Good afternoon. Please turn your Bibles with me to Genesis chapter 45. We’ll be reading from verses 25 to 28. So we’re still in the story of Joseph and Joseph just told his brothers to go back to Canaan to to get their father Jacob. And now we are in this situation wherein the brothers brought everything that Joseph had given them and they were, they are to convince their father that Joseph is alive knowing that that will be comforting for their father. So let us read verses 25- 28. so they went up out of Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. And they told him, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” And his heart became numb, for he did not believe them. But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. And Israel said, “It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.” The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
So Joseph again revealed himself to his brothers and told his brothers to live in Egypt. He told them to get their father Jacob and tell him everything that Joseph has said. And so the brothers now went back to Canaan to meet their father Jacob to tell him that Joseph was alive. Verse 26 tells us about his reaction. Jacob’s reaction was that his heart became numb for he did not believe them. The word numb there means he has no physical strength at all. It means Jacob has already become used to such news. Another bad news. He already lost Simeon; remember Simeon was put in prison. Remember in their first visit, Joseph tested them and told them that Simeon had that someone had to stay when if they are going back to Canaan and it was Simeon who stayed with them for many days, right. So he already lost Simeon, and now Benjamin had to be brought back to Egypt so it was a.. it was a roller coaster of emotions for Jacob. And now he’s receiving news that his beloved son Joseph, whom he lost many many years, 20 plus years, in fact.. is still alive. Not only that, he’s the ruler over all the land in Egypt. Are you kidding me? Is this a sick joke? If this is a sick joke, I’m done, Jacob said in a sense. And so his sons had to, verse 27 tells us, they had to tell Jacob all the words of Joseph which Joseph had said to them; everything! All the words. This means everything that they went through with Joseph and everything they talked about with Joseph and that includes what?
The tests that Joseph tests, right. The first test of of Joseph accusing them of being spies in the land, right. They told Jacob about that and they also told Jacob the result of that test which resulted to confession of sin, right. So this means that saying everything to Jacob includes saying and confessing their sins against Joseph, right. They also told about the cup that was put on Benjamin’s sack which again resulted to them being more sympathetic to their brother. They’re not like the brothers of before, right.. that they’re willing to leave Joseph in the pit, willing to sell Joseph to Midianites, no. They don’t want to leave their beloved brother Benjamin now. So they also told their father about that. And so when it says again that they told Jacob all the words, this means that this is the first time that Jacob had heard about their sin against Joseph. Now, if you’re a father ,if you’re a father of 12 men and you first learned about these things, I mean you, I mean I may have probably, I mean knowing our sins, I mean we can say Jacob was able to handle this very well. But see they didn’t just mention the sin or every, I mean all the words. They didn’t just mention the words, verse 27 again tells us and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the brothers also told Jacob about what? If Jacob was able to saw the wagons with all the goods, it just means that Joseph was able to forgive his brothers. That’s what it’s showing, right. That despite what they had done to Joseph, I mean Jacob is now seeing the wagons wow! Joseph forgave you! There was forgiveness and immediately it tells us the spirit of their father Jacob revived. Now Jacob believed his sons.. it’s like okay that’s my Jacob, that’s my son. And this is a very important part to take note of: the author has been calling Jacob, Jacob; and when Jacob realised that his son Joseph was alive the author, Moses used Israel to show us the kind of revival here, right. Something changed in the heart of Jacob, I’m not saying that he wasn’t saved before, but there’s a soul revival here upon knowing that his son, Joseph was alive. Not only that! Knowing that his 11 other sons, or 10 other sons sinned against Joseph and eventually him, knowing that there was forgiveness. And you have here, the author tells us Israel, right. Remember that the name Israel was given to Jacob by God when Jacob wrestled with God and God named Israel to give him a new beginning as someone who was limp, remember. And so Israel responded by saying it is enough, Joseph my son is still alive; I will go and see see him before I die. It is enough; in Hebrew it means now I have everything, he’s saying. I’m content, I’m good, that’s what he’s saying here. See how such good news revived the 20 plus year worried soul of Jacob.
