written, death is swallowed up in victory. Oh, death, where is thy sting? Oh, grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth the victory through Jesus Christ, our Lord, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Excuse me. Let's pray. Lord, as God and Heavenly Father, we thank you again this morning as we gather in thine house. We continue to pray for Taylor and the Latham family, Lord, as they still go through that difficult time losing our dear sister, Elizabeth Rioja, that your grace, your goodness be with them and help them. And we pray for Albert and Angie as they prepare to get married, Lord, that you bless them in their endeavor, getting married, Lord. And we just again, just thank you for your goodness towards us. We thank you for your Mercy, for it was nothing short of your mercy that woke us up this morning. That we are not consumable, God. Great is thy faithfulness. And Lord, we come standing before you, knowing that thou art a holy God. And so Lord, we ask that you grace this poor preacher to be able to speak thy word this morning. May thy spirit accompany thy word, for we ask it in your holy name. Amen. Please be seated. I would like to speak this morning on the subject of the Lord has triumphed gloriously. The Lord has triumphed gloriously. Of course I've taken the words from Exodus 15 in verse 1 and 21 where these are the words of the song that was sung after the crossing of the red seed in Exodus 15 which is Again, no doubt, a type symbolic of our redemption. The phrase is repeated at the beginning or commencement of this blessed song, and then at the end of the song, where Moses and millions sing joyfully, sing thankfully, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously. and does the title to my message, The Lord Hath Triumphed Gloriously. Oh, my dear ones, this morning, how much more should we be singing the song of the redeemed with greater joy than those in Exodus 15? Because our deliverance is more than some physical deliverance. It is an internal deliverance. It is the salvation of our souls. And therefore, all those in Christ this morning, should with that abundant thanksgiving in their heart their hearts saturated with immense gratitude knowing that the Lord Jesus Christ has triumphed gloriously in his death burial and resurrection which is the keystone and foundation of our faith and hope now 1st Corinthians 15 is all about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and the important of those that are in Christ, those who follow Christ, that we have been given a living hope, that is a lively hope, a real hope, a no-show hope of our salvation. And therefore, it secures a future resurrection, a future physical resurrection of our bodies one day because of Christ's defeat over Satan, sin, and death. Therefore, in 1 Corinthians 15, the resurrection of Christ is the overwhelming theme. And therefore, Paul concludes this chapter, again, with those blessed words that we read at the beginning of our text, signifying the victory that we have in Christ. Therefore, the Lord has triumphed gloriously. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. May I borrow from the words of David this morning when he said thousands of years ago, I say to you this morning also regarding our salvation, our victory because of the resurrection where David said many years ago, he had made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and my desire. The last phrase, for this is all my salvation and all my desire. This is so true because of the certainty, yea, the veracity of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ in his triumphant work over Satan, sin, and death, which gives us the victory. Notice again, Paul has very carefully, methodically set forth our victory in Christ, in what Christ has wrought for us at the cross, and the triumphant raising from the dead, from the grave, which signifies and testifies to the satisfaction of the Father in the receiving of his only begotten Son. You'll recall in Romans 4, you don't have to turn there, where Paul writes and speaking about the imputation that was given to Abraham, but it's Imputed to us also he says but for us also to whom it shall be imputed that is the righteousness of Christ if what if we believe in him if we believe in God that Rains of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead Christ who was what delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our our justification. So Lord Jesus Christ was delivered up at the cross for our sins, for our salvation, because of our many sins and trespasses. But thanks be to God, he raised him up from the grave to signify that God was satisfied with the work of Christ. Therefore, our salvation is guaranteed. Guaranteed, if I can put it in those terms. And this is why, as David would say, This is all my hope and my salvation. You can look at all the other religions. I can assure you, you'll find Muhammad still in his tomb. Confucius, you'll find him in his tomb. We can go down the line, all these men, but I can assure you Jesus Christ's tomb is empty because he has risen from the dead. And so our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished victory for us. And I love what Paul says here, that this victory that is in Jesus Christ, it is given to us. That is, to those of us who are born again, those of us who are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not just those that say, I'm a Christian with the lip. There are many lip-service Christians. They say, well, I'm just a Christian. I said a little sinner's prayer. I did it, I did it. I don't care what you do. It's about what Christ did upon the cross. And if God has never brought you through the gate of repentance and through the gate of faith, I'm sorry to inform that you're yet in your sins and outside Christ. The aspect of being born again is a