"Jesus answered and said to him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.' Nicodemus said to Him, 'How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?' Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.'" -John 3.3-6
As I was laying in bed last night I started thinking about yesterday's post, and then these verses from John 3 came to my mind. This is a thought I am still working through, and I am not saying with complete certainty that this is what Jesus meant, but after writing and thinking I'm wondering if it could have been what He might have been referring to.
Without being born again, we cannot see the Kingdom of God. We must first die, and then be born into life as it was meant to be. A life with no ending, that exists in perfection before the throne of God. Everyone who has come to faith in Jesus, has been spiritually conceived. Those who faithfully endure to the end grow and develop in the spiritual pregnancy. And those who die in the faith, are born again in Heaven.
Not everyone who begins this journey will finish. Just as there are miscarriages and still born babies physically, there are those who spiritually begin, but don't endure. They don't finish and cannot enter the presence of God. Tertullian said, "Do we test the faith by persons or persons by the faith? No one is wise, no one is faithful, no one worthy of honor unless he is a Christian, and no one is a Christian unless he perseveres to the end."
To be born again, we must endure to the end. We must come to salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. And we must grow and mature in holiness until it is time to enter eternity.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Showing posts with label Death. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Death. Show all posts
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Death=Birth
And we're back with another thought on death. In one of my previous posts on the subject I said that people fear death because they see it as an end, rather than a new beginning. This is a continuation of that thought.
I've been thinking about the birth of a baby for some time now, I have several friends who are expecting children, and as I've thought about the process of birth, I've noted many similarities between this life and the next. Jesus came to give us eternal life. We've somehow arrived at the conclusion that this is life that is only available to us once we reach the other side. It is life that goes on forever as believers spend eternity before the Throne of God. But this is an incorrect conclusion.
Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10.10). He came to give life, not just eternally, but presently. Around Christmas I wrote about how we need to see Christmas as the beginning of Jesus' life, a life lived to show us how to live as God would, and then He died on a cross so that we could live the way He modeled.
And so eternal life begins here and now. And so with that being said, death is not the end, but the beginning. Death=Birth.
Think of it this way. The moment you come to faith in Christ and experience the forgiveness of your sins, you have begun a new life. This would compare to the moment of conception. At that moment a baby is living being, with a soul and eternal destiny. But at this moment, a baby is not ready to enter the world.
Over the next nine months, give or take a few weeks, the baby grows and develops. Arms and legs form with hands and feet, fingers and toes. The heart begins to beat and pump blood. The brain forms as well as the other organs. The baby begins to move and stretch. It develops a personality that is unique. But it takes this time to develop before it is ready to enter the world.
As believers, we begin life with salvation, but we grow in holiness and mature so that we are ready to enter the next world. And then at the moment of death, we are born to real life, life as it was meant to be lived. It takes time for us to grow and develop in holiness, into Christlikeness. But at the end of the process we are ready to be born.
Hebrews 12.14 says, "Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord." Without holiness, no one will see God. We must be holy, we must grow in holiness. The journey to heaven is marked by growth in Christlikeness. The more we walk with Christ, the more holy we are to become. If we would see God, and be born into real life, we must grow and mature in holiness.
For the holy one, death is not the end, but a new beginning. Death=Birth.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
I've been thinking about the birth of a baby for some time now, I have several friends who are expecting children, and as I've thought about the process of birth, I've noted many similarities between this life and the next. Jesus came to give us eternal life. We've somehow arrived at the conclusion that this is life that is only available to us once we reach the other side. It is life that goes on forever as believers spend eternity before the Throne of God. But this is an incorrect conclusion.
Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10.10). He came to give life, not just eternally, but presently. Around Christmas I wrote about how we need to see Christmas as the beginning of Jesus' life, a life lived to show us how to live as God would, and then He died on a cross so that we could live the way He modeled.
And so eternal life begins here and now. And so with that being said, death is not the end, but the beginning. Death=Birth.
Think of it this way. The moment you come to faith in Christ and experience the forgiveness of your sins, you have begun a new life. This would compare to the moment of conception. At that moment a baby is living being, with a soul and eternal destiny. But at this moment, a baby is not ready to enter the world.
Over the next nine months, give or take a few weeks, the baby grows and develops. Arms and legs form with hands and feet, fingers and toes. The heart begins to beat and pump blood. The brain forms as well as the other organs. The baby begins to move and stretch. It develops a personality that is unique. But it takes this time to develop before it is ready to enter the world.
As believers, we begin life with salvation, but we grow in holiness and mature so that we are ready to enter the next world. And then at the moment of death, we are born to real life, life as it was meant to be lived. It takes time for us to grow and develop in holiness, into Christlikeness. But at the end of the process we are ready to be born.
Hebrews 12.14 says, "Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord." Without holiness, no one will see God. We must be holy, we must grow in holiness. The journey to heaven is marked by growth in Christlikeness. The more we walk with Christ, the more holy we are to become. If we would see God, and be born into real life, we must grow and mature in holiness.
For the holy one, death is not the end, but a new beginning. Death=Birth.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Why do people fear death?
For the last few weeks death has been on my mind. It's approaching the two year anniversary of the first funeral I performed, and it's nearing the seventh anniversary of the death of a close friend. Maybe that has something to do with it, but whatever the reason I've been thinking about it for a while. My last post got me thinking a little bit more about the subject, and so I want to add some of what I've thought about since then.
I once heard that the two things people fear most are public speaking and death, public speaking being first. So that means at a funeral, more people would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy. I get the public speaking fear; you're standing in front of people, all eyes and ears on you, and messing up when you have that much attention focused on you would be embarrassing. Some people worry about losing their place, other's about stumbling over words. It's something you have to live with, but probably not for as long as you think in the moment.
But why do people fear death? Is it the unknown of what's on the other side? Is it the uncertainty of what the experience will be like? Is it because of the unfamiliarity with all of it? Or is it because we see it as the end to something good? I'm willing to say it's a bit of all of them, but the more I think about it the more I lean towards the last option.
This life is all we've known, and the reality of it is that it comes to an end. It wasn't supposed to be like this, and I think that's part of the reason for all the mystery with it. Death is foreign to the way things are supposed to be. But sadly, it's a reality we all must face. But it doesn't have to be something we fear, and for the follower of Christ it doesn't mark the end, but rather the beginning.
I remember sitting with the man whose funeral I performed before he died. We talked about what would happen, and I reminded him that even though he had never experienced it before, Jesus had, and He would hold his hand the entire way. And when it comes to death, I honestly don't think we're really going to notice at first. If you read The Chronicles of Narnia: The Last Battle, you find that the main characters are dead and they don't even realize it until Aslan informs them. And I think it's going to be like that.
We have a soul, part of us that is eternal, and makes us who we are at our core. It is most essentially us. That part does not die. I think death is going to be like falling asleep. Then you wake up in this place that is very familiar, yet different. You'll know at that point that something is up, and then you'll see Him. Face to face for the first time the reality of it will hit you, the old has gone, and the new has come. Finally, you'll be in the place you were meant to be, as you were meant to be. And here, at the beginning of forever, you find perfect existence and unity with the Creator that will never end. What is there in that to fear? Yes, death does mark the end of a journey, but it is the gateway to a new beginning.
I haven't been through it personally yet, but based on reading, prayer, and insight, I think it's going to be something pretty similar to that. And so the follower of Christ has nothing to fear at all. And remember, Jesus has tasted it first hand, and He isn't going to leave you in the middle of it. He'll be by your side every step of the way as you enter into forever. There is no fear in death because of the power of Christ.
But for those who haven't experienced the new life that God offers, there is uncertainty and no peace. There is no one to guide them to the other side. You can experience the freedom from fear that Christ offers, and when the time comes, you can face death with peace and confidence, knowing that on the other side is the life you were meant to live. And that life is one that death cannot steal away. There death will be dead, and only goodness will exist.
Why do people fear death? Because they don't know Jesus, or if they do, it's because they don't realize that death is simply the beginning. There is no reason to fear death with Jesus. He will be with you through it, and on the other side welcome you into paradise.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
I once heard that the two things people fear most are public speaking and death, public speaking being first. So that means at a funeral, more people would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy. I get the public speaking fear; you're standing in front of people, all eyes and ears on you, and messing up when you have that much attention focused on you would be embarrassing. Some people worry about losing their place, other's about stumbling over words. It's something you have to live with, but probably not for as long as you think in the moment.
