Death’s Baby
It was into a scene of death & destraction and discouragement that our Canaan King found himself in the 11th chapter of John.
John 11:20-27
BELIEVEST THOU THIS?
Words ordered in heaven & uttered over lips of clay. Speak to the wounded desperate souls of sin. Curse & stinch of living in this world would be washed by the water of your word. Still is a cross that bleeds and a king that redeems & hope beyond the scope of human limitation.
Philippians 3:7-11
God is calling the body of Christ to rise above status quo of church normalcy
Right has become wrong for so long that Righteousness has become abnormal
Devil has inner circle of darkened hearts to whom he has imparted the mystery of iniquity and depths of degredation. Over a period of time these doctors of damnation have worked like leaven to permeate the mindset of the body of Christ to the point we now call evil good and good evil.
For illustration think of our society.
∙ preserve whales & wooping cranes but murder & abuse our own children
∙ smarter but not wiser, know more but understand less
∙ go faster but end up nowhere
∙ solid strong houses but have weak sick homes
∙ conquer space but cannot conquer our own habits
Door has been opened for spirit of antichrist to use demon spirits as vessels of vengeance, wreaking havoc, killing & destroying. All the way from international madmen like Saddam Hussein to the polished politicians who purpogate perverted legislation to the solid citizen shaking his fist at the commandments of a Holy God to the street punk with an assault rifle to all the demonically deranged devotees of hard-core satanism that come to us from the ranks of politicans, housewives, doctors, lawyers, teachers and preachers
All this onslaught of evil is too subtle and too sinister to be of human origin it must be the carefully calculated conspiracy of demon spirits. We have children who live in our homes, sit in our schools and attend our churches who are driven daily with destructive thoughts inspired by demon spirits
What we call a dysfunctional home the Bible calls a generational curse
Public education used to have 3Rs, now they have 4 – reading, writing, arithmetic, & reproductive rights
Instead of posting commandments in the classroom, they are passing out condoms in the hallways.
Sin is no longer sin – liar is not a sinner, he is an extrovert with a lively imagination. Adultery is no longer sin in Hollywood or in 90% of the churches. Murderer is not a heinous criminal, he is a media event. Public welfare system that legitimizes illegitimacy – won’t let young girls have healthcare without an illegitimate child.
Don’t blame it on poverty – some of you all were raised so far back in the woods that hoot-owls were used for roosters and June bugs didn’t show up until August and you were too poor to pay attention but you didn’t murder anybody. Don’t blame it on the color of your skin or what side of the tracks you were raised on, for if God be for you, who can be against you.
Irritation running high & patience running low, know that satan has come. We don’t need economic reform, fiscal reform, political reform, social reform, we need an old-fashioned revival born on the backs of repentant hearts.
Problem in America is this – there is a devil loose for which there is only one remedy – CRIMSON RED CROSS OF THE CRUCIFIED CANAAN KING – Jesus of Nazareth
When you see these things come to pass know that the Prince of darkness, serpent, dragon, devil has come to destroy your life. But I’ve got good Gospel news today – there’s still wonder-working power in the blood.
I must share with you today that there is power to live above depravity & sin, power to live above satan & devils, power to live above sickness & disease – all in the crimson red blood of the crucified canaan King Christ Jesus
Let me announce to you today, that you don’t have to sin, there is power in the blood
You don’t have to be depressed, there’s power in the blood
You don’t have to die, there’s power in the blood
You don’t have to be divorced, there’s power in the blood
You don’t have to be bound, there’s power in the blood
He was wounded for my transgressions. . . [thank you Jesus]
Our story today must begin all the way at the beginning with our pristine parents walking in the elegance of Eden – what a Garden – flowers blossoming, animal kingdom, lying walking with lamb in harmony
Everything you see, pleasing to the sight,
Everything you feel pleasing to the touch,
Everything you taste, pleasing to the pallette
And humanity, the apex of all the creation of God – formed of the dust of the ground and breathed the breathe of life. Until man stepped from the earth sided with God’s arch-enemy, committed the high-treason and joined the rebellion against His Maker. Man had dashed the image of God into pieces.
