Scripture: Luke 9:57-62
There are two ways to view death.
Our way and the Jesus way. And I see three combinations of how those two ways
are viewed.
1) People
who don’t know Jesus can only view death as a permanent loss.
2) Jesus
can only view death from an eternal perspective.
3) Christians
can view it from both – we experience temporary loss in this life but also know
that life in Jesus is eternal.
How sad to have no hope of life
beyond this life. When a person dies, everything they were ceases to exist as
far as you are concerned. Let’s look at how Jesus viewed death.
Luke 9:57-62
As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." 58
Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the
air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." 59
He said to another man, "Follow me."
But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go
and bury my father." 60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the
kingdom of God." 61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say
good-by to my family." 62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit
for service in the kingdom of God."
In all 3
cases Jesus uses pretty harsh commands. Each one was unique to the person’s
situation as well as Jesus’ situation. Jesus was headed for the cross and now
was not the time for taking care of things that are temporary, now is the time
to be concerned about eternal things. Jesus is pointing out that choosing to
follow him is not a life of leisure but it is the only life that leads to
eternity.
Jesus does
not view death as we do. We see it as a separation.
Jesus sees it as location.
As harsh as Jesus seemed in these 3 cases; and though he
views death from an eternal perspective, he does care for those who also
experience death as temporary loss in this life. When my mother past away Mar
1, 2012 a phrase came to me that has been helpful – with my mother I experience
and ever present absence. She is always present while not being here. Her
personality, her way of caring, her voice is still present in new situations =
an ever-present absence.
Even though Jesus is not concerned
about death as we might be – he is concerned for those who have lost loved
ones? Let me show you what I mean. What
is the shortest verse in the bible? John 11:35. What does is say? “Jesus wept.”
Why did Jesus weep? (The story of Lazarus – he was weeping because his friends
Martha and Mary were experiencing loss.) Though he knew that in a few moments
he would raise Lazarus form the dead and that Lazarus would have eternal life,
he was not callous toward Lazarus’ sisters who were experiencing loss. He felt
bad for them which caused him to weep. We can take heart, that not only do we
have hope of eternal life one day, but we have the God who gives life weeping
with us in our sorrow because he cares for us.
IT IS WELL lyrics
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
(Refrain:) It is well (it is well),
with my soul (with my
soul),
It is well, it is
well with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pain shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
And Lord haste the day, when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
Romans 8:31-39
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can
be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all —
how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God
who justifies. Who is he that condemns?
Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at
the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or
hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is
written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be
slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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