But why do people fear death? Is it the unknown of what's on the other side? Is it the uncertainty of what the experience will be like? Is it because of the unfamiliarity with all of it? Or is it because we see it as the end to something good? I'm willing to say it's a bit of all of them, but the more I think about it the more I lean towards the last option.
This life is all we've known, and the reality of it is that it comes to an end. It wasn't supposed to be like this, and I think that's part of the reason for all the mystery with it. Death is foreign to the way things are supposed to be. But sadly, it's a reality we all must face. But it doesn't have to be something we fear, and for the follower of Christ it doesn't mark the end, but rather the beginning.
I remember sitting with the man whose funeral I performed before he died. We talked about what would happen, and I reminded him that even though he had never experienced it before, Jesus had, and He would hold his hand the entire way. And when it comes to death, I honestly don't think we're really going to notice at first. If you read The Chronicles of Narnia: The Last Battle, you find that the main characters are dead and they don't even realize it until Aslan informs them. And I think it's going to be like that.
We have a soul, part of us that is eternal, and makes us who we are at our core. It is most essentially us. That part does not die. I think death is going to be like falling asleep. Then you wake up in this place that is very familiar, yet different. You'll know at that point that something is up, and then you'll see Him. Face to face for the first time the reality of it will hit you, the old has gone, and the new has come. Finally, you'll be in the place you were meant to be, as you were meant to be. And here, at the beginning of forever, you find perfect existence and unity with the Creator that will never end. What is there in that to fear? Yes, death does mark the end of a journey, but it is the gateway to a new beginning.
I haven't been through it personally yet, but based on reading, prayer, and insight, I think it's going to be something pretty similar to that. And so the follower of Christ has nothing to fear at all. And remember, Jesus has tasted it first hand, and He isn't going to leave you in the middle of it. He'll be by your side every step of the way as you enter into forever. There is no fear in death because of the power of Christ.
But for those who haven't experienced the new life that God offers, there is uncertainty and no peace. There is no one to guide them to the other side. You can experience the freedom from fear that Christ offers, and when the time comes, you can face death with peace and confidence, knowing that on the other side is the life you were meant to live. And that life is one that death cannot steal away. There death will be dead, and only goodness will exist.
Why do people fear death? Because they don't know Jesus, or if they do, it's because they don't realize that death is simply the beginning. There is no reason to fear death with Jesus. He will be with you through it, and on the other side welcome you into paradise.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Monday, November 11, 2013
Death and Heaven
It's been a while, and I've had a couple different things on my mind. A few of them I'm still sitting on, but I've really felt like I need to write something on here.
A couple of weeks ago I was walking my dog, and I watched a squirrel attempt to run across the road. The key word there is attempt. It didn't make it. I watched as the car hit it, and it's body once so full of life now lay motionless in the road. I'll be honest, part of me was saddened. The older I get, the more death saddens me. I'm at the point where I don't even like hunting anymore because I don't want to take life of any kind.
It's not that I'm afraid to die, honestly the older I get the more part of me looks forward to it. I'm not suicidal, and I'm not wanting to die, there are things I still want to accomplish. I want to see my children and grandchildren. I want to own my own piece of land and plant on it. I want to be able to really enjoy this life with my wife, and look back and laugh at the hardships, like so many people tell us we will. But I know what is waiting for me on the other side of death, and I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I was just a little excited about it.
But death saddens me because it is something that was never meant to happen. It's a result and reminder of the fallen state of the world. Watching a squirrel get hit by a car reminds me that this world is not how it was supposed to be. Death is bad, and it was not part of God's plan or creation. But one day, death itself will die, and never be seen again. One day everything will be as it should be again. And on that day all who believe will be with Him forever in glory.
And so we come to the second point in the title, Heaven. I am blessed to be able to work with another Christ follower, and over the last few weeks we've been able to talk a little about topics of faith. One of them involved talk of Heaven. I don't know exactly what Heaven will be like, and what I'm about to write are thoughts I've gained from Scripture, but don't hold me to it if I don't get it exactly right.
I think Heaven is going to be a very personal place. Jesus said in John 14.1-3, "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."
Each of us was made uniquely by God. Each of us is different, and God loves that about us. I believe Jesus is there, preparing a place specifically for each of us. A place that speaks to your heart. I think my place will involve a large piece of ground to cultivate, a garden just like the beginning.
If we look at Genesis 1-2, we get a picture of what Heaven will be like, because there we see what life was intended to be. We see perfect unity with each other and God. We see peace and life. If we look at the end of Revelation we see many similarities between the two. We see that everything is moving back towards the beginning.
In Heaven, we will be in the presence of God. We'll enjoy unity and fellowship with Him that we have never known before. And I think that Heaven might not be all that far away. In Revelation 21 John talks about the new heaven and the new earth, because the first have passed away. What if when we die it's just like falling asleep, but then you wake up in a sort of out of body experience. You find yourself in a new, perfect body. You find yourself on a new, perfect earth, and you find yourself before God. I don't think death will feel like the end at all as we go through it, simply a new beginning.
And finally one other thought, I think animals will be in heaven. No, they are not made in the image of God like people, but they are part of God's creation. In Revelation 21.5 Jesus says, "Behold, I am making all things new." And we are told in Isaiah 11.6-7, "And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox."
Again, I'm not stating this as fact, I could be completely wrong about all of it. But those are some of my recent thoughts on death and heaven.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
A couple of weeks ago I was walking my dog, and I watched a squirrel attempt to run across the road. The key word there is attempt. It didn't make it. I watched as the car hit it, and it's body once so full of life now lay motionless in the road. I'll be honest, part of me was saddened. The older I get, the more death saddens me. I'm at the point where I don't even like hunting anymore because I don't want to take life of any kind.
It's not that I'm afraid to die, honestly the older I get the more part of me looks forward to it. I'm not suicidal, and I'm not wanting to die, there are things I still want to accomplish. I want to see my children and grandchildren. I want to own my own piece of land and plant on it. I want to be able to really enjoy this life with my wife, and look back and laugh at the hardships, like so many people tell us we will. But I know what is waiting for me on the other side of death, and I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I was just a little excited about it.
But death saddens me because it is something that was never meant to happen. It's a result and reminder of the fallen state of the world. Watching a squirrel get hit by a car reminds me that this world is not how it was supposed to be. Death is bad, and it was not part of God's plan or creation. But one day, death itself will die, and never be seen again. One day everything will be as it should be again. And on that day all who believe will be with Him forever in glory.
And so we come to the second point in the title, Heaven. I am blessed to be able to work with another Christ follower, and over the last few weeks we've been able to talk a little about topics of faith. One of them involved talk of Heaven. I don't know exactly what Heaven will be like, and what I'm about to write are thoughts I've gained from Scripture, but don't hold me to it if I don't get it exactly right.
I think Heaven is going to be a very personal place. Jesus said in John 14.1-3, "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."
Each of us was made uniquely by God. Each of us is different, and God loves that about us. I believe Jesus is there, preparing a place specifically for each of us. A place that speaks to your heart. I think my place will involve a large piece of ground to cultivate, a garden just like the beginning.
If we look at Genesis 1-2, we get a picture of what Heaven will be like, because there we see what life was intended to be. We see perfect unity with each other and God. We see peace and life. If we look at the end of Revelation we see many similarities between the two. We see that everything is moving back towards the beginning.
In Heaven, we will be in the presence of God. We'll enjoy unity and fellowship with Him that we have never known before. And I think that Heaven might not be all that far away. In Revelation 21 John talks about the new heaven and the new earth, because the first have passed away. What if when we die it's just like falling asleep, but then you wake up in a sort of out of body experience. You find yourself in a new, perfect body. You find yourself on a new, perfect earth, and you find yourself before God. I don't think death will feel like the end at all as we go through it, simply a new beginning.
And finally one other thought, I think animals will be in heaven. No, they are not made in the image of God like people, but they are part of God's creation. In Revelation 21.5 Jesus says, "Behold, I am making all things new." And we are told in Isaiah 11.6-7, "And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox."
