Life As Prelude
Sermon
Sermons On The Second Readings
Series I, Cycle C
John Claypool reminds us that the ancient art of map-making or cartography dates back over 4,500 years. It is interesting to note how the ancient cartographers designated the areas that were unknown. Having never been there before, the craftsmen assumed these areas to be bad or evil and filled in these spaces with images of monsters and beasts. If it was unknown, it must be dark and fearful.1
Many of us respond to the great unknown of death in the same way. Having never been there, we feel it must be dark and fearful. Sometimes our fear leads to a frightful repression of death. We probably aren't as radical or extreme as King Louis XV of France who banned the use of the word death, and anything else that reminded him of it, from his presence. But how many of us try to repress death by a "hush, hush" attitude? "Let's not talk about that. Let's get on to something more cheerful." How many of us try to repress death by the slow suicide of overwork or other addictions? How many try the escape route of overindulgence in television, fantasy, or food? Even our current fads of exercise and health foods, though beneficial, are at least in some ways an attempt to put off the inevitable -- death! The Bible says, "It is once appointed unto man to die." But sometimes we had rather not face that fact, or at least, not talk about it.
With Paul, not so! From behind prison walls, Paul looks back upon his life and retorts; "I'm ready to die! I gave it my best!" (v. 7). No regrets. As he looks forward to his imminent death, he says, "I'm ready, the time of my departure is at hand" (v. 6). The word Paul uses in this verse for departure was used to describe the releasing of a ship from its moorings or the loosening of bonds. It is built upon the same root as our word redemption which means "to loose" or "to free." Paul saw his death as a release! He wasn't ready for the "great relinquishment" as Carl Jung put it. Paul was ready to set sail! His "ship" was about to fulfill the purpose for which it was made. Death, to Paul, was a release -- from bondage to freedom.
An English officer, who was in the same prison with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, described how at the end of a worship service for the other prisoners a door was opened, and two civilians entered the cell. "Prisoner Bonhoeffer, come with us." Every person present knew the implication of those words. It was a summons to death. But in the brief moment before he was led away by the guards, Bonhoeffer took the English officer aside and said to him, "This is the end, but for me it is the beginning of life." Paul was ready to set sail. For Paul, death was a release from bondage to freedom. And for Bonhoeffer, death was not the end, only the beginning. Claim that blessed promise as a child of God! Death to the Christian is not an exit but an entrance. In our text today, we get a glimpse of that which awaits God's children as they travel through the entrance of death to receive that for which this life is prelude.
Paul exclaims, in his final words, that in death there is the victory of reward. "Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness ..." (v. 8).
In Christian death, there is not only a release; there is a reward! Here is where words fail us! Suppose from the beginning, your life had been lived in a cave with nothing but the doom of darkness and the dripping of water as companions. Imagine a kindly soul trying to prepare you for the beauty of this world, which your eyes had never seen. Could words describe the beauty of a butterfly? Could phrases picture the look of love on a mother's face when she first holds her newborn infant? Could our syllables cause one to envision the grandeur of the Grand Canyon or the vastness of the sea? There are no words! How much more is it true when mortal man feebly attempts to describe eternal glory? How can one describe "everlastings" with temporary words? The Bible says it best, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). Beyond our wildest imaginings are the things God has prepared for us who love him. With our limited words, today, we may get a "hint of glory divine," the victory of reward.
Almost all commentators agree that the "crown of righteousness" to which Paul refers in verse 8 means "eternal life." The reward of God is eternal life! "... the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Again the Bible says, "Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him" (James 1:12). God's reward to his children is nothing less than eternal, everlasting life.
Eternal life has a timeless quantity. It never ends! It goes on forever and ever and ever. Suppose that by drinking one glass of water a day one could live long enough to drain the oceans dry! Eternity would have just begun. The Christian has the victory in death of life everlasting.
This life everlasting not only has a timeless quantity but also a quality. Eternal life is lived in the presence of God. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:3). In describing the glory of New Jerusalem, John states, "See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them ..." (Revelation 21:3). Eternal life is lived in the presence and perpetual vision of God.
Even more, eternal life is sharing in the very life of God. Helmut Thielicke states that this zoe (everlasting life) is not a quality of our being but of God's! Eternal life is not a continuation of our life but a sharing of God's! Just as Jesus came that we might share his life upon earth, he carries us through the entrance of death in to the victory of sharing his eternal life. In victory, we know his love, share his knowledge and wisdom, and experience his peace. Does not the Bible say, "... it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ -- if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him" (Romans 8:16-17). Everything that belongs to Jesus in heaven today one day shall be ours! We are "heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ." But we shall not only share his attributes but also his very nature. Again the Bible says, "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2 NIV).
