No More Misery

Romans 6:9 | April 19, 2020

Have you ever been bored?

Stuck at home with nothing to do?

Maybe over the last few weeks your boredom has hit some new heights – like…

• You’ve played cards with your house plants
• You’ve deseeded a strawberry with a pair of tweezers
• You’ve tried to do something different with your hair
• You started making pancakes in the shape of Baby Yoda
• You wore an Amazon box on your head just so you can smile

Yep, those are actual things that people have done the past few weeks.

Is there anything wrong with boredom?

Well, far too often boredom can lead to addictive behaviors or depressing attitudes. 

Addictive behaviors like going to the fridge every 15 minutes to get another round of apple fritter yogurt because you forgot that 15 minutes ago you already ate a round of apple fritter yogurt.

Or eating so many Lemon Crisp fun-size Kit Kats one morning that you lost track somewhere around 23.

And when your long quarantine hair starts smelling like apples from all that yogurt and your baggy sweatpants turn into spandex from all those little candy bars it can be a little depressing.

In other words, we don’t want boredom to get the upper hand. 

So, is there a cure for boredom?

Well, there are some false cures like food and drink that reward our minds for a little bit, but they wear off quickly and demand more.

And then there’s the false cure of TV or video games or social media that reward our minds a little longer because of the time they take up, but again they wear off and demand some more binge time or game time or scroll time.

One of the best cures is what has been called real life action.

It’s not as easy as food and drink and TV and video games and social media, but the reward not only lasts longer it also keeps building a measure of strength and encouragement each time:

• Working (at work, at home, in the yard)
• Reading
• Exercising
• Learning something new
• Playing card games or board games

Things like that provide practical, mental, and emotional progress – or put another way, there is a progression away from boredom.

Author Stephen Guise says this:

Stephen Guise

Real life progression is slower than Candy Crush, but it doesn’t become irrelevant when you put your phone down.

That’s the kicker right there – our souls long for something that is not irrelevant when we put our phones down.

Is there such a thing?

The Apostle Paul was writing to some folks in Rome and he gives them one fact – one truth – that they could build their whole life on.

One fact – one truth – that has the ability to change and transform your life no matter where you are or what is happening. 

What is that one truth?

Let’s find out.

Listen to Romans 6, verse 9:

9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead,

No matter where we are or what is happening the Resurrection of Jesus Christ has the ability to crush:

• Our boredom
• Our addiction
• Our depression
• Our fear
• Our frustration
• Our confusion
• Our stress
• Our misery

That’s a pretty big claim, so how do we know it is for real?

Well, in a sense, it all goes back to the very first word of that statement – knowing.

The word in the original language does not mean just knowing about something but being absolutely positive about something.

So, how can we be positive about the resurrection of Jesus?

Well, there is historical, practical, archeological, and biblical evidence that point to the reality that Jesus was raised from the dead.

And here are a few thoughts on that evidence: 

• Jesus clearly testified that he was going to rise again
• Some women found the tomb of Jesus empty
• In ancient times women were not allowed to be court witnesses
• But the disciples honored them as credible witnesses
• The disciples were hiding like scared kittens after the crucifixion
• Then seemingly overnight they each became as bold as a lion
• The early church was not full of cool, connected powerful people
• Yet the church grew like crazy and keeps impacting history
• 30 years later, Paul said the Risen Jesus saved him
• The eyewitnesses of the resurrection don’t resemble deceivers

Those are just a handful of quick thoughts that reflect the reality that Jesus was raised from the dead.

And those things create a fairly gracious and kind argument that at the very least it is reasonable and not irrational to believe in the Resurrection of Jesus. 

But ultimately the historical and practical and archaeological and biblical evidence, while persuasive, may not convince someone to believe that Jesus was raised from the dead. 

They might choose to ignore or reject those pieces of evidence or say that the whole thing is questionable and inconclusive – or they might say that they are not absolutely positive that Jesus has been raised from the dead.

Joshua Swamidass is an MD, PhD scientist, physician, and associate professor of laboratory and genomic medicine at Washington University in Saint Louis – I feel smarter just saying all of that. 

A few weeks ago, he wrote an article about the Resurrection and a few of his comments are super helpful:

And he talks about how as a scientist he has to yield to the fact that science is full of trust-like faith in that grand scientific ideas are based on the accounts of trustworthy scientific sources.