Again, I'm not stating this as fact, I could be completely wrong about all of it. But those are some of my recent thoughts on death and heaven.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Monday, February 4, 2013
One Day
That's the title of track 3 on Mark Schultz's most recent album. I actually can't find the lyrics online which is a shock, and the CD is out in my car which is covered in snow so at the moment I'm not going to get it. My wife and I have been listening to it since it's the only CD in the car, but honestly I haven't been paying attention to most of it. I love Mark Schultz but this is one of my least favorite of his albums, except for track 3.
Several hours have passed since I wrote that first paragraph. I learned how to make apple sauce from my grandmother, walked Rosie with my wife, and since I have driven got the CD case out of my car. As I said track 3 is the only one I've really paid any attention to, and even then it's only really one phrase that has stood out to me.
The lame will walk
The blind will see
The prisoners will be set free
And hope will rise as shadows disappear
And all that's lost
We'll find again
Death will die and tears will end
And we will come alive and truly live
Incredible lyrics, but the phrase that caught my attention is "Death will die". It sends chills through my body when I hear it. One day death will die and be no more. The thing that all men face, that respects no one, will finally meet itself and end. One day death will die.
That promise has led to some of the most rewarding moments of ministry for me. Sitting at the hospital holding a wife's hand as she's told her husband of 62 years might not make it through the night. Talking with a man dying of Lou Gehrig's disease and sharing with him the promises made to the faithful. Those are the moments when people really need you as a pastor. Those are the times when you do your greatest ministry. You are with people as they prepare to meet God.
My first funeral was easy because I knew the faith of the man. I knew that as I was giving his eulogy he was kneeling at the feet of Christ. His arms and legs had the mobility back that Lou Gehrig's disease had robbed for his final months on earth. He had died, but death was not victorious.
All men faith death, it's part of life, but death is not infinite. One day death too will die, and be no more. And this is the message that Christ has given us to share. Through Christ death has been defeated, and in Him eternal life is possible. Death will die, and those in Christ will live forever in His presence.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Several hours have passed since I wrote that first paragraph. I learned how to make apple sauce from my grandmother, walked Rosie with my wife, and since I have driven got the CD case out of my car. As I said track 3 is the only one I've really paid any attention to, and even then it's only really one phrase that has stood out to me.
The lame will walk
The blind will see
The prisoners will be set free
And hope will rise as shadows disappear
And all that's lost
We'll find again
Death will die and tears will end
And we will come alive and truly live
Incredible lyrics, but the phrase that caught my attention is "Death will die". It sends chills through my body when I hear it. One day death will die and be no more. The thing that all men face, that respects no one, will finally meet itself and end. One day death will die.
That promise has led to some of the most rewarding moments of ministry for me. Sitting at the hospital holding a wife's hand as she's told her husband of 62 years might not make it through the night. Talking with a man dying of Lou Gehrig's disease and sharing with him the promises made to the faithful. Those are the moments when people really need you as a pastor. Those are the times when you do your greatest ministry. You are with people as they prepare to meet God.
My first funeral was easy because I knew the faith of the man. I knew that as I was giving his eulogy he was kneeling at the feet of Christ. His arms and legs had the mobility back that Lou Gehrig's disease had robbed for his final months on earth. He had died, but death was not victorious.
All men faith death, it's part of life, but death is not infinite. One day death too will die, and be no more. And this is the message that Christ has given us to share. Through Christ death has been defeated, and in Him eternal life is possible. Death will die, and those in Christ will live forever in His presence.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Monday, December 17, 2012
A Prayer for Twenty-Seven Families
God, as more of the details of Friday have emerged my heart has broken for the families of victims. As I've read names and seen pictures of the children who were murdered. As I've seen videos of them and read stories of the final days and weeks of their lives I wonder how anyone could do this. As I watched an interview of a mother and father talking about their daughter who was taken from them, this has become more and more real.
I can't relate to their pain, and I pray I never will, but their pain is real. And it doesn't matter that I can't relate to them, because You can. Each child that was killed Friday morning was Your child. Each life that was ended was a life You had given, loved, and known everything about. The pain that these families are feeling is pain You are feeling with them. It is pain You understand more deeply than any human ever could.
Father, in Your love and compassion surround them. Help them to grieve, fill their minds with the joyful memories of the blessed years they had with their children. Guide them as they work through the anger. Surround them with people who will be quick to listen and slow to speak.
Above all I pray that You will fill them with hope. This is not the first time You watched Your child die. Nearly two thousand years ago you watched as Jesus, Your Son, was unjustly arrested, beaten, led outside of Jerusalem, and crucified in place of a criminal. But in His death there is hope and life for all. His sacrifice did not end in death, but in life, and because of Him hope and life are available for us as well.
This Christmas season as gifts remain wrapped and seats at the table are vacant, may they feel You all the nearer. May they know You are there with them, weeping with them. May they know that You are there offering hope, healing, and life. May their lives be filled with Your Spirit in ways that they have never experienced before. Father carry them through this time.
It is in the name of Jesus, the source of life and hope for the future, we lift these families up to You.
Amen
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
I can't relate to their pain, and I pray I never will, but their pain is real. And it doesn't matter that I can't relate to them, because You can. Each child that was killed Friday morning was Your child. Each life that was ended was a life You had given, loved, and known everything about. The pain that these families are feeling is pain You are feeling with them. It is pain You understand more deeply than any human ever could.
Father, in Your love and compassion surround them. Help them to grieve, fill their minds with the joyful memories of the blessed years they had with their children. Guide them as they work through the anger. Surround them with people who will be quick to listen and slow to speak.
Above all I pray that You will fill them with hope. This is not the first time You watched Your child die. Nearly two thousand years ago you watched as Jesus, Your Son, was unjustly arrested, beaten, led outside of Jerusalem, and crucified in place of a criminal. But in His death there is hope and life for all. His sacrifice did not end in death, but in life, and because of Him hope and life are available for us as well.
This Christmas season as gifts remain wrapped and seats at the table are vacant, may they feel You all the nearer. May they know You are there with them, weeping with them. May they know that You are there offering hope, healing, and life. May their lives be filled with Your Spirit in ways that they have never experienced before. Father carry them through this time.
It is in the name of Jesus, the source of life and hope for the future, we lift these families up to You.
Amen
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
Monday, April 9, 2012
Reality
Early in the evening this past Friday my dad called me and told me his uncle died. He was my great uncle, and I knew him, but not as well as my dad did. My dad is the oldest child, and his mom was I believe the second child. His uncle, her brother was the youngest. My dad said he was more like a big brother than an uncle. My interaction with him was family reunions, Thanksgiving when I was younger, the two weeks I spent down there helping bail hay, and hunting trips on his farm.
I was surprised by his death, my dad found out within an hour and let me know. He had been in the hospital but I hadn't known that. I've wondered a lot over the last few days if he had a relationship with Jesus. I honestly don't know. And for the last few days the reality of Hell has been at the forefront of my mind.
Heaven really came into full reality for me in December/January when I was ministering to a man dying from Lou Gehrig's disease. As I sat and talked about death, dying, and Heaven, with a man who was getting ready to stand before God and be welcomed into His eternal presence my heart was full of joy for him, and honestly a little jealousy towards him. As I shared the promises of hope from Scripture with him, part of me longed to see Jesus is a way that I never have before. There are some pictures of the senior fellowship group hanging in the hall way of the church and I walk by his picture daily. I'm reminded every day that he is in the presence of Jesus.
But while Heaven is the presence of God, Hell is the opposite, separation from God. Hell was created for Satan and his angels (Matthew 25.41). Humans were made to exist in a relationship with God. We were created for the presence of God. But when sin entered the world we were separated from God. Because God is Holy and Righteous, He cannot be around sin. Sin cannot enter the presence of God. Romans 3.23 says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,".
Sin is a serious thing, it demands life as payment. And as Romans 6.23a states, "For the wages of sin is death,". Sin in our lives means that we cannot enter the presence of Holy God. And for the last few days the reality of Hell has been on my mind. We live in a world where people die. "Roughly 56,597,034 people leaving us every year. That's about a 155,000 a day." (http://ask.yahoo.com/20051128.html, [from 2005]) How many of those people have a relationship with Jesus?