work of what is called regeneration in the heart that God, by the Holy Spirit, raises up as we were dead in trespasses and sins, takes out the old heart spiritually, puts in a new heart, and now we are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, not in lip, but in heart. True regeneration, true salvation. And therefore, those and only those who are in Christ, only those in Christ can claim this victory as being theirs. And so we have this victory presently, so that we can say with an assurance cemented in hope and without a doubt declared in faith by following him, to say as an individual, I can't answer for you, but I speak for myself, that I say it is mine. It is mine. You see, even at this very present moment right now, this day, at the same time that I'm preaching, I have a hope. of a future resurrection, of a future heaven because of what Christ did upon the cross. How about you? What hope do you have? Do you even have a hope? We have this hope because of what Paul said in verse 57, but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, it's like it's a done deal. This is all my hope. This is all my salvation and desire. That's what David said. In other places, Paul would write and say, being justified by his grace, that we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Romans 5, 1 and 2, therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have access by faith into the grace wherein we stand. We rejoice in the hope the glory of God and then of course 1st Peter 1 3 blessed be God the father of the Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy had begotten us again birthed us again being born again had begotten us again unto a lively hope or a living hope how by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead so in verse 57 again it says but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through Our Lord Jesus Christ. Now I want you to notice that Paul gives thanks to God for the victory, but then he turns around after he gives God thanks for the victory to inform me, to inform you if you're in Christ, that we are also recipients of this victory. The word give it in this text, which says, thank me to God, which give it us the victory, is the Greek word didomine, which basically means to let someone have something to give over, to deliver into one's care, to commit to administer something to someone. As a matter of fact, it is the same word used there in Romans 4.25 when it says, who was delivered for our offenses, didomine, It's the same word in English, delivered. Who Christ was delivered over on the cross for our sins. That's what the word didomine means in the Greek. Therefore, when it says, the victory, give it to us, it was delivered over to us. It was given to us. It is mine presently. Presently. The word give it, in the Greek, it is in the present tense. And it's in the active voice, which expresses and or represents an action ongoing continually. This is why I said earlier, this victory is ours presently, right now, this very moment, if we are in Christ. And as we said, it is in the active voice where God is the subject, and therefore, God is the actor of this action. God has done, and God is doing the work, and we are the recipients, or we wish, the beneficiaries of this spiritual blessing. As to Paul is saying, there is a victory going on right now, presently. In other words, that before we even die, we can enjoy the victory now, even before the future resurrection. This might not be the best analogy, but everybody's caught up with the Super Bowl frenzy or whatever. But it's like knowing the score at the end of the game, even before the game starts. You already know you're going to win. You already know you're going to win. It says, which giveth us the victory. That's what it means. We've already won in Christ. It's ours. It's mine. No matter what happens to me, no matter what I go through, no matter what adversity might come upon me, no matter what, guess what? I have the victory. It is mine presently. Now, He will give and has given us this victory. It is ours presently. And I love he said, which giveth us the victory, not he will give. I mean, he said he will give, that would be more in the future tense. But no, he's saying that future day when my body that maybe I've laid in the ground for I don't know how many years before Christ comes back, will one day be resurrected and reunited with my soul and spirit. And he's saying, That is already, as it were, a done deal. We already have that victory. And Paul speaks in a sense that it is already ours. He giveth us the victory. What has he given us? The victory. Again, but thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory. The word victory in the Greek is nachos. You know, we get the English word Nike. You know, said it many a time, you know, Michael Jordan make the Nike tennis famous because he won so many championships. And when you were a young boy during those 80s, you know, you wanted to buy what? Nike tennis because it represented what? Victory. Champions. We were conquerors of the world of the NBA. Nike champions. And this is what this word Nike means here. to have the victory, to be conquerors. It means to be winners, to utterly vanquish. In other words, this present victory is given to us right now through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, in our immediate context, the words death and sin are mentioned. But we know that through other verses throughout the Bible, that it includes even Satan himself. In other words, again, Satan, sin, and death have been defeated by our Lord Jesus Christ, have been conquered, naikos, have been defeated by Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection. is victorious over Satan, sin, and death. And then he turns around, and he gives us the victory also. We all know that since the fall, when Adam fell in