The Grave Is Only a Bed

Text: Romans 6:1-11

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Listen up, this is amazing. When Jesus’ friend, Lazarus, died, Jesus did not say, 

“Our friend Lazarus has died! There is nothing I can do.” 

No, listen carefully to what Jesus said. He said, 

“Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 

You see, Lazarus had died, and his body had been wrapped and placed into a tomb. His sisters were grieving, the mourners had gathered, and as far as everyone was concerned, Lazarus was gone.  Nothing could be done. And yet, Jesus said that Lazarus was asleep. (Note: as you may already know, Jesus woke Lazarus up – he raised him from the dead – and Lazarus walked out of the tomb fully alive.)  

Now, the same thing happened with Jairus’s daughter. The little girl had died, the house was filled with weeping and mourning, and Jesus walked into the middle of death and grief and said, 

“The girl is not dead but sleeping.” 

The people laughed at Jesus because they knew the difference between a sleeping child and a dead child. But that’s the point: Jesus was about to wake her up – raise her from the dead. 

Please keep listening! The Apostles spoke this way as well. After Stephen was stoned to death, the Book of Acts tells us not that Stephen was dead but that he “fell asleep.” 

There’s more! The Apostle Paul talked like this as well.  Paul says over and over that Christians who have died have fallen asleep. 

And so, what is the point? The point is rather clear. When Christians die, the New Testament says not that they are dead but that they have fallen asleep.  

Now, let’s be clear. Christians are not spared from physical death. Our hearts stop, our lungs stop breathing, and our bodies are placed into the ground. But the New Testament does not call this death; it calls it sleep.  The reason why?  Because death does not get the final word over those who belong to Christ.

Now, saying that we Christians sleep is not a sentimental euphemism meant to make death seem harmless. We don’t use the word ‘sleep’ to try and not talk about death.  We understand that death is our enemy. Death tears apart body and soul. It separates husbands and wives, parents and children, brothers and sisters. Death leaves empty chairs and aching hearts. Jesus Himself wept at the tomb of Lazarus. In other words, we Christians and the Bible do not minimize death. Furthermore, it needs to be stated briefly - when we say that we sleep in the grave, we are not speaking about some strange teaching of soul sleep. No, the souls of those who die in Christ are with Christ, while their bodies are laid in the casket. 

So, back to the point: what is going on here?  

What Jesus and the Apostles are doing is rather bold.  Get this: they are refusing to give death the final word. They are – in a way – mocking death and its so-called power. You see, sleep implies that a person will wake up. That is to say, sleep is temporary; sleep has an end, it has a morning. And so, when Jesus calls death sleep, He is essentially mocking and diminishing death’s power and refusing to acknowledge death as the permanent lord and master over His Christians.

This brings us to our reading from Romans chapter six. In Romans 6, the Apostle Paul tells us that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will never die again. Death no longer has dominion over Him. Listen carefully: death is not Lord and Master over Christ. Death has no authority over Jesus, no claim upon Him, no grip upon Him, and no power to drag Him back into the tomb. That means that Christ does not bow before death; death bows before Christ. Yes, death attacked Jesus with everything it had. Death swallowed Him up on Good Friday. Death silenced Jesus’ voice, stopped His heart, and enclosed His body in the tomb. But on Easter morning Christ walked out alive, proving once and for all that death is no longer lord. He is.

Now, please pay attention! This matters because you have been joined to Christ. Paul says that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death. Yes, you heard that correctly: you were buried with Christ through Baptism into death so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, you too might walk in newness of life. Paul goes even further, saying that if you have been united with Christ in a death like His, you shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. 

Now, I want to point something else out to you. Paul says the word certainly. Do not rush past that word either. Paul does not say that you might be united with Christ in His resurrection. He does not say that resurrection is merely possible, provided that you are courageous enough, faithful enough, or spiritually impressive enough. No. He says that you shall certainly be united with Christ in a resurrection like His. Why? Because in Holy Baptism, God joined you to His Son. Through holy baptism, Christ’s death became your death, Christ’s burial became your burial, and Christ’s resurrection became the promise of your resurrection. What is true of Christ has become true of you. Death could not keep Him. Therefore death cannot finally keep you. Sin no longer has dominion over Him. Therefore sin no longer has the final word over you. Christ now lives unto the Father beyond the reach of death, and because your life is hidden with Christ, death is not your lord either.

As one of the Elders of St. Paul’s told me this week,

“We Christians die only once—we died in Baptism, and we will sleep in the grave until the resurrection.”

That is exactly what Paul is saying. And so, Baptized Saints, when death comes near, you are not left with fear, uncertainty, or terror. You are given confidence. Hear this: at your last hour, your end is not eternal death but sleep. Your wages in this life—because of Christ—are not damnation but the resurrection. Death, sin, and fear do not get the final word. Christ gets the final word.

This is why Martin Luther so often directed frightened Christians back to their Baptism. He did not tell them to search inside themselves to determine whether their faith felt strong enough. He directed them to Christ’s promise. 

And so, when your conscience accuses you, remember your Baptism. When the devil whispers that you belong to him, remember your Baptism. When your body weakens, and death comes knocking, remember your Baptism. In fact, you can address and say to death, 

“Death, you are too late. I have already died. I died with Christ. I was buried with Christ. And since Christ has risen from the dead, I shall certainly rise as well.”

Dear Christian, unless Christ returns before your death, death will touch your body, but it cannot own you. Death may close your eyes, but it cannot erase your Baptism. Death may stop your heart, but it cannot silence Christ’s promise. Death may place you beneath the ground, but it cannot keep you there when Jesus calls your name. Death is not lord over Christ, and because you are united with Christ, death is not lord over you.

And so, we can look death in the face and call it sleep. We do not do this because death is harmless; we do it because Christ is victorious. We do not do this because the grave is pleasant; we do it because the grave cannot hold those who belong to Christ. We do not do this because Christians are naturally brave; we do it because Christ has promised that those united with Him in His death – through Holy Baptism - shall certainly be united with Him in His resurrection.

Therefore, when you are laid in the grave, Christ will not have lost you. Your grave will not be your final home but your temporary bed. 

The Good Shepherd will call, the sleeper will awaken, and the body sown in weakness will be raised in power. This is most certainly true: you will see Jesus with resurrected eyes. Death will not be your lord because Christ is your Lord, and your Lord will raise you on the last day.  

In the name of Jesus. Amen.