Which reminds us all that we also need revival like Jacob. We are also sinners Like Jacob and we need such revival. And the message Joseph is alive is kumbaga, for us it’s not enough for our souls to be revived. Because our souls were dead in our trespasses and sins and Joseph is not even a perfectly holy person to redeem us, to in fact revive our souls. Our souls were owned by the enemy, our souls were bound to eternal condemnation. So what message revived our soul? What is a message that continues to revive our souls if Jacob was revived by Joseph is alive? What message continues to revive your soul? What or who has given you such revival in the soul? Well let me remind you of Romans chapter 1 verse 16 that the gospel of Christ is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.
The gospel is the greater news; greater than the good news that Jacob received. That Jesus Christ died on the cross for the sins of men and Jesus is alive. And that is what truly revives one soul. And that is my message this afternoon for everyone. The Gospel Is The Message That Revives Once’s Soul. It once revived your soul if you are in Christ. It will continue to revive your soul as a weary Christian man or woman. This is true of those who responds to the gospel message by faith. This was true of Jacob who himself had faith in God who had faith in the promises of God. And the effect of the Gospel is soul revival from deadness to being alive. And here is where I will draw my two points. This gospel message not only revived us at the time of conversion, but also in life and also in death. So you have there are two points: In Life and In Death.
Let us consider the first point, In Life. So it has been a life of grief for Jacob since he lost Joseph. If we’ll go back to Genesis chapter 37, when he learned from his sons we read this in our scripture reading a while ago, when he learned from his sons that Joseph was devoured by an animal, it says in Genesis 37:
34-35 it says: “Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort Jacob, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father wept from him.” And from that point on, he lived as a limp, thinking of his son, mourning because of the loss of his son. And that was what? 20 plus years! That was his life, a life of grief. And by the way, Sheol is the realm of the dead. When you read the word Sheol especially in the Old Testament, they’re talking about a place where all the dead souls were and are. An unbeliever would go directly to Sheol. It’s a realm of the dead; it’s not purgatory by the way. There’s no biblical warrant for purgatory for Roman Catholicism. They’re talking about Sheol, a place where the dead is.
He’s saying that he will go to Sheol, he will die because of the sorrow that he is experiencing. That is the kind of sorrow that that Jacob was experiencing during that time. It’s better that I die now, he’s saying. He also said this in Genesis 42 verse 38. And this is, this is what? many years after… Genesis chapter 37. He said when the brothers came back from Egypt, they got grain, they went back to Canaan. Jacob said if harm should happen to Benjamin, because he was told that Benjamin must be brought to Egypt. He said if harm should happened to Benjamin on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol, right. That he’s already about to die as an old man with sorrow and I’ve already lost Joseph. Now, I’m losing Benjamin.. I already lost Simeon, now Benjamin? Oh, you’re bringing my soul, you’re being my gray hairs to death. And I’m not going to Sheol with a joyful heart, but with sorrow… that’s what Jacob is saying here. This is a life of grief, a life of mourning. But see here in our chapter, when the brothers came back, here in chapter 45 in our passage today, Jacob was not willing to go back to Egypt because they wanted grain. See it wasn’t famine that will bring Jacob to Egypt. I mean at first he didn’t want to go. He never came with his sons to Egypt. Remember, the only reason why Jacob will go was because of this soul reviving message that he got— Joseph is alive.
The news about his son being alive was enough reason for him to go. It was enough for an old man who feels like he’s about to die. That’s enough reason Joseph is alive for him to go there. Jacob was indeed comforted by this good news. See the effect of that good news to a man of sorrow! The news immediately revived his soul, revived his heart, his words. He said: it is enough, he’s willing to say oh I’m good. I’m now good. I’m content in with my life now.
That’s what he said, that’s what it is ‘enough’ meant. And we’re not blind brothers and sisters, not to see that there’s a greater news that this passage tells us. The greater news that truly revives our souls. If Joseph was thought to be dead, thought to be dead, was not really dead, there is a greater Joseph who really died— and this is good news for all of us. Because Jesus is alive! He died on the cross, He did not remain dead. This greater Joseph went to the darkest pit which was death on the cross as a punishment for sins He did not commit so that you and I won’t go through such darkness, won’t go through eternal darkness that is, and because this greater Joseph, Jesus Christ rose from the dead, He rules over all things. He is indeed a better Joseph, a better ruler than Joseph. And this greater news about Jesus Christ, it is a comfort to all of us as well. It does revive our weary souls.
