Be Still My Soul My Redeemer Lives Job 19 23 27

Easter Festival Service                   20-April-2025
Sermon Text: Job 19:23-27
Sermon Theme: “Be Still My Soul: “My Redeemer Lives!” by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

I.N.R.I. “Alleluia! Christ is risen. He is risen indeed.” The pastor marks the dying Christian’s forehead with the cross. Prayer is offered. Scripture is read. The Apostles’ Creed is confessed. Then laying his hand upon the dying, just as he does on an infant before baptism - the Lord’s Prayer is prayed. The dying is blessed to depart in peace. Then the pastor will sing, “Lord, let at last Thine angels come, To Abram's bosom bear me home, That I may die unfearing; And in its narrow chamber keep My body safe in peaceful sleep Until Thy reappearing.”
    He was dying. He knew it - painfully his body screamed death. He had no rest. His wife knew it - she told him, “curse God and die.” He was dying - his community knew it - quarantining him - didn’t want death infecting the healthy. He was dying. All his businesses were gone - robbed and stolen away. His greatest treasure - His children were gone! All his ten sons and daughters killed by a sudden tornado. Hope of seeing grandchildren died with them. Truly the Lord had given and the Lord had taken away. He had come from his mother’s womb naked with nothing and would return the same. He was dying - skin rotting away with painful festering boils. He had accepted good from God’s hand should he also not accept evil?
    He was dying. His friends knew it - they offer no words of comfort. “Repent of your sin before you die and stand before God’s just throne of judgement!”, was all they said. “You must have done evil things for such evil to suddenly flood into your life!” Seems reasonable to those who market the lie of karma - what goes around comes around.
    He was dying, but so are you! Maybe like Job your heart breaks over loved ones whom you’ve buried. Maybe like Job your health is failing -your disease is terminal. Maybe like Job faith seems futile without hope. Maybe like Job your well meaning friends only call your sins to mind. Maybe like Job your finances collapsed your property vanished - your dreams shattered. Maybe unlike Job you are young, healthy, filled with vitality - still you are dying. If you don’t believe me - trust God’s Word - Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—” The prophet Isaiah’s word to King Hezekiah rings true for you: Isaiah 38:1 ....., "Thus says the LORD: 'Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.' " The statistics on death are impressive - 100 out of 100 people will die. Happy spring! Go home and find some plastic eggs! This is all the world has to say!
    History records - that Jesus died. The Life of the world died! The only begotten Son of God in our flesh died! In Jesus God died! His crucified dead cold body was laid in the tomb! He suffered! He died! For our sin! The innocent Passover Lamb - Jesus has been sacrificed for us - once for all upon the cross shaped altar on Calvary. Hear the rest of humanity’s story - it is preached by a young man in a long white robe to you , “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is Risen!”  
    Job was dying, but he has a living hope! Death sting is gone. The grave’s victory eternally undone! The Holy Spirit through the promise kept Job trusting in Jesus’ victory over death. Today, learn from him to confess in all trials : “Be Still My Soul: “My Redeemer Lives!”
      Job perhaps the oldest book in the Holy Bible, predating the books of Moses. In the midst of dying Job has hope. What is the fountain of hope in facing death? (vs.23-24) It is in the written Word of God! Job’s hope wasn’t found in his feelings or experiences, but in what God had spoken and promised in His Word. The Triune God is the Creator and Author of all human language. He created us to be language creatures in His image. His Word is written! He caused His prophets to record it word for word in writing. Job wished for permanent words. Inscribed in a book, more than that carved into a rock and filled with lead. He longed for a word greater than his - one that stands forever. He longed for the to hear the voice of Jesus in His Word. Jesus promises, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words shall by no means pass away!”(Mark 13:31).
    To fearlessly face our death we need a word greater than Job’s - a man died. We need the word of the Man died once, is risen, and will never die again! Hear the Word of Jesus - He died and physically walked out of His grave - the Word of the Man nevermore to die! His Word drives away all our fears facing loss, suffering, and death. Listen to His voice! He promises you, “Because I live, you will live also!”(John 14:19).
      The Word of God fixes our eyes upon Jesus - the Lord of Life! (vs.25) God the Holy Spirit comforts us with true knowledge. Comfort isn’t found by looking inside of ourselves. Don’t trust your feelings, your experiences, your good deeds, your ideas - they only deceive you by the fallen angel Satan’s LIE. Turn your ears away from the popular myths peddled by the world. Lies the scratch the ears of our fallen flesh. Lies that lead only into darkness, death, and hell.
