O death, where is thy sting?

“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55, KJV). Last week here in north Germany, I was invited to lunch at the home of a local Lutheran (SELK) pastor and his wife. We exchanged stories of our ministries. Somehow, we arrived at the topic of funerals and how they are sadly becoming more frequent as our congregations mature. My host shared a most moving story: Several years ago, he was conducting a graveside service for a church member. It was drizzling on that dark afternoon, with raindrops beading up on the polished oak coffin, which sat on a gray metal roller by a gaping rectangular hole in the ground. The deceased lady’s 23-year-old son—diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and leaning on crutches—stood stoically in the first row of mourners. Family and friends watched silently as the pastor committed the lady’s body to our Lord and then poured earth in the sign of a cross on the head of the casket. They all recited the Lord’s Prayer, then the pastor gave the Aaronic blessing. Hymnals in hand, at the conclusion of the service everyone sang the beautiful “Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen,” the lyrics of which were penned by Erdmann Neumeister in 1718. As far as I can tell, this hymn has never been rendered into English. I have translated the first two lines of stanza 5 for you: “Death, you have no hold on me, even if I die. For those indeed who die in Christ shall from their graves soon fly.” After the hymn, the son suddenly stepped forward from the group and painfully made his way over to the rectangular hole in the ground. All eyes were on him. Leaning forward, he shouted down into the empty grave: “Death, you have no hold on me! I will die with Christ!” Many, many people teared up, the pastor told me. Mother—and soon thereafter her son—entered the Church Triumphant clinging to Christ. For them death was stingless; their graves held no victory over them. The same is true for all who leave this world trusting in the One who conquered sin, death, and the devil.