Joshua Swamidass

Mass is energy. Time slows with gravity and acceleration. The earth moves around the sun at 67,000 miles per hour…In principle, this is all reproducible, but just in principle.

Joshua Swamidass

If we personally verified and reproduced every experiment ourselves, science would grind to a complete halt.

Joshua Swamidass

Yes, we are skeptical and regularly challenge accepted theories. But we usually trust other scientists’ reports of what they have seen.

And then he takes those scientific thoughts on evidence and points them toward the Resurrection:

Joshua Swamidass

The question of the Resurrection is more like an opportunity to fall in love than a scientific inquiry. There is evidence, but the Resurrection cannot be studied dispassionately.

Joshua Swamidass

If Jesus really rose from the dead, it reorders everything. Just like falling in love, it changes our view of the world…The evidence is compelling, but not definitive. Faith in Jesus is reasonable and is certainly not without evidence.

Joshua Swamidass

So, we are left with an invitation. Will we too believe? Will we be curious? Will we respond with trust?

So, will you believe?

Have you responded to Jesus?

Have you heard the gospel and heard the evidence surrounding Jesus and repented of your sin and yielded your life to him?

Or are you ignoring or rejecting the truth about Jesus?

Or are have you grown content with saying that the evidence is inconclusive, and you can’t be absolutely sure?

Part of knowing Jesus – part of being absolutely sure that he has been raised from the dead – is that you know Jesus. 

Jesus did not give Paul a science lesson, he showed up wit his own risen self and confronted Paul with the truth about the gospel and saved him.

Someone has said that there are certain things that men and women and boys and girls will never understand unless they become a child of God – there is much truth in that statement.

The invitation is not hard or difficult to understand.

Jesus died for your sins – will you by faith fall in love with him?

Jesus of Nazareth, also properly known as the Son of God, died for your sins and his dead body was buried in a tomb owned by a man named Joseph of Arimathea and three days later he was raised from the dead by the power of God and his death and resurrection have made the way for things to be right between you and God and whoever believes in and trusts in and relies on and clings to Jesus and his truth will not perish or be spiritually destroyed but will instead receive eternal, everlasting life. 

So, will you believe that?

Will you by faith repent of your sin and believe in and fall in love with Jesus?

If so, then the resurrection becomes that one fact – that one truth – that can change any moment of your life.

How?

Well, listen to what Paul says next:

9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.

Jesus died, but he did not stay dead.

He was raised from the dead. 

And not only did Jesus not stay dead, he will not and cannot die again.

• He is now the master of death
• He holds the keys of death and hell
• Death has no final authority over him

You’ve heard people tell stories about their near-death experiences. 

“Well, the doctor said I was dead, but I saw a light and then I came back to life.” 

I can’t vote for or against their story, but I can tell you that even if they claim to have died and come back to life the reality is one day that person will die for sure.

But not Jesus.

He has conquered death and he will not and cannot die again.

So, what does that mean for someone who believes?

What does that mean for someone who is absolutely positive by faith and evidence that everything about Jesus is true?

What does that mean for someone who has truly fallen in love with Jesus because in and through the cross and the Resurrection they see how great his love was and is for them?

Well, if Jesus had been killed by a Roman soldier or some rival religious leader three days after he was resurrected then there’s not much of a story to tell today, right?

I mean if Jesus had died again then Easter Sunday is the biggest lie and the biggest waste of time and money in the universe.

Why?

Because if Jesus died again, then we have no hope. 

If Jesus died again or if he were to die again then the people that sing songs to him and put up crosses in their yard to honor him and drink juice and eat bread to remember him are sad fools. 

Why?

Because that means when they die there is nothing else. 

• No beauty
• No joy
• No happiness
• No peace
• No life

But if Christ is risen and is still alive then we are not honoring the orders of a President or a Governor or a King or a Queen or a parent or a pastor or a policeman.

We are friends with the Master, the only One who holds the keys to death and hell.

Dear Christian, we are with him. 

It’s like Jesus is our big Brother and he’s already walked ahead into the dark, terrifying forest and he’s come back to say everything is okay and he knows the way and he is going to safely get us there.

Death and sin and darkness no longer have dominion over us because we are with Jesus.

Christian, we are with Jesus.

Let me ask you an uncomfortable question…

Are you afraid to die?

About two years ago I was struggling a little and if one of my closest friends would have asked me that question then, I might would have said, “Yeah, I think I am.”

