450 Sermon Illustrations on Death

The 12-story, earthquake-proof, $190 million Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels was dedicated in Los Angeles in September, celebrated not only for the obligatory gift shop ($24.99 for house chardonnay), the ATM, and the $12-a-day parking garage, but for the private crypts underneath at prices of $50,000 to $3 million. "(That's) kind of like selling sky boxes," said a Notre Dame theology professor; a Loyola Marymount University professor defended the steep price, saying, "I don't think that the poor are terribly worried about where they are going to be buried."

Rest--In Peace

Read: Psalm 4

I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. --Psalm 4:8

Some time ago I read about a youngster who was rattling off the words of this bedtime prayer:

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray Thee, Lord, my soul to keep;

If I should die before I wake,

I pray Thee, Lord, my soul to take.

But when he came to the line "If I should die before I wake," he got mixed up and said, "If I should wake before I die."

This started me thinking. Many people lay their heads on their pillows at night without being sure of the destiny of their souls should they die before they wake. Others have so much anxiety about the next day that they would prefer to die before they wake. Family problems, emotional struggles, or employment difficulties make them wish they would be taken out of this life before the morning sun forces them to face another agonizing day.

This doesn't need to be our experience. By placing our trust in the Lord, we can close our eyes at night with the assurance that the problems of tomorrow will not be greater than the God of eternity. Yes, we can fall asleep with the confidence that we are in God's care. We can have the certainty that whether we die before we wake, or wake before we die, all is well. --RWD

Tomorrow's plans I do not know,

I only know this minute;

But He will say, "This is the way,

Don't be afraid, walk in it." --Anon.

When you put your cares in God's hands, He puts his peace in your heart.

How Will You Be Remembered?

Read: Psalm 90:1-12

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. --Psalm 90:12

When we are young, we tend to live as if we think we'll never die. Yet the psalmist said that if we want to gain a heart of wisdom, we need to start numbering our days, whatever our age (90:12). The best way to number them is to make sure that our life is patterned each day after the example of Jesus. Only then can we anticipate that our life will not have been lived in vain.

James Dobson, a well-known authority on the family, tells a story about his father, who was greatly loved by all who knew him. James Dobson Sr. spent much time in intercessory prayer, considering prayer for others his most important business on earth. In fact, he specified in his will that only two words were to be put on his tombstone following his name: HE PRAYED.

Of the thousands of verbs in our language, by which one are you likely to be remembered? He served. She cared. He supported. She praised. What if dishonoring verbs are linked with you because of thoughtlessness or selfishness? He cheated. She complained. It's not too late to repent and trade those descriptions in for Christ-honoring ones. Then trust God to build them into your character. That's the best way to number your days! --JEY

Show me the way, Lord, let my light shine

As an example of good to mankind;

Help them to see the patterns of Thee,

Shining in beauty, lived out in me. --Neuer

Living for the Lord leaves a lasting legacy.

A servant who had received a silver cup from his master accidentally dropped it into a vat of acid. The servant was dumbfounded when he saw the whole cup disappear. He immediately went to a fellow servant and told him that the silver cup was lost forever. "It can't be recovered.

You can't even see it." The master, an educated man, came on the scene. He infused salt water into the acid, which precipitated the silver from the solution. Then by melting it and hammering the metal he restored the cup to its original shape. A skeptic who saw this was so struck by its analogy to the resurrection, which he had rejected as impossible, that he now believed it most credible.

Said Dr. Joseph A. Parker: "Some have found fault with me. They say I am old-fashioned and out of date; I am always quoting the Bible; why not turn to science this morning?

"There is a poor widow here who has lost her only son. She wants to know if she will see him again. Science shall give the answer, and I will put the Book away." So he took the Book and put it on the seat behind. "Will this woman see her son again? Where is he? Does death end all? What has science to say?" Here a long pause. "We are waiting for an answer, the woman is anxious." Another long pause. "The woman's heart is breaking. Science must speak. Nothing to say? Then we must take the Book," and here he reverently replaced it, and with great deliberation opened it and read: "I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me ...The dead shall arise ...for this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. O death, where is thy sting? ...I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God."

Then, closing the Book, and patting it affectionately, he said, "We will stick to the Book!"

The poem "High Flight" was written by John Gillespie Magee Jr., who was killed in the Battle of Britain at age 19. It was read by President Ronald Reagan at the memorial service for the Challenger astronaunts.

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings

Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split clouds -- and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of -- wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,

I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air.

Up, up the long delirious, burning blue

I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace

Where never lark, or even eagle flew

And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

*

Bosses of a publishing firm are trying to work out why no one noticed that one of their employees had been sitting dead at his desk for FIVE DAYS before anyone asked if he was feeling okay. George Turklebaum, 51, who had been employed as a proofreader at a New York firm for 30 years, had a heart attack in the open-plan office he shared with 23 other workers. He quietly passed away on Monday, but nobody noticed until Saturday morning when an office cleaner asked why he was still working during the weekend.

His boss Elliot Wachiaski said: "George was always the first guy in each morning & the last to leave at night, so no one found it unusual that he was in the same position all that time and didn't say anything. "He was always absorbed in his work and kept much to himself."

A postmortem examination revealed that he had been dead for 5 days after suffering a heart attack. Ironically, George was proofreading manuscripts of medical textbooks when he died. You may want to give your co-workers a nudge occasionally.

And the moral of the story: Don't work too hard. Nobody notices anyway.

*

Poem "Invictus," distributed by Oklahoma bomber Timothy McVeigh at his execution. The title is Latin for 'unconquerable.'

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud,

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

-- William Ernest Henley

======================================================================

Commentary by Rev. Brett Blair on June 24, 2001:

From what we've learned of McVeigh's attitudes and opinions, those lines probably come as close as any to a philosophy of life for him. Even to the point of ending the appeals process, McVeigh sought to be the master of his fate.

But of course he's not. And in a letter written just a day before his death, he demonstrated how little he understood that. He wrote that if it turned out that there was an afterlife, he would "improvise, adapt and overcome." As if he or any of us will have the ability to affect our environment after arrival in the world to come! Once we are at the judgment seat of God, none of us is any longer master of our fate.