Hell is a reality. But Heaven is also a reality. Just as sin brings death, God brings life. The end of Romans 6.23 declares, "but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." God's desire is for all to be saved (2 Peter 3.9). The Bible says that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be save (Romans 10.13) and that if you simply confess with your mouth that Christ is Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved (Romans 10.9-10).
Christ died on the cross to pay the price for sin. He died in our place. Remember sin demands life as payment, and Christ made that payment. But it wasn't enough for Him just to die. He rose from the dead, conquering sin, death, and Hell forever. Because Christ lives, we also can live. Paul said if Jesus didn't rise again then our faith is worthless, and we are to be pitied above all other men (1 Corinthians 15.12-19).
A pastor friend told me about a month ago about a sermon he had once heard. When Jesus died He paid the price for all sin (1 Peter 3.18). All sin has been paid for, but not all sin has been confessed. He said that in the sermon he heard the preacher pointed out that all people who go to Hell go forgiven, they just never received the free gift that God offers. People go to Hell needlessly. God offers the free gift of life and salvation in Christ. All we have to do is receive it from Him. And yet people still die in sin.
I want to be intentional about sharing the message of salvation. Yesterday I preached it, I write about it on here a lot, but I want to be more intentional about it. The reality is that this world is full of people who are dying and going to Hell because they don't have a relationship with Jesus. The Bible says that Jesus is the only way to God (John 14.6). I want to share Jesus, and the message of hope and life that is in Him. God desires that none should perish, and so He made it possible for us to have eternal life.
To God alone be the glory!
Peace be with you
I was surprised by his death, my dad found out within an hour and let me know. He had been in the hospital but I hadn't known that. I've wondered a lot over the last few days if he had a relationship with Jesus. I honestly don't know. And for the last few days the reality of Hell has been at the forefront of my mind.
Heaven really came into full reality for me in December/January when I was ministering to a man dying from Lou Gehrig's disease. As I sat and talked about death, dying, and Heaven, with a man who was getting ready to stand before God and be welcomed into His eternal presence my heart was full of joy for him, and honestly a little jealousy towards him. As I shared the promises of hope from Scripture with him, part of me longed to see Jesus is a way that I never have before. There are some pictures of the senior fellowship group hanging in the hall way of the church and I walk by his picture daily. I'm reminded every day that he is in the presence of Jesus.
But while Heaven is the presence of God, Hell is the opposite, separation from God. Hell was created for Satan and his angels (Matthew 25.41). Humans were made to exist in a relationship with God. We were created for the presence of God. But when sin entered the world we were separated from God. Because God is Holy and Righteous, He cannot be around sin. Sin cannot enter the presence of God. Romans 3.23 says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,".
Sin is a serious thing, it demands life as payment. And as Romans 6.23a states, "For the wages of sin is death,". Sin in our lives means that we cannot enter the presence of Holy God. And for the last few days the reality of Hell has been on my mind. We live in a world where people die. "Roughly 56,597,034 people leaving us every year. That's about a 155,000 a day." (http://ask.yahoo.com/20051128.html, [from 2005]) How many of those people have a relationship with Jesus?
Hell is a reality. But Heaven is also a reality. Just as sin brings death, God brings life. The end of Romans 6.23 declares, "but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." God's desire is for all to be saved (2 Peter 3.9). The Bible says that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be save (Romans 10.13) and that if you simply confess with your mouth that Christ is Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved (Romans 10.9-10).
Christ died on the cross to pay the price for sin. He died in our place. Remember sin demands life as payment, and Christ made that payment. But it wasn't enough for Him just to die. He rose from the dead, conquering sin, death, and Hell forever. Because Christ lives, we also can live. Paul said if Jesus didn't rise again then our faith is worthless, and we are to be pitied above all other men (1 Corinthians 15.12-19).
A pastor friend told me about a month ago about a sermon he had once heard. When Jesus died He paid the price for all sin (1 Peter 3.18). All sin has been paid for, but not all sin has been confessed. He said that in the sermon he heard the preacher pointed out that all people who go to Hell go forgiven, they just never received the free gift that God offers. People go to Hell needlessly. God offers the free gift of life and salvation in Christ. All we have to do is receive it from Him. And yet people still die in sin.
I want to be intentional about sharing the message of salvation. Yesterday I preached it, I write about it on here a lot, but I want to be more intentional about it. The reality is that this world is full of people who are dying and going to Hell because they don't have a relationship with Jesus. The Bible says that Jesus is the only way to God (John 14.6). I want to share Jesus, and the message of hope and life that is in Him. God desires that none should perish, and so He made it possible for us to have eternal life.
To God alone be the glory!
Peace be with you
Monday, February 6, 2012
Impact
On Friday evening my sister called me to tell me one of my favorite teachers from high school had passed away. At first I was in shock. I knew she had been diagnosed, I believe with leukemia, but it just caught me off guard that she was gone.
She was one of the teachers who really poured into people. My junior year I went through several months with major depression. And it was in that time that she really began to have an impact on me. She was there to listen and offer encouragement. When depression was over we had a bond. She had been there for me in the hard times. Even after graduation we'd kept in touch. I'd go back to see her and we'd sit and talk in the English teacher's office.
As my wife and I went to viewing yesterday afternoon the parking lot was full, and there was a man directing parking. We got into the funeral home and it took us more than an hour to get through the line to see her. And as we waited the line just kept getting longer and longer. I don't know that I've ever been to a viewing like that before.
It made me think about my own life. Am I making an impact in the lives of people? Would there be a hours long line at my funeral? I have a hard time thinking of who would be there outside of family and my closest friends.
I want a life like she lived. I want to make an impact. Not so people will line up to pay their final respects to me. Not so people will say how great of a man/pastor I was. I want to make an impact for the Kingdom. I know that might sound cliche, but I think about the people who have impacted my life. The ones that I really remember, that stand out, are the ones that have helped me become more like Christ. The ones that haven't focused on their own glory or advancement, but simply the glory of God. And the more I'm around death, the more I want the glory of God to be my main focus, my only focus.
I want to make an impact for Jesus. I want to leave the world a better place than it was when I got here, and that can be as simple as making a difference in one life. Being there for one person during a season of depression in high school goes a lot farther than just that one person.
Make an impact.
Peace be with you
She was one of the teachers who really poured into people. My junior year I went through several months with major depression. And it was in that time that she really began to have an impact on me. She was there to listen and offer encouragement. When depression was over we had a bond. She had been there for me in the hard times. Even after graduation we'd kept in touch. I'd go back to see her and we'd sit and talk in the English teacher's office.
As my wife and I went to viewing yesterday afternoon the parking lot was full, and there was a man directing parking. We got into the funeral home and it took us more than an hour to get through the line to see her. And as we waited the line just kept getting longer and longer. I don't know that I've ever been to a viewing like that before.
It made me think about my own life. Am I making an impact in the lives of people? Would there be a hours long line at my funeral? I have a hard time thinking of who would be there outside of family and my closest friends.
I want a life like she lived. I want to make an impact. Not so people will line up to pay their final respects to me. Not so people will say how great of a man/pastor I was. I want to make an impact for the Kingdom. I know that might sound cliche, but I think about the people who have impacted my life. The ones that I really remember, that stand out, are the ones that have helped me become more like Christ. The ones that haven't focused on their own glory or advancement, but simply the glory of God. And the more I'm around death, the more I want the glory of God to be my main focus, my only focus.
I want to make an impact for Jesus. I want to leave the world a better place than it was when I got here, and that can be as simple as making a difference in one life. Being there for one person during a season of depression in high school goes a lot farther than just that one person.
Make an impact.
Peace be with you
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Grieve
As I've talked about a lot this month, today is the five year anniversary of the death of my good friend Linda Russe. Less than a week ago I performed my first funeral, and it impacted me in a way that no other death has. For the first time I was deeply involved in the death of someone that wasn't extremely close to. I had known the man for nine months, and for more than a third of that time he was unable to be at church.
I spent time with him, ministered to him, talked with him about death, dying, and heaven. But I didn't develop the deep relationship that I had with Linda. The family members are now the ones who need the focus. They are in a process of grieving now, and life will not ever be the same. There is pain and sadness, it might be there for a long time, and that's ok, but it can heal. Part of they key to healing is to grieve.
