This is the sermon preached at the memorial service for Frank Elliott.

Death Cannot Hold Him focused on the Lord Jesus' victory over hell and death as laid out in Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2-22-28. --Peter quotes from Psalm 16-10, and we explored the question- Did Jesus descend into hell----We discovered that Jesus descended into Sheol, --------Hades, ----, which contained both the righteous and unrighteous dead, as can be demonstrated in Jesus' parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus -Luke 16-22-25-. --The righteous dead did not suffer in this place, that is also called Paradise -Luke 23-42-43-. --The unrighteous dead suffered there without their bodies, awaiting their bodies and to be cast into the Lake of Fire, Gehenna -g-enna, -------, the Valley of the sons of Hinnom ------ ------------ that became the garbage dump of Jerusalem in the time Jesus. --Jesus used Gehenna to describe eternal hell -Mark 9-42-48-, a place of unending torment for both body and soul -Revelation 14-9-11-.--The Lord Jesus did not descend into Gehenna.

Death Cannot Hold Him focused on the Lord Jesus' victory over hell and death as laid out in Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:22-28. Peter quotes from Psalm 16:10, and we explored the question: Did Jesus descend into hell?We discovered that Jesus descended into Sheol, שְׁאוֹל/Hades, ᾅδης, which contained both the righteous and unrighteous dead, as can be demonstrated in Jesus' parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:22-25). The righteous dead did not suffer in this place, that is also called Paradise (Luke 23:42-43). The unrighteous dead suffered there without their bodies, awaiting their bodies and to be cast into the Lake of Fire, Gehenna (géenna, γέεννα), the Valley of the sons of Hinnom (גֵּ֣י בֶן־הִנֹּ֔ם) that became the garbage dump of Jerusalem in the time Jesus. Jesus used Gehenna to describe eternal hell (Mark 9:42-48), a place of unending torment for both body and soul (Revelation 14:9-11).The Lord Jesus did not descend into Gehenna.

The Garden of Eden was on top of a mountain, and human beings have attempted to recreate paradise without God ever since- The Tower of Babel, The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Ziggurats, Pyramids. --God met with Moses on Mount Sinai, and the Tabernacle was were Israel could meet God as they moved from Sinai -Exodus 25-22-. At its dedication, the Shekinah Glory of God that had been on Mount Sinai, now filled the Tabernacle -Exodus 19-18-20- 40-34-35-.--When Solomon dedicated the Temple in 959 B.C., the Shekinah Glory of God filled the Temple -1 Kings 8-10-11- 2 Chronicles 7-1-3-. --Jesus weeps because he knows that the curse sanctions of Leviticus 26-14-39 and Deuteronomy 28-15-68 are about to be fulfilled again -Luke 19-42-44- 23-27-31-.--God meets with us as we worship and as we celebrated Holy Communion.

The Garden of Eden was on top of a mountain, and human beings have attempted to recreate paradise without God ever since: The Tower of Babel, The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Ziggurats, Pyramids. God met with Moses on Mount Sinai, and the Tabernacle was were Israel could meet God as they moved from Sinai (Exodus 25:22). At its dedication, the Shekinah Glory of God that had been on Mount Sinai, now filled the Tabernacle (Exodus 19:18-20; 40:34-35).When Solomon dedicated the Temple in 959 B.C., the Shekinah Glory of God filled the Temple (1 Kings 8:10-11; 2 Chronicles 7:1-3). Jesus weeps because he knows that the curse sanctions of Leviticus 26:14-39 and Deuteronomy 28:15-68 are about to be fulfilled again (Luke 19:42-44; 23:27-31).God meets with us as we worship and as we celebrated Holy Communion.

I made a couple of mistakes in my sermon and corrected them in the transcript.--The scorpion is cited as an animal under the control of Satan to inflict pain on human beings in Revelation 9-3, 5, 10. The sting of the scorpion is cited in Deuteronomy 8-15 and 1 Kings 12-11-14.--1 Corinthians 15-53-54 describes our resurrection body as something put on top of our mortal, corruptible bodies, like a coat made out of incorruption and immortality.--Paul then cites Isaiah 25-7-8, where he tells us that the LORD himself would swallow up death. --The Canaanites believed in death as a literal monster whose mouth reached from under the earth up into the skies. Their god Mot ----- was going to swallow up everything they valued. But Isaiah foretold that God himself would swallow up Mot.--Isaiah looked forward to the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ who would defeat death in Jerusalem, -on this mountain.---Paul then alludes to Hosea 13-14 in 1 Corinthians 15-54-55 and tells us that sin is the stinger death uses -1 Corinthians 15-56-, taking us back to Genesis 2-25- 3-8-12.--The Lord Jesus took the stinger into himself as he was beaten and crucified in our place and defeated death by his resurrection. Our Westminster Confession of Faith speaks about Christ having purchased for us liberty from certain things, including, it says, -the sting of death- and -the victory of the grave.- --Hebrews 2-14-15 tell us that Satan holds people in bondage to the fear of death. To be free of the fear of death is true Christian liberty.

