10-11-2026

“DEATH SWALLOWED UP!”

Text: Isaiah 25:6-9 – Pentecost 20

Sunday October 11th, 2026

Trinity –  Creston

       Grace, mercy, and peace is yours from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

       Our text for this 20th Sunday after Pentecost is the Old Testament lesson from Isaiah 25 that was just proclaimed.

Let Us Pray:  Dearest Jesus, send your Holy Spirit to remind us that you defeated our greatest enemy, death, swallowing death up forever! Amen.

Dear Fellow Redeemed in Christ:

Dear friends in Christ,.

 Once upon a time, there were a happy people, living in a happy little village in a happy valley surrounded by mountains. Everything was perfect—until one day, when a dragon crept into the valley.

At first, this dragon didn’t seem too dangerous. No one in the village had ever seen a dragon before. What little they’d heard of dragons didn’t sound so frightening. But their lack of fear soon tricked two villagers into dropping their guard. They became intrigued, went in for a closer look at this seemingly harmless dragon—and he gobbled them up.

Then the dragon began to grow. Now no one could flee from him, and the more villagers he ate, the more he grew . . . and grew . . . and grew—and grew hideous.

Soon all the people lived in fear. Eventually, the dragon ate so many people that he towered over the valley like the tallest of the mountains. His shadow covered the village, keeping the people in perpetual darkness, and no one ever escaped his appetite.

But then one day, a stranger came to the village. He claimed that he could kill the dragon—and he said he had a plan. The people thought, “Might this man really save us?” That is, until the man told them his plan. He said, “I’m going to walk up to the dragon. I’m going to stand before that dragon the size of a mountain. And I’ll let him eat me. Then I’ll come back, and you’ll know you’re free, safe.”

The villagers were dumbfounded. “Wait! What?! Come again! That’s your plan?! To get eaten?! Find a different plan!” The people found it all too foolish.

But that’s what he did. He bravely strode up to the dragon. No sword. No flamethrower. And the dragon ate him.  The end.

Or so everyone thought!

But it wasn’t the end. Not at all. For three days later, very early, our Hero strode back into town, just as he’d said. And as the sun rose behind him, it shone down on the villagers in a way they hadn’t seen in years. The shadow was gone.

The dragon, for so long the tallest mountain to rim the valley, was himself now in the shadows, no larger than when he’d first arrived. Only now, he didn’t look coyly intriguing. Now he was cowering, defanged. The villagers mocked him, laughed him to scorn. And the villagers rejoiced in their savior.

Then their Hero was gone—with only a promise to return: “There will be plenty of time to celebrate when I come back—and a feast like you’ve never tasted before!”

But a long time passed. And the villagers reflected: “So many of our loved ones died. The dragon took so many.” The sadness of those losses began to eclipse the joy they’d felt. And one by one—dragon or no—they, too, died. No Hero. No feast they could taste.

Their children and their children’s children began to wonder, “Is the story passed down to us even true?” It began to seem like a fairy tale, and many stopped waiting for the feast.

But then one day, when no one was expecting him, the Hero returned.

First, there was the sound of a trumpet, which echoed through the valley. Then there was a shout, like the shout of victory after a battle. And then the people saw him, coming down the mountain, leading a procession of all their loved ones! All those the dragon had ever consumed!

All those who had ever died. And not only were they alive, but they were also healthy, vigorous, as if they’d never aged a day. They were strong. And all the people stood in awe!

The man came, and he did spread a banquet: “A feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,” table after table set with “rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined” (v 6).

As all took their places, attention turned to the head table, the host’s own table. Curiously, a white cloth covered the whole length. But when it was lifted, a gasp went up. There was the dragon, charred beyond well-done, to be sure, but grotesque.

The host, their Hero, simply looked at the gathered banqueters, smiled, and began to eat. And they all watched, as he carved and chewed and swallowed. Every last piece. And when he had finished, he wiped his mouth and smiled again.

And the people sat in awe.

And then, the place erupted in cheers! A shout went up, so loud and full that it could never be heard on earth—a shout of victory, a shout of joy, a shout of celebration! And there was singing and dancing and toasting.

For now they knew that the dragon was gone! And they would feast with their loved ones forever.

2.

The prophet Isaiah writes, “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined” (v 6).

That’s our meal. “And [the Lord] will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. . . . It will be said on that day, ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him. . . . This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation’ ” (vv 7–9).

Likewise, in 1 Corinthians 15, Paul writes, “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” For death will be “swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor 15:26, 54). And

Because Jesus Has Swallowed Up Death, Terror of the Grave Is Replaced by Eager Anticipation of His Eternal Feast.

Friends, this is our resurrection joy, which we celebrate each and every Sunday of the year. That two thousand years ago, our Hero Jesus conquered Death. He defeated that dragon by entering the valley of the shadow of death and destroying Death itself.

Our Lord had a marvelous plan. He let himself be swallowed. He let himself be crucified and buried, allowing even the jaws of a tomb to engulf him. But when the grave swallowed him, Death bit off more than it could chew!

And the dragon, who was terrifying, lost his terror. The terrifying beast is now the one terrified, for he is mortally wounded. And now, it’s only a matter of time before Jesus finishes him off. Yes, sin, death, and the devil shall be destroyed.

The predator of mankind has become Jesus’ prey. The hunter of mankind is now being hunted by our Lord. Death is running scared. Death is now cowering in fear, whimpering, for Jesus will soon crush him and swallow him up, never to be heard from again.

That is, once Jesus has first gathered all his people. For now, we are still living in the story. Right now, our Hero is away. He’s gathering the rest of his loved ones. But the Day is drawing near. The Day of the great banquet is soon. Death shall be no more. Christ will wipe away all tears. And the joy will never end.

And this same Jesus, who defeats Death, also defeats the sting of death: sin. By dying for our sins, he takes our place. He takes on the punishment we deserve. And now Death passes over us. Jesus is condemned, that we might be justified.

Because, remember, the story turned tragic when people just like you and me became curious, a bit too interested, in that seemingly harmless dragon. And ever since, we ourselves have also flirted with Death—every time we’ve thought a little sin couldn’t hurt, every time we thought ignoring God’s warnings, his commandments, wasn’t all that dangerous.

We will die because we deserve to be gobbled up. Yet our Hero, Christ Jesus, loved us. In love, he still desired us. Indeed, he offered himself to the dragon, to Death, only for us sinners, and he has emerged victorious.

You are saved by the love of God, by the grace of God, by the cross of Christ, and by his resurrection! Yes, you deserve death, but he has freely won for you eternal life. Friends, your sin is defeated! The devil is defeated! And very soon, death itself shall be undone.

And because God loves you, Christ has prepared a place for you at his feast. He said the night before he faced the dragon, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (Jn 14:3). He prepared that place by going to the cross and by rising again. Jesus is risen, and in him, you shall arise.

Christ has already gathered so many, and you also have been gathered by the Gospel. The feast is soon, friends. The feast is already prepared. Very soon, you will feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of God. Our Hero is returning.

And he will swallow up death forever. He will wipe away tears from all faces. And all this is yours simply because you are loved! You are forgiven! He fought the dragon. He won. He slew the beast. And you receive all the benefits.

So trust in him. Wait for him. No matter how long he takes, keep waiting. For those who do will say, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation” (v 9).

Amen.

       Now may the peace of God in Christ Jesus keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.