Living in the Light of Eternity

When people take out a loan to buy a house, there are consequences for those who are late or miss payments.  Late payments affects credit ratings and adds fees.  If a "homeowner" ceases to make payments on their home (which the bank still owns!), they can be evicted from the property.  After I bought my first home in the States, it turned out that the previous tenant had accrued much debt.  My neighbor told me he saw several of her cars impounded, and for a while we received calls from a collection agency because she had missed payments on her furniture.  If we put ourselves in debt by overspending and are unable to pay, those whom we owe have the legal right to repossess our cars, homes, and even take the bed out from under us.

All people are born with a debt of sin that looms larger by the day.  Like a balloon payment at the end of a mortgage, the day will come for everyone to settle accounts with the Judge and Creator of all things.  God has provided the 10 Commandments and His Word so we might be see ourselves in the light of His truth:  we are all sinners, and the wages of sin is death.  Without the shedding of blood there is no remission, no forgiveness of sins.  If I were to die in my sins and be judged according to God's perfect Law, the only way I could settle accounts with God would be with my own blood.  I would be bound hand and foot, my body and soul repossessed, and be thrown into hell - where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched.  It is a place of outer darkness, regret, and unspeakable torment for eternity.  That's the consequence of sin, and it's absolutely heartbreaking.

Hear how Whitefield preached, and never dare to be lethargic again.  Winter says of him that "sometimes he exceedingly wept, and was frequently so overcome, that for a few seconds you would suspect he never would recover; and when he did, nature required some little time to compose himself.  I hardly ever knew him go through a sermon without weeping more or less.  His voice was often interrupted by his affections; and I have heard him say in the pulpit,  'You blame me for weeping; but how can I help it, when you will not weep for yourself, although your own immortal souls are on the verge of destruction, and, for aught I know, you are hearing your last sermon, and may never more have an opportunity to have Christ offered to you?' (Lectures to My Students, Spurgeon, pg. 307)

People will do anything to save their own skins.  But most give little if any thought to the condition of their souls.  Jesus asked, "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"  Money, fame, power, or political clout will not save you on the day when you stand before the Great White Throne of Judgment.  It is not the throne which is intimidating, but the face and mighty power of the One who sits upon it before whom the earth and heavens will flee.  Death comes unexpectedly, and the wise prepare for it.  I am not referring to funeral plans, insurance, or buying a plot for your remains:  I speak about the soul, the eternal, immaterial, and real you who lives in your body. Through the Gospel, all people are invited to repent and trust in Jesus Christ as Saviour, allowing God to possess you heart, mind, body, and soul.  On the Day of Judgment no Christian will face God's wrath, because Jesus has paid the fine we owed.  Because He did for our sins, we are partakers of His life which continues for eternity.

Think of it!  Standing naked with empty hands before the Creator and Just Judge, God Almighty - without a solicitor, lawyer, money, or recourse - what would you say after countless charges are laid before you, each carrying the sentence of eternal death?  What could you say?  What could you do?  When a man dies in his sins and is bound hand and foot by angels powerful enough to kill every human being on earth in a day, how could he fight against them?  Can a man fight against God?  Man can fight, scream, curse, and blaspheme, but that will not change the righteous rulings of God.  It gives God no pleasure to mete out justice to man for his sin.  It is God's will that none should perish and that all come to repentance.  He has made a way for all to be saved through repentance and faith in Christ.  There is one way to heaven, and Jesus is the Way.  God has revealed this all beforehand so all men are accountable.

Jesus says in John 3:16-20, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. ¹⁸ He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed."  Are you walking in the Light?  Jesus is the Light of the World, come to seek and save the lost.  When God shines the light upon you, allow yourself to be exposed.  Don't run from the truth.  Don't try to hide the reality of your sin.  Repent and be born again today.  Jesus is your only Hope.

Joey Hockenberry, Loved By God

Funerals are bittersweet:  bitter because we are processing the loss of a loved one, but sweet to reflect on how people have impacted our lives for good.  The first funeral I officiated was for a man I never knew.  Our church was contacted by the coroner's office in San Diego and were asked if we could provide someone to perform the service.  I was on staff as a youth pastor at Calvary Chapel El Cajon at the time and had been recently ordained as a pastor.  It was through that phone call I was introduced to a young man known by his friends as Joey Hockenberry.

Joey was a man I wish I could have met.  A condition from birth prevented him from being able to speak.  Even at 30 years old he enjoyed simple pleasures, especially balloons.  He had an amazing smile.  His mother and sister loved Joey deeply, and his death was a tragic shock.  In a moment, this young man passed into eternity.  As I stood at the lectern at the funeral hall, the organist playing softly behind me, my heart broke for the grieving people who knew the young man.  This was a man who was greatly loved by people and the God who created him.  Though I never met Joey, I will never forget Him.  His life should be celebrated more than the mourning of his passing.  If I could meet Joey's mum and sister again, I would give them each a hug.  They shared the life of their dear son and brother that day, a gift I can never repay.

