R.I.P. - Pt 5

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:26-30 ESV).

The fourth principle is that at the moment of death believers will be made perfect and cleansed from all sin. Our reading points to the truth that believers are taken to heaven immediately at death. Heaven is fully pure and free from all tarnish and sin, and therefore when God takes us to heaven He makes us fit for the experience of it by making our hearts perfect in holiness. This merely accords with His purpose to make us completely like Christ (v. 29) and, at the return of Christ, to present us to Himself without spot or wrinkle or sin (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Ephesians 5:27). Now, before you simply dismiss this as a stretch in bringing you peace and comfort during your grief, simply think of the struggle we all have with our own personal sins. It is not fashionable to talk about besetting sin in today’s church culture. In our effort to be grace givers we have forgotten how to be truth tellers. However, the truth is that not one of us is immune from the struggle; young and old, male and female, we struggle with those old sins. We repent with deep remorse, and return to the sin all too quickly. That struggle simply will not exist in heaven. We will be set free from this old nature that so quickly fails. Today we cry with David, Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow (Psalm 51:7). Then we will simply be consumed with the purity of Christ that overcomes every temptation. Like the fresh fallen snow covering every part of the landscape with white, we shall be covered by his complete purity and strength. That truth brings a new depth to the victory of those who have already made the journey to their final home. This is no small victory. This is no passing success. This is an eternal position unlike anything anyone has know since Adam and Eve first sinned plunging creation and mankind into sin and death. When I think of that as the position of the loved one I grieve, I am better able to endure the temporary separation. It brings me great peace.

R.I.P. - Pt 4

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:22-25 ESV).

The third principle is that when in heaven we will be continue looking forward (as we should be already in this life) to the resurrection of our bodies from the dead. Disembodied existence is not God's ultimate and final and greatest purpose for us. As great as it will be to be in heaven after we die, God has something greater in store: being resurrected from the dead so that we will live soul and body forever in the new heavens and new earth. In our reading today, Paul stated that he was waiting eagerly for the redemption of his body (v. 23). This eager anticipation for our resurrection stops not when we die, but when we finally receive the fulfillment of our anticipation in the resurrection of our bodies. Understanding this should greatly increase our desire for the full coming of God's kingdom. John Piper has written: It seems to me that the hope of resurrection does not have the same place of power and centrality for us today that it had for the early Christians. And I think one of the reasons for that is that we have a wrong view of the age to come. When we talk about the future and the eternal state we tend to talk about heaven, and heaven tends to imply a place far away characterized by non-material, ethereal, disembodied spirits. In other words, we tend to assume that the condition that the departed saints are in now without their bodies is the way it will always be. And we have encouraged ourselves so much with how good it is for them now, we tend to forget that it is an imperfect state and not the way it will be, nor the way Paul wanted it to be for himself. Yes to die is gain, and yes, to be absent from the body is to be at home with the Lord, but no this is not our ultimate hope. This is not the final state of our joy. This is not our final or main comfort when we have lost loved ones who believe. Our current bodies are characterized by weakness and debility. Our earthly “temples” are undeniably fragile and susceptible to the plethora of diseases. We are also weakened by sin and temptation. One day, though, our bodies will be raised in power and glory, and we will no longer be subject to the flaws and fragility that this life is so filled with. Now that causes me to rejoice and know peace! I hope it does for you as well.

R.I.P. - Pt 3

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. (Philippians 1:21-26 ESV).

We continue in our study with a second truth: heaven is a place of resplendent glory, and being with Christ in the glory of heaven will be far superior to our present earthly lives. The Apostle Paul says that departing this life to be with Christ "is very much better" (v. 23) and that he would "prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). Notice also that being in heaven with the Lord is referred to as being "at home." That home is secure. That home is eternal. When we lived in Tennessee both Mary and I felt that our house there was our last house. I often called it my “casket house.” The reference was that the only way I would be moving out of that house would be in a casket. Well, here we are in Texas! I certainly hope this is our “casket house.” However, it will not be my final “home.” I have only one home, now and forever. It is heaven. Think of your present residence as nothing more than a port where you are temporarily moored in your journey. As circumspect as your path may have been, as challenging as it may have become, there is so much more awaiting you when you get home. This is merely one of the things that will make heaven so great; it is that we will finally feel that we are in our true home. I must admit that is a difficult thought to concentrate on in the midst of pain. Perhaps one of my “tricks” to accomplish this will be helpful to you. When I find myself being short-sighted in regard to my ultimate dispensation, I simply remember the life of Joseph. Through all the difficulties of his experience he always knew his home was the Promised Land. For him that was a geographical location. He lived long before the coming of the Messiah and thus his knowledge was not as developed as ours. What he did know was that God would see to it that his “bones” would find their rest in his home, even though he had not known that home since his boyhood. And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” (Genesis 50:24-50 ESV). Home is yet to be. It will be a place of freedom, fullness, and finality.

R.I.P. - Pt 2

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43 ESV).

Yesterday we began the series dealing with death and what happens to believers when this physical body dies. The first principle of note is that believers will be taken into the presence of Christ in heaven immediately. “Chrysalis” comes from the Latin chrysalis, which in turn is rooted in the ancient Greek χρυσαλλίς. It actually is a beautiful word that most nearly describes the word “gold.” Much of the time when the pupae emerges from the cocoon as a butterfly there is a golden hue in its wings. The release of Monarch butterflies has been used in weddings and funerals of late as symbolic of the freedom gained in death. This is the image to be gained from Jesus’ words to the thief in our reading today. Christ is in heaven now (cf. Acts 1:2; 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 4:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:7), and believers will go to be with Him. Jesus said to the thief on the cross, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with me in Paradise" (v. 23). And on two different occasions Paul spoke of death as ushering us into the presence of Christ: But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake (Phulippians 1:23-24). Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord--for we walk by faith, not by sight--we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. (2 Corinthians 5:6-9). So often we speak in terms of our loss, which is real; however, we unintentionally omit the mention of the deceased gain. Think of it. Given the choice, would you rather be a worm or a butterfly? The perspective changes. This is our foundation of hope and peace. Rejoice on their behalf as you shed your tears born of your pain!