There was no hope, man walked alone solitary in the garden, ashamed & naked.
Now the lion which lay down with the lamb is pursuing it to destroy it, now the rose bears a thorn & now darkness fills the earth & men hide their faces in shame from the Holy God of all creation.
Adam, where are you?
I’ve hid myself.
Justly you have, for you have rebelled against me.
God with flaming sword, banished Adam to the sterile plains east of Eden & suddenly a wall was erected with wooden gates & iron bars & hinges of brass & chains of gold fettered the earth round about
Suddenly became a graveyard & the only hope for humanity was to return to the dust from whence he was digged
See man, the apex of God’s creation, created in the likeness of God as he walks with head down, fettered with fear, mistrust, anger, anxiety, disease begins to attack his body. For the earth has turned into a barred cemetery
No longer the happy, laughing, river of life, but a river of tears runs through this planet. Hear the funeral dirge as men bury their babies. Death has come. Watch him walking through this planet, a cemetery of death, with bars, gates, chains, locks. See his feet fettered. See his back breaking, his brow sweating – toil, agony, misery, sickness, sorrow, hatred, envy, strife, rebellion run rampant through the ravaging minds of a hellbound race
It is his hope, mercy climbs in his chariot, rides across the four winds and shows up in this cemeteried planet.
Walks up to the gates called judgment, truth & law. Mercy cries if you’ll break these fetters & open this gate, I’ll come in. But judgment & truth cry loud – NO! To open these gates will take something from eternity. Mercy hearing those words climbs back into his chariot and rides to the heights of Hallelujah mountain.
Scoops up the Son of God and rides him back past the milky way, over the clouds, over the stars, through the aeons of time & space. Whirls around and circles in for a landing in the middle of this cemetery. The Son of God, walks up to the gates and pounds on the door and says OPEN THESE GATES. Open these gates – Be lifted up ye gates & ye everlasting doors & the king of glory shall come in. But judgment & truth & law say no sir – the price must be paid – blood sufficient enough to cool the fevered brow of humanity and loose him from the chains & bondages of the reality of his rebellion.
Jesus said “what price must be paid?” pointing his finger in the face of judgment.
Joy for their sorrow says judgment
Law demanded life to free them from their death
Jesus said “I will pay the price”
When can we expect payment? Says judgment
4000 years hence, meet me in the middle of this graveyard at the hill called skull and I will pay the price
You know the story, God’s illustrated sermon. Bethlehem’s barn.
Some have said “Why a barn for a king to be born?” Why not a barn, every sacrificial lamb is born in a barn.
You see Him conceived of the Holy Ghost, breaking the bloody flanks of a 14-year old virgin girl and entering into a realm called time & space. Jesus began to walk around this cemeteried planet.
You see Him invade the funeral marching through the streets, the widow shrouded in black is weeping as her son has fell captive to the taskmaster DEATH. Watch your Canaan King as he walks behind the funeral procession and SUDDENLY the boy is alive.
Go with me to Jairus daughter’s bedroom as the musicians sought to dramatize “She’s Dead”. Paid mourners weeping as we have become very proficient at living in this cemetery. We knew just how it should be done – Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return – worms & maggots shall eat your flesh – the only thing you have to look forward to on this planet is to return to the depths of dirt from which you have been dug. Watch Jairus’ daughters eyes pop open and say “Mama I’m hungry”
Suddenly the earth becomes aware of a power they have never seen before. John 11 – Jesus best friend in Bethany lay captive to DEATH. Watch him walk and raise His hands to the Father and announce, I know you hear me always.
John 11:41-42
Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
Watch him walk about Judea, Jerusalem, Samaria and manifest a mastery over disease, demons, depravity, and even the height of our offense, death itself.
Judgment still clamors. We have had a couple of breakouts but the gates are still intact. We have had a few slip through, but we have reprimanded death accordingly.
