When we Die 11/1/09

When we die. . .

All Saints Day 2009

RUMC

11/1/09

We’ve all thought about it.  What happens when we die?

Let me tell you what happened when mother Teresa died.

Mother Teresa died and went to heaven.  God greeted her at the Pearly Gates.  "Be thou hungry, Mother Teresa?" asked God.

"I could eat," Mother Teresa replied.

So God opened a can of tuna and reached for a chunk of rye bread and they began to share it.  While eating this humble meal, Mother Teresa looked down into Hell and saw the inhabitants devouring huge steaks, lobsters, pheasants, and pastries.  Curious, but deeply trusting, she remained quiet.

The next day the same thing.  Still she said nothing.

The following day, mealtime arrived and another can of tuna was opened.  She could not contain herself any longer.  Meekly, she asked, "God, I am grateful to be in heaven with you but here in heaven all I get to eat is tuna and a piece of rye bread and in the Other Place they eat like emperors and kings!  I just don't understand it..."

God sighed.  "Let's be honest Teresa," 
He said, ". . . it doesn't pay to cook just for two"

There are many strange ideas about death out there.  But that’s understandable because none of us has ever died.  Jesus did, but he’s kind of an exception.  How do we know what happens after we draw our last breath?  Let me tell you.  The truth is that there is a lot we do not know.  There is a lot about death that we will all understand someday, but not yet.

Someday we will understand resurrection but until then we are left with some awfully strange ideas, like the man who was on vacation in Israel with his mother in law when she died unexpectedly.

With death certificates in hand, George went to the American Consulate Office to arrange to send the body back to the states for proper burial.

The Consul, after hearing of the death of the mother-in-law told George that the sending of a body back to the states for burial is very, very expensive.  It could cost as much as $5,000.00.

The Consul continues, in most cases the person responsible for the remains normally decides to bury the body here.  This would only cost $150.00.

George thinks for some time and answers, "I don't care how much it will cost to send the body back; that's what I want to do."

The Consul, after hearing this, says, "You must have loved your mother-in-law very much considering the difference in price."

"No, it's not that," says George.  "You see, I know of a case years ago of a person that was buried here in Jerusalem.  On the third day, he arose from the dead!  I just can't take that chance.

Then there are those who think we just rot in the ground and become tree food.  Like Beethoven.

When Beethoven passed away, he was buried in a churchyard.  A couple days later, the town drunk was walking through the cemetery and heard some strange noise coming from the area where Beethoven was buried.  Terrified, the drunk ran and got the priest to come and listen to it.  The priest bent close to the grave and heard some faint, unrecognizable music coming from the grave.

Frightened, the priest ran and got the town magistrate.

When the magistrate arrived, he bent his ear to the grave, listened for a moment, and said, "Ah, yes, that's Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, being played backwards."

He listened a while longer, and said, "There's the Eighth Symphony, and it's backwards, too.  Most puzzling.”  So the magistrate kept listening, "There's the Seventh... the Sixth... the Fifth..."

Suddenly the realization of what was happening dawned on the magistrate.  He stood up and announced to the crowd that had gathered in the cemetery, "My fellow citizens, there's nothing to worry about.  It's just Beethoven decomposing."

We could go on and on.  I was actually a little surprised with all the jokes I saw about death while I was working on this sermon.  It is kind of a serious topic.  But the truth is that it makes us all just a little uncomfortable.  It is just a little awkward so we joke about it.

The Biblical teaching about death is no joke, though I think you might be a little surprised.  I have to be honest.  I was just a little frustrated because of what is not there.  What is not there is a teaching that we draw our last breath here on earth and the next moment- or maybe after passing through a tunnel, or after going toward the light, or after judgment - Christians are blissfully and eternally united with God.  After completing college and seminary and dozens of funerals and reading the Bible through several times it never dawned on me that it wasn’t true.  Now to be fair- the Bible doesn’t exactly deny that either.  It is possible, but after struggling with this for several weeks now.  I have concluded that Biblical teaching does simply not support it.

What does the Bible give us then?

First, the Bible guarantees that we will all die.  That might seem like a no brainer, but it is important.  There is a time for everything.  Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 begins with this fundamental truth.  

