Communion meditation is from John 11, verses 25 through 26. This is the word of God. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? Let's pray. Oh Lord, you have given us your word. It was written for our instruction so that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope. Give us hope now in your promises. and in the Lord Jesus and the power of his resurrection. He is the resurrection and the life. He is our only hope and comfort in life and in death. We thank you that while the enemy comes to kill, to steal, and to destroy, you have come that we may have life and have it more abundantly. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Two weeks ago, a woman broke her way into the Covenant School in Nashville and murdered six people, three adults and three nine-year-old children. And one of those children that was killed was Hallie Scruggs. She was the only daughter of Chad Scruggs, who was the senior pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church. This was the PCA church that was affiliated with the school. We weep with those who weep, and we mourn this massacre. But the question is, what hope is there in such a tragedy? What hope is there in a world that is full of sin and sorrow and death? The hope, the only hope, is the Lord Jesus and his resurrection that we are celebrating today. And in this passage, Jesus spoke these words to Martha, the sister of Lazarus, before he raised Lazarus from the dead. And he made two promises, and these promises are true for all those who believe in Jesus. Jesus promises an eternal life that is both spiritual and physical. First, Jesus promises eternal life that is spiritual. He says in verse 26, he makes this promise, whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. The Bible tells us that death came into the world because of sin. Romans 5 says, through one man, sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because all sinned. And death came into the world through sin. It was both physical death and spiritual death came into the world through sin. God had told Adam that in the day he ate of the tree and sinned and disobeyed God, he would surely die. And he did die, spiritually. Spiritual death is a loss, a separation of communion with God, separation from his love, from his favor, from a right relationship with him. And that spiritual death now came into the world, and now all people are born spiritually dead. We're dead in trespasses and sins, at enmity with God, enslaved to sin and to the power of Satan. Jesus said in Mark 7 that from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders. That is why people murder others, like what happened two weeks ago. And because God is just, he must punish sin. The wages of sin is death, the Bible says. But there is hope, and that is because Jesus came to bring life. He died in the place of sinners on the cross, and he rose again and he saves sinners, and when he converts a sinner, he raises them from spiritual death to spiritual life. Ephesians 2 talks about this resurrection. But God, who is rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. By grace, you have been saved and raised us up together. John 5, 24 says, most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in him who sent me has everlasting life and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Jesus promises here in this passage, whoever lives, that is lives spiritually and believes in me shall never die. those believe in Jesus, who have been raised to spiritual life. That spiritual life will never end. John 10 says, my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. Those who believe in Jesus will never die spiritually. They will not die eternally in hell. But instead, after death, their souls will go into the presence of the Lord, and they will enjoy eternal life with the Lord forever. Jesus promises that, and he is the one who gives eternal life that is spiritual. But Jesus makes a second promise. Jesus promises, secondly, eternal life that is physical. Verse 25 says, he who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. Sin brought death into the world, and it brought physical death as well as spiritual death. But Jesus gives eternal life that is physical as well. And that life is for those who have already been raised to spiritual life in Him. They also will be raised to physical life that is eternal. Jesus said in John 6, 40, this is the will of Him who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life, and I will raise Him up at the last day. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. Those who believe in Jesus still die physically, but even though they die, they will not remain dead. They will live again because Jesus rose from the dead bodily and he is the first fruits. First Corinthians 15 says, but now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Christ is the firstfruits. He was the first to rise from the dead. The first fruits are the guarantee that the rest of the harvest will come. It is Jesus's resurrection from the dead that is the guarantee that one day all who believe in him will also be raised from the dead. Why do we bury the dead in cemeteries? What is a cemetery? The word cemetery comes from the Greek word that meet coimaterion, and that word means the place of those who sleep. And that was the name that Christians in the Roman Empire chose for the places where they would bury their dead. And they chose that name because, believe, that the bodies of the saints are sleeping. They're resting in their graves until the resurrection. And when the day of resurrection comes, they will be raised to life. All who believe in Jesus will rise from the dead like he did, with bodies that are like his glorious body. And that is why we can mourn, but not as those without hope. That is why we can commit the bodies of our loved ones to the ground in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3.21 says, he will transform our mortal body that it may be like his glorious body, according to the mighty power by which he is able to subdue all things to himself. Jesus and his resurrection is our only hope in this world of sin and sorrow and murder and death. The question is, is he your hope? Do you believe this? That is the question that Jesus asks in verse 26. Do you believe this? Pastor Scruggs believes this. After his daughter was so tragically murdered two weeks ago, he said this, we are heartbroken. She was such a gift. Through tears, we trust that she is in the arms of Jesus who will raise her to life once again. Is that your hope? Do you believe that Jesus rose from the dead and he gives eternal life that is both physical and spiritual to all who believe in him? Are you trusting him today as your only hope in life and in death? Revelation 21 tells us that a day is coming for those who believe in Jesus. When God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, there will be no more pain. And this is guaranteed because He is risen. Jesus is risen victorious over sin and death. He is now reigning at the right hand of God. And he must reign until all his enemies are put under his feet. And the last enemy that he will destroy is death itself. Jesus offers now to his people at this table life and communion. And here we have the chance to rejoice and to remember his death and his resurrection for us. So if you are trusting in Jesus today as your hope, then come to this table in faith. Let's pray. Lord Jesus, we thank you that you are the resurrection and the life, that while the enemy comes to steal and to kill and to destroy, you have come that we may have life and have it more abundantly. We thank you that you have come to give an eternal life that is both spiritual and physical. Please comfort the Scruggs family and all the families mourning loved ones and all of the saints down at Covenant in Nashville. We thank you that though we mourn, we do not mourn without hope because your resurrection is our hope. We praise you that you have risen from the dead, that you have conquered sin and death, that you reign, and you will put all enemies under your feet, that you will destroy death itself. Help us to come to this, your table, in faith and hope, in your glorious resurrection. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.