But not long after that I was listening to a podcast where one pastor/theologian confessed his paralyzing fear of dying.

And his friend and co-host immediately said, “No you aren’t.”

I loved the gracious, bold confrontation. 

And they continued and said something along these lines, “You aren’t afraid of dying, you are afraid of how you are going to die.”

And I’m driving down the road and I thought, “Yeah, that’s me.”

I would like to hope that most of us Christians are not afraid of dying, whether it be from COVID or skin cancer or a heart attack or old age or whatever.

But we might be a little edgy about how we die, right?

Because how we die involves pain and difficulty and anxiety and money and it will mess up the work schedules of our kids and the school schedules of our grandkids – I mean, look, I’m just being honest for us, okay?

But if you are a Christian, I hope our hearts can hear the power and authority of these words – listen to them again:

9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.

Because Christ will never die again, those who are believing in and clinging to him can be confident that our big Brother will make sure that we only truly die once.

If you are a follower of Jesus, tattoo these truths on your brain:

Death is no longer master over Jesus, therefore; there is no more misery because death is no longer master over you.

Death no longer has dominion or authority over Jesus, therefore; there is no more misery because death has no dominion or authority over you.

And let me make a quick current event connection to that truth. 

I do not lose an ounce of my religious freedom by honoring our leaders and staying home as much as possible and practicing social distancing.

I’m fully living in my religious freedom because right now through sheltering and social distancing I’m obeying Jesus and loving my neighbor in the same way I would love myself or my wife or my kids.

No matter what orders the President of the United States or the Governor of South Carolina might issue my religious freedom can never ultimately be taken away from me because there is no president or governor that owns my religious freedom. 

My religious freedom is found in Christ and Christ alone!

And because I have been set free in Christ there is no disease and no executive order and no social distancing and no lost job and no cancelled sports season that can ever change the reality that in Christ death no longer has dominion over me!

That’s why we say the Resurrection of Christ immediately and consistently has the power to crush:

• Our boredom
• Our addiction
• Our depression
• Our fear
• Our frustration
• Our confusion
• Our stress
• Our misery

By faith we are always fighting to keep believing in Jesus and keep falling in love with Jesus all over again moment after moment so that we can keep texting these words to our souls:

Stuart Townend & Keith Getty

Death is dead,

love has won

Christ has conquered…

Christ is risen from the dead!

If we’ve learned anything the past few weeks, we have learned that we live in a very uncertain world. 

But in this uncertain world, there is something that is very certain and very secure!

If you have been rescued and saved and redeemed by Jesus Christ, the misery of sin and death and hell no longer have dominion over you.

Luma Simms was born in Baghdad, Iraq. 

She has a degree in physics and attended law school before stepping away from law school to raise her five her kids and now she works at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

Her father first shared the gospel with her at a train station in Greece, but by her own confession the gospel just seemed hollow to her.

This is what she said:

Luma Simms

I used to be a Christian who didn’t think about Jesus. I was bored with him. I remember telling my husband one day that I was tired of hearing him say, “Jesus loves you, Luma.”

Luma Simms

It all seemed trite and superficial. I wanted, I needed, something deeper. Something more challenging to my mind, more impactful than “Jesus died on the cross for your sins.”

And though she tried she couldn’t find anything that was more impactful – and she found herself feeling the same kind of boredom and frustration and confusion and stress and fear and anxiety that many of us have faced these last few weeks and may even feel right now. 

But then Luma shared this…

Luma Simms

At the end of hope, feeling and believing myself to be on the receiving end of the hot displeasure and disappointment of a holy God, I crashed.

Luma Simms

And then, when there was nothing left of me, there was Jesus. Savior, Redeemer, Friend. No displeasure, no disappointment, just the blazing fire of unmerited grace.

How do you go from being bored with Jesus to resting in his amazing, unmerited grace?

Because of the Resurrection of Jesus.

Stuart Townend & Keith Getty

Death is dead,

love has won

Christ has conquered…

Christ is risen from the dead!