the garden way back yonder thousands of years ago in Genesis, when Adam fell in the garden, Satan, sin, and death from that day forward have been victorious been successful over the whole human race, except for one man, the God-man, Jesus Christ. This is why we die, because of sin. Adam brought sin into the world, and therefore, we all die because of sin. And because the victory of Christ over sin, over Satan and death, again, Paul speaks in the language of what? Of present victory. Present victory. I want you to notice that this word, nikos, is used three times in our text. And I'm not saying this is true, but my next statement is Perhaps it's used three times to designate Christ's victory over Satan, Christ's victory over sin, and Christ's victory over death. Look at that text again, starting in verse 54, 1 Corinthians 15, it says, for when this corruptible hath put on incorruption, and this mortal hath put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying which is written, death is swallowed up in victory. The Greek word nycho, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. And so Paul speaks in the sense that Christ has already vanquished, defeated these three enemies. In other words, something has already happened to these three enemies. They have already been defeated by our Lord Jesus Christ. And again, this is the faith and hope of our salvation. In other words, the sting of death has been removed. And so a true child of God, a Christian, should not fear death. I don't fear death. Because death is but the doorway to glory. If you're outside Christ, you should fear death. But if you're a Christian, a Christian should not. Fear death. Now, let me explain this a little bit better so you'll understand what I'm saying. I don't fear death, but I fear dying. There's a difference between the two. For example, I would not want to die in a burning fire. I would not want to be buried alive. I might fear that. I think it would freak me out. I think of my mother who died of cancer, and how many years she suffered, or any disease that can cause death. So I'm not saying, not a fear of dying of what we might die, but as far as death itself, we should not fear death. And I do not fear death. Why? Because Christ has given me the victory. And if you're in Christ, He gives you the victory also. And so Jesus Christ, by His death, by His burial, His resurrection, defeated His enemies and our enemies, which is Satan, sin, and death. When Christ was crucified and buried, Satan thought that he finally had the victory over Christ. He finally thought that he had destroyed his long purpose of destroying the promised seed who was to come. And that promised seed was Christ. And Satan thought he could destroy the work of God and salvation. And throughout the century, Satan tried again and again from the beginning. You remember from the very beginning, he deceived Eve. And so Adam was not deceived. He willfully partook of that fruit and that's what made his sin. So bad that it brought forth sin into the world and death. Adam and Eve had a son. Or I should say had twins, Cain and Abel. And Satan tempted Cain to kill Abel. Because he knew if Abel would die, the promise she would go. But God gave them Seth. Satan led the world in awful sin and wickedness to a worldwide flood. For the imagination of all the people was evil continually. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Satan led Abraham in unbelief and fear to bear Ishmael. But God graciously gave him the promise of Isaac. Satan led Joseph and his brothers to sell They let the brothers of Joseph to sell him into slavery. But God saved the promised seed from starvation by Joseph's faithfulness. Satan tempted David to commit a sin worthy of death, adultery, in the Old Testament. But God gave him a repented heart. Satan tempted Herod to murder all the babies when Christ was born, two years and under. But God protected Christ by causing Joseph to flee to Egypt. And even throughout the ministry of Christ, however, we read in the gospel that they're going to take him by willful hand and kill Jesus Christ. And so Satan tried often to kill Christ and then even caused Judas to betray the Lord Jesus Christ, which led to the crucifixion of Christ. And for three days, Satan Sin and death had a victory party of a supposed victory. Satan thought that he finally had triumphed over Christ and he had tried in the past 4,000 years to destroy the seat of Christ. And now he thought he finally succeeded in defeating the promised seats. And he kept telling death and sin, bragging over and over again that his diabolical planning had finally paid off. And the victory went on for three days. And early in the third day, they couldn't believe their eyes as the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead. As the hymn of Robert Lowry says, In the grave he laid, Jesus my Savior, waiting the coming day, the coming day, Jesus my Lord. Up from the grave he arose, with a mighty triumph over his foes. He arose a victor from the dark domain, and he lives forever with his saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! He arose! Vainly they watched his death, Jesus my Savior. Vainly they sealed the dead, Jesus my Lord. Dead could not keep his prey, Jesus my Savior. He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord. Up from the grave he arose, with a mighty triumph over his foes. He arose a victor from the dark domain, and he lives forever with his saints who reign. He arose, he arose, hallelujah, he arose. Yes, our Lord Jesus Christ won the victory. He won the victory over Satan, over sin and death. And He arose from the dead. As He triumphed powerfully and victoriously, He rose from the dead. I want to look quickly for the remainder of the time at a couple of texts that show how Christ triumphed powerfully and victoriously over Satan, sin, and