1 There is a time for everything,
       and a season for every activity under heaven:

2 a time to be born and a time to die,

That is one of the things Robyn tries to teach young children.  Everything that lives has a beginning, a middle, and an end.  We might not like to admit it, but it is part of nature.  Do you remember the prayer Robyn prayed a few weeks ago?  It really struck me.  She talked about fall and the changing of the seasons and the way death takes over nature this time of year.  She said, “We hear no cries of pain or fear from the leaves as they fall from the tree.”  It’s true.  The leaves are smarter than we are when it comes to understanding that death is the natural consequence of life.  We live in the land of the dying.  Every breath we take.  Every day we awake, brings us that much closer to death.

But that’s OK because the second thing the Bible teaches us about death is that as final as it seems from where we sit here today, not even death can separate us from the love of God.  Romans 8 says neither life nor death will ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.  Nothing, nothing, nothing will ever, ever, ever separate us from the Love of God in Christ Jesus, not even death.

One of the things I read this week was about the Hebrew concept of heaven.  Among the images, that they used was of course being held in God’s hand, and being housed in God’s tent.  But I thought this one was interesting.  They conceived of heaven as residing on God’s blanket.  Like a soft skin spread out on the ground to protect us from the sharp rocks and comfort us when we are afraid.  Heaven is like sharing a blanket with God.  Isn’t that neat?  And the best part is no one will ever steal those covers.  Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

So we will all die- but we will never be separated from God’s love.  Third, Scripture teaches that death is not the end.  You know this, but it is important for me to say it today.  Death is not the last word.  When Jesus was killed was death the last word?  NO and Jesus is called the first fruits of the new creation.  He went before us to prepare a place for us. 

Now we have to be careful.  Immortality is not part of the Christian teaching.  We will not live forever.  Remember because we will all die.  With the exception of two notable cases Enoch and Elijah Every human being ever born -- including Jesus- has to pass through death.  There is no such thing as immortality for human beings.

We also have to be careful that we don’t pick up teachings from the culture and other religions.  The Bible does not support the Buddhist idea of  reincarnation: where we become some other living entity in another life, perhaps even and animal or plant.  God created us different from the rest of creation and we can never cross that boundary again.  It also does not support the Hindu idea of  transmigration, which is the idea that we are born into another person for another chance at life.  The Bible does teach that our God given spirits are unique to each and every one of us and the death of each of his children is precious in God’s sight.  We are not, nor will we be recycled into someone else.

The Bible is very clear that for Christians the future is Resurrection.  “I believe in the resurrection of the body.  And life everlasting” The clear teaching is that someday- our bodies will be raised to eternal life with God.  Or not with God.

When I say the resurrection of the Body, I do not mean the cells, bones, and tissue that make up a corpse.  I do not think the Bible has in mind “night of the living dead.”  I do believe that Paul has it exactly right when he says, “this perishable body must put on imperishability, this mortal body must put on immortality…  We will not all die,” Paul writes, “but we will all be changed.”  You have to remember that Paul expected Jesus to come back any time.  So soon that it didn’t pay to make any big decisions like getting married or anything.  So he says the resurrection is going to happen so soon that we will not all finish the course of this life.  However, even those who are still alive when Jesus returns for the resurrection will be changed.  Obviously, this fleshly body is not going to live forever.  But the spiritual body will be raised by the power of God to be with God forever. 

Now the Bible does not expect that to happen until Jesus comes back.  Upon the return of Christ the Kingdom of Heaven of which we have just a taste now in the church, will be fulfilled.  Not somewhere far away on a celestial plane, but right here.  Read the book of Revelation.  “I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and the sea was no more-(that which separates them was no more.)  And I saw the holy city- the New Jerusalem (heaven) coming down out of heaven from God.”  The final consummation of all of God’s plan will be when heaven and earth become one.  “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” John continues to write

"Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.  They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  4He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

 5He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"

That is the heaven to which we will be resurrected in the end.  But not at the moment of death.  That is what bothered me.  What happens between taking my last breath and resurrection?  Nothingness?  I hope not.  Purgatory?  I don’t think so.  Jesus paid for our sins once; we don’t have to do that again.  A waiting place?  Maybe.  But I don’t know because as far as I can tell the Bible is silent on the matter.

Two truths make sense of that though.