It's worth noting that when the poet Henley wrote those words, he was not thinking of setting his own standard of morality, as McVeigh appears to have done. Far from claiming the right to be judge, jury and executioner of others, Henley was vocalizing his attitude toward the hurts and setbacks of life. At the age of 12, he developed tubercular arthritis, and his left foot was amputated in his teens. He had other health problems later on, and actually wrote "Invictus" while once again in the hospital, too ill to work. He was, as his poem says, "bloody, but unbowed." For Henley, "Invictus" was an expression of courage in the face of life's difficulties, not a license to kill.

[see also HolwickID #3327]

_________________________________________________________________________

Sermon "Our Sovereign God" by John G. Reisinger, given at the International Baptist Conference in Toronto in 1988. (http://members.aol.com/robbeeee/sovereign.html)

Around 1900 a young lady that had been greatly enamored with Henley and his humanism got soundly converted to Christ. She wrote a response to Henley's blasphemy, and set forth the correct attitude of a child of God toward the sovereignty of God. Here is her poem:

CONQUERED, By Dorothea Day

Out of the light that dazzles me,

Bright as the sun from pole to pole,

I thank the God I know to be,

For Christ - the Conqueror of my soul.

Since His the sway of circumstance,

I would not wince nor cry aloud.

Under the rule which men call chance,

My head, with joy, is humbly bowed.

Beyond this place of sin and tears,

That Life with Him and His the Aid,

That, spite the menace of the years,

Keeps, and will keep me unafraid.

I have no fear though straight the gate:

He cleared from punishment the scroll.

Christ is the Master of my fate!

Christ is the Captain of my soul!

This is supposed to be a true story. [Holwick - this is an Urban Legend according to sites that specialize in these stories.]

South African Health - Pelonomi Hospital

----------------------------------------

"For several months, our nurses have been baffled to find a dead patient in the same bed every Friday morning" a spokeswoman for the Pelonomi Hospital (Free State, South Africa) told reporters. "There was no apparent cause for any of the deaths, and extensive checks on the air conditioning system, and a search for possible bacterial infection, failed to reveal any clues."

"However, further inquiries have now revealed the cause of these deaths. It seems that every Friday morning a cleaner would enter the ward, remove the plug that powered the patient's life support system, plug her floor polisher into the vacant socket, then go about her business. When she had finished her chores, she would plug the life support machine back in and leave, unaware that the patient was now dead. She could not, after all, hear the screams and eventual death rattle over the whirring of her polisher.

"We are sorry, and have sent a strong letter to the cleaner in question. Further, the Free State Health and Welfare Department is arranging for an electrician to fit an extra socket, so there should be no repetition of this incident. The enquiry is now closed."

By the way, the headline of the newspaper story was, "Cleaner Polishes Off Patients."

A man who told police his 6-year-old daughter and ex-wife were missing in the World Trade Center attacks was charged with filing a false report after his relatives said he was lying.

Alan Braker, 41, was arrested Thursday at his East Orange, N.J., home and could face additional charges, said Lt. Elias Nikas, a police spokesman.

Braker's story was widely reported, but days later his relatives - including his mother, two of his sisters and his estranged wife - told reporters his story was false.

His motives were not immediately known, Nikas said.

In his accounts to reporters, Braker said he identified his ex-wife's body at a morgue in Jersey City, N.J., and said her name was Madileene Sanchez. But authorities said no morgue was set up in Jersey City to handle trade center victims, and that no record of Sanchez existed.

Braker had also posted fliers of a girl shown in a white cap and gown from grade-school graduation. The fliers said the girl was Braker's 6-year-old daughter, Mya, who was with her mother at the World Trade Center on the 107th floor, where Sanchez worked at Morgan Stanley & Co.

The company has no record of Sanchez working there, and has no offices on that floor.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, police arrested Sara Hekriy, 44, of Toronto, Canada, and charged her with perjury, Nikas said.

Hekriy was arrested at a family assistance center set up in New York. Police said she had falsely a signed notarized document stating her husband was missing in the attacks.

AP-ES-09-27-01 2211EDT

"It is a peculiar thing," said an embalmer as he stood by a woman's casket, "but it isn't necessary to tell me she was a Christian. I always know as soon as I see a body; the glory leaves its stamp on the face."

1. Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!

E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,

Still all my song shall be,

Chorus

Nearer, my God, to Thee;

Nearer, my God, to Thee,

Nearer to Thee!

2. Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,

Darkness be over me, my rest a stone;

Yet in my dreams I’d be

3. There let the way appear, steps unto heaven;

All that thou sendest me, in mercy given;

Angels to beckon me

4. Then, with my waking thoughts bright with thy praise,

Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;

So by my woes to be

5. Or if, on joyful wing cleaving the sky,

Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I fly,

Still all my song shall be,

SUMMARY: The practice of cremation has become increasingly acceptable since the 1970s. This acceptability, combined with its economic ease and apparent absence of theological conflicts, has enabled cremation to become established in Christian churches as an alternative to burial. The question must still be asked, however, Is it right for Christians to practice cremation? The answer is that no compelling biblical or nonbiblical arguments have been advanced for forsaking burial. Indeed, good biblical, theological, and symbolic importance may be found for burial, and thus there is no significant reason for Christians to forsake burial as a regular practice.

________________

Should Christians be concerned about the disposal of the dead? Almost everyone eventually will have to make decisions about how to dispose of deceased loved ones. There are a number of indicators that many families are opting for cremation.1 The average U.S. funeral home performs 27 cremations each year. In 1975, 7 percent of the people who died were cremated. In 1985, it was 15 percent. In 1992, it was 18.5 percent. Today the rate in the U.S. is 21 percent and it is projected to be 34 percent by 2010. What was once unpopular, even distasteful, is now a quick, inexpensive way to dispose of the dead.

In this article we seek to answer the question of whether it is right for Christians to regularly practice cremation. To answer this we first present and then critique the case for cremation, which includes biblical as well as nonbiblical arguments. Following this, the case for Christian burial is presented.

ALLEGED BIBLICAL ARGUMENTS FOR CREMATION

========================================

There are four main arguments put forth to justify cremation as an acceptable practice for Christians:

FIRE SYMBOLIZES GOOD TO JEWS AND CHRISTIANS. William Phipps, one of the significant supporters of cremation as a Christian practice, argues for Jewish and Christian acceptance by pointing to the symbolic use of fire. He writes, "In biblical times fire was often regarded as symbolic of the divine presence, so it was appropriate to feature fire in sacred ceremonies. God was represented by a flaming torch in an encounter with Abraham, and at Mt. Sinai ‘the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire’ (Exod. 24:17)."2

Since fire represents God, cremation can be a symbol of the believer entering into the presence of God.