death. And then close with Job and make application. But I didn't really have time to look at the first text. Maybe we'll finish the rest of it this evening. But I would ask you to turn in your Bible to Hebrews chapter 2. Hebrews 2. In Hebrews 2, we'll read two verses, 14 and 15. It says, for as much Then, as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself, speaking of Christ, likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him who had power over death, that is, the devil, and deliver them who are the them that are qualified at the end of verse 9, that God should take death for every man, every man whom is saved. by Christ. Verse 10, the many sons that He will bring unto glory, those are the them. If you read the whole context you'll understand that. And delivered them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Every time I read verse 16, man, I just want to shout so loud and so thankful that he didn't take upon him the nature of an angel. Because we forget that a third of the angels were cast down from heaven. And if you go read in the book of 2 Peter, you see that there's angels that is very, present moment, reserved in the pit, awaiting that day of awful destruction, which shall be thrown in that awful fire of Revelation 20. Nonetheless, I rejoice when I read this, because many angels sinned, but Christ took upon Him the seed of Abraham, that Christ would took upon Him form of a man, the glorious work of the incarnation, that God would become man. What a glorious plan of our great God, that God himself would become man and undertake the penalty and punishment of sin and the salvation of all those whom he would save. And so I thank God for the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, as he took upon himself the nature of man. Of course, when he took upon him the nature of man, He did this without sin. And in his incarnation, he would fulfill the will of God by dying upon the cool cross and taking upon not only the wrath of man, but also the wrath of God that was put upon him. And then resurrecting the third day. As he conquered sin, he conquered death, and he conquered Satan himself. in his incarnation, lived a sinless life. He kept the law perfectly. You know why he did that? To accomplish what it says there in 1 Corinthians 15, to remove the sting of the law, or the sting of death. He kept the law perfectly to remove its sting. Because what is sin? Sin is the transgression against the law of God. I don't have time to go through all the Ten Commandments, but you should know what the Ten Commandments are by now. And how often we violate those sins, or excuse me, violate those commandments which is sin. And it's not only that we do it physically, but sometimes we also do it mentally, outwardly as well as inwardly. That's why you remember when Christ came to the Sermon of the Mount. He said, you have heard of old. I've said unto you in the past, you've heard of old, that if a man commits adultery, he was worthy of death. And that was of course in the Old Testament. But now he brings it home. Because they thought as long as they did not commit the outward deed, that they were okay before God. But the Lord, like He takes a flashlight to the hearts of all men to see what's in the heart, what's in the soul. And that's why I say, you've heard of old, that if man committed adultery, he was worthy of death. But I say unto you, if a man looks upon a woman and lusts after her, he has committed adultery in his heart. Think if we thought, as long as I didn't do the deed, I could look and it'd be okay. No, it's just as bad as guilty. So it's not only the outward deed, but the inward deed. You know, you have heard of all. That if a man commits murder, he put to death. But then the Lord says, but I say unto you, if you hate anybody, you have committed murder. As long as you don't commit the deed of killing somebody, that maybe has backstabbed us and been so mean to us and that bitterness you can't take it anymore and if you could kill this person and get away with it, you'd do it. But you know you can't. That's hatred in the heart. Guess what? Guilty! I'll put it to you this way so we can all understand. Real simple term. You can't even go past the first commandment. People think they can keep the Ten Commandments. to stand before God. No, you cannot. And that's the point that I want you to understand. That the Lord took away the sting of death by keeping the law completely. He kept the law for me because I couldn't keep the law. And that's my trust. It's not in Joe Maldonado. My trust is in Jesus Christ. Because I can't keep the law. I trample on the law of God. From the day I came out from the womb. And that's why the Bible says, for the wages of sin is death. But there's a button there. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The soul that sinned shall die. So the word of God is quite clear regarding the ethic of sin. And so Jesus Christ in his glorious incarnation, he lived a sinless life and he kept the law perfectly to remove, to remove the sting of sin. To remove the awful sting of sin. Again, let me just read to you. Death is swallowed up in victory. Oh death, where is thy sting? That has a deadly sting to all those that are outside Christ. And this is why I thank God for His incarnation that He took upon Him, not the nature of angels, but of a man of the seed of Abraham. And so He kept the law of the Lord Jesus Christ. He kept the law perfectly to remove the sting. Why? Notice what it says again. Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, for this is a victory. I hope now you understand those precious verses there in 1 Corinthians 15. And the victory that we have in Christ, if we are in Christ. So he kept the law perfectly to remove the sting, therefore removing sin. to those whom He saves. It's cursed for all those whom He saves. And Jesus Christ partook of flesh and blood, so that through death, burial and resurrection, Christ would destroy not only sin, but also death. Yea, as we read here in Hebrews 2, the devil himself. Christ rendered Satan powerless, that as Christ bought to not The devil who had dominion over death. Again, notice what it says. Elijah took part of the same that through death he might destroy him, that is the devil, that has the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them who through the fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Elijah MacArthur says about this text, he says, quote, The only way to destroy Satan was to rob him of his weapon, death. Physical death, spiritual death, eternal death. Satan knew that God required death for us because of sin. Death had become the most certain fact of life. Satan knew that man, if they remain as they are, as they were, would die and go out of God's presence into hell forever. Man cannot escape death. And for just that purpose, Jesus Christ came. Satan's weapon is extremely powerful, but God had a weapon even more powerful, eternal life. And with it, Jesus destroyed death. The resurrection of Jesus Christ provides the believer with eternal life. It is the only thing that could ever have done it. Is the power of satan's dominion and when jesus shattered satan power. He also shattered his dominion unquote perfect by john macarthur again he says in hebrews 2 That through that he might destroy that he might Destroy the fray he might destroy in the greek is the greek word karta. I get oh with the prefix kata which means or intensifies the meaning and then ageo which means to be idle and it comes from another Greek word arkos which means to render ineffective or inactive and then of course the word argo starts with the letter a which is ah okay which means negative or without, like I call myself an amillennialist because I don't believe in a future millennium in that sense, okay? Am means negative, plus agn, which means work. When this Greek word is combined together, it means to render powerless. Therefore, when it's applied in our text, it means that Christ's work The work of our Lord Jesus Christ literally destroyed the devil's power over death and he made it totally inactive. The word means to do away with, to put out of use, that is to be inoperative. This is what our Lord did for us. This is the victory that he gives us when he saves our soul. This is the victory that Paul speaks about in 1 Corinthians 15 that is given to us in Christ. This week, we had Elizabeth Roja's funeral on Tuesday. A dear sister in the Lord. And I make reference to this text on my message on Tuesday. That's why this is the reason I knew my sister was in heaven. Not because of Elizabeth or any good work she did. Because of her trust in Christ. And that's because Christ rendered Satan powerless over the death of his saints. And that's why all those that die in Christ should not fear death. Because death translates us, takes us. to heaven, to eternal glory. And this is a glorious victory given to us by Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ put away, put out of use, in the sense that Christ abolished and caused the power of Satan, of the devil, over death, not to function. And then we have the phrase that he might destroy, again, can also be translated to rendered powerless. Lord dead bear resurrection overthrew Satan power over death Spurgeon says this quote that through dying he might overthrow Satan's power for all who trust him By his own death Christ broke that evil power which brought death into the world with his long trail of woe He did this not by example not even by his life, but by his death unquote Albert Barnes says, quote, the word destroy here is not used in the sense of closing life or killing, but in the sense of bringing into subjection or crushing his power. This is the work which Christ came to perform to destroy the kingdom of Satan in the world, unquote. Interesting again, that the word power in verse 14, of chapter 2 when it says that he might destroy him that had the power over death. I'm glad I looked it up. I took it. It was the Greek word dunamis, where we get the English word dynamite, which means great power. And then I thought it could be the other word for power in the Greek, which has to do with authority. And I said, well, that's probably it, too. But I studied it out, and I realized that it was a different word altogether. Kratos, which means strength or mind, that is, the power to rule, to control, or to have dominion with supreme sovereignty. In other words, Kratos denotes the presence and significance of force or strength that is exercised. It is the ability to exhibit or express great strength. And I like what this one writer says, quote, Next to God, death is the most powerful thing in the universe because no one can turn death away." And therefore, when Christ died, was buried, and resurrected from the grave, he tore the bars away from death, took away the sting, and he conquered death and brought to naught the power and dominion of the devil. Again, Kenneth Weeks in the Greek work study says, quote, Satan had the power of death, not in the sense that he had power over death, but in the sense that he had sovereignty or dominion over death. The Greek work here is kratos, which means power in the sense of dominion. His dominion over the human race was in the form of death, and that dominion is now broken, unquote. Therefore, our Lord Jesus Christ, in His glorious resurrection, took away the power, the dominion, the authority from death, from Hades, and from Satan himself. And so Christ stood eye to eye with death. And as Christ would look at death eye to eye, as it says in Hosea 13, verse 14, I will ransom Them, that is His people, from the power of the grave, I will redeem them from death. O