Message by Dow Welsh |

April 19, 2020 © Holland Avenue Baptist Church

 

more |

Above are pre-sermon manuscript notes, not sermon transcript

Sermon scriptures NASB unless otherwise noted

Lots of help from many pastors and theologians

Weekly help from Bruce Hurt at www.preceptaustin.org

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/the-threat-of-gospel-amnesia/

http://www.veritas.org/evidence-easter-scientists-list/

https://peacefulscience.org/

 

 

 

So have you ever been bored? I've been bored ever, Ever been stuck at home with nothing to do. Anybody making a connection? You You feeling me a little bit. Maybe over the last few weeks, your boredom has reached new heights. Maybe the last few weeks You've played cards with your houseplants. Maybe you took some tweezers and you de seeded a strawberry. Yeah. Maybe you decided to do something a little different with your hair. And and it didn't work out exactly like you thought it would. Maybe you started making pancakes in the shape of Baby Yoda. Maybe that's your new thing, as you are bored. Or maybe you put an Amazon box on your head just so you can smile. Yeah, Maybe that's you. Incidentally, all of those air from the Old World wide interweb. Yep. Those are things that people have actually done the last few weeks. So is boredom bad? Well, here's the thing. Boredom can lead to addictions and an attitude of depression. And, for instance, if you are going to the fridge every 15 minutes to get another round of apple fritter yogurt because you're forgetting that 15 minutes ago you already went and got a round of apple fritter yogurt. You might be moving into a world of apple fritter yogurt addiction. It might be happening. Or maybe one morning you ate so many lemon crisp, fun sized kick cats that you lost count. I mean, you stop somewhere around 23 you know, you just lost count. And here's the thing. Truth is, when your long quarantine hair starts smelling like apples because you're eating so much apple fritter yogurt or when your baggy sweatpants become spandex, those types of addictions will lead to a sense of depression. In other words, what we want to do is not let boredom get ahead of us. Don't let boredom take over. So is there any cure for boredom? Well, this week I did a lot of reading on boredom and came across a lot of advice. And there are some false cures for boredom. There's the false cure of food and drink because it works for a little bit, you know, I mean, it helps our mind. It's a reward for our mind in our body, but but then it kind of goes away quickly. The reward fades quickly, and it demands more cookies, more cookies, you know. Or there's also the false cure for boredom that's in the form of of TV or social media or video games. And again, this is a reward that last a little longer, you know, because of the time that it involves. But then when it's over, if we stop or if we pause, then that demand is there. Maur. Binge time or game time Maur Scroll time. There's another way that I have read about as a cure for boredom, and it's really the best way it seems. And that's what's called real life action. Oh, Elementary, my dear Watson, right? Yeah, real life action. Well, here's the thing about real life action. It's not easy, Okay? It's not as easy as as your TV or social media or video games. It's not as easy as just getting something to eat or getting an apple fritter yogurt. You know it's not easy, but even though it's a little harder is a little more difficult to do, it is more rewarding. It doesn't just reward you in the moment it actually builds strength and encouragement in your life as you do it. So what's, um real life action. Well, work, you know, work. If you actually have to still go to your job if you're an essential worker or working from home or doing school from home or even working in the yard. Work is one of those ways. Reading is another way. You know, reading is something that stimulates your mind and your heart. It builds strength and encouragement. Exercise, by all means, is one of those things that builds in our lives, maybe playing some cards or playing some board games or even learning something new. All of these things are things that are practical in helping us progress. Or put another way, there is a progression away from boredom. When we're doing real life action, we are progressing away from boredom. One author, Steven Guys, says this real life progression is slower than Candy Crush, but it doesn't become irrelevant when you put your phone down. Now the kicker right there and that what we won't We? We really are wanting something that's not irrelevant. When we put our phone down, we want something that matters. Are souls want something that matters? So is there something like that it possible was writing to some folks in Rome, and he gave him this one fault, this one fact, this one truth that they could build their whole life. This one fact, this one truth, the kind of truth that works and changes and transforms and helps our mind no matter what moment were in, no matter what's happening, no matter where we are. What kind of fact is that? Well, let's find out. We turn our attention to Romans. Chapter six, verse nine. Paul says. Is this knowing that Christ having been raised from the dead, no matter what is happening, no matter where we are, no matter what's going on, the resurrection of Jesus can change that moment. The resurrection of Jesus can crush our boredom. Our addiction are depression, are fear our frustration, our confusion, our anxiety are stress and our misery. That's a pretty big plane. So how do we know it's for