going to heaven, I think. Aren’t we?”

Which of the contrasting groups do you find yourself in? Maybe you vacillate between them.

For the first group, the problem of Victory is you just can’t image there will ever be a time that you will not be fighting battles. The world and all its power seem against you. Death is really the ultimate defeat and you’re not quite sure what’s on the other side of that door. You’re in your own Battle of the Bulge, except the bulge is not your waist or stomach, it’s the feeling that you are surrounded by the enemy and defeat is imminent.

If this is you, I have Good News. The Victory from death is yours through Christ Jesus, even if you are being convinced otherwise, even if the war is not over yet, even if it feels like the enemy has you. You’re like the women and the Disciples in today’s Gospel reading. You’ve been told Christ was going to rise from the dead, yet the news is too hard to believe, because you never really thought it happened…or if it has, does it really have any tangible meaning for you. Don’t let the images of the battle fool you…the Victory is yours…if you want it.

If it weren’t for the horrendous Battle of the Bulge with all it losses, the Allies wouldn’t have turn the tide to win the victory. They didn’t give up, even when things looked dire.

For the second group, you’re not really convinced there’s a battle to fight in the first place. You’re not quite sure if Christ really rose from the dead. You’re a little skeptical, maybe a bit in denial. You don’t see forces in the world as that bad, as trying to take you away from your faith in Christ.

I will say to you what Paul said to the Corinthians over 1900 years ago. Paraphrasing verse 19: If Christ wasn’t raised from the dead; then we will not be raised from the dead; and if we aren’t raised from the dead, then everything we believe, teach, and confess in the Church today is worthless. And if that’s true, believers in Jesus are to be the most pitied among humankind. We fell for the biggest scam of all time.

It’s like the man who was working in the World Trade Center when it got hit by two airplanes on 9-11. The man’s at his office working away on his computer obvious to the smoke, fire alarms, screaming people…in total denial. He blocked it all out, frantically working when the firemen found him. Even shouts to get out weren’t enough. They had to physically remove him or he would have perished.

If you think there is no war, then you have been capture by the enemy. And if you’ve been convinced there’s no real enemy, then there is no need for a victory.

If you put a toad put in a kettle of water…and the water is slowly heated up, the toad will not leave. He will get use to his warmer to hotter surroundings until he bursts and dies from the heat. Don’t let the images of the world fool you…the war is real but the Victory is yours…if you want it.

III. The solution of Christ; the contrasts of the First and Second Adams

If you want a contrast between death and life; war and peace; defeat and victory…think about this for a moment.

God never intended Adam and Eve to sin; The Lord never desired His perfect creation to be corrupted with disease, destruction, and death. But He wasn’t going to force them to obey. But Adam messed it up for all of us when he and Eve fell into sin. That’s why we age, wither away, and face death. However, see this contrast…what Adam messed up, Jesus fixed…restored. Adam and all other humans have or will die; Jesus died too, then came back to life.

Jesus is the Second Adam…the way Adam should have behaved. And because of Christ’s successful death and sacrifice on the cross, Jesus chose you to be His at your baptism. But God does not force us to believe.

Christ has been raised. He is still physically alive in the flesh. He did not die again. If weren’t alive in all ways…you would have never received His grace at your baptism. If He is not alive at this moment, The Lord’s Supper would be only a symbolic memorial ritual with nothing really tangibly offered other than a good feeling…like no Easter supper. This means no real forgiveness from sins or renewal of life is offered in the Sacrament from Jesus Himself; no tangible assurance of the victory from Christ Himself is given.

This is why we say Christ is risen, not Christ had risen. Present tense not past. And what happened to Jesus will happen to you at the End when you will rise from the dead. This is where Eternal Life will be the Victory completed and fully realized with a new body that will not age, living in a world forever without sin. Like I told the children this morning.

And He is alive up there (point to heaven); He is alive here (point to heart); He is alive in here (point around church sanctuary) to help you fight life’s battles today. In verses 24-25, Paul paints a picture of a more vivid future. It’s like he has a Christ-like crystal ball and is telling them what the future for believers in Jesus will look like. Christ is our General today leading the war as our enemies surround us. Allied Forces did not know for sure they would be victorious. However we do, because we have General Jesus leading the battle.