We shall be like Jesus! In death, the Christian will know the victory of sharing in the life and very nature of God. "We shall be like him."
Eternal life will not only be lived in the continual presence of God where we share his nature and life but will also consist of an even greater and more richly satisfying service of God. There will be an eternal quality of life, which consists not in sameness or boredom, but in energy, zest, activity, and service. And why not? Do we not find our greatest joy on earth in pleasing and serving God? How much more will we find that joy of service in heaven!
In pretending to report a visit to the New Jerusalem, A. E. Whitman tells the following story:
"In my wandering I came upon the museum in that city of our dreams. I went in and an attendant conducted me 'round. There was some old armour there, much bruised with battle. Many things were conspicuous by their absence. I saw nothing of Alexander's or of Napoleon's. There was no Pope's ring, nor even the inkbottle that Luther is said to have thrown at the devil. I saw a widow's mite and the feather of a little bird. I saw some swaddling cloths, a hammer and three nails, and a few thorns. I saw a sponge that had once been dipped in vinegar and a small piece of silver. Whilst I was turning over a small drinking cup which had a very honorable place, I whispered to the attendant: 'Have you got a towel and basin among your collection?' 'No,' he said, 'not here you see, they are in constant use.' "2
To you, fellow Christian, shall be given the victory of eternal life -- lived in the presence of God -- sharing his nature and life -- serving him joyfully as the ages roll. It almost causes us to want to go today -- to claim the victory of release and reward.
Paul continues, "Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day -- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (v. 8).
For the Christian, death shall not only bring the victory of release and reward, but it shall also bring the victory of the rendering. Paul states, "God who will render to every man according to his deeds" (Romans 2:5-6). One day there shall come a time of rendering, a time of reckoning, a time of judgment. Paul would soon stand before Nero and he knew what the verdict would be -- biased, false, and prejudiced. But he also knew that soon he would stand before Jesus and that judgment would be righteous, true, and just.
Paul could claim victory in death because he had supreme confidence in the "righteous judge." His words to young Timothy ring with assurance: "... for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day" (2 Timothy 1:12). How could he do this? How could Paul in death have such supreme confidence in Christ's rendering? Paul found confidence in death because he had experienced assurance in life. Daniel Day Williams states: "There is a secret to the Christian life. It is the secret of being willing to let go of our particular prescriptions of how God ought to deal with us. Whether we live or die, we are the Lord's." That's it! Don't you see! The secret of victory in death or life is submission -- the surrender of our wills to God's! We trust in God, in his ways and have faith in his judgments -- even when we don't fully comprehend. We can smile confidently in the darkness of our partial understanding.
Hear me closely! I don't have all the answers. I don't claim to be able to understand nor can I explain the unfairness and inequities of life. At times I cannot control my personal evil, much less explain natural evil. Why do the righteous suffer and the evil prosper? Why is a promising 42-year-old minister struck with cancer and his family suffers in near poverty while corrupt politicians live on six-figure retirements at taxpayers' expense? Why is a baby born with spina bifida and a dope pusher enjoys perfect health? Why do ENRON officials escape with hundreds of millions and those who worked for them find their retirement funds depleted? I don't know! I do not understand! But I tell you one thing I do know. My Bible tells me that the final accounting is not completed. One day there shall be a judgment, a reckoning, where every one shall be rendered according to one's works. Some accounts are going to be balanced. Some things are going to be made right.
In his book, To Kiss the Joy, Robert Raines asks us to "trust the process." I am not sure that I can do that, but I know I can trust the God of the process! "I know in whom I have believed." So did Paul! Death brings the victory of a just judgment.
But there is even more in store for those for whom this life is prelude. "Now there is in store 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 longed for his appearing" (v. 8 NIV).
Death for the Christian brings not only the victory of release, reward, and righteous rendering, but also the joy of reunion and renewed relationships! All of God's children shall be gathered around him to renew relationships in an eternal reunion with Jesus! Oh, the unspeakable joy of that day!
Just think of the great saints who will be there: Lincoln, Schweitzer, Mother Teresa. Just think of the great biblical personalities who will be there. I want to ask Simon Peter, "How did you feel when Jesus forgave you by the Sea of Tiberias?" I want to ask Mary, "How did you feel when the Angel told you that you were to be the Mother of the Messiah?" I want to ask Mary Magdalene, "How did you feel when Jesus called your name in the garden?"
