THE DEATH OF DEATH

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 16 February 2012

Hi all,

I suspect that I can say without contradiction, none of us celebrate the fact that, unless Jesus Christ returns before it happens, every one of us will die. When it will happen we do not know. Frankly, we don’t want to know. If we did know in advance, would anyone celebrate the date every year? Even if the date was many years in the future, how would we react? Perhaps we would call it our “death-day” and start counting backwards toward it. It sounds a bit macabre but would it help us live better lives? It’s more likely to encourage us to live a more debauched lifestyle. We would probably invent a man-made repentance program. It could commence when our death was a defined number of days ahead. I suspect the Lord would see any such repentance as repulsive. But it is the sort of thing on which wickedness in the heart of man would thrive

Something which exacerbates the situation is that we have never seen or known a place where death doesn’t rule. Our gardens are fertilised with the decayed remains of flowers and leaves. We eat slaughtered animals and dead fish. We know that we are all going to die. In spite of this, we reproduce children with death written into their genes. We look around us at creation and we have never seen it death-free. In fact death is so familiar to us that it has become a normal part of daily living.

Jesus Himself recognised that mankind was subject to dying and death. He referred to this obliquely in John’s Gospel. ²⁴ I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels--a plentiful harvest of new lives. ²⁵ Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. John 12:24-25 NLT Since He is the author of creation, I’ve no doubt these words were spoken with great sadness in His heart. Reading His words we get the feeling that He is saying, “This is what My creation has come to!” Like a man looking at the remains of his home after being struck by a tornado, the difference between what it had been and what it had become would be sufficient to drive Him to tears. Thankfully there was an “upside”. He knew what His future death upon the cross would achieve. He also knew the “fullness” of what it would be. His followers can only accept by faith what the resurrection will mean.

We are told that medically, there is no reason why we should die. Our bodies should be capable of living indefinitely. Our cells should be able to continue functioning ad infinitum. They don’t! It seems there is something in our genes which triggers a self destruction process. After a certain interval, the cells are contaminated. This guarantees our eventual death. We think it is a purely medical certainty. But that’s not the complete story. The body is contaminated by sin. To defeat it we need a miracle from God. We need new bodies. We need the fullness of the new creation. In and through Jesus Christ we know that it is the heritage of a Christian.

Without arguing about theological interpretations, we can state that the return of Christ will trigger the miracle of our being physically recreated. The actual sequence and process of this keeps Bible students disagreeing with each other in a most unchristian way. Frankly, there is no reason why we shouldn’t simply accept the fact that it will happen. It will take place according to His agenda. Our theological opinions are all irrelevant. In fact I’m rather looking forward to fellowshipping with those who disagree with my views completely. It will be wonderful to be able to embrace each other in His presence and forget about the things that have divided us. We will probably laugh with each other and rejoice in His love. I can hardly wait. Even so, Come Lord Jesus!

Today’s meditation looks takes a look at death and concludes with our celebrating Jesus Christ and the death of death.

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

The Death of death

There’s something very tragic in the fact that we will die. Eternity is in us. So why should death apply? Knowledge deep within us, revolts against this fact. There’s nothing about dying that could possibly attract, Anyone to long for it. It’s never been our goal! It seems to contradict the things which seek to make us whole. It can’t be made appealing. It’s horribly rude! It seems to come upon us at any interlude. No matter what we’re doing, it strikes us down at will. It always interrupts us when the time has come to kill. We struggle to postpone it. But it won’t stay away. And when it comes to call for us, we cannot tell it nay! There in Ecclesiastes, we read the human heart, Is something rather beautiful. Death couldn’t ever start, Unless it had permission to interfere in life. Satan brought in sin and death, through Adam and his wife. They swallowed the forbidden fruit and so the deal was done. The only way to fix it, was for God to send His Son, To capture death and swallow it; then sin could reign no more. So Jesus Christ our Saviour came and neutralised that score. No longer are we victims; We’re never going to die. The instant that we “pass away”; we’ll be with Christ on high. Our bodies may not function. Besides, they’re getting old. And we will get a new one! That’s what God’s Word’s foretold! We know we’ll be with Jesus while our new one’s being made. It has some better features we are told will never fade. We know it will be timeless and always at its best. It will not wilt or perish and forever will be blessed. We’ll walk upon the water and we will never sink. We never will grow weary; our one and only drink, Will be His living water; We’ll dine on Heaven’s bread. And know that for eternity to Jesus we’ll be wed. I know it sounds fantastic; but there is so much more.

We’ll gaze upon the Holy One; we’ll worship and adore, The One Who made it possible. We’ll be with God Most High, Living in a home were death itself has had to die. A recreated paradise that Jesus Christ designed. That’s the place God’s Holy Word has promised we will find! Jim Strickland – Written 16th February 2012