JESUS GAVE LITTLE ATTENTION TO DISPOSING OF THE DEAD. Phipps also argues that further allowance for cremation should be given because Jesus gave little attention to the disposal of the dead. In fact, His only words on the subject were, "Let the dead bury their own dead" (Luke 9:60). Jesus, Phipps argues, made a negative reference to earth burial when He compared hypocrites to "whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean" (Matt. 23:27).

PAUL’S THEOLOGY DEEMPHASIZED THE BODY. The apostle Paul, argues Phipps, found sacred value only in the living body. It was the living body that was the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:9), not the dead one. Phipps suggests that just as a temple is constructed for worship and is destroyed after it is no longer used for worship, the body may be dispensed with in a like manner. Paul viewed the body as an earthly tent that would soon be demolished after use. He concluded his view of death by stating, "We are confident...and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8).

Paul has his fullest discussion on life after death in 1 Corinthians 15. There he stated "that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" (v. 50). According to Phipps,

[Paul] did not believe that the residual dust in a tomb would be

the substance of a new heavenly organism. When the apostle

writes about "the resurrection of the dead," he does not mean the

reassembling and the reanimation of the corpse. The expression

"spiritual body" (1 Cor. 15:5) which he uses does not refer to

the physical skeleton and the flesh that hangs on it. Rather, in

modern terminology, it means the self or the personality. What

removed death’s sting for Paul was not gazing at a prettified

corpse but the good news that mortal nature can "put on

immortality" (1 Cor. 15:44).3

Phipps concludes his view of Paul’s theology by stating that it "is fully compatible with body disposal by cremation. Contrariwise, those who adamantly advocate earth burial because it enhances bodily resurrection have a weak New Testament foundation on which to stand."4

CHRISTIAN ACCEPTANCE OF CREMATION IS GROWING. Phipps suggests a few reasons for the growing acceptance of cremation among Christians. First, "the broader tolerance most Christians now have on the subject [of cremation] is anchored in a reinterpretation of their basic sources of authority. They have realized that the method of corpse disposal in the biblical culture was not a major concern."5

Second, people, as well as ministers, have observed that "cremation marks a shift away from the irreligious materialism that is pervasive in Western civilization."6 Some have suggested that cremation encourages a wholesome attitude toward funerals. It eliminates the need for expensive caskets and embalming. It helps the grief process because there is no need to dwell on the dead, empty corpse.

CREMATION ONLY SPEEDS THE NATURAL PROCESS. Another reason given in defense of cremation is that the Bible condemns humankind to return to dust (Gen. 3:19), and cremation only brings that condemnation to pass in a more speedy way. If the body will eventually become dust, then why not hasten it? Cremation seems to be an immediate fulfillment of what the Bible forecasts for all mortals. In short, if God ordained the natural process of returning to dust, then how can cremation be against the will of God?

These arguments combined together would seem to make a strong case that it is biblically and theologically allowable for Christians to forsake the common practice of burial and adopt cremation.

RESPONSE TO BIBLICAL ARGUMENTS FOR CREMATION

============================================

FIRE AND ACTIONS OF GOD. While fire in some cases may be seen as good or serve as a symbol for the divine presence, it is wrong to apply this to cremation. Fire was most often associated with warning and judgment (Lev. 10:1-2) - including eternal judgement (Matt. 25:4, etc.). To connect the burning of a human body with fire would more than likely bring images of human sacrifices (Lev. 18:21), criminals (Lev. 20:14; 21:9), and hell fire itself. Therefore, the symbol at best has a dual application and cannot be used to support cremation alone.

JESUS’ VIEW. The fact that Jesus gave little direct attention to something does not mean it is without importance. Jesus gave little attention to spousal abuse and less to abortion, yet surely this does not indicate His approval of these practices. Jesus, however, did give great attention to the authority and inspiration of Scriptures that clearly express the common practice and importance of burial (cf. Matt. 5:17-18; 22:29; John 10:35). Furthermore, Jesus attacked many Jewish traditions, but burial of the dead was not one of them.

When Jesus said, "Let the dead bury their own dead" (Luke 9:60), it was in response to an excuse a man gave Him when he desired to bury his father before following Jesus. The saying is a play on words in which Jesus identified the spiritually dead as those who do not follow Him. In effect, Jesus was saying, "Let the [spiritually] dead bury their own [physical] dead."7 The passage has nothing to do with approval of cremation or condemnation of burial. Rather, the passage, if it suggests anything about corpse disposal, gives acknowledgment to burial as the common practice that was so ingrained in Jewish society that reference to it was very common. What is noteworthy is that Jesus never said, "Let the dead CREMATE their own dead," but rather, "let the dead BURY their own dead."

Matthew 23:27 is likewise not a negative reference to burial. Rather, it is a negative reference to the scribes and Pharisees. It was they who appeared beautiful on the outside but who, like dead men in tombs, were unclean on the inside. The fact that the tombs of burial were so common to the people makes possible Jesus’ point concerning the religious leaders.

PAUL’S THEOLOGY. Phipps’s belief that Paul devalued dead bodies is totally without warrant. First, Paul never taught a dead body should be despised or destroyed. Therefore, Paul’s emphasis on the living body (1 Cor. 6:9) cannot be used to teach there is no value in a dead body. Second, Paul’s analogy of the body being a temple of the Holy Spirit is applied only to the living body. Paul nowhere affirmed that the body, like a temple, should be destroyed (i.e., some imposed means of destruction) after it is used. Therefore, Phipps’s analogy, that it can be destroyed after it is used, does not follow. Third, Paul’s Jewish background would strongly suggest that he practiced and approved of burial as the means of disposing of dead bodies. In fact, Paul seemed to imply this by means of an analogy he used for the resurrection body. In 1 Corinthians 15:42 Paul said, "The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable." In describing what happens to a body after death, Paul used an analogy of planting a seed, which is similar to burying a dead body (1 Cor. 15:36-44). This is because Paul’s view of the physical resurrection teaches that there is a continuity from the body of this life, which will be transformed and glorified, to the new resurrection body.

Phipps’s use of other Pauline references to the body are also taken out of context. Just because Paul preferred to be absent from the body and home with the Lord (1 Cor. 5:8), does not mean Paul did not care how the body was treated after death.