Just think of those special moments when Paul again meets Stephen in the timeless quality of the eternal. What about when Fanny Crosby first sees Jesus! Think about the day when we shall meet our loved ones who have preceded us in the race. I want to see Grandpa Carver. I'll bet he is standing on the corner swapping knives and talking about the Lord. I want to see Grandma Boyles. I'll bet she is holding court, telling jokes, and stomping her foot while she laughs. I want to thank Mrs. Stone for witnessing to me about Christ. But most of all I want to see Jesus! I want to look into that blessed face and bow before him, kiss those nail-scarred hands, and thank him for saving an undeserving sinner like me! What a day! Oh, what a day! It's the victory of reunion -- renewed relationships that shall last an eternity. Yes, my fellow Christians, there is victory in death!
What are the results? What does Christ's victory in death mean for us today? It means we can handle grief constructively -- actually seeing it as a God-given friend. It means we can prepare for death and live life with assurance and hope! It means we can live life to its fullest knowing that our Shepherd accompanies us through the Valley of Shadows -- even though we don't fully understand. It means we too can say, "Because he lives, I shall live also!"
John Bunyan said it so well! "Let dissolution come when it will. It can do the Christian no harm, for it will be a passage, out of prison into a palace, out of a sea of trouble into a haven of rest, out of a crowd of enemies into an innumerable company of true, loving, and faithful friends, out of shame, reproach, and contempt, into exceeding great and eternal glory!"
It's the victory of death!
Rueben Youngdahl tells the following story:
An estate was expertly tended by a caretaker. Every tree was trimmed, the grass cut, and stately beds of flowers were in bloom. Yet not a soul was around to take in the beauty except the caretaker. A visitor asked, "When was the owner last here?" "Twelve years ago!" "Then from whom do you get your instructions?" "From his agent in Milan." "But does he ever visit the estate to inspect it?" "No." "And yet you keep it trim as if he would come tomorrow?" The gardener interrupted to say, "As if he would come today, sir. As if he would come today!"3
____________
1. John R. Claypool, "Courage and Death," an unpublished sermon preached at the Northminster Baptist Church, Jackson, Mississippi, May 27, 1979.
2. Ian Mcpherson, The Art of Illustrating Sermons (Grand Rapids: Baber Book House, 1964), p. 59.
3. Charles L. Wallis, Ministers' Manual, 1982 (Philadelphia: Harper and Row, 1981), p. 253.
Many of us respond to the great unknown of death in the same way. Having never been there, we feel it must be dark and fearful. Sometimes our fear leads to a frightful repression of death. We probably aren't as radical or extreme as King Louis XV of France who banned the use of the word death, and anything else that reminded him of it, from his presence. But how many of us try to repress death by a "hush, hush" attitude? "Let's not talk about that. Let's get on to something more cheerful." How many of us try to repress death by the slow suicide of overwork or other addictions? How many try the escape route of overindulgence in television, fantasy, or food? Even our current fads of exercise and health foods, though beneficial, are at least in some ways an attempt to put off the inevitable -- death! The Bible says, "It is once appointed unto man to die." But sometimes we had rather not face that fact, or at least, not talk about it.
With Paul, not so! From behind prison walls, Paul looks back upon his life and retorts; "I'm ready to die! I gave it my best!" (v. 7). No regrets. As he looks forward to his imminent death, he says, "I'm ready, the time of my departure is at hand" (v. 6). The word Paul uses in this verse for departure was used to describe the releasing of a ship from its moorings or the loosening of bonds. It is built upon the same root as our word redemption which means "to loose" or "to free." Paul saw his death as a release! He wasn't ready for the "great relinquishment" as Carl Jung put it. Paul was ready to set sail! His "ship" was about to fulfill the purpose for which it was made. Death, to Paul, was a release -- from bondage to freedom.
An English officer, who was in the same prison with Dietrich Bonhoeffer, described how at the end of a worship service for the other prisoners a door was opened, and two civilians entered the cell. "Prisoner Bonhoeffer, come with us." Every person present knew the implication of those words. It was a summons to death. But in the brief moment before he was led away by the guards, Bonhoeffer took the English officer aside and said to him, "This is the end, but for me it is the beginning of life." Paul was ready to set sail. For Paul, death was a release from bondage to freedom. And for Bonhoeffer, death was not the end, only the beginning. Claim that blessed promise as a child of God! Death to the Christian is not an exit but an entrance. In our text today, we get a glimpse of that which awaits God's children as they travel through the entrance of death to receive that for which this life is prelude.
