Death Compels Us to Live for the ONE who Really Matters
“It is better to go to a house of mourning
(The Book of Ecclesiastes 7: 2 NASB)
Than to go to a house of feasting,
Because that is the end of every man,
And the living takes it to heart.”
The day came when I was not ready. It was one of anguish, of crying, of asking “Why, Lord?” We are told in the Holy Scriptures that God understands our questions and how we just cannot fully understand why life-situations come. He knows and He understands what we are cannot.
The day my dad died came when none of us were fully ready to let him go. Nonetheless, the day came anyway.
Maybe you, too, have lost someone you love in death, and when that day came, you were not fully ready to let that person go. Even so, God has a plan and God’s glory will be seen by all who choose to believe.
A few months ago, at the church where I attend, a young nineteen-year-old suddenly died from the cancer that ravaged his young body. Even though he was a Christian, his death was and still remains tragic!
Since that day, and since the days leading up to his death, when my church was praying for a miracle of healing—a young schoolteacher has given her heart to Jesus. The Glory of God has been displayed as God brought Lucas home and as we will see Sabrina baptized tomorrow, as she announces to the world—I TOO AM A CHILD OF GOD!
In the Bible, the sisters of Lazarus struggled to understand too why Jesus had not come sooner to their home in Bethany, fully believing that if Jesus had come, their brother would have lived. However, Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of man knew the future and the “Why” Lazarus was allowed to die.
“Jesus answered,
(The Gospel According to John 11: 9-11 NASB)
“Are there not twelve hours in the day?
If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble,
because he sees the light of this world.
But if anyone walks in the night,
he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”
This He said, and after that He said to them,
“Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep;
but I go,
so that I may awaken him out of sleep.”
The disciples of Jesus truly did not understand what Jesus meant by ‘sleep,’ but soon they would see and understand the truth. Oftentimes, we are given life-situations that teach us life-lessons the LORD knows we need to learn. We should go to many funerals, more than parties, in fact. This is a crazy thought; I know, but we should party less and cry more as we see our friends and acquaintances pass away in death.
Maybe we have just read that last sentence and wonder: What? This is just crazy thinking. Nevertheless, the wisest man ever (King Solomon) recorded in the Bible that we should because
“It is better to go to a house of mourning Than to go to a house of feasting, . . .”
- As we do (go to funerals MORE), we are prepared better for our eternity and are reminded of how we are to live—while we are alive here on earth—AS WITNESSES OF GOD!
- As we go to MORE funerals, we are reminded how we are to live in a way that counts—FOR THE GLORY OF GOD!
- As we do, we are compelled to live for the ONE who really matters—FOR THE GLORY OF JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD!
- As we go, we are faced with the TRUTH—THE INEVITABILITY OF DEATH—NO ONE IS IMMUNE!
Death Compels Us to Live for the ONE who Really Matters.
God’s way may not always make sense, but we belong to God, so we are to do what He says, even when we cannot see the whole outcome. Jesus could have prevented the tragic death of His friend Lazarus, but Jesus chose to allow for this death to occur so that those present at the ‘tomb,’ at the ‘funeral,’ at the ‘wake,’ that day would see with clarity—GOD’S GLORY!
“So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb.
(The Gospel According to John 11: 38-45 NASB)
Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.
Jesus said,
“Remove the stone.”
Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him,
“Lord, by this time there will be a stench,
for he has been dead four days.”
Jesus said to her,
“Did I not say to you that if you believe,
you will see the glory of God?”
So they removed the stone.
Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said,
“Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
I knew that You always hear Me;
but because of the people standing around I said it,
so that they may believe You sent Me.”
When He had said these things,
He cried out with a loud voice,
“Lazarus, come forth.”
The man who had died came forth,
bound hand and foot with wrappings,
and his face was wrapped around with a cloth.
Jesus said to them,
“Unbind him, and let him go.”
Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary,
and saw what He had done,
[What JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH had done that day at the tomb]
believed in Him.”
Many people Believe in JESUS CHRIST, THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD!
It is the Truth—
GOD’S LOVE KNOWS NO BOUNDS!
GOD’S LOVE SUPERSEDES OUR COMPREHENSION!
- JESUS CAME TO DIE FOR EACH ONE OF US!
- JESUS DIED ON CALVARY’S CROSS & THREE DAYS LATER—
- JESUS RESURRECTED TO NEW LIFE!
WHY?
SO SALVATION COULD COME TO US—TO YOU & TO ME—IF WE WILL ONLY BELIEVE IN HIM!