In 1 Corinthians 15:50, when Paul stated that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, he was referring to our corruptible bodies, as the very next phrase reveals: "For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality" (v. 53). Paul in no way was saying that this body is unimportant. He was simply drawing a contrast between the mortal body and the immortal body (vv. 45-50). The earthly body, because of its condition, cannot inherit the kingdom of God. God must change and raise it imperishable (vv. 51-54). Paul did not say that the resurrection body is without flesh and blood. Scripture clearly teaches that it will have "flesh and bones" because it will be like Jesus’ body (Luke 24:39; 1 John 3:2).

Phipps’s denial of a physical resurrection, where the earthly body is unimportant to the resurrection body, is also false. His rejection of the physical nature of the resurrection body is based, in part, on Paul’s reference to a "spiritual body" (1 Cor. 15:44). "Spiritual," however, was used here by Paul to mean immortal, not immaterial (i.e., nonmaterial). Paul used it to refer to a body dominated or directed by the spirit. It is a reference to the spiritual SOURCE of the body’s power, not a denial of its physical SUBSTANCE. It is a reference to the supernatural aspect of the body (1 Cor 15:40-44; cf. 10:4). Paul’s use of the parallelism that contrasts the natural and supernatural clearly indicates this usage. Furthermore, the reference to material things having a spiritual aspect to them was used elsewhere by Paul. In the same book he used that same word "spiritual" of a physical rock, physical food, and physical water (1 Cor. 10:3-4). It was their source that was "spiritual" or supernatural.

What about Phipps’s suggestion that for Paul the sting of death is not well represented by a prettified corpse and that it is the mortal nature that puts on immortality? First, Phipps does not know what Paul’s opinion was concerning the beautification of a corpse. Paul never wrote on the topic. Second, burying a corpse is the best representation of the Christian’s victory over death. While it is true that God is able to resurrect our bodies no matter what their condition might be (i.e., via burial or cremation), it is important to preserve the body for theological reasons. Human nature is a soul-body unity, and it is soul and body together that put on immortality. Further, the corpse is a good representation of this hope because it is that very body that will have numerical identity with the glorified body. What better symbol to have then the very body that will someday be glorified?8 As Paul said, it is the same mortal body that will "put on immortality" (1 Cor. 15:53). Another body or form will not replace it.

Finally, in light of Paul’s theological use and respect for the body, burial is a more compatible practice. There is, therefore, a precedence for earth burial not because it enhances bodily resurrection, but because it maintains a consistent expression of its theology that is well grounded in the New Testament.

CHRISTIAN ACCEPTANCE. While the reasons Phipps gives for the wider acceptance of cremation among some Christians may be influential, they are nonetheless flawed. First, Christians should not reinterpret biblical theology so that cremation can be more acceptable. If the Bible is God’s Word - as it claims and evidence supports it to be - then Christians today, even as in biblical times, do not have a right to reinterpret it to fit the current culture.9 For theological and not merely cultural reasons, burial as a method of corpse disposal was very important in biblical times.

Second, while extravagant materialistic funerals are certainly questionable, it is hard to imagine how the body of the deceased loved one contributes to this. Were all the early Christians and Jews materialistic because they preserved the body for burial? How does the body in a funeral make modern Westerners more materialistic than their Christian and Jewish ancestors who practiced viewing and burial? Whether corpse viewing is beneficial or not is an individual preference and cannot be used as an argument against burial per se.

FROM ASHES TO ASHES. Simply because a human practice speeds up what God ordained does not mean it is right. God ordained that all fallen beings would die (Gen. 2:16-17; cf. Rom. 5:12), but this does not justify our killing them to speed up the process. God ordained pain (Gen. 3:16), but this does not mean we should inflict it on others. There is an important difference between what God can do and what we should do. Many babies naturally abort and most adults die naturally, but this does not justify our killing them (Exod. 20:13). Of course, there is a difference. The body is already dead before it is cremated; but this no more justifies cremating it than it does burning a flag because it is going to rot anyway. Again, there is significance in symbolism, and the symbolism of destroying a body that God created and that God will resurrect is the wrong message to send. Likewise, the simple fact that given time the body will turn to dust does not mean that we should turn it to dust immediately after death. God created the body, and He desires that we respect it even in death.

NONBIBLICAL ARGUMENTS FOR CREMATION

===================================

The following represent some of the more common nonbiblical reasons given to support the practice of cremation.

CREMATION IS MORE ECONOMICAL. The average cost for cremation in 1997 was around $600 to $900 dollars. The average cost of a funeral including embalming, casket, funeral service, and interment (not including the plot) is from $3,000 to $4,000. The comparison, it is argued, is easy to see. Cremation saves the family money.

CREMATION IS ECOLOGICALLY MORE DESIRABLE. For one thing, cremation saves valuable land in many instances. Cremation in these situations is greatly needed. Phipps’s point is that, as land becomes more scarce, cremation is more widely endorsed. Those choosing cremation realize that millions of acres of choice land are already given over to cemetaries, and they are convinced that better use should be made of our limited soil.

CREMATION IS THERAPEUTIC FOR THE MOURNERS. Phipps explains, "Finding no value in slow decomposition, some see no point in having morticians temporarily arrest this inevitable process by replacing the blood with embalming fluid. Nor do they find comfort in being deceived by cosmetics into thinking that the body is ‘just sleeping.' On the contrary, a clean incineration that quickly reduces the body of the deceased to its component elements can be therapeutic for mourners by expressing the final severance of the physical bond."10

RESPONSE TO NONBIBLICAL ARGUMENTS

=================================

ETHICS AND ECONOMY. The economical argument is appealing on a certain level since one can hardly argue to the contrary - cremation is less expensive than burial. Yet, what is least expensive is not always right. Doing evil is often cheaper than doing good. Sometimes a price has to be paid for doing what is right. If one has the means for burial, then one ought to do it.

ETHICS AND ECOLOGY. The argument concerning land does have some legitimacy in certain circumstances. Land in some areas is scarce; but in general this is not the case. There is plenty of land in many countries and cities that can be accessed for the purpose of burial. Over 1,000 people can be buried in just one acre of land. Bodies can also be layered in the same grave or reburied similar to what is done in other countries.11 Another option includes using or reusing above-ground crypts. This is often done in areas that have a high water table, which makes burial impossible.