Paul exclaims, in his final words, that in death there is the victory of reward. "Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness ..." (v. 8).
In Christian death, there is not only a release; there is a reward! Here is where words fail us! Suppose from the beginning, your life had been lived in a cave with nothing but the doom of darkness and the dripping of water as companions. Imagine a kindly soul trying to prepare you for the beauty of this world, which your eyes had never seen. Could words describe the beauty of a butterfly? Could phrases picture the look of love on a mother's face when she first holds her newborn infant? Could our syllables cause one to envision the grandeur of the Grand Canyon or the vastness of the sea? There are no words! How much more is it true when mortal man feebly attempts to describe eternal glory? How can one describe "everlastings" with temporary words? The Bible says it best, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). Beyond our wildest imaginings are the things God has prepared for us who love him. With our limited words, today, we may get a "hint of glory divine," the victory of reward.
Almost all commentators agree that the "crown of righteousness" to which Paul refers in verse 8 means "eternal life." The reward of God is eternal life! "... the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Again the Bible says, "Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him" (James 1:12). God's reward to his children is nothing less than eternal, everlasting life.
Eternal life has a timeless quantity. It never ends! It goes on forever and ever and ever. Suppose that by drinking one glass of water a day one could live long enough to drain the oceans dry! Eternity would have just begun. The Christian has the victory in death of life everlasting.
This life everlasting not only has a timeless quantity but also a quality. Eternal life is lived in the presence of God. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:3). In describing the glory of New Jerusalem, John states, "See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them ..." (Revelation 21:3). Eternal life is lived in the presence and perpetual vision of God.
Even more, eternal life is sharing in the very life of God. Helmut Thielicke states that this zoe (everlasting life) is not a quality of our being but of God's! Eternal life is not a continuation of our life but a sharing of God's! Just as Jesus came that we might share his life upon earth, he carries us through the entrance of death in to the victory of sharing his eternal life. In victory, we know his love, share his knowledge and wisdom, and experience his peace. Does not the Bible say, "... it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ -- if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him" (Romans 8:16-17). Everything that belongs to Jesus in heaven today one day shall be ours! We are "heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ." But we shall not only share his attributes but also his very nature. Again the Bible says, "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2 NIV).
We shall be like Jesus! In death, the Christian will know the victory of sharing in the life and very nature of God. "We shall be like him."
Eternal life will not only be lived in the continual presence of God where we share his nature and life but will also consist of an even greater and more richly satisfying service of God. There will be an eternal quality of life, which consists not in sameness or boredom, but in energy, zest, activity, and service. And why not? Do we not find our greatest joy on earth in pleasing and serving God? How much more will we find that joy of service in heaven!
In pretending to report a visit to the New Jerusalem, A. E. Whitman tells the following story:
"In my wandering I came upon the museum in that city of our dreams. I went in and an attendant conducted me 'round. There was some old armour there, much bruised with battle. Many things were conspicuous by their absence. I saw nothing of Alexander's or of Napoleon's. There was no Pope's ring, nor even the inkbottle that Luther is said to have thrown at the devil. I saw a widow's mite and the feather of a little bird. I saw some swaddling cloths, a hammer and three nails, and a few thorns. I saw a sponge that had once been dipped in vinegar and a small piece of silver. Whilst I was turning over a small drinking cup which had a very honorable place, I whispered to the attendant: 'Have you got a towel and basin among your collection?' 'No,' he said, 'not here you see, they are in constant use.' "2
To you, fellow Christian, shall be given the victory of eternal life -- lived in the presence of God -- sharing his nature and life -- serving him joyfully as the ages roll. It almost causes us to want to go today -- to claim the victory of release and reward.
Paul continues, "Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day -- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (v. 8).
For the Christian, death shall not only bring the victory of release and reward, but it shall also bring the victory of the rendering. Paul states, "God who will render to every man according to his deeds" (Romans 2:5-6). One day there shall come a time of rendering, a time of reckoning, a time of judgment. Paul would soon stand before Nero and he knew what the verdict would be -- biased, false, and prejudiced. But he also knew that soon he would stand before Jesus and that judgment would be righteous, true, and just.
Paul could claim victory in death because he had supreme confidence in the "righteous judge." His words to young Timothy ring with assurance: "... for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day" (2 Timothy 1:12). How could he do this? How could Paul in death have such supreme confidence in Christ's rendering? Paul found confidence in death because he had experienced assurance in life. Daniel Day Williams states: "There is a secret to the Christian life. It is the secret of being willing to let go of our particular prescriptions of how God ought to deal with us. Whether we live or die, we are the Lord's." That's it! Don't you see! The secret of victory in death or life is submission -- the surrender of our wills to God's! We trust in God, in his ways and have faith in his judgments -- even when we don't fully comprehend. We can smile confidently in the darkness of our partial understanding.