Crying is ok, totally breaking down is ok. Being angry is ok, asking questions is ok. Being alone is ok, but you can't stay isolated. Part of healing comes in sharing the good memories of the person, talking about who they were and what they taught you. Laughing with others about the good times you celebrated with them brings healing, so we must not stay isolated in our grief. Prayer is an important part of grieving and healing. When Linda was diagnosed with cancer countless people were in prayer for her. One of the things I didn't understand was why God didn't answer them. I asked Him why many times, and He finally showed me that there was a lesson for me to learn. I think learning is part of grieving, seeing how God is good, and how all things work for His glory.
Through experiencing the death of someone close to me, I experienced death in a real way, and was able to walk with this family through this time a little better. I don't know what they are feeling, because I haven't experienced the death of a father, or grandfather yet, but I have experienced death. I have experienced grief, and I've come through it and been healed. Life is not the same, and I it never will be, but I am still alive. Because I have grieved, I have been healed, and I am able to continue living. The danger we face in not grieving is being swallowed up by it.
We must grieve, and know that you do not grieve alone. Jesus wept. In John 11, He knew what He was about to do, but He took the time to grieve with the sisters of Lazarus. He knew that Lazarus would live again, but He saw the need of Mary and Martha and met them there. Jesus sees your need, and He will meet you there. He will grieve with you, death is something He knows about. And He will bring healing in time.
Peace be with you
I spent time with him, ministered to him, talked with him about death, dying, and heaven. But I didn't develop the deep relationship that I had with Linda. The family members are now the ones who need the focus. They are in a process of grieving now, and life will not ever be the same. There is pain and sadness, it might be there for a long time, and that's ok, but it can heal. Part of they key to healing is to grieve.
Crying is ok, totally breaking down is ok. Being angry is ok, asking questions is ok. Being alone is ok, but you can't stay isolated. Part of healing comes in sharing the good memories of the person, talking about who they were and what they taught you. Laughing with others about the good times you celebrated with them brings healing, so we must not stay isolated in our grief. Prayer is an important part of grieving and healing. When Linda was diagnosed with cancer countless people were in prayer for her. One of the things I didn't understand was why God didn't answer them. I asked Him why many times, and He finally showed me that there was a lesson for me to learn. I think learning is part of grieving, seeing how God is good, and how all things work for His glory.
Through experiencing the death of someone close to me, I experienced death in a real way, and was able to walk with this family through this time a little better. I don't know what they are feeling, because I haven't experienced the death of a father, or grandfather yet, but I have experienced death. I have experienced grief, and I've come through it and been healed. Life is not the same, and I it never will be, but I am still alive. Because I have grieved, I have been healed, and I am able to continue living. The danger we face in not grieving is being swallowed up by it.
We must grieve, and know that you do not grieve alone. Jesus wept. In John 11, He knew what He was about to do, but He took the time to grieve with the sisters of Lazarus. He knew that Lazarus would live again, but He saw the need of Mary and Martha and met them there. Jesus sees your need, and He will meet you there. He will grieve with you, death is something He knows about. And He will bring healing in time.
Peace be with you
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Crown of Righteousness
Paul concludes his statement, "in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing."
Paul had fought the fight, finished the course, and kept the faith, and God gave him a crown. My mentor has shared many insights with me over the years, recently we've been talking about death. He said often times we look at death as a defeat, a loss, and a failure. We say things like, "We lost dad." or "She lost her battle with cancer." but for the Christ follower this isn't the case. Death is not defeat, or loss, but victory and gain.
Paul didn't see death as a defeat, but as a chance to make his final offering to God. He didn't see dying as failure but as great gain as he said in Philippians 1.21, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Paul faced the end with confidence and dignity, knowing that he had faithfully served his Master, and when he passed from this world to the eternal one, he would be greeted by Christ placing the crown of righteousness upon his head and saying, "Well done, good and faithful servant." And Paul reminds us that this was not just his reward, but everyone who loves Christ and waits for Him to return.
Linda was one of them, and she has received her crown. She died of cancer, but she did not fail and she did not lose anything. We haven't lost believers who have died, they have simply gone ahead of us. They have not been defeated or shamed, and neither will we. Linda has gone on ahead, I miss her, but I will see her again.
In the movie Gladiator there is a line at the end. Juba, a gladiator friend of Maximus', buries two small carvings of Maximus' wife and son in the arena of the Coliseum after Maximus dies having fought his fight, finished his course, and kept the faith of Rome. As he covers the figures he says, "I will see you again, but not yet. Not yet." Linda, I will see you again. But not yet. My fight is not over, my course is not finished, and my faith will not be shaken. One day I will see you again as I receive my crown.
Paul's words can be ours as well. Death is not failure, but victory. There is no shame in it, but honor. Fight the good fight, finish the course, keep the faith, and you will receive the crown of righteousness from the hands of Christ.
Peace be with you
Paul had fought the fight, finished the course, and kept the faith, and God gave him a crown. My mentor has shared many insights with me over the years, recently we've been talking about death. He said often times we look at death as a defeat, a loss, and a failure. We say things like, "We lost dad." or "She lost her battle with cancer." but for the Christ follower this isn't the case. Death is not defeat, or loss, but victory and gain.
Paul didn't see death as a defeat, but as a chance to make his final offering to God. He didn't see dying as failure but as great gain as he said in Philippians 1.21, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Paul faced the end with confidence and dignity, knowing that he had faithfully served his Master, and when he passed from this world to the eternal one, he would be greeted by Christ placing the crown of righteousness upon his head and saying, "Well done, good and faithful servant." And Paul reminds us that this was not just his reward, but everyone who loves Christ and waits for Him to return.
Linda was one of them, and she has received her crown. She died of cancer, but she did not fail and she did not lose anything. We haven't lost believers who have died, they have simply gone ahead of us. They have not been defeated or shamed, and neither will we. Linda has gone on ahead, I miss her, but I will see her again.
In the movie Gladiator there is a line at the end. Juba, a gladiator friend of Maximus', buries two small carvings of Maximus' wife and son in the arena of the Coliseum after Maximus dies having fought his fight, finished his course, and kept the faith of Rome. As he covers the figures he says, "I will see you again, but not yet. Not yet." Linda, I will see you again. But not yet. My fight is not over, my course is not finished, and my faith will not be shaken. One day I will see you again as I receive my crown.
Paul's words can be ours as well. Death is not failure, but victory. There is no shame in it, but honor. Fight the good fight, finish the course, keep the faith, and you will receive the crown of righteousness from the hands of Christ.
Peace be with you
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Kept the Faith
Paul finishes his statement by proclaiming, "I have kept the faith;" a phrase with a few possible meanings. If we hold with the idea of competition seen in the previous two comments, this phrase could mean that Paul has kept the rules. Athletes at the ancient Olympics would have to take an oath before the gods pledging that they had trained for at least ten months and that they would compete fairly. Paul could be saying that he has competed and lived with honor as he competed in the race of life.
The phrase has other meanings though. In the business world it would have meant that the conditions of a contract had been kept. Paul could be using it to say that he had been commissioned to the service of Christ, and that he had lived it out. He had been faithful to his master.
It could also mean that "I have kept my faith." Paul could be saying that his trust, hope, and confidence in Christ had never been shaken. No matter what he had been through he had never lost faith in Christ. He says in Philippians 4, "Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Paul had faced many trials, but he had never lost faith in Christ. He knew that Christ would sustain and provide for him no matter what he faced.
Honestly, I think Paul has all of these meanings in mind as he writes. All of them are true of his life, and all of them can be true of us as well. Linda, at the end of her life was able to say, "I have kept the faith." Cancer never shook her faith in God. As she got worse and the treatments began to work less and less she never doubted the power and goodness of God. God had been there for her all of her life, and she would not deny Him now.
Linda lived with honor and integrity. She was honest and truthful, a trusted friend and confidant. Linda would fulfill her job, and whatever she did was done perfectly. Linda kept the faith. So can we.
Peace be with you
The phrase has other meanings though. In the business world it would have meant that the conditions of a contract had been kept. Paul could be using it to say that he had been commissioned to the service of Christ, and that he had lived it out. He had been faithful to his master.
It could also mean that "I have kept my faith." Paul could be saying that his trust, hope, and confidence in Christ had never been shaken. No matter what he had been through he had never lost faith in Christ. He says in Philippians 4, "Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Paul had faced many trials, but he had never lost faith in Christ. He knew that Christ would sustain and provide for him no matter what he faced.
