• flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
• whoever does not believe is condemned already. John 3:18b

As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. – 1 Corinthians 15:48 ESV

1 Corinthians 15:50 NIV

I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed–

Death & Life of our Body & Soul

My dear fellow mortal,

You will die, as will I. Living cells will falter on that appointed day.  The spirit of life will no more enter your lungs or pump renewal through your once fast-beating heart.

And what of the flesh they discard as a worn-out sock? Your body will be buried or burned. You will perish in the earth or be consumed in the fire.

They may say a few last kind things about you… a few kind words as your soul rests at last… rest in the peace of death… comforting words your ears will not hear… words to your mourners finally considering the awakening and the judgment of your soul… and theirs.

Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of our dear brother here departed, we therefore commit his body to the ground;

earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust;

in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be like unto his glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself. – 1662 Book of Common Prayer

Your death is certain; your resurrection from death is not.

Yet there is one certain hope. (What were the words?)

“through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body.”

Yes, the death and decay of our body is certainly a vile thing. Yet followers of the Way, believers in the Truth, the living body of the Life we have in Christ Jesus cling not to this failing flesh, but to the sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life, though Christ our Lord and Savior.

The burial ceremony from the Book of Common Prayer points back to the original and continuing sin in all of us.

Genesis 3:19 ESV

By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread,
till you return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.”

Jesus, the Son of God, Messiah in the flesh, was crucified for our sins. He died and was buried [Good Friday, we call it] and rose from the dead on the third day [Easter, as we celebrate].

Christ paid the highest price for our sin. Do we not owe Jesus an unpayable debt? This is why Christians call Christ Jesus, our Lord. He IS our Saviour.

NO other religion offers forgiveness of our sins or eternal life in a resurrection body! Yet Jesus spoke of who He came to save [John 3] and NOT ALL will be saved.

18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

• everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

19 And this is the judgment:

the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

Sinners do not obey God and humble their flesh before Jesus their Lord; He IS the Christ, judge of all mankind.

Flesh failing or taken can no longer proclaim the glory of God and grace of Christ Jesus.

Are you a sinner, captured in failing flesh?

Can your sorry soul stand before Almighty God? Can you endure the wrath we deserve for our many many sins? Will you not faint at the judgment seat of Christ?

*

Lent is a time of preparation for the resurrection of the dead, a time of consideration of those who will be raised either to the terrible face of our sin or the loving grace of Christ Jesus whom we have honored as our Lord. You may not have even until Easter, in the year of our Lord, 2016; for some will be suddenly taken and breathe no more.

Ashes to ashes, we are reminded on Ash Wednesday. Repent of your sin and prepare your heart to bow down to Jesus Christ as Lord over you life, Jesus who IS and will return. Jesus Christ who will embrace only those He loves, we who call Him, “Lord.”

Amen.