An author whose name was Fred Klooster, says that “the comfort that comes from Christ is a certainty outside of ourselves.” Certainty outside of ourselves.. he said that the comfort we get from Christ is not just because we belong in Christ, but also because He continues to save us from sin and He continues to save us from the power of the enemy. He continues to save us. He has saved us, He continues to save us, and He will finally save us. When we speak of salvation, we’re not just talking about the time of your conversion, that’s just part of that! If you are in Christ, you are being saved from your sins. You have been saved from the penalty of your sins. You’re being saved from the power of sin. You will be saved from the presence of sin. He continues to save us and that is a comfort for us. This means that in times of sorrow, grief, we have, according to Fred Klooster, a certainty outside of ourselves who is alive and who continues to save you, and His death on the cross justified you, became your surety that you will continue to be saved. It’s not a presence salvation and you think that you can lose it, no. You are being saved. There is surety that you will be saved finally from its presence because the cross happened. The cross of Christ saved you, is saving you, will save you. The comfort that the cross of Christ brings to a believer, a believer who is wearied by sorrow, the promise that it brings, that it triumphs over sin, that should be a comfort to those who are wearied by sin. And we are those people who are wearied. How many of you are struggling with the same sins? And you have prayed to God— Lord can you please remove this sin, Lord, help me, strengthen me. And you’ve seen the work of God through His people helping you, reminding you, rebuking you, sharply, lovingly. You see the hand of God there. How He continues to save you and comfort you through His people.
And whenever you look to the cross and whenever you hear the gospel, you are reminded who you are in the eyes of God.. that you think, that you’re still guilty of your sin, but in the eyes of God, you’re not. That is the comfort that it brings to us. And this is the great comfort every believer has— that Christ saved you, Christ saves you and Christ will finally save you from sin and all the sorrows it bring. And it is a certainty. Remember when the brothers found out for the first time that Joseph was alive. Remember that. Joseph told them: brothers, do not be afraid. When they found out that it was Joseph, it was Joseph who in fact comforted them. And the brothers were what? assured, they were comforted not just seeing Joseph but by hearing from what from Joseph said.. that they shouldn’t worry and they shouldn’t be afraid. It’s the same thing for us, us who has received comfort from the greater news of the Gospel, it is our turn as well to comfort others. That is in fact the reason why we are comforted by the gospel. That’s what Paul says in 2 Corinthians chapter 1: 3 to 4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all of our affliction, It is the father who comforts us in Christ, reminds us of who we are in Christ, reminds us of what Christ has done for us, that He doesn’t see our guilty selves. We have been redeemed. What He sees is the righteousness of Christ which is foreign to us. That’s what He sees, that’s what He reminds us all, that’s how He comforts us whenever we hear the gospel. But also, it says, the reason why you’re comforted, Paul says, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with a comfort.. what are you going to use to comfort them? Paul says with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. He’s saying you are to comfort them by saying the same words that you heard, same comforting words that you heard from God Himself and that is the gospel. Are you comforted by the gospel? Comfort one another. That is the great purpose of the Lord as He comforts us in Christ, so we become messengers of the same comfort we all received.
God uses other people, brethren in Christ, to bring the same comfort that comforted them and that is the gospel of Christ. That’s basically what the brothers are doing. They found out Joseph is alive, they went back to Jacob.
Joseph is alive. Father Jacob was comforted. You have a greater news and I’m telling you Jesus is alive. Be comforted by this truth. Because Jesus is alive, there is really no reason to worry. But I know it’s easy to say because we live in a sinful world and we still have remaining sins. But it is true the very thing that would worry you, that should worry a person, is eternal damnation. And yet you don’t have it! You have escaped from it. Hence, there’s no fear, there’s nothing to fear.
Jesus is alive. If you think that you can find comfort from any material thing or from anyone apart from the gospel of Christ, then you are wrong. Paul ultimately says that the only comfort that you can get that would satisfy your soul, that could revive your soul, is the comfort that comes from God Himself because He is the God of all comfort. And God comforts you with the gospel so that we may also comfort our brother and sister in Christ using the same comforting words that did not come from us… that comes from God alone. Remind them of who they are in Christ, remind them that their sins that they’re struggling with, do not condemn them. If you see an unrepentant brother or sister, you tell them of their sins. You remind them of the hope that is available in Christ to run to Christ. You know the urgency and the weight of it because you yourself have been comforted by it. You have been redeemed by it.