Honestly, I think Paul has all of these meanings in mind as he writes. All of them are true of his life, and all of them can be true of us as well. Linda, at the end of her life was able to say, "I have kept the faith." Cancer never shook her faith in God. As she got worse and the treatments began to work less and less she never doubted the power and goodness of God. God had been there for her all of her life, and she would not deny Him now.
Linda lived with honor and integrity. She was honest and truthful, a trusted friend and confidant. Linda would fulfill her job, and whatever she did was done perfectly. Linda kept the faith. So can we.
Peace be with you
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Finsished the Course
Paul said in 2 Timothy 4, "I have finished the course," Paul says that he has finished. Starting is easy, but finishing is difficult. I think about the things I've started in life. Karate, I made it to orange belt, but things got busy and I lost interest. I tried my hand at wood carving, that lasted a few weeks and just got tedious. I was teaching myself to play guitar, and then life happened. I was so excited about all of these at the beginning. I had thoughts of me in the future successful at each one, and today, I know one chord on the guitar, have some unfinished piece of wood in my dad's garage, and my karate uniform is somewhere in my parent's house.
Finishing things is difficult. Many people quit when things get hard, when they encounter things that they didn't anticipate at the beginning. There is a goal we set out to attain, but something comes up and we never reach it. Paul didn't have that happen. He said finished the course. He had reached the goal. In the book of Philippians, written 5 or 6 years before 2 Timothy, he says that he hasn't attained the goal yet, but that he is striving after it. God had called him into Christlikeness, and Paul said he had not attained it yet, but that he was striving towards it.
Earlier in Philippians 3.10-11 Paul stated, "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." Paul had died to himself years earlier when he had embraced the call of Christ on his life and accepted the mission to tell the Gentiles about the love of Christ. Here at the end of 2 Timothy he is preparing to physically embrace death. And as he said in Philippians 1, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;"
Paul has finished the course, he has reached the goal, and he can now go to death satisfied because he has fulfilled the call that God has given him. My friend Linda finished her course as well. Linda never quit. As the cancer took it's toll on her, she never quit encouraging, she never quit teaching, she never quit glorifying God. She never quit loving and caring for friends and family. Linda was a dearly loved woman, and she knew how hard her funeral would be for those of us she left behind, so she planned it out for us. The songs that were to be played, how her hands were supposed to be placed in the casket, even the meal that would be served after the grave side service. Had she been able to bake in her last months she would have made the cookies that were served as appetizers. Linda never left anything unfinished. She showed me how to finish the course.
There will be tasks in life that we don't finish. There will be things that we lose interest in, or don't have the passion to make time for. But there are things that matter that we must stick to, no matter how difficult life gets. In 2 Corinthians 11.22-28 we find a list form Paul about the hardships he's endured, "Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches." I doubt at the beginning he knew what was ahead of him. But through all of that Paul stayed the course and at the end of his life was able to declare, "I have finished the course."
Stay the course, finish it through the power of Christ.
Peace be with you
Finishing things is difficult. Many people quit when things get hard, when they encounter things that they didn't anticipate at the beginning. There is a goal we set out to attain, but something comes up and we never reach it. Paul didn't have that happen. He said finished the course. He had reached the goal. In the book of Philippians, written 5 or 6 years before 2 Timothy, he says that he hasn't attained the goal yet, but that he is striving after it. God had called him into Christlikeness, and Paul said he had not attained it yet, but that he was striving towards it.
Earlier in Philippians 3.10-11 Paul stated, "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." Paul had died to himself years earlier when he had embraced the call of Christ on his life and accepted the mission to tell the Gentiles about the love of Christ. Here at the end of 2 Timothy he is preparing to physically embrace death. And as he said in Philippians 1, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;"
Paul has finished the course, he has reached the goal, and he can now go to death satisfied because he has fulfilled the call that God has given him. My friend Linda finished her course as well. Linda never quit. As the cancer took it's toll on her, she never quit encouraging, she never quit teaching, she never quit glorifying God. She never quit loving and caring for friends and family. Linda was a dearly loved woman, and she knew how hard her funeral would be for those of us she left behind, so she planned it out for us. The songs that were to be played, how her hands were supposed to be placed in the casket, even the meal that would be served after the grave side service. Had she been able to bake in her last months she would have made the cookies that were served as appetizers. Linda never left anything unfinished. She showed me how to finish the course.
There will be tasks in life that we don't finish. There will be things that we lose interest in, or don't have the passion to make time for. But there are things that matter that we must stick to, no matter how difficult life gets. In 2 Corinthians 11.22-28 we find a list form Paul about the hardships he's endured, "Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches." I doubt at the beginning he knew what was ahead of him. But through all of that Paul stayed the course and at the end of his life was able to declare, "I have finished the course."
Stay the course, finish it through the power of Christ.
Peace be with you
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Fought the Fight
Paul continues his final words before death with this, "I have fought the good fight," and with this statement he can face death with peace and contentment. The word he uses for fight is agon (long o). The word refers to a match held in the arena. Fighting the good fight refers to doing the best he can.
Paul says that he has performed well, to the best of his abilities. He has no shame with his performance. An athlete who has truly done the best they can, who has given all they have, can hold their head high. Win or lose there is no disgrace or shame because they have given it all they have. They have poured all of their strength, skill and energy into their event holding nothing back. There is no shame in defeat to a worthy opponent who you have pushed and held your own against.
Paul tells us that he can face death because he has no shame. He has given it his all, performed admirably and held his own to the end. In a life lived to the best of it's ability, lived in a way that refuses to be associated with anything shameful, we can say this at the end.
My friend Linda could say this. Whatever she did was to the best of her abilities. Linda decided once she would make a porcelain horse. She entered it in a contest and it won. She was looking for a painting for her living room. No one could paint good enough for her, so she painted her own, and it looked great. She had the most incredible singing voice and lead the church praise team and choirs. She was an incredible cook. She invited us for lunch one day after church, we were going to have sandwiches. Instead of just laying out the bags of meat, cheese, and bread, she arranged it all on a platter, rolling each slice of meat as a catered platter would look. That was how she did things, to the best of her abilities.
She was able to tell you when you were making a mistake, not because she never made any, but because she lived a righteous life. She lived in such a way where no one could say anything bad about her. Her life was lived to the fullest, giving her best at whatever she did. Living a life focused on the glory of God. She truly fought the good fight.
Live in a way the is without shame. Live above the standards of the world, strive for the standard of righteousness which is attained through the blood of Christ. Fight the good fight.
Peace be with you
Paul says that he has performed well, to the best of his abilities. He has no shame with his performance. An athlete who has truly done the best they can, who has given all they have, can hold their head high. Win or lose there is no disgrace or shame because they have given it all they have. They have poured all of their strength, skill and energy into their event holding nothing back. There is no shame in defeat to a worthy opponent who you have pushed and held your own against.
Paul tells us that he can face death because he has no shame. He has given it his all, performed admirably and held his own to the end. In a life lived to the best of it's ability, lived in a way that refuses to be associated with anything shameful, we can say this at the end.
My friend Linda could say this. Whatever she did was to the best of her abilities. Linda decided once she would make a porcelain horse. She entered it in a contest and it won. She was looking for a painting for her living room. No one could paint good enough for her, so she painted her own, and it looked great. She had the most incredible singing voice and lead the church praise team and choirs. She was an incredible cook. She invited us for lunch one day after church, we were going to have sandwiches. Instead of just laying out the bags of meat, cheese, and bread, she arranged it all on a platter, rolling each slice of meat as a catered platter would look. That was how she did things, to the best of her abilities.
She was able to tell you when you were making a mistake, not because she never made any, but because she lived a righteous life. She lived in such a way where no one could say anything bad about her. Her life was lived to the fullest, giving her best at whatever she did. Living a life focused on the glory of God. She truly fought the good fight.
Live in a way the is without shame. Live above the standards of the world, strive for the standard of righteousness which is attained through the blood of Christ. Fight the good fight.
