Healing Death

This Sunday, my husband will be preaching on the Healing Death of Jesus. It may seem like an odd topic for the last Sunday in Advent, but then again, maybe not. The Advent Season is a time of expectant hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 says this:

"But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus."

If that's not expectant hope, I don't know what is! If we have received Jesus as our LORD and Savior, and we "fall asleep" (or die in the flesh), we will one day be completely healed! According to the verse above, we will rise again with Jesus! This is why we can say:

"DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory."O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" (1 Corinthians 15:54b-55)

This is the message that sets us apart from all other religions. A message of hope, of victory, of healing. May God inspire all of us to share that message with someone this week.