And so my challenge for everyone: In Times Of Sorrow, Turn To The Gospel, And Also To Brethren Who Are Comforted By The Gospel. It requires opening your life to a brother or a sister in Christ. No, it’s not bad to grieve, sorrow just like what happened to Jacob. Sorrow is not inherently sinful. But during times of grief, God’s provision is the gospel. It doesn’t mean that you would immediately be happy, no. God recognises grief. In fact, there’s a bad kind of sorrow, there’s a worldly sorrow. It is a sorrow that hopes on things other than God, which is again, worldly sorrow, according to Paul in 2 Corinthians chapter 7. It produces is death if you hope on other things, while godly sorrow is a sorrow that hopes on God, a sorrow that clings to Christ. Hence, it leads to true repentance, it leads to having a life of hope despite the hurt and despite the current pain. So if you’re currently experiencing pain, hurt, grief, sorrow and you think that things in this world will ease the pain, you will soon find out that you’ll be back from the start.
The source of true comfort is God. And if you have no faith in Christ and such sorrow will definitely lead to death. And the only way that you can find God, that your sorrow can only lead to life is if you cling to Christ, you turn away from your sins and come to faith in Him. Consider the state of your soul. My friend, you may be visiting, and you may be have been hearing the gospel. And for you, this may just be someone a speaker in front of you, but let me tell you that every preaching of the word is God’s divine appointment for His people. And for those who are providentially here, it is your opportunity to respond. God calls you now to repent of your sins, turn away from your sins before it’s too late. And come to faith in Christ. If you’re not in Christ, in times of sorrow, you would think that other things can give you comfort. They may give you temporary, false comfort but they’re temporary and they are false. The only comfort comes from God. The only comfort is living a life knowing that when you end your life, that when we pass away and everyone will pass away, you will be in eternity with God. That is the comfort that we have in Christ. So repent and come to faith in Him. And this unchanging comfort in life is summed up in three words brethren, my brothers and sisters in this these three words is that Jesus is alive. That’s what gives comfort to us because He is alive, because He lives, it means that Christ triumphed over sin. And He has triumphed over your sin. Remember, name your sin, catch it and you’re killing a sin not because of your own strength and power, you’re killing a sin that has already been killed by Christ on the cross because He’s alive. That’s why you can name it, that’s why you can catch, it that’s why you can mortify it because He is alive. If He remain dead, then you can’t do it!
Because Christ lives, He prays for us continuously to the Father so that we may not fall. Because He lives, the gospel prevails against evil. Even though we see lots of evil in this world, we know that the gospel will progress because He lives. Everything we do for the Lord: evangelism, apologising, giving forgiveness, asking forgiveness rather, forgiving others, carrying one another’s burdens, helping in the church, are all not in vain because He is alive. Because He lives.
Whenever we get depressed, whenever we are grieving, there is a High Priest who can actually sympathise. Meaning He actually knows your feeling. He actually knows. He actually understands. You know why? Because He became flesh. He can sympathise with what we are going through. He became flesh, that’s one, but also because He actually went and gone through suffering. And you know what? It’s worse than whatever we are going through now. Because He lives, Someone, there is Someone, greater who can give you strength. Imagine if he’s not alive, it means He did not defeat your sin. But He is alive. It means someone was greater than you, was able to defeat your sin. It means that He can give you strength to kill your sin. Who else can help you mortify your sins? Of course it is the One who conquered sin and Satan by rising from the dead. Jesus is alive brethren. If you are in Christ, then just as Christ triumphed over the sins of His people, you too will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to triumph over sins.
There will be triumph over the effects of sin, triumph even over death because of Christ. Do you find comfort in other things? Are you more comforted by them or the thought of God seeing you, seeing the righteousness of Christ in you. You don’t have to worry about what’s going to happen in the future. You don’t have to worry about what you are going to eat tomorrow or the next day because God tells you that you are His child you are not to worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Why? Because you are a child of God, you have been redeemed by Christ! What are you worrying? Do you find comfort in the fact that Jesus Christ is alive and He has defeated what wearies your soul? And that is your sin. There is hope. He is the only comfort in life brothers and sisters.
