WHEN THE PAIN RETURNS

JOHN 11:1, 4-6, 11-17, 32-37

Some people know about the Jackson 5, Tom, Marc, Bruce, Becky and myself. Most people did not know that on Feb. 20, 1954 my mother had twins. After 50 years Mom would still grieve for her twins. We have all had loved ones die. It doesn’t matter if it’s been almost 30 years ago like my grandfather Loudon, over 15 years ago like my father, a little over 6 months ago like my mother or any other measure of time. Sometimes the pain returns. It may be a word, a thought, a smell that jars the memory and sometimes those memories bring a smile but sometimes the pain of losing that person returns. Someone says but Christians aren’t supposed to sorrow as others who have no hope and that is true. But we are allowed to sorrow, but as those that have the blessed hope not like the lost.

When the pain returns it can be helpful to remember:



I. THE COST OF DEATH (RM. 6:23)



1. Death is an enemy (I Co. 15:26)



2. Death is inevitable (James 4:14, I Pet. 1:24)



3. Death is an engine of Satan (Heb. 2:14)



But just as we might do well to remember the cost of death and the pain it causes, remember also:



II. THE CURE FOR THE PAIN OF DEATH



1. Calvary (Heb. 2:9-17)



2. Christ (Heb. 1:18, 13)



Life is short, death is sure,

Sin the curse, but Christ the cure!



3. Conquest (Rm. 8:34-39)



There is pain but there is the cure, and through the cure we can remember:



III. THE CAUSE IT GIVES (I Sam. 17:29)



1. We know of the place (Heb. 11:8-10, Jn. 14:1-6)



2. We know of the peace (Jn. 14:27, Rm. 5:1, Ph. 4:7)



3. We know the purpose (I Jn. 3:8, II Tm. 3:10, Ph. 1:21)