Summary: jESUS HAS OVERCOME DEATH, HELL AND THE GRAVE.

“THE DEATH OF DEATH OR THE DAY DEATH DIED”

20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man,

the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. . .-25 For He must reign,

till He hath put all enemies under His feet. 26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, 25-26 (NIV)

Illust: One day, a mother and her two children were in the park having a wonderful time. They were enjoying the outdoors until a Honey Bee

landed on little Brother and then stung him! He began to cry and scream like any child would as the wound on his arm became swollen.

The bee was still buzzing around, and his little sister was petrified. The mother comforted her daughter by saying, "Darling, wait a

minute." As she was wiping Brother's tears away, she said, "Look down here on your brother’s arm." Right in the middle of that

swelling was the bumblebee's stinger. "You see that, Sweetheart? That bee can buzz and fight you, but he can’t hurt you. You see, He

can only sting once and he has left his stinger in your brother."

A. While death is a decided fact, Death is also a defeated foe.

1. We are able to laugh in the face of Death if we know the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to tell you, friend,

2. Death may buzz around you and frighten you, but our elder brother, the Lord Jesus, bears that sting. Jesus took the sting out of Death, and He

has given us a hope that is steadfast and sure.

B. Jesus told Death that he couldn't keep Him.

1. You see – Jesus willingly and vicariously laid down His life.

2. The wages of sin is death, but Jesus was not a sinner and did not have to die.

3. Jesus willingly, voluntarily, vicariously laid down His life.

INTRODUCTION: I bring to you today undoubtedly the most unusual message you have heard. I am going to chronicle for you DEATH’S BIOGRAPHY in a message entitled “The Day Death Died!”

Now for you to fully understand what I am speaking about this morning, it will be necessary for you to use your imagination. I want to speak of death as though he were a person.

I. BIRTH AND EARLY YEARS.

A. We turn our attention to death’s birth.

1. I believe I can pinpoint the exact date of death’s birth! It was conceived in Adam and Eve’s temptation and birthed the moment they sinned.

Scripture records the birth: “...by one man (Adam) sin Entered into the world and death by sin.”

B. The parent of death is sin and the grandparent of death is Satan.

1. Again, scripture tells us that “...whosoever committeth sin is of the devil.” So, on the day that Adam fell to temptation and sinned, there was a

bouncing baby boy born into the household of the devil by the name of Death!

C. There once was a time before death’s birth that this old world was a pleasant place to live.

1. There were no thorns; no thistles. No pain; no travail. No labor.

2. The fruit of the land yielded itself willingly and abundantly.

3. The human body was made perfectly to last throughout eternity. But Death changed all that! He brought along with him thorns, thistles, pain

and travail. The human body began to decay and deteriorate.

D. Death was very active in his early years.

1. It doesn’t take us long at all to see him surface with Cain

2.Cain, motivated by jealousy strikes down his own brother, Abel, in a field and leaves him there to be devoured by death.

E. Death rapidly becomes the strongest predator on the face of the earth

1. He relentlessly tracks down each victim, catching and wrestling him down to the rot and mire of the grave!

2. Death is seen day and night going to and fro throughout the earth stalking his prey.

3. He is seen lurking in the shadows, with the souls of men in his grasp.

4. He is the terror of the night.

5. He plays no favorites and is not prejudiced:

6. He leaps upon you young & old; man, woman, and child alike.

7. Red, yellow, black or white! He rides the wind gaping and screaming for the body and soul of man.

F. He pushed Ahab & Jezebel along on their murderous plot devised against the devout Nabob.

1. He tracked and devoured this man of God, and then turned his attention and ferocity to his accomplices and set upon them, drinking their

life-blood and stealing their souls away.

G. He went into the fire with the 3 Hebrew children expecting to have their charred bodies.

1. But he was robbed of victory by the Fourth Man in the Fire, which was the Son of God!

Praise the Lord

2. That’s alright--he knew that he would eventually get these 3 Hebrew boys and would have another encounter with the Fourth Man. He would

be patient.

H. At the mere mention of Death’s name, mortal man trembled!

1. He could boast that of the millions of men and women who had lived on this earth, only 2 had escaped his clutches -- Enoch and Elijah! He

struck terror in the hearts of mankind.