1. Time is only important to us here and now in this life.  Apart from the seasons, cycles and specifics of this life and this body time means nothing.  “A thousand years is like a day to God and a day like a thousand years.” 2 Peter 3:8

 As hard as it is to imagine whatever happens in the intervening time between death and resurrection, no matter how long or short it may be, it will only be a blink of an eye.

And 2.  We go back to the point I made earlier in the sermon, the point I have made a hundred times since I arrived here,  and actually one of the most fundamental truths of my own personal faith.  If I didn’t believe this, I don’t think I could get up in the morning and go to bed at night, much less face death with faith.  Nothing, nothing, nothing will ever, ever, ever, separate me from the love of God.  Nothing, nothing, nothing in life and nothing, nothing, nothing in death.  No matter what.  Whatever God has planned for the time until resurrection I stand on the promise of Christ that he and he alone is our resurrection and life.  And as Jesus Said, “Lo, I am with you always- always -always even unto the end of the age.”

AMEN

The blind man with 20/20 vision

A blind man with 20/20 vision

RUMC

10/25/2009

I’d like everyone to close their eyes for a minute.  Imagine that you are blind.  This is what you “see” all the time.  Darkness.  Nothing. You can never see the face of your spouse or grandchild.  You can never see a leaf fall from a tree.  You can never see a sunset

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I would like to suggest that in some way, we are all living in this kind of darkness.  Maybe your eyeballs work just fine.  You can see people and things perfectly well.  But what about the eyes of your heart?  Maybe you can see your loved ones, but do you see the one who loves you infinitely?  Maybe you can see a leaf falling, but can you see those who have fallen through the cracks of love and caring?  Maybe you can see a sunset, but can you see the son who rose again to give you life?

The story of the blind man named Bartimaeus gives us each the opportunity to look for our blindness.  To seek the one who can give us sight and to see with the new eyes of faith.

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Now open your eyes.

What do we know as we approach this story?  We know that Bartimaeus was not blind from birth.  He asks Jesus to “Let me see again” Something happened to him that caused him to be blind.  In other words he knew what he was missing.  I once had a conversation with a blind person about what blindness was like. I was having a hard time imagining being blind.   They told me they couldn’t imagine what it would be like to see.  Bartimaeus was not like that though.  At some point he lost his sight.  Perhaps by an accident, or sickness.

In Jesus time to say that someone was blind was to almost assume that they were a beggar.  Sadly when someone was different; disabled or mentally ill, or in any way significantly different from the people around them, they were pushed to the edges of society.  There was no work for them to do, no job training or anything like that.  The safety net for these people was the generosity of others.  And they lived depending on that generosity.  Bartimaeus apparently stood along the road asking for any help travelers could give him.  We don’t have to feel sorry for him.  That was his life.  But he knew there was more and he yearned for something more in life.

When Jesus came by there must have been quite a stir.  People following him and talking and telling stories of his healings and miracles.  Word came to Bartimaeus that it was Jesus of Nazareth.  You know that hillbilly town up north.  Can anything good come from Nazareth?  But he didn’t see a teacher from Hicksville.  With the eyes of faith, Bartimaeus saw Jesus in a different light.  What did he call him?  Do you remember?  Do you remember what he shouted out?  Not Jesus of Nazareth, have mercy on me. But “Jesus son of David, have mercy on me.” Son of David was a title for the messiah.  The one who was to come from the house of David and save his people.   “Jesus son of David, have mercy on me.”Bartimaeus cried out.  “Jesus son of David, have mercy on me.”

And the people around him tried to quiet him down.  Shhh.  You’re making a scene.  Don’t bother him maybe he’ll perform a miracle.  Shhh.  Quiet down.  You’ll attract the attention of the roman centurions which is never a good thing.  Sush.  He doesn’t have time for you.  Besides, if anyone deserves help it will be me.

But it is too late.  Jesus heard Bartimaeus.  And he stopped.  Can you imagine the silence that must have fallen over the crowd?  When Jesus stopped I’ll bet every eye and ear was on him.  What’s he going to do?  What did he say?  What is going on? 

