Isaiah 25
Dear
friends in Christ, One of the things that I have heard about Mervin the last
few days, from several people, is his love for butchering and making his own
sausages and meats to eat and enjoy. Every
year, he would get together with some family and friends, and they would grind
sausages that they could feast upon, eating a meal fit for a king. (There is
even a sign on the front door of their house that says, “Mervin Meats, and
Marcy Greets.”)
But
this year, there is no sausage making, this year there is no feast. For a few short days ago, Mervin’s earthly
life ended 71 years to the day from when he was born. Our beloved friend, brother, husband, father
and grandfather is suddenly no longer in our life.
Death
hurts, Death causes pain. We hate losing
friends and family, having people we love leave us behind. It is because of sin that it happens, it is
because of our guilt that this terrible thing must happen. For the wages of sin is death. Each and every one of us has sinned, and
deserves death for what we have done against God our Father.
How
comforting then the words of our Old Testament lesson today, which speaking of
Jesus Christ says “On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all
peoples, the sheet that covers all nations.”
On the mountain of Golgotha, Jesus destroyed the shroud of death and sin
that causes us pain, that causes us hurt, that takes our loved ones. On that mountain, as he hung from a cross,
Jesus “swallowed up death forever.”
In
the death of Jesus, God wipes away all tears from our eyes. In the death of Jesus we know that even as we
die, yet shall we live. In the death of
Jesus we have certain hope that we know where our loved ones are, that we know
where Mervin is today – with Jesus in peace everlasting.
And
today we know that Mervin is now feasting in a far better place, for that is
exactly what our text says today. “On
this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all
peoples, a banquet of aged wine-- the best of meats and the finest of
wines” It’s a feast that Mervin now
eats, which puts any earthly feast to shame.
It’s a feast, where one day we will join him in eating the finest of
meats, and the best of wines. It’s a
feast, where we will forever enjoy the love and comfort and peace of Jesus Christ
crucified and risen for all our sin.
Friends,
Mervin is still feasting, he is still enjoying sausages and food and
drink. In faith that looks to Jesus, he
always will, and one day in that same faith, we will join him forever and ever. In that day they will say, "Surely this
is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in
him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation." Amen.