Hear me closely! I don't have all the answers. I don't claim to be able to understand nor can I explain the unfairness and inequities of life. At times I cannot control my personal evil, much less explain natural evil. Why do the righteous suffer and the evil prosper? Why is a promising 42-year-old minister struck with cancer and his family suffers in near poverty while corrupt politicians live on six-figure retirements at taxpayers' expense? Why is a baby born with spina bifida and a dope pusher enjoys perfect health? Why do ENRON officials escape with hundreds of millions and those who worked for them find their retirement funds depleted? I don't know! I do not understand! But I tell you one thing I do know. My Bible tells me that the final accounting is not completed. One day there shall be a judgment, a reckoning, where every one shall be rendered according to one's works. Some accounts are going to be balanced. Some things are going to be made right.
In his book, To Kiss the Joy, Robert Raines asks us to "trust the process." I am not sure that I can do that, but I know I can trust the God of the process! "I know in whom I have believed." So did Paul! Death brings the victory of a just judgment.
But there is even more in store for those for whom this life is prelude. "Now there is in store 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 longed for his appearing" (v. 8 NIV).
Death for the Christian brings not only the victory of release, reward, and righteous rendering, but also the joy of reunion and renewed relationships! All of God's children shall be gathered around him to renew relationships in an eternal reunion with Jesus! Oh, the unspeakable joy of that day!
Just think of the great saints who will be there: Lincoln, Schweitzer, Mother Teresa. Just think of the great biblical personalities who will be there. I want to ask Simon Peter, "How did you feel when Jesus forgave you by the Sea of Tiberias?" I want to ask Mary, "How did you feel when the Angel told you that you were to be the Mother of the Messiah?" I want to ask Mary Magdalene, "How did you feel when Jesus called your name in the garden?"
Just think of those special moments when Paul again meets Stephen in the timeless quality of the eternal. What about when Fanny Crosby first sees Jesus! Think about the day when we shall meet our loved ones who have preceded us in the race. I want to see Grandpa Carver. I'll bet he is standing on the corner swapping knives and talking about the Lord. I want to see Grandma Boyles. I'll bet she is holding court, telling jokes, and stomping her foot while she laughs. I want to thank Mrs. Stone for witnessing to me about Christ. But most of all I want to see Jesus! I want to look into that blessed face and bow before him, kiss those nail-scarred hands, and thank him for saving an undeserving sinner like me! What a day! Oh, what a day! It's the victory of reunion -- renewed relationships that shall last an eternity. Yes, my fellow Christians, there is victory in death!
What are the results? What does Christ's victory in death mean for us today? It means we can handle grief constructively -- actually seeing it as a God-given friend. It means we can prepare for death and live life with assurance and hope! It means we can live life to its fullest knowing that our Shepherd accompanies us through the Valley of Shadows -- even though we don't fully understand. It means we too can say, "Because he lives, I shall live also!"
John Bunyan said it so well! "Let dissolution come when it will. It can do the Christian no harm, for it will be a passage, out of prison into a palace, out of a sea of trouble into a haven of rest, out of a crowd of enemies into an innumerable company of true, loving, and faithful friends, out of shame, reproach, and contempt, into exceeding great and eternal glory!"
It's the victory of death!
Rueben Youngdahl tells the following story:
An estate was expertly tended by a caretaker. Every tree was trimmed, the grass cut, and stately beds of flowers were in bloom. Yet not a soul was around to take in the beauty except the caretaker. A visitor asked, "When was the owner last here?" "Twelve years ago!" "Then from whom do you get your instructions?" "From his agent in Milan." "But does he ever visit the estate to inspect it?" "No." "And yet you keep it trim as if he would come tomorrow?" The gardener interrupted to say, "As if he would come today, sir. As if he would come today!"3
____________
1. John R. Claypool, "Courage and Death," an unpublished sermon preached at the Northminster Baptist Church, Jackson, Mississippi, May 27, 1979.
2. Ian Mcpherson, The Art of Illustrating Sermons (Grand Rapids: Baber Book House, 1964), p. 59.
3. Charles L. Wallis, Ministers' Manual, 1982 (Philadelphia: Harper and Row, 1981), p. 253.