And my last point is only, He is also our comfort even In Death. In the last verse, verse 28, Israel said: “It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die. Israel said this is what he’s saying: I now have everything, I am content; knowing that Joseph is alive, now I’m good. His heart was full of pessimism in the past years, right. I’m going to die a very, very sad man. I’m going to go to Sheol; that’s what’s going to happen here. Now from having a pessimistic heart, now to having an optimistic one, he says: now I can die. He doesn’t say I want to die now. He’s not saying that. He doesn’t have a death wish. He’s saying: you know what, I’m ready. Now I can die, now I will see my son before I die. Now it would be okay. There was satisfaction, there was contentment in his heart because he learned about Joseph being alive. That’s what he’s saying here. Now it’s good, it is enough. Of course it’s never good, it’s never good to die, let me clarify. It’s never good to want to die. Let us not forget that death according to 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 26 is the last enemy of God. It is still an enemy of God. It distorts the natural order. God did not create death. Sin was but a result of death. And just like sin, death will be according to 1 Corinthians chapter 15 will be defeated by God. So death isn’t something one should desire. Just like Elijah in the Old Testament. If you’re familiar in 1 Kings, he was trying…he wanted to be…Jezebel wanted to murder Elijah. And then it says in 1 Kings chapter 19:4 Elijah said because of what’s happening to him, because of what Jezebel wants, Jezebel wanted to kill him. Elijah said and he asked the Lord that he might die. Elijah asked the Lord that he might die. He said, this is what Elijah said: “It is enough; now, oh Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” See, it is the same Hebrew word by the way. But of course the context is King; the context here is different. Elijah is saying: I’m done, but he’s saying he’s I’m done with my my life, that’s what he’s saying. But Jacob, on the other hand, was saying: I’m done. It’s time to seize from all worries in life because my son is alive! You see the difference. I’m good, Jacob said, I don’t fear death. I’m not going there in sorrow. I’m going to Sheol having joy in my heart, knowing that Joseph is still alive. I’m ready to go. If it is my time, I’m so ready to go! That’s what Jacob is saying contrary to what Elijah was saying; oh, he wanted to die. You know what’s happening to Jacob? It has given his soul revival. He has given him a different perspective about death. It seems as if he thinks that he’s going to Sheol. He’s going to die thinking that he’s already content. Okay na ako. You know, same is true for all Christians. It is enough. It has been done. Christ did it for us. Christ died for the forgiveness of our sins. Christ rose so we can have, so we can live forever with God. In a sense, we can also say it is enough; we’re good. We don’t wish to die, but if ever, God, this is the time, we can say in Christ, it is enough. Are you confident to say it? Are you, is your soul comforted enough to say it is enough? And you know what, it is inevitable. Well you don’t always talk about death. Usually we don’t we only talk about death when there’s, I mean during wake. But death is something inevitable. And that is something we need to talk about even as a church. In fact the Puritans, wrote a lot of writings about death, saying we need to be ready. Because if there’s something inevitable that will happen to you, it’s death. Will you be confident to say ‘Lord, I’m good. I have Christ. I am content.’ Because death has been defeated by the risen Christ and death will finally be defeated on His return. I do not have to fear death anymore. And you would say it’s normal for one to fear death. But that’s the most, that’s the scariest thing one would go through. But according to 1 Corinthians chapter 15: 54-55 Paul comforts us. He says 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?” And walang sting ang death.
Hindi tayo forever hahawakan ng kamatayan. Pag tayo’y namatay, kung ikaw ay kay Kristo, hindi ka mananatiling patay because Jesus is alive. Death cannot hold you forever. In fact, eternal life has already began when you were converted in Christ. You will never ever cease to exist. That when you pass away, you will be away from your body but at home with the Lord, with consciousness, with joy in communion with your Lord and Saviour. Now if death is the worst thing that can happen to us physically, and yet we have assurance that he has been defeated, and it will be defeated. This is obvious in the writings of of Paul, you shouldn’t fear death. I’m not saying na maging parang ano kayo, dangerous person na parang ano ba, kung anu-ano ang gawin ninyo ‘no, umakyat kayo sa mga building, mag-video kayo nang tumatalon-talon kayo sa mga building. Merong nangyayari, may ganun huh by the way. I’m not saying that; overconfidence.