real? Well, part of it goes back to the very first word in this statement there. Knowing the original language of this word is not just knowing something. It's being absolutely positive about some. So how can we be absolutely positive about the resurrection of Jesus? Well, there's historical evidence. There's practical evidence. There's archaeological evidence. There's biblical evidence. There's there's all types of evidence that points to the reality that Jesus was raised from the dead. And here's just some sound bites. Cem Cem faults that surround some of that evidence. Jesus himself testified that he would rise from the dead. Some women, they went to the tomb where Jesus was buried, and when they got there, the tomb was empty, and in ancient times women were not allowed to be witnesses in court because they were considered non reliable. They couldn't be relied on to be witnesses. But the disciples in the early church, they honor God and honored those women. And they said, Yeah, these women are credible witnesses. The disciples were hiding like scared kittens before and after the crucifixion. But then suddenly it seemed like overnight they became a CZ bold as a lion. What happened? The church was not full of cool, powerful, connected people, and yet the church grew like crazy, and it's still impacts history. Today, 30 years after the crucifixion, Paul said, the risen Jesus appeared to him and saved him and the eye witnesses of the resurrection. They don't have the qualities and characteristics of people who are deceptive. Those were just some sound bites. Something's that point to the reality that Jesus has been raised from the dead. Those things, I think, create a gracious and fair argument that it is not irrational. In fact, it is reasonable to believe in the resurrection. But ultimately the historical and the practical and the archaeological in the biblical evidence, even though it is very persuasive, may not convince someone that Jesus has been raised from the dead. They might hear that evidence. They might read that evidence. They might see that evidence, and they might ignore it. They might reject it. They might say, Well, it's still questionable. It's inconclusive. They might say, I can't be absolutely positive that Jesus was really raised from the dead. Joshua swarming bosses and MD. PhD, scientist physician, an associate professor of laboratory and genomic medicine at Washington University in ST Louis. I feel smarter just for saying those things. Joshua a few weeks ago wrote an article about the resurrection, and there's a few things that he said that I think you're super helpful. He talked about as a scientist. He has to yield to the fact that science is full of trust, like faith. In other words, these grand ideas, these amazing things that we learned from science. They're all based own accounts from trusted sources. He plays it out like this and explains it. With this way, he says, Mass is energy. Time slows with gravity and acceleration. The Earth moves around the sun at 67,000 miles per hour. And principal, this is all reproducible. But just in principle, he says. If we personally verified and reproduced every experiment ourselves, science would grind to a complete halt. Yes, we're skeptical and regularly challenge accepted theories, but we usually trust other scientists reports of what they have seen. Did you catch that? Science requires faith, faith in the eye, witnesses faith in the accounts that have been given. It's part of how science works. So then he takes those ideas about evidence, and he puts him in applies, um, to the resurrection. This is what he says. The question of the resurrection is more like an opportunity to fall in love than a scientific inquiry. There is evidence, but the resurrection cannot be studied dispassionately, he goes on. If Jesus really rose from the dead. It reorders everything. Just like falling in love. It changes our view of the world. The evidence is compelling but not definitive. Faith in Jesus is reasonable, and it's certainly not without evidence. And then he says this. So we're left with an invitation. Will we to believe Will we be curious? Will we respond with trust? So that's the question for you, Will you believe? Have you responded to Jesus? Have you heard the gospel? Have you heard the evidence that surrounds the whole story of Jesus and have you repented? And are you believing? And have you fallen in love with Jesus? Yeah. Have you heard the evidence? But you're ignoring it, or you're rejecting it, or you've heard the evidence. You've heard the Gospel, but But you're saying the whole thing is still questionable. It's still inconclusive. And you can't be absolutely positive that it's true. Someone has said this, that men and women and boys and girls there are certain things that they cannot understand unless they are a child of God. There's lot truth in that. A lot of truth in the reality that toe understand some things we have to understand God. We have to be in relationship with him. Part of what it means to know Jesus is that you know Jesus. Part of what it means to be absolutely positive that Jesus has been raised from the dead is that you know, Jesus, you're in a relationship with him. You are a child of God. Paul did not say that someone e mailed him a science lesson on the road to Damascus. No, Paul said that the risen Jesus, the risen Jesus appeared to him on the road, gave the truth about himself and then saved The invitation that has offered is it's not hard. It's not difficult. The invitation is simply this. The risen Jesus has this gospel to telling it's and it's