Jesus said, Come with me to Pilate’s hall. See me sent to Pilate then to Herod and back to Pilate again. See me before Caiaphas the high priest. Watch as 614 Roman centurions take their fist and plummet me in the face. Hear me before Pilate as Pilate says (in John 19) “From Whence Art Thou?” Jesus answered not a word. Pilate knew where He was from. He had sent him to Herod because He was Galilean. But that was not Pilate’s question. What star did you step out from behind, what planet did you descend from. Are you a God or are you a man? I am thrust into the crucible of convicting power and I know there is something different about you.
He washed his hands and looked at Jesus and said why don’t you answer me. Don’t you know I have the power to crucify or free you?
Jesus said “Hush your mouth Pilate, you’ve overstepped your bounds. You have no power to do anything to me but that which is given to you from on high. I alone have power to lay my life down and take it up again. No man takes my life from me.”
Judgment & law were still clamoring. If God kills, he is a murderer. God risked everything on a man. A man with frailty, flesh, passion, desire. Adam failed, Abraham was buried with his fathers, Moses couldn’t get into promised land, and greatest prophet that ever lived had his head taken from his shoulders.
Go with me to the struggle of the garden of suffering. See him amidst the fig trees, watch him as his disciples can’t even pray with him. Watch him walking under the weight of living in a cemetery with nothing but death, dirge, discouragement & disease surrounding him. He walked & shook it off, but his hour is now come. The weight of it all crushes him down like a grape in the winepress. He prays in agony, Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Capillaries in his face began to burst and bleed. The rock is stained with precious blood of the lamb of God. But Jesus said “For this purpose I came into this world. Not my will but thine be done.”
The drama begins to unfold – Peter put away your sword. This is my purpose, my destiny, my plan. 4000 years ago in Genesis 3:15, God made a propituatory promise – I’m going to give you a promise with hope. There is a seed coming who is going to crush the serpent’s head. The serpent will bruise his heel, but there is hope. It’s not coming for 4000 years, but there is hope in it. And When it gets it will have power enough to go racing like fire through dry grass to find the first sinner ever born of a woman and set him free.
They all showed up that day to stop him. See him hanging, see blood dripping from his brow. See your Canaan king with blood soaked, matted hair. As his tongue cleaves to the roof of his mouth. As the crown of thorns pierces into his brow and the blood spues. They were all there.
Law showed up that day to make sure the price was paid in full.
Caiaphas was there. The religious crowd who had tried to make due in this cemetery. Tried to break through the bars & gates of judgment & law. They came that day.
Up out of the smoke filled abyss, see the demons one-by-one bringing up the rear of their processional, their diabolical king, satan himself, came to witness.
All the prophets & seers looked on in bewilderment & wonder. His beard has been plucked from his face and in indignation they have taken off his royalty and have platted a crown of thorns. His robe of authority has been stripped from him and naked & bare he hangs.
God, who carpets the valleys in green and feeds the raven every morning, looked from His throne room. Cloaked himself in Truth to watch and to wait and see.
There was one more there. Riding around the base of the cross on a pale horse. Surrounded by armies of worms, maggots, dust, and rot as an army would surround a king. His garment dark & black as midnight. His weapon, the sickle. His face a skull, his throne, bones. His horse with nostrils flaring. His breath blowing in the breeze of the eternal breathe of God. Back & forth he paces. His stallion raring. “Look at him now” says the pale horse-rider.
The king of this cemeteried planet. Death himself riding on a pale horse at the base of the cross. He had never lost a battle you know. Death had never lost one. Can you see the reigns of his horse. This is the one I’ve been waiting for. This is the one who told 4000 years ago that he would loose the bonds of judgment and my job would be irreversibly revoked. But I’m here today and look at Him. It’s almost over. See his chest heaving in and out. Watch the blood as it spues. It’s almost over.
And the Roman centurion, withdrew his spear. Out of his riven side a river of blood and water began to flow. Though Jesus could not move, the blood found its course, helped along by water. It splashed along the clay of the mountain and when the dawning of the next day came and the sun arose breaking over the Judean hillsides, the song that was sung was FREE AT LAST, the law is satisfied.