Naman yun, right. But I’m saying, I have good news— death will come. But it has been defeated by Christ. Death is like a night and you would go through the night and you will open your eyes and see Christ in the morning. If you are in Christ, death cannot hold you anymore. That’s what Christ has done for you. That is the good news. And again, many Puritans wrote about death to comfort us today. The gospel comforts you today so that you would see death differently. Although it is evil, and God hates it, it is God’s enemy, it becomes good for those who love God. It becomes your entrance into the home of Christ. It becomes your entrance into a living communion, eternal communion with Christ. One of those Puritans was Lewis Bayly. He says that it is the duty of every Christian to think about death. Wow! Why? Because death will remind you to live a godly life. And It prepares you to die well. How do you die well? By our persevering in abiding in Christ, by focusing our eyes on Christ, who is our Hope and only comfort in death.
My last challenge for everyone is to Ponder On This Great Truth Of The Assurance Of Resurrection Because Of Christ. You have that assurance if you are in Christ. No one can take that away from you. Even Satan cannot take that away from you. You have that great, unchanging assurance. That is a reality that we cannot escape, brethren. It will happen. We don’t usually think about it, we don’t usually talk about it. But when someone dies, we immediately, napansin ninyo ba yun? When someone dies, we, that’s the time when we remember it’s the brevity of life. Dun lang natin naaalala of the inevitability of death. Remember how fleeting life is. And then we begin to evaluate our lives now. What we’re doing, what our plans are, how loving we are to one another, what have I done for the good of others, for the good of of my family. These are things that we remember and these are good things to ponder on. But the point is that it does affect the now as we ponder on it. Thinking about death effects now. But the charge for you is that we’re presenting today is but to ponder on the life that does not cease to exist. Ponder on that assurance and find comfort from that truth, that Christ rose so you will rise. That Christ defeated death so death will not hold you down. Eternal life has already begun for a Christian. What a comfort that is brethren. And let this truth weigh in your hearts, the gravity and the necessity of what? evangelising others, evangelising those without assurance.
Let this truth give strength that your battle against sin now has an end. That your worries in life has an end because a life without them, awaits.
You’re familiar with the Heidelberg Catechism? You’ve probably thought about it as you saw the title. Ursinus and the rest reformers during that time when they were writing the Heidelberg Catechism, one word that drove them to write the catechisms was the word “comfort.” If you go to question number 57, if you just search the word comfort, you will see a lot, lots of questions about comforting a Christian. But if you see question number 57 in the Heidelberg Catechism, it says: “How does the resurrection of the body comfort you?” Answer: not only will my soul be taken immediately after this life to Christ, its head, but also my very flesh will be raised by the power of Christ, reunited with my soul and made like Christ’s glorious body. But that’s question number 57. You remember they started not just to comfort us about the coming death, but also even the now. You remember question number one which asks “what is thy only comfort in life and death?” And the answer that “I, with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ, who with His precious blood has fully satisfied for all my sins and delivered me from all the power of the devil and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head. Yes, that all things must be subservient to my salvation; and therefore by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto Him.” They wanted to comfort the readers of the Heidelberg Catechism. They wanted to comfort every home as they intended the catechisms to be taught in the homes for the children. And they wanted the children to grow up knowing that there’s this unchanging comfort, only comfort both in life and in death.
So brethren, do you fear death? Does the truth of Christ’s resurrection or even the work on the cross of Christ bring you to your knees and bow to our great Saviour Christ who has saved you from the penalty of sin, who is, who is saving you from the power of sin and who will save you from the presence of sin. Does this truth drive you more to come to Him for more comfort? Brethren, because He lives, sin’s presence will soon be gone and we will be in eternal loving communion with Him. This is our only comfort in life and death. Christ is your only comfort in life and death. May the word of God enrich our knowledge of Him and may it stir us to live in light of these truths.
Let us pray. Our great God and gracious Father, thank You Lord for giving us comfort and that Comfort became flesh. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. Lord we are grateful that this soul reviving truth gives us comfort. I pray Lord that we see this every day as a truly comforting message, that we would always run to the scriptures and find, find Christ. I pray Lord that we would hunger and thirst for Christ. Allow us Lord as we are comforted by Your word, as we are reminded of how the sorrows of the world has an end and how the sins that wearies our soul has an end. Lord, may we also comfort our brethren. May we remind them of the same comfort that we have are receiving from You and allow us Lord to have a biblical perspective about death. Lord, we know that it is inevitable. But Lord, because of Christ, we are assured that life continues, that we have indeed given eternal life in Him, that as we go through the night gently, we will all see Christ in the morning. And so Lord, thank You for Your grace and mercy in our lives. We Praise You In His name, amen.