kind of this simple Jesus died for your sins. Will you believe that? Truth by faith, will you believe? And will you fall in love with Jesus? Jesus of Nazareth, also properly known as the Son of God, died for your sins. He was buried in a tomb owned by man named Joseph of Arimathea three days later by the power of God. He was raised from the dead and his death and his resurrection has made a way for things to be right between you and God. And whoever believes in a trust in and relies on it clings to Jesus and his truth will not perish, will not be spiritually destroyed, but rather instead will receive eternal, everlasting life. Will you believe in that? Will you respond to that? Well, you, by faith, repent of sin, believe in Jesus and fall in love with him. If so than the resurrection becomes that one fact that one truth that no matter where you are, no matter who you are, no matter what's going on that one truth that one fact can change everything in a moment. How? Listen to what Paul goes on to say. The rest of Verse nine knowing that Christ having been raised from the dead is never to die again. Death no longer is master over him. Jesus died, but he did not stay dead. He rose from the grave. And not only that, Jesus not stay dead. He cannot and will not die again. It is impossible for him to die again. Jesus, by definition, is now the master of death. He holds the keys to death and hell. Death has no final authority over Jesus. You've heard people tell stories about having what we call a near death experience. It goes something like this. What? The doctor said that I had died, but I saw a light. And then? Then I came back to life. Look, I can't vote for against their story. But I can tell you this that anyone who has a story like that that they have come back to life the reality of their story ends like this, that all of us will die for sure. Except Jesus. Jesus has conquered death. Jesus has conquered the grave. Jesus cannot and will not die again. So what? What does that mean for someone who's believing in Jesus? What does that mean For someone who's seen the evidence? They've heard the gospel and they're believing in Jesus. They're following after Jesus. What does it mean for the person who believes in the crucifixion? They believe in the resurrection. They have repented. They have fallen in love with Jesus. What does the reality that Jesus will never die again means Well, think of it this way. If Jesus had been killed by a Roman soldier or a rival religious leader three days after he rose from the grave. Then there's not much of a story to tell today, is there? I mean, really, if Jesus died again after he rose again, I mean, Easter is a lie and a hoax. It's a huge waste of time and money. Why? Because if Jesus died again, then we have no hope. If Jesus died again, or we could even say if Jesus were to die again, then the people who sing songs to him and the people that put crosses up in their front yard to honor him and the people that take juice and bread and remember him. Those people are all sad fools, because if Jesus died again, that means they will die. And there's nothing. Nothing. No beauty, no joy, no happiness apiece, no love, no life. Jesus divers. There's nothing but death. But if Christ has risen, if Jesus is still alive, that means we're not honoring the orders of a president or governor or a queen or king or politician or a pastor or a parent or a policeman. It means that we are honoring the orders of we are obeying the commands of We are Friends with the master, the one the only one who holds the keys to sin and death in hell. Dear Christian, we're with him. We are with Christ. It's like he's our big brother and he's already gone ahead into the dark, terrifying forest. And now he's come back and he said, Look, I've already gone. I've already scoped everything out. I know what's happening and I've come back to get you and I'm going to get you safely home. Sin and death and hell no longer have Dominion or authority over Jesus and sin and death and hell no longer have authority over you. Dear Christian, because you are with Christ. You're with him. You're with him. Let me ask you a very uncomfortable question. Are you afraid to die? That two years ago I was really struggling. I think if any of my closest friends would have asked me that question, I probably would have said, Yeah, I think I am around that time began to listen to a podcast and on that podcast, one of the host, pastor and theologian, he made a statement about how his fear of death was somewhat paralyzing. I'm riding down the road in my ears perked up because, yeah, I kind of have a paralyzing fear of dying. And his friend and co host almost immediately interrupted and said something like, No, you don't police. I appreciate the bold, gracious confrontation, and they went on to say this. You're not afraid of dying. You're afraid of how you're going to die. And I remember driving around going, Oh, yeah, I think that's what I'm thinking. I think it's just going on in my mind. I would hope that generally speaking Christians because of the gospel because of our hope in Christ, because of the resurrection that we would not be afraid of dying with. Whether no matter what our death is calls by, whether it's cove in 19 or whether it's a heart attack or skin cancer or old age or whatever, but how we are going to die. I might put us a little bit on the edge, right, because how we're going to die involves pain and difficulty and anxiety and stress and money. It's it's going to be messy on the schedules of our kids. It's going to be messy on the school schedules of our