“The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.” (Isaiah 57:1-2)
It’s the year 2017 in this corner of the world. Same problems, same issues, nothing much has changed except the year. Nevertheless, the solution is still the same, Jesus.
It could be a great year for you, if it’s the year that you’re being released from jail, or the year you and your fiancee have planned for marriage, or the year you’ll move out of a very troublesome neighborhood, or the year you’ll start a job you had always dreamed of. For the past part, people will remember 2017 as the year their environment and circumstances have changed for better or for worst.
Yet, the greatest problem of mankind is not suffering because after a while he may become accustomed to it. And no matter what he does, no matter what treatment he seeks, he still finds himself suffering.
Man’s biggest problem is his fear of death.
He will do anything asked to not cross road with death. He will steal, lie, kill, murder, etc…But some also think that if what they call “life” seem so detestable to them, they might as well be dead.
Without hope, joy, peace, and love, life is meaningless.
In Christ, you can become acquainted with death. Only Christ covers death like a marketing person covers a product that’s out of date. Christ presents, gives, himself as the ultimate and better product. Death is good and fair, from Christ’s perspective because he died for our sins. And life is better and enriching because he was resurrected and now lives eternally.
People use fear of death to try and sell anything: “Buy it because it’s more secure…your life depends on it…”
“Therefore, since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” (Hebrews 2:14-15)
2016, 2017…only Christ Jesus can and has set me free from the fear of death.
Christ alone is my joy of life. My life depends on him. He is life and he holds the key of death.
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.” (Habakkuk 3:17-19)
Jesus is the well of the living water, the Holy Spirit. 