VICTORY

Kenny J Walker

1 Corinthians 15:57

Exodus 14:31-15:2 (to “glorify him”) 

Joshua 14:10-13

         We are gathered together today in the presence of death, and also in unusual circumstances where men are affected by fear, anxiety and despair.  Perhaps we feel these things too, but I want to say a word for our encouragement and our blessing at the present time about triumph, and the victory that has been won.

         As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, as our brother was, we are in the gain of a victory and triumph that has been won.  We can say from this scripture that we have read in 1 Corinthians 15 that we are on the winning side.  The victory has already been won.  In spite of the despair and the fear of death upon the human race, believers can take comfort, and have confidence and stability, that God gives us the victory by the Lord Jesus Christ.  We could do nothing ourselves, but God has done it in a blessed Man who is alive for evermore; a Man who has triumphed over the power of death, and over all that stood between God and man.  We sing of the wonder of resurrection, the wonder of the power of victory that Christ has accomplished.  Today, as in the presence of death, we can speak about the glory that our brother is now with Christ, and about a realm which has been established in victory by our Lord Jesus Christ.

         Think of what we can say at such a time as this: at the end of our brother’s long life of 94 years, we can say, “thanks to God, who gives us the victory by our Lord Jesus Christ”.  Think of the Lord Jesus going into death, and facing the might of sin and death!  That fear of death that was, and is, upon the human race has been conquered; the might of death has been overthrown.  Christ is now on the other side of death, a living glorious Man.  Our brother has drawn attention to that: “I am the resurrection and the life”, John 11: 25.  We can have confidence at such a time as this, that our brother knew this Man for himself; I trust that we all know this Person as our Saviour and our Lord.  We can take comfort at this time; death has been conquered; He has given us the victory; victory has been won.

         I want to refer to the scripture in Exodus as to the great victory which was won at the Red Sea.  There was fear on every side, with the power of death behind them in the pursuing Egyptians, and the Red Sea ahead.  Think of the feelings of fear and anxiety; death was behind them, and death was ahead of them.  The Red Sea was a barrier ahead, how were they going to get through and escape?  I think it can be said that God came in and gave them the victory.  As it says here, “Then sang Moses and the children of Israel”.  I wanted to draw attention to the words of this song of victory, which becomes very personal.  How many of the children of Israel were there at this point?  It has been suggested around two million, a great company anyway, but then it becomes very personal.  How many are in the gain of the triumph of Christ’s victory over death and the grave?  Millions can rejoice in the salvation secured in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, and the many who have been “made alive”. 

         Millions have placed their faith and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ, but I want to bring it down to us individually.  Our brother, when he was a boy, at the age of eleven, confessed Christ as his Saviour.  I think throughout his long life thereafter he could say, as the word here, “I will sing unto Jehovah”.  Jehovah had become his “strength and his song”.  He had come to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, not only as Saviour but as Lord, and had come to serve Him in the scene of His absence.  That was our brother’s portion.  I would encourage us all that it may be our portion.  I trust we can say and sing,

         My strength and song is Jah,

                   and he is become my salvation: 

         This is my God, and I will glorify him. 

It is like a response or a note of praise and thanksgiving.  Our brother was committed not only to the service of the Lord Jesus Christ, but also engaged in worshipping Him and praising Him: “This is my God, and I will glorify him”.  May we be engaged in it too.

         I would just like to close with a reference to the scripture in Joshua.  Our brother has had a long life, as had Caleb.  Caleb had known the difficulties of the wilderness and known the murmuring and turmoil, but he also knew victory.  What was in his heart was Hebron, which I thinks speaks of the purpose of God; and I suggest that our brother was one who was also in the gain of this.  Caleb had the land in his heart, did he not?  Think of these two men, Caleb and Joshua, going on in triumph.  They knew in anticipation what it was to have the victory in our Lord Jesus Christ; they overcame everything that stood in the way.  Caleb says, “give me this mountain”.  He was elevated above the scene of despair, and enjoyed what was heavenly and spiritual.  Our brother did not draw attention to himself, but lived a life of piety where he drew attention to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Everything was centred in that blessed One, and as we go on through this scene, let us have our eyesight lifted from this scene of despair, anxiety and fear, to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Mountains suggest an area of elevation, and a heavenly area is opened up, which our brother knew something of.  I trust we all know something of this area of blessing and are in the good of victory.  The victory has been given to us, not because of anything we have done, but because God has given us the victory by our Lord Jesus Christ.

         May we be like a Caleb and a Joshua triumphing in the victory that has been won.  Let us go on in strength and encouragement.  We need to find strength in faith to give us the victory at the present time.  May we be encouraged and comforted, and may we be given strength and be in the gain of the victory. 

         May we be encouraged for His Name’s sake.

DUNDEE

23 March 2020

(At the meeting for the burial of Mr John Strachan)