grandkids. I mean, I'm just being honest first, right? There's something about how we're going to die, that it feels messy and stressful. But if you're a believer, if you're a follower of Jesus than that, pray that that these words would just grab your heart, grab your mind and give you encouragement. It's a tomb again, Knowing that Christ having been raised from the dead is never to die again. Death no longer has Dominion over. If you're believing in and clinging to Jesus. At the very least, you can be confident that your big brother is going to get you home. If you're a follower of Jesus that I want you to listen very closely to these comments. According to the Scripture, death is no longer master over Jesus. Therefore, because you are with Christ because you are in Christ, there is no more misery because death is no longer master over you. According to the Scriptures, death no longer has Dominion and authority over Jesus. Therefore, because you are in Christ because you're with Christ, there is no more misery because death no longer has Dominion and authority over you. None. And let me just try toe connect that a bit with kind of a current event fault here. I have not relinquished an ounce of my religious freedom by honoring our leaders by staying home as much as I possibly can and by practicing social distance. Not not announce. In fact, I am fully living in my religious freedom in the midst of social distancing in the midst of shelter in home, because I am obeying Jesus and loving my neighbor in the same way that I love myself in the same way that I love my wife in the same way that I love my kids. And there is no executive order that the president of the United States are the governor of South Carolina can issue that ultimately has any impact on my religious freedom because my religious freedom is in Christ and Christ alone. Therefore, no disease and no executive order and no loss job and no canceled sports season. And nothing else in the world can ever change the fact that death has no Dominion over me. Just just two on that for a second to be in Christ is everything. It's everything. I think it's hard for us to remember that But here's the thing. Because all that's true, that's why we say this. The resurrection of Jesus immediately and consistently has the power to crush our boredom and our addiction and our depression and our fear and our frustration and our confusion and our stress and our anxiety and our misery. That is how powerful it is. And that's why we do everything we can. Two by faith. Keep fighting that could fight on this week when we're ready for it to be over. When we're saying things like this can't go on, we have to stop. In those moments, we stop our hearts and we stop our minds. And we say, Wait a minute by faith, I'm going to keep fighting to believe in Jesus. I'm going to keep fighting to fall in love with Jesus. I'm going to keep fighting to text muscle these words. Death is dead. Love has one. Christ has conquered. Christ is risen from the dead death. His dead love has one. Christ has conquered. Christ is risen from the dad in over the last few weeks. If there's anything we've learned, we've learned that we live in an uncertain world. But we've learned that firsthand, right? But in the middle of all this uncertainty, there is this amazing, certain sure thing that we can be absolutely positive about. And that's this, that if Jesus Christ has rescued and redeem JI, the death and sin and hell and darkness and misery no longer have Dominion over you. No more, no more. Loomis Simms was born in Baghdad, Iraq. She has a degree in physics. I went to law school, stepped away from law school to raise her five kids. She currently works at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D. C. Her father first share the gospel with her when she was in a train station in Greece when she was very young. But by her own confession, the gospel just seemed hollow to her. This is what she said. I used to be a Christian who didn't think about Jesus. I was bored with him. I remember telling my husband one day that I was tired of hearing him say, Jesus loves you. It all seemed trite and superficial. I wanted I needed something deeper, something more challenging to my mind. More impactful than Jesus died on the cross for your sins and she tried. She tried to find something more impactful. She tried to find something deeper, and eventually she ended up like a lot of us have felt this week overwhelmed with boredom or confusion or frustration or stress or anxiety or fear or worry or concern or anger. But then Loomis shared this at the end of hope, feeling and believing myself to be on the receiving end of the hot displeasure and disappointment of a holy God I crashed had crashed this week. This is going to sound bigtime discouraging. But hang with me. If you didn't crash this week, you might crash this afternoon. You might crash Tuesday morning. You might crash in a couple of weeks. We're human. We're not perfect. We have meltdowns. We're going to crash. But when we crash, what happens? Listen well, in this year's and then when there was nothing left of me, there was Jesus Saviour, Redeemer friend. No displeasure, no disappointment. Just the blazing fire of unmerited grace. How do you go from being bored with Jesus to resting in the arms of his amazing unmerited grace? Here's how the only way that can happen is because of the resurrection death. His dad Love has won. Christ has conquered Christ is risen from the dead. Death is dead. Love has one. Christ has conquered. Christ is risen from the dead. There is nothing Bori about that.