There are some people who might trivialise Joey's life because of an arbitrary level of physical or mental development.  I can tell you one thing for certain:  God doesn't.  God spoke to Moses in Exodus 4:11, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?  God made Joey Hockenberry.  He made him exactly as He intended to, and God does all things well.  Joey never lost the wonder of being young.  He laughed, he loved, he was human in every way.  What we see as a limitation in someone else is a revelation of our limitations.  God values human life to the point of sending His own Son as a sacrifice for sin.  God allowed His only Son, Jesus Christ, to face death on the cross so all might live.  Jesus died for Joey, me, and you.

God values life.  He is the one who gives eternal life!  Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me."  If you hate your life, it is because you love yourself more than Christ.  And when Christ becomes your life what freedom, peace, and joy is provided by His grace.  Psalm 16:8-11 reads, "I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. ⁹ Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope. ¹⁰ For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. ¹¹ You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Worship the Creator!

There's been a lot of hoopla on cnn.com about the success of NASA deploying the rover "Curiosity" on Mars. At a mission cost of 2.6 billion, the hefty price tag is impressive.  The rover was eight months hurtling through space before it touched down safely on the Red Planet.  It is amazing what technology, human ingenuity, and some government funding can do.

As amazing as it is to put a man on the moon or a rover on Mars, it is nothing compared to the miracle of human life.  It is far easier for us to land a rover with cameras and robotic arms on Mars and control it remotely than to comprehend or explain how bones form in the womb of the mother (Ecclesiastes 11:5).  Isn't it crazy that the heart of a baby forms BEFORE the brain?  Unless the heart was formed and pumping blood throughout the body, the brain tissues could not live.  Our brains cannot fathom this wisdom.  Maybe the day will come when man will put a rover on Jupiter, but that great feat will still pale in comparison to the miracle of life which God performs hundreds of thousands of times every 24 hours right here on earth.

A microscopic cell from a father and a cell from the mother in the right conditions are all that it required to begin a whole new life, a person in whom God breathes a living soul.  Diving to the bottom of the Mariana Trench is kid stuff compared to this.  God scoffs at nanotechnology:  He is the only true Innovator and Creator.  Worship Him, because by Him all things are created and consist.

Stupid Questions?

I've heard it said:  "There's no such thing as a stupid question."  A variation on this theme is, "The only stupid question is the one never asked."  I disagree with both of these statements.  I once asked a class of teenagers to provide an example of a stupid question.  Without a moment's hesitation, a hand shot up.  "Yes?"  The young man smiled and asked, "If a chicken had lips could it whistle?"  I saw no need to further prove my point.  The intent of those first two statements is often an encouragement for people to ask legitimate questions, even if they feel foolish asking them.  In a classroom it is likely that if one person finds themselves stumped, there are others who could benefit from the answer.  Too many people fear that revealing their ignorance through a question will make them the targets of ridicule and scorn.  Pride does not enjoy making room for humility, and one must humble himself to admit his lack.

I believe there is such a thing as a good question.  Jesus asked a lot of profound questions.  Because good questions exist, it stands to reason that there are questions at the opposite end of the spectrum.  Jesus was asked many leading, loaded, dishonest questions - not because people sought to gain understanding - but for the purpose of catching Jesus in His words so they might accuse Him.  There are honest and dishonest questions.  Jesus always answered honest questions, but He never entertained dishonest ones.  When the disciples of Jesus humbled themselves to ask for an explanation of a parable, He spoke to them plainly.  When the Pharisees asked dishonest questions, Jesus shot back questions of His own and turned the tables on those schemers, exposing their hypocrisy.  We should emulate Christ's example and not feel compelled to give stupid questions asked dishonestly a moment of our time.

The Bible warns Christians to guard against wasting time on foolish questions.  Titus 3:8-9 reads, "This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. ⁹ But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless."  It is also written in 2 Timothy 2:22-25:  "Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ²³ But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. ²⁴ And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, ²⁵ in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, ²⁶ and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will."  Foolish questions generate strife and division; they are unprofitable and useless.  There is a man who is more concerned about proving his point than by living righteously.  Instead of arguing over senseless hypothetical situations or focusing on flavour over substance, we ought to expend our energies in actually living for God.

If we find ourselves unable to steer clear of disputes, it may be that we are not walking in humility as we ought.  Jesus was humble yet was often the target of calculated debate and attack.  Through great wisdom Jesus was able to diffuse His aggressors and leave them speechless - to the point that no one dared question Him any more.  Let us follow Christ's example of answering dishonest questions with better questions still, and offering gracious instruction to those who legitimately seek understanding.  I do not have all the answers, nor do I need to feel pressure to do so.  1 Peter 3:15 exhorts us:  "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear..."  Jesus has the answers, and He is my answer.  He is my Hope!  Instead of attacking others with words, we have a sure Defense and Foundation in Jesus Christ.  Let us be clothed in humility and meekness, knowing that Christ is our Wisdom.