I made a couple of mistakes in my sermon and corrected them in the transcript.The scorpion is cited as an animal under the control of Satan to inflict pain on human beings in Revelation 9:3, 5, 10. The sting of the scorpion is cited in Deuteronomy 8:15 and 1 Kings 12:11-14.1 Corinthians 15:53-54 describes our resurrection body as something put on top of our mortal, corruptible bodies, like a coat made out of incorruption and immortality.Paul then cites Isaiah 25:7-8, where he tells us that the LORD himself would swallow up death. The Canaanites believed in death as a literal monster whose mouth reached from under the earth up into the skies. Their god Mot (מות) was going to swallow up everything they valued. But Isaiah foretold that God himself would swallow up Mot.Isaiah looked forward to the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ who would defeat death in Jerusalem, "on this mountain."Paul then alludes to Hosea 13:14 in 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 and tells us that sin is the stinger death uses (1 Corinthians 15:56), taking us back to Genesis 2:25; 3:8-12.The Lord Jesus took the stinger into himself as he was beaten and crucified in our place and defeated death by his resurrection. Our Westminster Confession of Faith speaks about Christ having purchased for us liberty from certain things, including, it says, "the sting of death" and "the victory of the grave." Hebrews 2:14-15 tell us that Satan holds people in bondage to the fear of death. To be free of the fear of death is true Christian liberty.

Today marks the 41st anniversary of a powerful event in my life. I had fallen into the trap that many pastors fall into, I had neglected my own personal, edifying Bible study for professional Bible study. And I was pumping out of a dry well as well as being defeated by old sins. God has ordained his word as the means of our cleansing -Ephesians 5-26- John 17-17-18-.--On March 19, 1982, I began an aggressive Bible reading plan for my personal, devotional reading, seeking the Lord Jesus and not merely Bible knowledge -John 5-39-40-.--Without the word of God, baptism and the Lord's Supper are empty rituals -Ephesians 5-26- John 6-54, 63, 35 -.--God fills us with his Spirit as we are full of his word -Ephesians 5-18- Colossians 3-16-. While every Christian has been baptized into the Holy Spirit -1 Corinthians 12-12-13-, we are not always full of the Spirit -Acts 2-4- 4-8, 31- 9-17- 13-9-.

Today marks the 41st anniversary of a powerful event in my life. I had fallen into the trap that many pastors fall into, I had neglected my own personal, edifying Bible study for professional Bible study. And I was pumping out of a dry well as well as being defeated by old sins. God has ordained his word as the means of our cleansing (Ephesians 5:26; John 17:17-18).On March 19, 1982, I began an aggressive Bible reading plan for my personal, devotional reading, seeking the Lord Jesus and not merely Bible knowledge (John 5:39-40).Without the word of God, baptism and the Lord's Supper are empty rituals (Ephesians 5:26; John 6:54, 63, 35 ).God fills us with his Spirit as we are full of his word (Ephesians 5:18; Colossians 3:16). While every Christian has been baptized into the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:12-13), we are not always full of the Spirit (Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; 9:17; 13:9).

In our study of Christian Liberty, we come to this statement in the WCF, XX, i, regarding Christ's giving us the ability to yield obedience unto God, -not out of slavish fear, but a child-like love, and willing mind.---Our focus was on 1 John 4-18.--We looked at Ephesians 5-21, where we are instructed to submit to one another out of fear of Christ, and Ephesians 5-33, where wives are instructed to fear their husbands. In their contexts, these verses are not talking about fear the way that 1 John 4-18 does, even though the Greek words are the same -phobos-phobe-- ------------. That word is rightly translated in Ephesians as -respect-- whereas, John is thinking about -fear- involving punishment.--We also looked at Romans 8-14-15 and thought about the example of Joe D. Norward's love for his father.--We also contrasted the celebration of vengeance in Esther 8-16-17- 9-4-15, 18, with the Lord Jesus' cry from the cross -Luke 23-34-. What a picture of 2 Corinthians 3-6-9---Our sins were laid on Jesus -2 Corinthians 5-21-. The veil of the Temple has been ripped open once and for all -Matthew 27-51- Mark 15-38-. And now all genders and ethnicities may enter the presence of God with boldness -Hebrews 9-11-14- 10-9-22-.--That freedom from fear causes us to serve the Lord joyfully.