Peace be with you
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Poured Out
At the end of this month I will celebrate a fifth anniversary. On January 31, 2007 my dear friend Linda Russe went home to receive permanent healing from God in Heaven. At the time I was a sophomore in college, and I didn't understand why God hadn't answered the countless prayers for healing that had been offered for her. She was one of those people that everyone loved, and she's someone I miss dearly.
The day I found out she had cancer I did a lot of crying. That night I had talked to her and she told me not to cry. At the time I didn't understand her, but after a few years of maturing and growing I would. Now as I look back, almost five years later, I can say I understand it better than I ever have. I've understood for a few years, but now I truly get it. I still miss her; I miss not being able to call her just to talk, I wish she had been able to be at my wedding this past summer, but I understand her confidence in a new way.
In 2 Timothy 4 Paul, very near to death, writes to his young friend Timothy about his confidence. "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come." At this point, the only thing Paul has left to offer to God is his very life. He has spent years giving time, money, energy, and knowledge to the service of God. He has spent himself and all that he has to proclaim the message of Jesus so that the Kingdom can be advanced. And now here at the end, he is prepared to offer his final sacrifice to God, his life.
At the end of a Roman meal there would be a sacrifice to the gods. A cup of wine would be poured out for them. The word used for the sacrifice at the end of the meal is spendesthai meaning a drink offering to the gods, and it is the same word that Paul uses here. Paul looks at his situation now not as a man waiting to be executed, but as a humble servant going to offer his life to God. Not having his life taken from him, but as willingly giving it to his Master. It is all he has left to offer, and he gladly lays it down.
Linda was the same way. Her life had been spent in service to God. She had taught me, and countless others so much about God and life through living. And as unselfishly as she lived life, she had a final lesson to teach in dying. A life that is lived with God, that has held nothing back, faces death with confidence knowing it is simply offering it's final offering to God.
Peace be with you
The day I found out she had cancer I did a lot of crying. That night I had talked to her and she told me not to cry. At the time I didn't understand her, but after a few years of maturing and growing I would. Now as I look back, almost five years later, I can say I understand it better than I ever have. I've understood for a few years, but now I truly get it. I still miss her; I miss not being able to call her just to talk, I wish she had been able to be at my wedding this past summer, but I understand her confidence in a new way.
In 2 Timothy 4 Paul, very near to death, writes to his young friend Timothy about his confidence. "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come." At this point, the only thing Paul has left to offer to God is his very life. He has spent years giving time, money, energy, and knowledge to the service of God. He has spent himself and all that he has to proclaim the message of Jesus so that the Kingdom can be advanced. And now here at the end, he is prepared to offer his final sacrifice to God, his life.
At the end of a Roman meal there would be a sacrifice to the gods. A cup of wine would be poured out for them. The word used for the sacrifice at the end of the meal is spendesthai meaning a drink offering to the gods, and it is the same word that Paul uses here. Paul looks at his situation now not as a man waiting to be executed, but as a humble servant going to offer his life to God. Not having his life taken from him, but as willingly giving it to his Master. It is all he has left to offer, and he gladly lays it down.
Linda was the same way. Her life had been spent in service to God. She had taught me, and countless others so much about God and life through living. And as unselfishly as she lived life, she had a final lesson to teach in dying. A life that is lived with God, that has held nothing back, faces death with confidence knowing it is simply offering it's final offering to God.
Peace be with you
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Christmas Crown
This is my first Christmas as a senior pastor, and honestly it feels like any other week right now. About a month ago a man in the church was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease. There is no known cure, and we know that God is able to work miracles, but in many ways this disease is a death sentence.
As I've sat and visited him, there is this feeling that I really can't describe. I'm not freaking out. I had an incident my second week on the job where I was at the hospital with a family that didn't know if husband/dad/grandpa was going to make it through the night. I'm by no means an expert, and probably never will be, but the overwhelming shock of the situation is gone. It's just a different feeling sitting with a man who knows that unless God does something, he is going to die from this disease. It isn't like cancer where there is a chance of beating it. It really is a final countdown.
As we talked last week he told me that he's a little afraid because he's never been through death before, none of us have, but Jesus has. And Jesus will walk with us every step of the way. I was looking through a catalog a few minutes ago and I saw something I had gotten my mom for Christmas a few years ago. Most people have a star or an angel on top of their Christmas tree, my mom has a crown of thorns from Jerusalem. This Sunday, Christmas day, my sermon text is Philippians 2.1-11. It talks about how Jesus humbled Himself to the point of death. He came, to die; not to wear a crown of gold, but one made of twisted thorn branches.
Before the sermon I'm using a clip from the Skit Guys called "Christmas Connection". In it two guys are discussing what happened to baby Jesus, and one finally realizes that the Jesus born in the manger is the same Jesus that died on the cross. Once he puts it all together he says, "I guess we should just try to view Christmas instead of one isolated event and more of an ongoing story about our salvation." It's important that Jesus came, but more important than that is why He came.
I talked with my mentor yesterday, and he said, "Often times we look at death as a failure, as a loss, 'He lost his battle with cancer.' 'I lost my father.' But with Christians it isn't that way. Death is a gain, not loss and failure." As he was talking my mind went to Paul's words in Philippians 1.21-23, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;" For the Christ follower, death is gain. Death is the gateway to life that never ends, a perfect life with no sadness, sorrow, or pain. Paul said to depart and be with Christ is very much better.
Jesus came to make all of this possible. That is the point of Christmas. Jesus came to die on the cross, to defeat sin death and hell by rising again. He did this so that we can not only experience eternal life with Him in heaven, but so that we would be able to experience it now, and face the journey of death with courage and confidence. That is what Christmas is all about.
Peace be with you
As I've sat and visited him, there is this feeling that I really can't describe. I'm not freaking out. I had an incident my second week on the job where I was at the hospital with a family that didn't know if husband/dad/grandpa was going to make it through the night. I'm by no means an expert, and probably never will be, but the overwhelming shock of the situation is gone. It's just a different feeling sitting with a man who knows that unless God does something, he is going to die from this disease. It isn't like cancer where there is a chance of beating it. It really is a final countdown.
As we talked last week he told me that he's a little afraid because he's never been through death before, none of us have, but Jesus has. And Jesus will walk with us every step of the way. I was looking through a catalog a few minutes ago and I saw something I had gotten my mom for Christmas a few years ago. Most people have a star or an angel on top of their Christmas tree, my mom has a crown of thorns from Jerusalem. This Sunday, Christmas day, my sermon text is Philippians 2.1-11. It talks about how Jesus humbled Himself to the point of death. He came, to die; not to wear a crown of gold, but one made of twisted thorn branches.
Before the sermon I'm using a clip from the Skit Guys called "Christmas Connection". In it two guys are discussing what happened to baby Jesus, and one finally realizes that the Jesus born in the manger is the same Jesus that died on the cross. Once he puts it all together he says, "I guess we should just try to view Christmas instead of one isolated event and more of an ongoing story about our salvation." It's important that Jesus came, but more important than that is why He came.
I talked with my mentor yesterday, and he said, "Often times we look at death as a failure, as a loss, 'He lost his battle with cancer.' 'I lost my father.' But with Christians it isn't that way. Death is a gain, not loss and failure." As he was talking my mind went to Paul's words in Philippians 1.21-23, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;" For the Christ follower, death is gain. Death is the gateway to life that never ends, a perfect life with no sadness, sorrow, or pain. Paul said to depart and be with Christ is very much better.
Jesus came to make all of this possible. That is the point of Christmas. Jesus came to die on the cross, to defeat sin death and hell by rising again. He did this so that we can not only experience eternal life with Him in heaven, but so that we would be able to experience it now, and face the journey of death with courage and confidence. That is what Christmas is all about.
Peace be with you
Monday, November 21, 2011
Blessed to be a Blessing
Last night I had a rare opportunity as a Protestant minister to speak at a Catholic church for a community Thanksgiving service. Here I want to share some of the thoughts I gave last night.
As 2011 ends and we prepare to enter 2012 we, in America, must brace ourselves for the barrage of political campaigning that will take place. As in every American campaign there will be a phrase that we hear a lot because it has become politically correct to say, "God bless America." As I look around I can honestly say that God has blessed America. We enjoy many freedoms that other nations don't, as well as one of the highest standards of living anywhere in the world. God has blessed America. The question we need to ask is not how can God bless us more, but how can we be a blessing to others.