THERAPY AND MORALITY. The therapeutic value argument cuts both ways. Some have argued that immediate cremation could lead to guilt and emotional problems. Alan Wolfelt observes that "seeing the body challenges the natural wish to avoid the reality of death. While [SIC], at the same time, encouraging healthy acceptance of the death."12 Deciding what is best for the grieving process is quite difficult. As burial advocate John Davis says, "Much of the therapeutic value of any funerary ritual depends on cultural conditioning, prior understanding of the death experience, the circumstance of death itself, the relationship to the deceased, and the emotional make-up of the survivors."13

THE CASE FOR BURIAL

===================

Admittedly there is no direct command regarding burial or prohibition of cremation.14 While the act of cremation, as such, is not a sin or an intrinsic evil like murder, burial is the general pattern set down in Scripture.15 Its continued practice is a reasonable inference drawn from biblical truths. Thus we believe the evidence supports the conclusion that Christians, if at all possible, should practice burial. It is more symbolically appropriate to do so. There may be circumstances, however, that make burial unwise, against the law, or even impossible; but rare exceptions should not be used to eliminate the general practice of burial.

There are at least six reasons for holding that Christians should practice burial. Each will be briefly stated. Taken together they offer good evidence for preserving the Christian practice of burial.

BURIAL FOLLOWS THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST. Jesus’ interment is described in great detail and was clearly a burial (Matt. 27:57-61; John 19:38-42). The fact that Jesus was resurrected three days later (according to Jewish reckoning), in the same body in which He died, gives assurance to the believer (John 20:1-30; Phil. 3:20-21). Burial not only shows respect for the body but it also symbolically anticipates its future - in the resurrection. Cremation, on the contrary, is more of a picture that death is the end of everything. Just as Christian baptism is symbolized by death and resurrection (Rom. 6:1ff.), so proper Christian burial can be part of the same picture.

JESUS’ BURIAL WAS ACCORDING TO THE GOSPEL. Paul used Jesus’ burial as part of the Gospel message in 1 Corinthians 15. Burial is an essential part of the "gospel" since Paul defined the "gospel" as involving death, burial, and resurrection appearances. Burial is the seal of death and resurrection is proof that death is not final (cf. Rom. 4:25; 2 Tim. 1:10). Hence, burial is a significant symbol since it portrays a crucial part of the gospel.

BURIAL PRESERVES THE CHRISTIAN BELIEF IN THE SANCTITY OF THE BODY. Christians believe God created man in His image (Gen. 1:26-27; 2:7).16 Even though God has no body (John 4:24), nevertheless in man this image of God is related to the body for at least three reasons. In Genesis 1:27 God included male and female bodies as associated with the image of God in man. According to Genesis 9:6, it is wrong to kill the body because it is linked to the image of God: "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man." It would make no sense to have such a curse if the image of God applied only to the soul, which man cannot kill (Matt. 10:28). Jesus Christ in a body is the exact representation of God’s nature. The Son "is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being" (Heb 1:3). If the image of God could be perfectly represented in man apart from the body, then the body would not be essential to resurrection. Finally, the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19-20). The body is important in Christian teaching, dead or alive, because it was uniquely designed to give expression to the image of God in man.

BURIAL SYMBOLIZES THE HOPE OF RESURRECTION. As Paul taught, the very body that is sown perishable is raised an imperishable body (1 Cor. 15:42). This is best symbolized by burial, for it anticipates the final preservation of the body in the resurrection. The image presented of the dead being asleep (1 Thes. 4:13-18) is also preserved through burial. The Christian has escaped the judgment by fire presented in the Bible (Rev. 20:14). Cremation is the wrong picture to remind believers of SALVATION IN THE BODY by resurrection (cf. Rom. 8:11). On the other hand, cremation better symbolizes pantheism, which in its Eastern forms is usually associated with a SALVATION FROM THE BODY by escaping the cycle of reincarnation.17

EARLY CHRISTIAN PRACTICE SUPPORTS BURIAL. Believers in the New Testament such as Ananias, Sapphira, and Stephen, were not cremated (Acts 5:6, 10; 8:1-2). To be sure, burial was a Jewish practice, and they were Jews, but they did not hesitate to reject Jewish practices that were contrary to their beliefs, such as circumcision (e.g., Gal. 2-3) and keeping the Jewish law (2 Cor. 3; Heb. 7-8). No such rejection of burial, however, is stated in the New Testament. When possible, early Christians were buried and cremation was looked on with great disdain because fire was often used to kill their martyrs.

BURIAL ALLOWS PROPER MEMORY OF THE DEAD. Burial or entombment, as Christians practice it, allows for an important part of the Christian belief - respect for and memory of the dead in the body in which we knew them. Regardless of whether the body is present or absent in a service, the knowledge of their burial puts their life in proper perspective as God made it and will one day restore it. In this way, Christian truth can be properly proclaimed. It is particularly important to promote such doctrines as creation and redemption at such a crucial time as ours in which these defining doctrines of Christianity are being compromised.

HOW IMPORTANT IS BURIAL VERSUS CREMATION? The answer to the question of the importance of this debate depends on what importance one places on a proper practice of what one believes, especially appropriate symbols. In fact, only if one rejects important Christian truths does cremation make sense. This is precisely the position of liberal Christians, and it is a reason why cremation finds wider acceptance in their congregations. Yet Christianity is not left intact after such doctrines as the bodily resurrection are discarded or ignored (Rom. 10:9; 1 Cor. 15:16, 17). To reject symbolism is to say the thing it symbolizes is not important. An attack on the symbol of burial and the anticipated resurrection of the body is an attack on important Christian doctrines. It is analogous to burning a U.S. flag, which is a symbol of our country. To burn the flag is to attack the country it symbolizes. Likewise, to burn the body is to attack the person - and the God who created man in His image (Gen. 1:27; 2:7). Furthermore, it denies the resurrection in a symbolic way by pronouncing death final.

Of course, there are circumstances where burial is not possible. In those cases, we must do the next best thing we can do to preserve the original intent. In the Old Testament when a Jew could not keep the Feast of Passover on the first month because he was contaminated, he was commanded to keep it on the second month (Num. 9:6-13). He was not to neglect doing it altogether. Likewise, even when cremation is called for because of bacterial or viral contamination, it should be done with regret and respect. For example, the ashes should be preserved, not cast to the wind or sea.

