In the musical “Hamilton,” Alexander Hamilton speaks these haunting words in one of the songs:

“I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory

When’s it gonna get me?

In my sleep, seven feet ahead of me?

If I see it comin’, do I run or do I let it be?”

These words acknowledge the reality we all face in a world plagued by death. Some days it’s easier to ignore than others. But in this life we can never fully escape the threat of death and the sorrow it brings. Even in the joyful celebration of Christ’s birth, we know the baby in the manger grew up to be the Savior dying in agony on the cross.

God sent His Son from heaven, where there was no threat of death, to come to a world plagued by death. Jesus Christ humbled Himself to take on decaying human flesh and experience an excruciating, humiliating death. He removed the threat of death from His people by being their substitute and paying the penalty for their sin. He defeated death when He rose again from the grave. 

We see this truth about the Messiah’s victory over death in these words of the prophet Isaiah:

“He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 25:8)

Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15 that these words of Isaiah have been fulfilled in Christ. Paul looks forward to the day when Christ’s victory over death is fully consummated. Death will no longer have any power over us. Its threat will be fully vanquished. Death will be revealed as powerless in light of our Savior’s victory:

“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?’” (I Corinthians 15:54-55)

It may feel like the threat of death is all around us. But in Christ’s death, He took away “the reproach of his people” – our sin and guilt – and gave us the promise of eternal life. We now face death with a living hope, Jesus Christ, and know that one day, death will be defeated forever.

No matter what you face this week, Christ’s victory has swallowed up death forever.

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Years ago at my son’s 4-year-old checkup, his pediatrician asked if he had any chores. He replied that he didn’t have any chores, but he had a job and a problem. That got the attention of all of us in the room! He explained that his job was to keep his baby sister awake in the car. (Yep!) His problem was that his grandpa had offered him some pickled beets, and they smelled sour.

In the mind of a 4-year-old boy, stinky vegetables are a serious problem.

It feels like so many problems are stinking up our lives right now. A life-altering virus. Financial strain. Holidays that may not be so merry. Personal struggles that don’t hit pause just because there’s a global crisis.

But God’s Word tells us our most serious problem is our sin. This problem is universal, and it ranks at the top of the Problem List because our sin separates us from our holy God.

If your greatest problem is a virus, a bank account balance, or the holiday blues, then your solution is a vaccine, a new credit card, or some mind-numbing entertainment.

If your greatest problem is your sin, you need a Savior. The prophet Isaiah foretold this reason the Messiah would come—to suffer and die for our sin in order to reconcile us to God.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

And according to 1 Peter, that is exactly what Christ accomplished on the cross. He provided the way for sinners like you and me to be healed of our greatest problem:

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)

This is why Christ came. He came to live a perfect life in our place. He came to die so that we might live forever. He came to rise again and show His victory over our greatest problem – the one we could never solve for ourselves. We have hope, joy, and peace even in troubling times, because by His wounds, we have been healed.

No matter what you face this week, you have been healed by Christ’s wounds.

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My daughter calls out as I start to leave her room: “Don’t forget the closet light, Mom!” This part of her bedtime routine is just as important as the kiss on the forehead. She hates being alone in her room at night, and being alone in the dark would be unbearable.  

As adults, the darkness we fear is different, but no less real. We struggle with doubts, unanswered questions, and anxiety. We lay awake in the middle of the night as frightening scenarios – both real and imagined – run rampant through our brains. We stumble in the dark, feeling along the wall, trying to find a light switch that will chase the fear away. Where can we find answers, resolution, comfort, or hope in our dark moments? 

Over the next few weeks, we will look at prophecies from Isaiah that were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Today we’ll see that Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness. 

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” (Isaiah 9:2) 

God’s people in the Old Testament walked in darkness for centuries. They awaited the Messiah, a Savior who would rescue them from the darkness of sin and death. They clung to a promise without understanding what it meant or how it would be fulfilled. How could God possibly unravel the mess caused by evil and sin? 

In John 1, we see that Jesus Christ is the answer to life’s darkness. He is the light that those walking in darkness so desperately need. 

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. . . The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” (John 1:5, 9)

The true light is here, breaking through the darkness. In Christ, we have everything we need to battle fear, sin, questions, doubts—even death. The darkness of these struggles cannot overcome His light. 

Jesus gives His blood-bought forgiveness for our sins . . . 

His sustaining strength for our struggles . . . 

and His incomparable comfort for our troubled hearts. 

The light of Christ guarantees that the darkness will never win. 

No matter what you face this week, the light of Christ shines in the darkness. 

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