In the Bible when God blessed someone the intention was that they in turn would be a blessing to others. Genesis 12.1-3, "Now the LORD said to Abram, 'Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” I will bless you and you shall be a blessing. In you all the families of the earth will be blessed. That is how God works, through people.
We are blessed to be a blessing. The problem is that humans are selfish by nature. Some of our first words are "No!" and "Mine!" It is our tendency to take things that we are given and hoard them for ourselves, that's human nature. But Christian nature is selfless. It is the nature of a Christ follower to be generous and to bless others.
The secret to generosity is contentment. If we learn to be content, we will have no problem with giving things away. Paul tells us the secret of contentment in Philippians 4.11-13, "Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."
The word Paul uses for contentment is autarkeia and the Greco-Roman audience he wrote to would have understood that word as being entirely self-sufficient. There was a philosophy known as Stoicism, and self-sufficiency was their highest goal. They believed that the will of God could not be stopped, and sometimes His will involved loss of possessions or the death of a loved one, both of these caused pain. TO avoid this pain of loss the Stoics tried to remove desire and emotion from their lives, they tried to be dependant upon nothing and no one. But this existence is one without relationships and love, so it ends up being lonely and in some ways just as painful.
Paul says to his audience that he has attained their highest goal; he has become content in all things. The stoics believe that this was a human achievement attained by self-discipline. Paul says to them, it isn't through anything I have done, it is a divine gift. Christ is the one who gives me strength to endure any circumstances I face. Paul knew that the only thing that mattered was Christ, and that nothing would ever be able to separate him from Christ. Because he had Christ and would always have Christ, Paul was content.
As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, let us reflect on all of the ways we have been blessed. As we gather with family, or remember family who are no longer with us, let us find strength in the presence of Christ that is available to us. As we prepare to celebrate the Christmas season, let us look for ways to be a blessing to others. We have been richly blessed, let us be a blessing to others.
May Thanksgiving be the Ash Wednesday of Advent. May Advent be to Christmas what Lent is to Easter, a time of preparation and reflection, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. His presence is the greatest blessing we have been given. Let us take it and bless others.
Do you know how a life of being content and blessing others ends? Genesis 25.8, "Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people." Abraham was blessed by God and a blessing to others. He died satisfied with life. 2 Timothy 4.7-8, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing." Paul was content with the presence of Christ in his life. He knew that he would stand in the very presence of Christ and receive the crown of righteousness.
Their ending can be yours as well. You can die satisfied with life. You can face death with the same words as Paul. Embrace the person of Jesus Christ. We have been greatly blessed, let us be a blessing.
Peace be with you
As 2011 ends and we prepare to enter 2012 we, in America, must brace ourselves for the barrage of political campaigning that will take place. As in every American campaign there will be a phrase that we hear a lot because it has become politically correct to say, "God bless America." As I look around I can honestly say that God has blessed America. We enjoy many freedoms that other nations don't, as well as one of the highest standards of living anywhere in the world. God has blessed America. The question we need to ask is not how can God bless us more, but how can we be a blessing to others.
In the Bible when God blessed someone the intention was that they in turn would be a blessing to others. Genesis 12.1-3, "Now the LORD said to Abram, 'Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” I will bless you and you shall be a blessing. In you all the families of the earth will be blessed. That is how God works, through people.
We are blessed to be a blessing. The problem is that humans are selfish by nature. Some of our first words are "No!" and "Mine!" It is our tendency to take things that we are given and hoard them for ourselves, that's human nature. But Christian nature is selfless. It is the nature of a Christ follower to be generous and to bless others.
The secret to generosity is contentment. If we learn to be content, we will have no problem with giving things away. Paul tells us the secret of contentment in Philippians 4.11-13, "Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."
The word Paul uses for contentment is autarkeia and the Greco-Roman audience he wrote to would have understood that word as being entirely self-sufficient. There was a philosophy known as Stoicism, and self-sufficiency was their highest goal. They believed that the will of God could not be stopped, and sometimes His will involved loss of possessions or the death of a loved one, both of these caused pain. TO avoid this pain of loss the Stoics tried to remove desire and emotion from their lives, they tried to be dependant upon nothing and no one. But this existence is one without relationships and love, so it ends up being lonely and in some ways just as painful.
Paul says to his audience that he has attained their highest goal; he has become content in all things. The stoics believe that this was a human achievement attained by self-discipline. Paul says to them, it isn't through anything I have done, it is a divine gift. Christ is the one who gives me strength to endure any circumstances I face. Paul knew that the only thing that mattered was Christ, and that nothing would ever be able to separate him from Christ. Because he had Christ and would always have Christ, Paul was content.
As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, let us reflect on all of the ways we have been blessed. As we gather with family, or remember family who are no longer with us, let us find strength in the presence of Christ that is available to us. As we prepare to celebrate the Christmas season, let us look for ways to be a blessing to others. We have been richly blessed, let us be a blessing to others.
May Thanksgiving be the Ash Wednesday of Advent. May Advent be to Christmas what Lent is to Easter, a time of preparation and reflection, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. His presence is the greatest blessing we have been given. Let us take it and bless others.
Do you know how a life of being content and blessing others ends? Genesis 25.8, "Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people." Abraham was blessed by God and a blessing to others. He died satisfied with life. 2 Timothy 4.7-8, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing." Paul was content with the presence of Christ in his life. He knew that he would stand in the very presence of Christ and receive the crown of righteousness.
Their ending can be yours as well. You can die satisfied with life. You can face death with the same words as Paul. Embrace the person of Jesus Christ. We have been greatly blessed, let us be a blessing.
Peace be with you
Sunday, January 31, 2010
It's been three years?
My tears have all been shed, but I still miss her so much. Today marks the third anniversary of my dear friend Linda Russe going home to Heaven, and honestly I can't believe it's been that long.
I knew the date was coming up, but I didn't realize that today was it until I saw the date on my watch this afternoon. And as I sat and listened to the cd she had made and read through the program from her funeral memories stared to come back. I could talk forever about her, but honestly I don't want to fill today with words that bring up the past.
Remembering is important, there are so many good memories that bring joy to my life, little things she would do that I really miss, things she would say to me, inside jokes we had, things that are treasured in my heart for the rest of my life.
But today as I looked at the funeral program I saw something that I had forgotten about. In the program was a list of Linda's favorite verses, and the one that stood out to me is from 2 Timothy 4.7, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;"
I have an entire sermon dedicated to Linda that celebrates her life, but all of it can be summed up in these sixteen words. She lived with faith, she battled cancer with faith, and she went home in faith. She showed me how to live a life of love, and how to die with confidence. She knew that when she closed her eyes for the last time on this earth and when she took her last breath she would open her eyes and see the face of Christ, she would breath in the sweet air of Heaven.
And today as I remember, I am able to celebrate and not cry, because I know where my friend is, and I know that I will see her again.
I love and miss you Linda, until we meet again in Glory, I will fight the good fight, I will finish my course, and I will keep the faith. You taught me so much in the four short years we knew each other, and I hope to leave a legacy like you did.
I knew the date was coming up, but I didn't realize that today was it until I saw the date on my watch this afternoon. And as I sat and listened to the cd she had made and read through the program from her funeral memories stared to come back. I could talk forever about her, but honestly I don't want to fill today with words that bring up the past.
Remembering is important, there are so many good memories that bring joy to my life, little things she would do that I really miss, things she would say to me, inside jokes we had, things that are treasured in my heart for the rest of my life.
But today as I looked at the funeral program I saw something that I had forgotten about. In the program was a list of Linda's favorite verses, and the one that stood out to me is from 2 Timothy 4.7, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;"
I have an entire sermon dedicated to Linda that celebrates her life, but all of it can be summed up in these sixteen words. She lived with faith, she battled cancer with faith, and she went home in faith. She showed me how to live a life of love, and how to die with confidence. She knew that when she closed her eyes for the last time on this earth and when she took her last breath she would open her eyes and see the face of Christ, she would breath in the sweet air of Heaven.
And today as I remember, I am able to celebrate and not cry, because I know where my friend is, and I know that I will see her again.
I love and miss you Linda, until we meet again in Glory, I will fight the good fight, I will finish my course, and I will keep the faith. You taught me so much in the four short years we knew each other, and I hope to leave a legacy like you did.
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