A FINAL THOUGHT

===============

From the Christian perspective, burial is the pattern used in Scripture and has been historically followed by the church. Of course, it should be pointed out that cremation is no hindrance to the act, or event, of the resurrection. God, in His omnipotence, is certainly able, if He so chooses, to collect every atom and molecule, no matter where it is found in the universe, and reconstruct our same bodies in a glorified state. It does not follow from this, however, that cremation is an acceptable general practice. Whereas burial is an important practice and symbol in Scripture, cremation is a poor symbol of scriptural truth. While cremation is not an intrinsic evil, it nonetheless symbolically vitiates some important biblical truths. In this sense, cremation is a hindrance to the promotion of resurrection truth and should not be a regular practice of Christians. We thus conclude that all Christians should practice Christian burial unless extraordinary circumstances do not permit it.

==========================

NOTES:

1. Joanne Leonard, "Ashes to Ashes," THE SATURDAY EVENING POST March-April 1994, 63-64.

2. William E. Phipps, "The Consuming Fire for Corpses," THE CHRISTIAN CENTURY, March 1981, 221.

3. William E. Phipps, CREMATION CONCERNS (Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, 1989), 55.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid., 53.

6. Ibid., 59.

7. Robert H. Stein, THE NEW AMERICAN COMMENTARY: LUKE, vol. 24 (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992), 301.

8. See Norman L. Geisler, THE BATTLE FOR THE RESURRECTION (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1989).

9. See Norman L. Geisler and William E. Nix, A GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE BIBLE, rev. & exp. ed. (Chicago: Moody Press. 1986).

10. Phipps, "The Consuming Fire for Corpses," 221.

11. John Davis, WHAT ABOUT CREMATION? A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE (Winona Lake, IN: BMH Books, 1989), 77.

12. Alan Wolfelt, DEATH AND GRIEF: A GUIDE FOR CLERGY (Muncie, IN: Accelerated Development, 1988), 123, as cited in Davis, 79.

13. Davis., 79-80.

14. Despite efforts to show the contrary by James W. Fraser (CREMATION: IS IT CHRISTIAN? [Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1985]), a more proper investigation of texts related to cremation shows this to be the case. See John J. Davis, WHAT ABOUT CREMATION? (Ch. 4.)

15. This is the position articulated by Davis, WHAT ABOUT CREMATION? 89-90.

16. See Norman L. Geisler, KNOWING THE TRUTH ABOUT CREATION (Ann Arbor, MI: Servant Books, 1989), ch. 1.

17. See Norman L. Geisler and J. Yutaka Amano, THE REINCARNATION SENSATION (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1987).

This article first appeared in the Summer 1998 issue of the Christian Research Journal.

CRI, P.O. Box 7000, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688

Phone (949) 858-6100 and Fax (949) 858-6111

STATEMENT DC765

The Rogers are devout Christians who have built a strong family. The father has a special interest in the spiritual condition of each of his children and often would quiz them in order to know if they were sure of their salvation. Occasionally he would ask them to share in their own words about their relationship with Jesus Christ.

One day it was seven-year-old Jimmy’s turn to express how he knew he had Eternal Life. Jimmy told his version: “I think it will be something like this in Heaven. One day when we all get to go to Heaven, it will be time for the big angel to read from the big book the names of all the people who will be there. He will come to the Rogers family and say, ‘Daddy Rogers?’ and Daddy will say, ‘HERE!’ Then the angel will call out, ‘Mommy Rogers?’ and Mommy will say ‘Here!’ Then the angel will come down to call out Susie Rogers and Mavis Rogers, and they will both say, ‘HERE!’” He paused, took a big deep breath and continued. “And finally that big angel will read my name, ‘Jimmy Rogers,’ and because I’m little and maybe he’ll miss me, I’ll jump and shout real loud, ‘HERE!’ to make sure he knows I’m there.”

Just a few days later there was a tragic accident. A car struck down little Jimmy Rogers as he made his way to catch the school bus. He was rushed by ambulance to the hospital, and all the family was summoned. He was in critical condition. The little family group gathered around the bed in which little Jimmy now lay with no movement, no consciousness and no hope for recovery. The doctors had done all that was in their power. Jimmy would probably be gone by morning. The family prayed and waited. Late in the night the little boy seemed to be stirring a bit. They all moved closer. They saw his lips move; just one word was all he uttered before he passed from this life.

But what a word of comfort and hope for a grieving family he was to leave behind. In the clear voice of a little boy, loud and clear enough so all could hear and understand, little Jimmy Rogers said the one word: “HERE!” And then he was gone to another life beyond this world, where a big angel was reading the names of all those written there.

When I come to the end of the road

and the sun has set for me,

I want no rites in a gloom filled room,

why cry for a soul set free?

Miss me a little — but not too long

and not with your head bowed low

remember the love that we once shared,

miss me — but let me go.

For this is a journey that we all

must take and each must go alone.

It’s all part of the Master’s plan,

a step on the road to home.

When you are lonely and sick of heart

go to friends we know and bury your

sorrow in doing good deeds;

miss Me — but Let Me Go.

If I Had My Life to Live over — by Erma Bombeck — (Written after she found out she was dying from cancer.)

• I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren’t there for the day.

• I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

• I would have talked less and listened more.

• I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

• I would have eaten the popcorn in the ‘good’ living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

• I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

• I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

• I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

• I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

• I would have cried and laughed less while watching television-and more while watching life.

• I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn’t show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

• Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I’d have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist in a miracle.

• When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, “Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.”

• There would have been more “I love you’s.” More “I’m sorry’s”

… But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute … look at it and really see it … live it … and never give it back.

Stop sweating the small stuff. Don’t worry about who doesn’t like you, who has more, or who’s doing what.

Instead, let’s cherish the relationships we have with those who DO love us. And what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally, as well as spiritually. Life is too short to let it pass you by.

We only have one shot at this and then it’s gone.

Steve Reinhard tells a heartwarming story about a little girl who walked home from school every day. The quickest way home for her was through the town's cemetery. It was her favorite time of day. She loved to spend time there, watching the birds or throwing herself down on the grass to watch the clouds turning into different shapes overhead. Sometimes as she skipped around the grave stones, she would whistle a tune or sing a song. Other times, she liked to kneel down and read the names and dates on gravestones, and to glide her fingers across the engraved lettering. She particularly enjoyed those walks.

Her friends would ask, “Why do you walk through the cemetery after school?” “That's easy,” she would reply, “because it's the way home.”

In an ultimate sense, that is true, isn't it? There is only one way to our heavenly home, and it is always through the cemetery.

Picture someone in the doctor's office - and they have just been told they have a terminal illness. Their reaction probably would be, “What?!? Me?? I'm going to die?” Well, yes they are - and so am I - and so are you - and you - and you. Statistics reveal that one out of every one of us is going to die someday.