R.I.P. - Pt 1

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:1-8 ESV).

Today I will begin a short series rooted in the Scriptural description of death for the believer. I feel like I need to say a few things that will be foundational first. The experience of loss when someone we love dies is real and relentless. However, there is a path forward that will produce as much peace as is possible given the magnitude of this pain. I am not ignoring that pain with these principles. In fact, my hope and prayer is that these principles will help you continue your journey with a deeper sense of hope in the goodness of God’s plan in your life. Additionally I want to explore some of the things that prevent us from experiencing that peace. So, let us begin. R.I.P. is an abbreviation of the English “Rest in Peace” or (in Latin) requiescat in pace. It is often used in epitaphs and inscriptions on the grave markers we see in cemeteries. I’m always a little torn in both using that phrase and in hearing it used. I usually wonder if it represents that same kind of conviction the Apostle Paul expressed in our reading today. Both here and in numerous other places in his letters the apostle is very clear that death for the believer is the preferred experience. Life is good; however, death is so much more. “Rest” is a part of that in the sense that we will no longer struggle with the inevitable pain and disappointment so prevalent in our journey. He makes it clear that “away from the body” is “at home with the Lord.” But what does that look like? Are we really going to be sitting around on clouds “resting”? The Bible doesn’t make answering these questions easy. It does not give a lot of details concerning what happens right after we die. It is certainly safe to say that we will enter a reality that is far beyond anything we could imagine. We will explore five specific things the Bible says about what we should expect at the moment of death and beyond in the next few days. For now, my hope is that YOU will rest in peace because you know the God who secures those whom he has called.

The Season of Thanksgiving - Pt 2

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (Galatians 4:4-7 ESV).

In just seven years we will see the Centennial Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It had humble beginnings in that first year of 1924. A group of animals from the Central Park Zoo were marched down a street in Harlem accompanied by a handful of immigrant Macy’s employees who wanted to express how thankful they were for living in the United States that year. Today it is the quintessential event to begin the Christmas Season. Granted, there are several human reasons for the timing of our Thanksgiving observation in the United States, some based in God’s work in American history and some growing out of commercial and financial pressures. But God is always sovereign, working through what look like merely human causes. And so I’m grateful that as we give thanks the last week in November; it is then that we open the gateway to our celebration of Christ’s incarnation. I am also very grateful for Thanksgiving. Fourteen years ago, November 27th (which was Thanksgiving Day that year) my first two grandchildren were born. I was not surprised about that day, though no one knew for sure what the date would be. I always thought it would be just like God to make it that day as a reminder of how thankful we would be each year at their birthday celebration. There were lots of complications getting them here. That has never been lost on me. Every birth is a miracle, but we were able to see one so vividly with Faith and Logan. No less, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. The apostle reminds us in our reading that because we are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. And yet, in some ways, we are still waiting. Our spiritual redemption came to us with the baby of Bethlehem. There is suffering and tragedy still, even for Christians. Someone we love is dying. We may be in pain. Sometimes we have trouble believing God’s promises. In other words, our redemption is not complete. We are waiting for the redemption of our bodies; waiting for Jesus’ second advent, for him to come again. Advent is a season of looking back, thinking how it must have been, waiting for the promised salvation of God, not knowing what to expect. And at the same time, it is a season of looking ahead, preparing ourselves to meet Jesus at his Second Coming. What a great, unshakable hope we have before us! What a wonder we possess to motivate us to thanksgiving. Start now and be thankful!

The Season of Thanksgiving - Pt1

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:15-21 ESV).

Many nations have special days for giving thanks. Arising from the same European origins of harvest festivals that led to our version in America, Canadian Thanksgiving, or to its French-speaking citizens, l’Action de grace, was first celebrated in 1578, when English explorer Martin Frobisher gave thanks for his fleet's safe travels in present-day Nunavut. Parliament made it a national holiday in 1879. But in 1957, Parliament moved it from November 6, declaring, "A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed—to be observed on the 2nd Monday in October." Feasting on turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn are common the weekend before. Vacations and parades are also traditional. In the United States, Thanksgiving Day is always the fourth Thursday in November. Wherever we are in the world, there are at least two requirements for any sort of thanksgiving to happen: something we’re thankful for and somebody to thank. As obvious as that may seem, it’s amazing how many people can say, “I’m thankful for . . .” in a sort of generic way without admitting, or even realizing, that God is there to hear their thanks. And they’re certainly not giving him credit for whatever it is they’re grateful for. We who are Christians, though, know that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (cf. James 1:17). So when we celebrate our holiday and name things we’re thankful for, I pray that we can ask our Father to help us know wholehearted thanks for things that are hard amongst the things that come more easily to mind: illness or health, joblessness or fulfilling work, death or life of ones we love, and more. And, we must not neglect to be grateful for the “inexpressible gift” of Jesus (cf. 2 Corinthians 9:15). Of all people in the world, we have the greatest reason to give thanks. What more could we desire than that hope and salvation? “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Peter 1:3). Start meditating today on those things you are thankful about.