II. DEATH’S MOST AMBITIOUS UNDERTAKING.

A. In his wanderings throughout the earth, Death received word that this "Fourth Man in the Fire", the very Son of God had taken upon Himself

human flesh and came to dwell among mortal man.

A. One thought struck Death: "If He has come in the flesh, He’s mine!!"

1. Though thwarted in his previous attempts, death feels certain the time is right.

2. This Son of God has come to Jerusalem as the Messiah. He is playing right into Death’s hands. "He’ll be mine within a week" Death

surmises!

B. I can see Death as he goes along with the guards to the Garden of Gethsemene.

1. His fierceness is kindled as he sees the One who has alluded him so long.

2. He snarls and roars, trying his best to intimidate and terrorize this Son of God, but Jesus looks him straight in the eye and does not flinch!

3. There is not one indication of fear.

4. This Jesus has the look of a conqueror! It is Death that feels a tremor of fear! Could it be that he has finally met his master!?

C. I can see Death as he goes along with the crowd from the garden to the house of Caiphas and then to Pilate.

1. Pilate, that pompous procurator of the region who would dare sit in judgment of this Perfect Personage of the Universe.

2. I can hear Death whisper into Pilate’s ear: "Kill him. Give Him over to me. I know how to handle this trouble-maker!"

3. When this didn’t work, Death whispered in the ears of the frenzied crowd, stirring them to cry out:

"Crucify Him, Crucify Him! Release unto us Barabbas, the insurrectionist. Let the blood of this man, Jesus be on our hands and on our

children’s hands!!"

4. And so as this crowd which has murder in their heart cries out to Pilate, Death celebrates!

5. He’s almost mine! I will devour Him. I will destroy Him. I will make the plan of God non-effect.

D. Death shouts with glee when he hears Pilate pronounce that Christ is to go to the scourgers and then be crucified.

1. He said, "If I can destroy Him at the hands of the scourger, He won’t make it to the Cross and therefore it will void for eternity, God’s plan of

salvation. (DESCRIBE THE SCOURGING).

2. With every lash of the whip, death lunged upon the body of Christ, yet could not get a death grip.

3. Somehow he was continually repulsed. "That’s OK, I’ll be patient. This Jesus is mine when He goes to the cross!

E. Death, along with Satan and his imps was present as Christ was laid upon an old rugged cross.

1. They shouted with glee as the brutal Roman soldier placed nails in each hand and feet of Jesus.

2. They laughed as the cross was lifted and dropped into place, tearing the flesh and sinew of our Lord.

3. They stood well back from the cross that day, however, lest a drop of His blood should fall upon them. You see, they realized there was

POWER IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB.

4. Finally, in the midst of Christ’s agony, He struggled for breath enough to say 2 things:

1)Father, forgive them; and 2) It is finished --- and He bowed His head and died!

The sun refused to shine,

the earth convulsed,

the birds hushed their singing;

the angels in Heaven stood in stunned amazement as the Creator, the very Son of God slumped and died.

Pandemonium broke loose in hell ---

but once again death felt that tremor of fear as he pondered one of Jesus’ last words: "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up again in three days!"

III. THE BEGINNING OF THE END.

“Watch Him well, Death”, roared Satan. "Keep Him over 3 days and His Kingdom is yours".

Day 1: ---all is well -- celebration goes on.

Day 2: No problems, Party continues.

Day 3: Death feels somewhat faint. THEN IT HAPPENS!!

THIS IS THE DAY DEATH DIED --- THE DAY CHRIST AROSE FROM THE GRAVE!!!

Up from the grave He arose with a mighty triumph oe’r His foes

He arose a Victor from the dark domain and He lives forever with His saints to reign.

He arose, He arose, HALLELUJAH, Christ Arose!!

Friends, I want to tell you that on the day Christ arose from the grave, Death (for the Christian) died. Scripture tells us:

- I am He that liveth and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore ... and have the keys of hell and death. (Rev 1:18)

- And having spoiled principalities and powers, he make a show of them openly triumphing over them in it (Col 2:15)

- ... Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death where is thy sting, O grave where is thy victory!!

Death need hold no more terror in your life. For Christ "Tasted of Death" for us, and triumphed over it on that First Easter Morning. That first Easter morning will ever be know as THE DAY DEATH DIED!!!!