If a doctor gave me a terminal diagnosis, I don't know for certain what my reaction would be - but I would like to believe I would think, “Well, okay - that's as good a way as any to go” -- since I know that the way home is through the cemetery. And it doesn't have to be a fearful passage at all, this way that leads home. It is a trip we can actually look forward to with joy.

*

[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #24391]

I was listening recently to a collection of interviews and commentaries on the subject of spirituality in America. Some of those interviewed were authors of best-selling books on various topics of spirituality; others were interviewed simply as passersby on the street. “Who is God? What does it mean to be a spiritual person?” The answers were as diverse as the tiles in a mosaic, but the mosaic was little more than a picture of chaos and contradiction. I came to the end of that message and with my head in my hands sighed, “How can anyone muddle through such a mess?”

The current state and practice of popular spirituality in America brings to mind words spoken by the prophet Jeremiah. It is a “discipline of delusion” to chase after spiritually as if it were a matter of preference and not a matter pertaining to truth. “They are altogether stupid and foolish,” writes Jeremiah, “In their discipline of delusion - their idol is wood” (10:8, NASB).

Millions and millions of people confess to believe in God, to know Him, to follow Him in some way. But does our knowledge of God pertain to truth? This is the place we must start. In the book of Romans, Paul writes of those who follow God not as God but as something less, something corrupted, and so end up chasing darkness. He writes, “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:21, NASB).

Who is it you say that you know? Do we thank and honor him as God or have we corrupted him into an image of something less? Do you trust him in life and in death?

Death has a way of questioning our knowledge of God. In death we are reminded of God's sovereignty in life and we are reminded of life's most significant answers. Who is this that I confess to know? Why do I believe this? I believe because I know the character and attributes of God. He is good. He is gracious. He is faithful. As good theology is the best answer to life's crises, death is a testimony to the importance of sound apologetics. As the prophet Isaiah has written, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you” (Isaiah 26:3). When life is shaken, when the misleading sense of our own sovereignty is challenged, we find that our knowledge of God is either an immeasurable consolation or a vacant delusion.

I attended an Easter morning service last year that will be forever etched in my consciousness. It was held in a cemetery. Surrounded by silent stones, each one marking a life put to rest, with the sting of my father's death still fresh in my mind, we sang:

Lives again our glorious King,

Where, O death, is now thy sting?

Once He died our souls to save,

Where thy victory, O grave?

Soar we now where Christ hath led,

Following our exalted Head,

Made like Him, like Him we rise,

Ours the cross, the grave, the skies.

In Christ, death is swallowed up in victory. Christ has won, and man shall win! Indeed, when this perishable puts on the imperishable, where, O death is thy sting?

____________

Copyright © 2003 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

==============

Version from March 17, 2006:

I was listening recently to a collection of interviews and commentaries on the subject of spirituality in America. Some of those interviewed were authors of best-selling books on various topics of spirituality; others were interviewed simply as passersby on the street. “Who is God?” the interviewers asked repeatedly. “What does it mean to be a spiritual person?” The answers were as diverse as the tiles in a mosaic, but the mosaic before us was little more than a picture of chaos and contradiction. I came to the end of that message and with my head in my hands I sighed: “How can anyone muddle through such a mess?”

The current state and practice of popular spirituality in America brings to mind words spoken by the prophet Jeremiah. It is a “discipline of delusion” to chase after spiritually as if it were a matter of preference and not a matter pertaining to truth. “They are altogether stupid and foolish,” writes Jeremiah, “In their discipline of delusion — their idol is wood” (10:8, NASB).

Millions and millions of people confess to believe in God, to know Him, to follow Him in some way. But does our knowledge of God pertain to truth? Can the starting point of such knowledge begin anywhere else? In the book of Romans, Paul writes of those who follow God not as God but as something less — something corrupted — and so end up chasing darkness. He writes, “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish hearts were darkened... They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:21,25).

Who is it you say that you know? Do we thank and honor this one as God or have we corrupted our speculations into an image of something less? Do you trust this one in life and in death? Do you know Him as Paul knew Him, as the God “who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were” (Romans 4:17).

Death has a way of questioning our knowledge of God. In death we are reminded — or startled to the memory — of God's sovereignty in life. We are reminded similarly of life's most significant answers. Who is this that I confess to know? Why do I believe this? In the midst of such questions we are awakened to the underpinnings of belief: I believe because I know the character and attributes of God. HE IS GOOD. HE IS GRACIOUS. HE IS FAITHFUL. “He is convenient,” or “He is comfortable” don't make the underpinnings on which to lie prostrate and assured. As good theology is the best answer to life's crises, death is a testimony to the importance of sound apologetics. In the words of the prophet Isaiah: “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you” (Isaiah 26:3). When life is shaken, when the misleading sense of our own sovereignty is challenged, we find that our knowledge of God is either an immeasurable consolation or a vacant delusion.

I attended an Easter morning service one year that will be forever etched in my consciousness. It was held in a cemetery. Surrounded by silent stones, each one marking a life put to rest, with the sting of my father's death still fresh in my mind, we sang:

Lives again our glorious King,

Where, O death, is now thy sting?

Once He died our souls to save,

Where thy victory, O grave?

Soar we now where Christ hath led,

Following our exalted Head,

Made like Him, like Him we rise,

Ours the cross, the grave, the skies.

In Christ, death is swallowed up in victory. Christ has won, and man shall win. Indeed, when this perishable puts on the imperishable, where, O death is thy sting?

________

Copyright © 2006 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

”for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23 NKJV)

The Wages Of Sin, And The Gift Of God

• wages — given by sin to its slaves: the ruin that follows a life of sin is fairly earned.

The word opsonia signify the food and pay given by generals to soldiers

• gift — John 6:39-40, 17:2-3, 1 Jn 5:11, Rom 2:7, 1 Pet 1:4, Rom 5:17, 21 — not called wages, because not merited as death is — “Estius thinks the word may be Translated a donative; because being freely bestowed, it may be compared to the donalives which the Roman generals, of their own good-will, bestowed on their soldiers as a mark of their favor.” (Macknight)

The necessary connection between sin and suffering — Rev. C. Stovel

I. The evils resulting from sin:

1. Loss of peace and calm;

2. Dissatisfaction with one’s own mind.

II. The external influences of sin:

1. Upon the one who perpetrates sin;

2. Upon others with whom he is associated.

III. Its effects:

1. Loss of public confidence;

2. The invention and support of those various arts of violence, by which we endeavor to secure safety, where confidence is lost.

