When I See Jesus, It Will Be Amen
Job 19:25-27
Job writes, For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; (26) And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, (27) Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!
The writer invites us in on the conversation between Job and his accusers. When you listen to the dialog, it gives us a glimps of what strength and patience from having been in relationship with the father. Notice with me Jobs Certainty. The kind of certainty that financed his attitude towards his future, provided the confidence to trust in the almighty. It was this kind of confidence the Moma Joe shared with me just a few days ago, she spoke as one with confidence and assurance, that peace between her and God was made. Like Job even in our pain there are some things that we can know that is be certain about. Twice in this passage Job states there are some things that he knows (vv. 25, 26) with certainty.
First, Job states that he knows that there is a Redeemer. In verse twenty-five I know that my Redeemer lives. Job states that he is my redeemer, he had a personal relationship with the Redeemer. This is a personal statement, of personal conviction, not hearsay, not speculation, but truth uttered from a heart of assurance and firm conviction.
What is a redeemer? One who repurchases, and One who delivers from bondage by paying a ransom. Now listen... Job could have said, I know that my Savior lives. He would have been accurate. He could have said, I know that my Champion lives. He would have been accurate. He could have said, I know that my Advocate lives. He would have been accurate. But he didnt use any of those terms or any other. He said, Redeemer. That means that Job knew he needed to be purchased back. He knew that he ultimately belonged to God, but that sin had interrupted that relationship. He had the confidence in God and His goodness and faithfulness to say, I know that my Redeemer lives.
The One who buys me back.
This is why when we look back over the Live of a Sis Hooks, we see so many that she brought Joy so so many, though her gifts and talents. Although we are he today to pay our respect, I would be amiss, if I but not remind you that this is still a joyous celebration. Those who profess, and equally posses ought to pull out your salt shakers and remind those who weep as one having no hope, that this is just a right of passage.
In spite of our tears, there is joy, hardships, loneliness, there is joy, real joy, genuine, unspeakable, unbelievable joy, undeniable, uncontainable Joy:
First of all there is joy in knowing for sure there is a God in Heaven.
...in having fellowship with the almighty God..
...in standing on the eternal word of God..
...in being apart of the Church of God..
I believe that if she could speak to you today, she would tell you that there is nothing more important than having a personal relationship with the Savior.
Do you know that? Is that your firm conviction today? Can you say with confidence, I KNOW that my Redeemer lives*? In historical fulfillment of Job*s words, centuries later Peter said, (1 Peter 1:18-19), knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, (19) but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Jesus is the redeemer that Job spoke of. Christ is our Redeemer, who has repurchased us. He has delivered us from bondage of sin by paying the ransom with His own sinless blood. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Job went on to say, I know that my redeemer lives.
Jesus was living in the days of Job and he is still living today.
The heart of the Christian faith is our believe in not only do we accept God, we confess and believe in our hearts that God sent his only begotten son, we also rejoice on the fact, that Jesus promised that he would one day return. For the believer it gives us a glimps of hope, that there is something to expect when the enevitable come. The inevitable is when time is no more, comes to some as a surprise, to others its not a surprise, but it comes. Death is a reminder of the realities of God. Death is not a period but a comma in the story of life.
One thing certain about life is that we must leave it. The valley of the shadow of death is the longest valley in the world. It began with Adam and has continued through six thousand years of human history. Men like to postpone that dreadful moment when they must pass through the dark valley, but death underscores each life and refuses to accept the person of any man. Death does not take into account whether we have been profitable or detrimental to society. Every step that we take brings us nearer to the grave, and it is but a matter of time until we must bid farewell to every earthly tie. With all of the wisdom of the medical profession and the use of scientific discoveries, we must agree with the wise preacher of old who said; For the living know that they shall die (Ecclesiastes 9:5).
While our faith is not to be based upon our feelings, neither should it be divorced from our emotions.
It is said that when Socrates, the renowned Greek Philosopher, drank the poison hemlock and lay down to die, he was asked by his friends, Shall we live again? The reply of the dying philosopher was, I hope so, but no man can know.
In Job 14:14, Job asked the same question, Shall we live again; and the answer he gave, was much different than the answer Socrates gave. Socrates hoped that he would live again. Job said that he knew he would live again. Socrates faced death with anxiety. Job faced death with assurance. Socrates was uncertain that he would live again. Job was certain that he would live again.
On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. Lord, Martha said to Jesus, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask. Jesus said to her, Your brother will rise again. Martha answered, I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.
1 John 5:11-13 And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.
Three things as hurry to a close: When we see Jesus:
HIS RESURRECTION,
I. The First Promise to Christians is that We Dont have to Fear Death. Jesus said Dont let your hearts be troubled. Trouble comes from the fear of the unknown. We are troubled when we dont know what is going to happen when we die, but Jesus has taken the fear out of dying. Jesus, through his resurrection, has conquered the grave and death so there needs to be no fear in our eternal future. Rev 1:17-18 Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.
HIS REWARD
HEAVEN IS A REWARD, a few days ago, momma got her reward, For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. The bible says, let us labour therefore to enter into that rest (Heb. 4:9-11). When our Lord was here upon earth, He said to His disciples: I go to prepare a place for you John 14:2). He was thinking of His Death, Resurrection, and Ascension into Heaven itself in the presence of the Father. The reward comes as relief, of earthly struggles and strife. Jesus describes it as a place of many mansions,one Heaven divided into many rooms. The desire of the heavenly Bridegroom is to make a room for each of His redeemed ones.
In Heaven there will be no more death. The hearse, the crepe, the undertaker, the graveyard, and the stonecutter all seek to remind us that we are on the waiting list for death and the grave. But believe along with me the divine record that God has arranged a time when death itself shall die. Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, *Death is swallowed up in victory.
his rejoice:
Third and finally,His Reward!
Jesus said, I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. I died, and behold I am alive forever more, and I hold the keys of death, hell and the grave. Because I live, you shall also live.
A few days ago our sister and our mother, crossed the bridge of life, that was a passage, between humanity and heaven, built on the death, burial and the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She took the wings of the morning dove, and yonder she is in the bosom of Jesus, relocated from this earthly abode, to her heavenly, home. Im told that in that home, time never runs out,
Yonder she is in paradise, No more pain, suffering, tears to shed, Yonder she is rejoicing, in the presence of the almighty, you do know that while she is rejoicing up there, we should be rejoicing down here. The other day, she took off the rob, of disease and she put on her white rob of rightousness, oh I concur, some day soon, we to shall behold, Oh when I see Jesus, wont it be amen, Him who hung bled and died, out on Calvary, When I see Jesus!
