Death is Only a Shadow

1 Corinthians 15:54—55; “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?’”

Donald Grey Barnhouse, was an American preacher, pastor, theologian, radio pioneer, and a writer. He was pastor of the Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1927 to his death in 1960. As a pioneer in radio broadcasting, his program, The Bible Study Hour, continues even today and is now known as Dr. Barnhouse & the Bible.

After burying his first wife, while returning home with his little kids in his car, one of them asked, “Daddy, where did mommy go? What do you mean that she died?” While Barnhouse was trying to come up with an explanation of death to his kids, a truck passed by and cast a shadow over the car. Just then, he looked back at the kids and said, “Kids, would you have rather been hit by the moving truck? Or hit by the shadow?” Well, of course, they would have rather been hit by the shadow, because the shadow doesn’t hurt. It just darkens things for a moment.

All of us have experienced the loss of a loved one at some time. Separation from the ones we love is difficult to bear. However, death is only a shadow. When Christ rose up from the dead, death lost its sting. Furthermore, the Bible says, “…the Lord Himself will descend one day from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:16—17). My prayer for us is that we all be found in Christ when our number is called. Lord, teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12). Amen.

Stephen Thomas (Bobby)

Stephen is an ordained Christian Minister and a Bible teacher who is a mentor to several youth leaders in Crossway Church and around the globe. He is a regular visiting Speaker in Crossway Church, New Delhi. He can be reached at stephenthomas6400@hotmail.com