Caiaphas, was there. God had told Aaron the high priest you must never rend your garment nor cover your head with ashes. For in the day you do, the priesthood will be stripped from you forever. Caiaphas now the high priest, standing in his hallway asked Jesus the question “Are you the Son of God?” Jesus answered “Thou sayest it.” Caiaphas grabbed his collar and rent his garment. Judgment said that’s it. The lineage of the priesthood was forever banished from the house of Levi. Jesus on Calvary said “that’s all right. I’ll take up where they left off.” And God baptized a new high priest in the everlasting eternal blood of the covenant forged in the Hallelujah mountains of forever. “I’ll do the sacrifice, I’ll not only prepare it, I’ll be it.”
Satan & all the demons are there howling & clapping their fettered hands together. Dancing and cheering at the foot of the bloody cross.
Jesus said “Father into thy hands I commit my spirit.” Though the virgin’s son was hanging on that cross, when the devil got just too close, Jesus’ spirit stepped off that cross, grabbed the devil by the nap of the neck and said you’ve taken just one step too close. He pulled up his vesture and beared his heel and said come here put your head down. Raised his hands to the Father and pushed his heel into the serpent’s head and gave him an eternal hematoma.
Devils went tucking their tales and scurrying back into the darkness – they said “it’s the blood - his bloody heel has crushed my head.”
God the Father turned his back on Christ. If I help, divinity will get the credit and justice will not be satisfied. The psalmist said “He cloaked himself in darkness and made the blackness his pavilion.”
The pale horse-rider said I’ve never lost. The stallion rears and goes up to the cross, but does not get all the way there. Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. Off of that cross he came & for three days he chased death. The stallion running. Death looking back over his black cloak into the darkness. He’s coming. He’s coming.
Through every graveyard in Jerusalem, through the limestone arches of Macpelah’s cave, up through Moses’ grave on Mt Ebal, down through Abraham & Sarah’s tomb — he finally got him cornered in the tomb of Joseph of Arimethea. Death sat upon the corpse of Christ as upon a throne with sickle in hand. Death called in his army of moth, rust, mold, worms & maggots. Jesus said if the lions couldn’t eat Daniel, the worms are no match for me – He will not suffer his holy one to see corruption. SOMEBODY HELP ME PREACH.
He grabbed the keys of DEATH & HELL. While he was grabbing the keys, death slipped away. But Jesus said, I’ll be back to get you.
Romans 1 –
Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
born the seed of David – because he was the offspring of the tribe of Judah
Son of God – conceived of the Holy Ghost
Son of Man – burst through the bloody flanks of a virgin
But on that glorious third day, he was born as no other has been born. Rev 1 – firstbegotten of the dead. Death had never had a baby. Death’s breasts were dried & harden. Death’s womb could only cast miscarriage. But on those three days – who ever heard of having a baby in three days. The womb of death began to grow.
Red light went off in heaven. We can’t get him out. There is something blocking the way. God said, this is the job of a midwife, so he got an OBGYN angel. Go down there and see what is giving us trouble. The angel said, Mt 28, Behold an angel came down from heaven. . .I see the problem . . . there is a stone blocking the birth canal. God said “what are you going to do about it.” And the angel came & rolled away the stone and sat upon it.
He took the graveclothes off his face and walked out of death’s room and said I am he that was dead and I am alive forevermore. Power, power, wonder-working power.
He was the FIRST born of the dead. Death is pregnant again. Not with twins, triplets, quadruplets, quintuplets, sextuplets, sintuplets, but with the entire church triumphant. The dead in Christ are going to rise, and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air.
Father, give us Judgment day honesty. To as many as received him, He gave power to become the sons of God.
He has destroyed the sting of death and the law of sin & death has been satisfied by the blood of his cross. Let him do it today. Eternity waits for no one. Tomorrow I may be in heaven and you may be somewhere else. Don’t let that happen. You want to have life & not death, blessing & not cursing, receive him. It’s your choice, what will you do with this crimson-red Canaan king. At the end of this prayer, you’ll be as sure for heaven as if you are already there. 1 - 2 - 3. If you are a Christian and there is someone near you with their hand up, go to them. Join hands with them as we pray.