V Day is coming just like it did in World War II. The battle is won every time someone does not reject the Word of God. The battle is won every time someone comes to worship, hears, and believes. The battle is won every time someone is baptized or receives His body and blood. Every time someone doesn’t go A.W.O.L. from the Church.

In all other wars, we can’t bring back the dead to enjoy in the victory, but this one we will…something no other war bringing peace has ever accomplished, everyone fully experiencing victory from defeat; life from death.

That day we will pass through the gate to the New Heaven and New Earth where, as our Old Testament reading from Isaiah 65 and Revelation 21 says, all weeping will stop; all mourning will turn to laughter; all pain will be gone. The new will replace the old; the poor will be rich; fear turns to celebration. You pass through this pearly portal, never to return to death and destruction again.

The Victory has already been won even if the battles are not over. Don’t let the images of the world out there fool you…the Victory is yours…if you want it by faith alone in Christ Jesus. The Hope given at the Cross is still the Hope is that relevant and real today?

IV. Fighting the battles today knowing the Victory is ahead.

As a result, we have a story to tell; we have the Victory to proclaim; we have a battle to win. We don’t need guns, or tanks, or fighter jets. The power God gives us in Christ Jesus through the strength of the Holy Spirit is His Word.

Don’t think everybody knows the Easter story. A recent Barna research survey revealed that 58% of Americans do not know the true meaning of Easter as being the resurrection of Jesus…Christ death and return to life.

Do you know what the word resurrection literally means? Standing up. Christ stands us up from our graves at the End as Christ stood up from His, so that means today we don’t grouch down when it comes to telling His story. This is our story. This is our Victory.

Now you’re probably saying… “I’m not a preacher, I’m not an evangelist…how can I tell the Victory story?”

Well you’ve hear the phrase a picture’s worth a thousand words… (Point to Cross with Cross Pieces). How about this picture?

You have given Cross Pieces over the past six weeks. From Ash Wednesday to today. And each tells a unique story about Christ’s victory story. The summary of each piece is in your bulletin insert.

Christ’s Name is now your Name…and Jesus literally means “The Lord is our salvation.” (Point to nameplate)

Because nails and spear killed Him…as a result, those weapons bring you life. (Point to nails and spear.)

Jesus takes you away from the darkness of death and gives you the light of salvation, so that’s the way people, who trust in Christ, live. (Point to white and black stoles).

The gold coin reminds us we were bought with a price at the Cross; and now God considers you priceless. (Point to gold coin.)

Jesus is the capstone of your faith give at your baptism. On Christ the solid rock of I stand. All other gods are sinking sand. (Point to rock with cross on it)

The Crown of Thorns shows the love, sacrifice, authority, and power of Christ as our King. He’s the only one who could die for you, because He’s the only one who ever followed all of God’s Commandments perfectly.

The red stole reminds us that His blood was shed, literally poured out, for us. Our sins cause us to bleed out. But, His blood given through Word and Sacrament gives us life, and He keeps filling His blood to keep us alive to fight the battles of life today, so we can enjoy the Victory in eternity.

The veil shows that Christ really did die in every way all humans do, but He also died as both God and man.

The eyepiece reminds us to keep watch, prepare, and wait for His return where we will see Him face to face. Look for the opportunities to serve.

And the V you received this morning is for Victory. It is a victory all who have faith in Christ can share. We proclaim the Victory so as many as possible can share in it with us.

If you don’t have a cross or all the pieces, come see me, we’ll set you up with one.

We have a story to tell. We have more to capture away from the enemy. Don’t give up, even when things look dire.

V. Conclusion: the Cross reminds us of our decorated General

Let this decorated cross remind you of our decorated General who fought to give us the everlasting victory. Now go fight the good fight believing you have the victory, live that Victory in love, and bring as many others to the everlasting Victory celebration. Amen.