Psalm 91:5-6

Psalm 91:5-6 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

I really enjoy the ”Pirates of the Caribbean” movies. One of the things that you discover about the main character, Jack Sparrow, is that he’s looking for a way to cheat death. He makes a deal with Davey Jones to get a boat that no-one can catch, his crew mutinies against him on the way to a treasure that gives it’s bearer eternal life (albeit cursed), he considers a plot that will allow him to live forever as the captain of the Flying Dutchman as a type of "cosmic cabbie", and the series ends with him pondering a map to the Fountain of Youth. All of these things he does to cheat death from his prize.

It’s a common quest for all of man – cheating death. There are pills, potions, and programs all guaranteed to extend your life. In the words of Kenny Chesney “Everybody wanna go to heaven but nobody wanna go now”. Death is scary for the common man because it is unknown.

We could try to spiritualize the verses for today but I think if we take these verses at face value we see that the Psalmist is simply telling us not to fear death. See if you agree - we just finished up talking about the safety that comes from being in God’s presence. We talked about how we are surrounded by the prickly hedge of His word and are doubly protected by the covering of His wings. If we are indeed protected by God what do we have to fear from death?

Death is not a mystery. It is clearly explained to us in scripture. We should not look at it as a loss - look at the apostle Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians 15:

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Isn’t that wonderful? Death has no victory over the Christian – to be sure we all die but Heaven awaits! There is no better place for us to be!

Look at the verses for today – they all talk about ways to die. Death by the unknown, death by attack, death by disease and death by calamity; none of these have any power over us because we serve the one who cannot die. We are immortal brothers and sisters! We will live forever in the presence of the Son!

When we are in God’s presence we have nothing to fear. Stand in that place of shelter. Let us stop looking for maps that lead to the empty treasures of this world. Let us instead keep a weather eye on the horizon focused on the Son. He has given us the map of His word and has promised us a seat at His heavenly table.

I’ll close with Jesus’ words from the gospel of Matthew 28… “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Amen and amen…