death, I will be thy plagues. O grave, I will be thy destruction. Whoo! Glory! In other words, death fears God. That's why I don't fear death. Because Christ told death, O death, I will be thy plague. O grave, I will be your destruction. And that's why in Revelation 1 it says, I am he that liveth and was dead. And behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen and amen. And I have the keys of heaven and hell. That's right. And I love the way another writer puts it. He says, quote, because man fell into sin, death came into the world and is now working on earth to gather up all of mankind. Death resembles a dustpan. used to collect dust from the floor, and Hades resembles a trash can. Whatever the dustman collects is put in the trash can. Thus, death is the collector, Hades is the keeper. Death and Hades tried their best, but could not keep Christ in the domain. Praise the Lord! Death is subject to Him, and Hades is under His control. Hallelujah! Because Christ has the keys of death and Hades. Amen and Amen. Therefore, again, Hebrews 2, for as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself took part in the same, that through death he might destroy him that the power of death, which is the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. My dear ones, as I conclude, to fear death is a very natural thing. to everyone that is born into the world. And when you become a Christian, you should not fear death, but as we're born into this world, we do fear death. And that's, of course, again, very true, especially if you are without Christ this morning, you have reason to be afraid. Because the Bible does teach that it is appointed unto man once to die, and after this, the judgment. Soon, you must die soon. I must die. That's one thing we cannot escape. We cannot escape death, my dear ones. And so my question to you this morning, are you prepared to meet God? Are you prepared to meet God of death? I found a little poem that I'd like to share with you. It's only one stanza, but I like what it said. It said, please view my grave as you pass by. For as you are, so once was I. And as I am soon, you must be. So make your plans to follow me. And because of sin, the Bible says, the wages of sin is death. The soul descended shall die. We all die because of sin. And to understand, death is not the end of your existence. Many people believe you die. You know, you're like an animal that doesn't have a soul, doesn't have a spirit. You just die and go to the grave. No, there's an afterlife. And if you die without Christ, you will stand before a holy and righteous God in judgment. Every sinner who dies outside Christ will reap the exact penalty due to your sin by the holy, infinite God. And no one will escape that awful penalty. if you die without Christ. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection, which I believe is speaking of regeneration, being saved. And such the second death hath no power. They shall be priests of God and Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years. We're reigning with him right now. Whoo! As we have read in 1 Corinthians 15, For the believer, again, things are totally different. As we read in Hebrews 2.14, that Christ destroyed Satan, death, sin, and his people should not fear death. Christ came to die for sinners. Where do you stand before God this morning? All I can admonish you, I beseech you, even now, acknowledge your sins. As we read there in Jeremiah 3 this morning, only acknowledge your sins. Come in repentance toward God and in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ. laying whole of the Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation. This Baptist church cannot save you. This preacher cannot save you. The water behind me in the baptismal pool cannot save you. Nothing in this world can save you except Jesus Christ and then crucified. Don't look to religion. Don't look to man. Don't look to anybody. Set your eyes only upon Christ. And that's why I point you this morning. Life, salvation is found only in the person of Christ. That's why Jesus Christ said in John 14, 6, I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life. And the word da in each one of these has the definite article. I am, he didn't say I'm another life. He didn't say I am another truth, you know, the Hindus have the truth, the Muslims have the truth, that religion has the truth. No, no, he said I am the life. That's all. I am the truth. I am the way, there is no other way. He said, no man cometh to the Father but by me. And except you believe, Christ said, that I am he, you will die in your sins. And so this morning I point you to Christ. And those of us that are in Christ, I hope you can rejoice this morning that God, our Christ, has given us the victory. And we have a lot to be thankful for. But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory. Let's pray. Glorious God and Heavenly Father, we thank you again this morning. Thank you for the simplicity of the gospel in the Bible, Lord, that salvation is only found in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so, Lord, we pray this morning that those that are yet outside Christ, that you would disturb them, Lord. Lord, I pray that you would even wiggle the wills, Lord, cause them to see their sins, yea, bestow that gift of faith that they may call upon the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, and so save in our midst this morning, Lord. And those of us that name the name of Christ, we rejoice and we bow down to the only Savior of sinners, our Lord Jesus Christ, and rejoice that even now presently we have that victory that Christ gave to us because of his death, burial, and resurrection where he defeated Satan, death, and sin. And so we thank you for that, oh gracious God and Savior, and thus we ask these things in your blessed and holy name. Amen.