Finally Jesus speaks.  Call him here. Jesus doesn’t go to him.  He doesn’t seek him out.  He calls Bartimaeus to him.  When his friends explain to Bartimaeus that Jesus is calling him over he is so excited that he drops his coat right then and there and runs to Jesus.  It actually says he jumped up and went to Jesus.  That must have been quite a sight.  The blind guy jumping up and running to see Jesus.  Probably stumbling and groping his way like a child playing pin the tail on the donkey.

He reaches Jesus and Jesus asks him what he wants from him.  I’m sorry, but “Duh.”  Aside from the fact that Jesus was the son of God and may have already known what Bartimaeus wanted, it should have been pretty obvious.  But Jesus gave Bartimaeus the opportunity to come to him and make the request.  To face his need and confess his need before the Christ.

And Bartimaeus says “I want to look up.”  That’s what they Greek word means.  “Make me look up.”  Now I don’t want to put words into his mouth.  But there were other words he could have used to ask for his sight.  But Bartimaeus asked to be made to look up.  To take his downcast eyes and turn them up.  To take his downtrodden heart and make it look up.  To take this down and out life and make him look up from his own little set of problems and desires.

So Jesus says abracadabra I did it. Right?  No.  Notice Jesus takes no credit for himself. He doesn’t touch him.  He doesn’t give him medication.  There is no flash of lightening or drum roll.  Bartimaeus was made to look up again by what power- by the power of his faith.  By the power (specifically) of his faith in Jesus Christ. “Go. Your faith has made you well.”   

And immediately he could see, but more than that he was made well.  The Greek “made well” means “made whole” in every respect. Not just his eyes, not just his physical ability, but in every respect.  His body, his mind, his spirit.  He was saved, not just from a life of begging, but from a life of brokenness.  He was saved in every way you can imagine.  And he followed Jesus.

I want to suggest to you that even before he was healed Bartimaeus saw better than some of us who are supposedly enlightened and saved.

Where are your blind spots?  Perhaps you are among those who have always come to church but have never really and truly called out to God. Are you blind to your own need for wholeness?  Have you just always assumed that you are saved, but have never really and truly stood up and named Jesus as your Lord and savior?  Where is your blind spot?

Perhaps you have been a Christian for a long time, but not all of you.  Is there some part of you that you have been holding back?  Your secret thoughts and desires, your hidden addictions- at least you believe they are hidden.  Your secret racism or homophobia that might peak through the cracks in what you thought was your carefully polished veneer?  Perhaps it is your closet alcoholism, pornography addiction or adultery?   Perhaps it is your secret desires that you are too ashamed to admit, the words you would never say, but they keep boiling up over and over in your heart? 

Perhaps your blindness is not something you do, but rather something you don’t do.  Perhaps it is a greed that keeps you from helping those who have special needs.  A hardness of heart that makes the little children with distended bellies and hollow eyes seem so far away as to be aliens.  Perhaps your blindness is to those who sit next to you in the pew, their hurts and their empty hopes.  Perhaps you are blind to the hunger of a friend who is really reaching out for Jesus and you are the closest thing they can find- but you are too blind to share Christ’s peace with them. Perhaps it is a ministry opportunity you should be involved in or leading.  Perhaps it is just a gnawing in you that there is something more you need to do with your life.

Where is your blindness? And what keeps you from calling out to Jesus for help?  What are the voices around you that say “Shhh, you aren’t important enough.”  “Shhh, people will think you are silly.”  “Shhh, you can’t take that chance.”  “Shhh,. . . “Where do those voices come from?  .  Are you going to be held back by the fear or mistrust in your own heart?  Are you going to let those around you who are starving keep you in the grip of spiritual starvation?  Are you going to let those voices whoever they are, keep you in the dark?  Keep you in blindness?    Keep you from being made well and whole? 

You could but what a shame it would be. What a shame it would be to let those voices keep you from the one who has the power to heal.  What a shame it would be to let those voices keep you from the one who has the power to save.  What a shame it would be to let those voices keep your faith locked up rather than setting it free for a life of power and hope.

I invite you to close your eyes one more time.  Close them and look with the eyes of your heart.  Look for your blind spots.  Look deep inside for your own blindness.

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Here comes Jesus.  Here he comes.  Will you call out?  Will you cry out to Jesus?

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Don’t listen to the voices around you that say “Shh…”

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 Go ahead call out – open the eyes of my heart Lord.