    Job didn’t feel - He KNEW his Redeemer. His goel - a blood relative who would pay all his debts lived. Jesus - Job’s Redeemer - your Redeemer - my Redeemer - promised from before the foundation of the world. He is, bone of our bones, flesh of our flesh - God who becomes one of us to buy us back from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil! Jesus is the second Adam - as the One Man - He goes into suffering and death fully paying our debt. Taking up His life again declaring us reconciled to our Creator - our God and Father by His Holy Spirit! Our Redeemer lives!
    He loves His creation! Instead of abandoning it to sin, Satan, and death - He enters our world standing upon the earth. He takes His stand on the cross to buying us back from our enemies. He takes His stand upon the earth as our resurrected Lord and Brother! He stands here upon His earth today within His Church in His Word of peace through forgiveness spoken, preached, water poured, read, prayed, in bread and wine blessed with His Word. His cross paid - empty tomb certified promise cannot be broken, “I am with you always!”
        Dying Job has hope for his living Redeemer draws near to him in suffering. It was under the cross, in the school of grief, sorrow, trials, and suffering that our Redeemer Jesus draws near to you also! That is why He marked you with the sign of His holy cross on the day of your baptism. He knit you into His death on Good Friday and His triumphant march out of the tomb on Easter.
        The Word of Christ is full of His life. Resurrection life - and hope on the other side of our grave. (vs.26) Job believes in the resurrection of the body. Death and corruption entered this world through sin. From dust we came to dust we shall return - Adam’s sin infests us all. Greater than the truth that our skin will rot away, is resurrection reality. Our death is swallowed up by the Jesus life - resurrection victory is ours in His flesh and blood! Satan’s Lie that we are accidents of evolution and death ends everything is a dark slope to hell. Scientists spot water on distant planets and hope for life, but they are blinded to the Truth that life is too complicated to be a biological accident of evolution.
      Job does speculate. He isn’t trusting in his feelings or wishes of what he hopes to happen - he knows - beyond a shadow of a doubt - that in his flesh he shall see God. For his living Redeemer has reconciled sinful man to our holy God and Father by His sacrifice upon the cross. .  
      Dear Christian - you know this! You know that your body, even after death, the grave, and decay do their worst - you shall see the Lord Jesus in your flesh! How do you know? Your flesh was baptized by Christ Jesus’ death and resurrection. Into your fleshly ears Jesus has spoken you forgiven with peaceful Easter words of absolution. Into the mouth of your body our Lord Jesus has placed His living body and blood in bread and wine. The Lord’s Supper assures you that your body will rise. The old leaven of your sin is cast out - you are made new in Jesus - by the Holy Spirit. We confess: In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. Fearlessly face the day of your death by coming into the Lord’s House to receive His life giving gifts every Sunday. In 1592 Saxon Lutherans confessed in their Visitation Articles: “5 That the body and blood of Christ are received in the Supper, not only spiritually, which might be done out of the Supper; but by the mouth, with the bread and wine; yet in an inscrutable and supernatural manner; and this for a pledge and ascertainment of the resurrection of our bodies from the dead.”
      Job fearlessly faced death for he knew that his living Redeemer would call him forth from the grave. His body would rise freed from sin and all its effects of disease.(vs. 27) Your Brother Jesus physically rose from the dead FOR YOU. His resurrection insures that you too will rise from your grave on the Last Day. Death cannot tear this hope away from us. We have a living Redeemer - Jesus. He calls you by name. He knows you better than you know yourself. In the Life of the world to come - you shall see Him for yourself. Your eyes shall behold Him and not a counterfeit.
    Job’s heart yearned for the day when death would release him and he’d see Jesus face to face. Dear Christian - set your heart upon Easter - though you mourn now - trust in Jesus’ Word - know that He lives - know that you are redeemed - know that your body shall be raised imperishable - know that with your eyes you shall see Him in eternity! Cling to His Word preached and His resurrection victory given you in baptism, absolution, His Word preached, and His Supper fed you.
    You are dying - but Jesus lives! Your death is swallowed up by His resurrection. He has baptized you into His death and resurrection victory! Today He rescues you from death and the devil. Today He works forgiveness of all your sins - God remembers them no more ! Today He seals to you eternal salvation! Daily die to sin throwing it all upon your crucified Savior! Daily rise forgiven to new life in the power and strength of your Risen Lord and King! One day you will lay on your death bed. God willing your pastor will be by your bedside singing, “Lord, let at last Thine angels come, To Abram's bosom bear me home, That I may die unfearing; And in its narrow chamber keep My body safe in peaceful sleep Until Thy reappearing. And then from death awaken me, That these mine eyes with joy may see, O Son of God, Thy glorious face, My Savior and my fount of grace. Lord Jesus Christ, my prayer attend, my prayer attend, And I will praise Thee without end. Hear Jesus speak though him:“Be Still My Soul: “I Your Redeemer Live!” Then go to sleep at once and in good cheer. - “The Lord is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!”Amen.