The wages of sin and the rewards of grace — Michael-le-Faucheur

I. The masters in whose service men engage.

II. The rewards which these masters give to those who serve them:

1. Sin gives eternal death;

2. God gives eternal life — reunion to Himself.

III. The quality of these rewards. Learn:

1. How disgraceful a master is sin;

2. What remorse it causes;

3. What punishment it infliets

The soul’s capabilities for enjoying eternal happiness or enduring eternal woe — Rev. J. Aldis

I. No certain proof that the soul is not immortal is even pretended by the rejecters of the fact.

II. The immateriality of the soul, or its distinction from the material world.

III. Its capacity for independence of the mate rial world. Suggested by –

1. What we know of the great First Cause Himself;

2. The conscious identity of the thinking principle, in contradistinction from the endlessly changing character of the body.

IV. Some direct proofs of the soul’s immortality

1. The universality and congeniality of this belief to the human mind;

2. The manner in which it arises;

3. The uses to which it is applied;

4. The fact that, if the soul be not immortal, all the universe will, in time, decay, and nothing will be left;

5. The results of entertaining the opposite doctrine.

The wages of sin — Mr Marshall, author of the Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, having been for several years under distress of mind, consulted Dr Goodwin, an eminent divine, giving him an account of the state of his soul, and particularizing his sins, which lay heavy on his conscience. In reply, he told him he had forgot to mention the greatest sin of all, the sin of unbelief, in not believing on the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of his sins, and sanctifying his nature. On this he set himself to the studying and preaching of Christ, and attained to eminent holiness, great peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Mr. Marshall’s dying words were these:- “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The wrath to come — A servant who had made that improvement which might be expected from hearing the irreligious and blasphemous conversation continually passing at the table where he waited, took an opportunity to rob his master. Being apprehended, and urged by his master to give a reason for this infamous behavior, “Sir,” said he, “I have heard you and your friends so often talk of the impossibility of a future state, and that after death there was no reward for virtue, nor punishment for vice, that I was tempted to commit the robbery.” “Well,” replied the master, “but had you no fear of that death which the laws of your country inflict upon the crime?” “Sir,” rejoined the servant, looking sternly at his master, “what is that to you, if I had a mind to venture that ? You and your companions had removed my greatest terror; why should I fear the less ?”

“There is more bitterness following on sin’s ending than ever there was sweetness flowing from sin’s acting. You see that nothing but well in its commission, will suffer nothing but woe in its conclusion. You that sin for your profits will never profit by your sins.” — J. Dyer

“Sin is a basilisk whose eyes are full of venom; if the eye of thy soul see her first, it reflects her own poison and kills her; if she see thy soul, unseen, or seen too late, with her poison she kills thee; since, therefore, thou canst not escape thy sin, let not thy sin escape thy observation.” — Quarles

“Sins are like circles in the water when a stone is thrown into it, one produces another.” — M. Henry

In his book, “Just as Long as I'm Riding Up Front,” retired undertaker Ray McIver tells of belonging to a Kiwanis club in the 1950's in the small town of San Marcos, Texas. Now the Kiwanians in that little town were a lively bunch, all except one old guy by the name of Roger Shelton. Roger came to the meetings late, sat by himself and rarely said a word. At the meetings, the club usually had some entertainment before taking care of business, and McIver recalls the time when they had a local barbershop quartet sing for them. McIver says he doesn't remember the name of the group except that they were nicknamed “The Funeral Four” because they had been asked to sing so many times at the local funeral home that they began to sound that way. “I'm sure they were pretty good when they started,” McIver says, “but they had been singing together for so long and had been asked to sing so many of those terrible “funeral home songs” that they sounded pretty bad.

On this particular night at the Kiwanis club meeting, the quartet had decided to sing “Fairest Lord Jesus,” sure to be a crowd-pleaser. But somehow, one of the singers started off on the wrong note and everything went downhill from there. What came out was one of the most discordant, out of key renditions of “Fairest Lord Jesus” that's ever been sung. In fact it was so bad that it was all the men in the room could do to keep from busting out laughing. Well, when it was over and the quartet sat down, nobody could think of anything to say except old Roger Shelton. Just loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, Roger said, “You know, that's what I dread about dying.”

Have you ever noticed that most people dread dying? Most people fear facing that day. Nobody wants to meet the Grim Reaper. Unless, of course, you believe the Easter story.

Come with me to the scene. A tomb sealed quietly in Bethany near Jerusalem, pronouncing the finality of death, the victory of corruption over the body of a man. Two sisters weep, Mary and Martha, surrounded by professional mourners. On the outskirts of town, Jesus finally arrives with his band of men. The sisters come to Jesus and blame him for not coming sooner. They knew He had the power to heal. Why didn't he come and heal? He had healed many strangers. Why didn't he come heal a friend?

Jesus, composed and determined, said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believers in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” Martha's reply reveals that she did not understand his power or purpose, but she did know he was trustworthy: “I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

Then Jesus weeps with them. Ravi Zacharias notes that Jesus, having power to raise the dead, weeps with those who do not have that power. We do not have a high priest who cannot identify with our deepest sense of loss.

After the command was given to roll away the stone, Jesus prays aloud to his Father for all to hear and then utters the command that threw the world into gasping silence, “Lazarus, come forth!” And he came forth.

Suddenly the incredible power of death which paralyzed the world was broken. Death, though it had uttered volumes to silence the lives of scores of humans, did not have the last word. Another Word was spoken.

It is sad to see that, as this Word was spoken to penetrate the power of death, many began to plot to erase that Word. Philip Yancey points out this was the last miracle Jesus did.

But Lazarus would die again on another day. The Scripture is silent on the second physical death of Lazarus. But we can be assured that Lazarus, though the focal point of so much awe and scrutiny, was again laid in that tomb. The physical miracles of Jesus were always temporary ones. And the loss of a brother would come again to the hearts of the women.

Death's final word can only be overshadowed by a permanent resurrection! Lazarus' resurrection was not enough. The ultimate fulcrum of suffering and healing resides in Jesus Christ, who identified with our suffering by taking our sin and sorrow upon his shoulders at the Cross, and then burst forth in his resurrection to ensure a permanent hope for you and me.

The suffering of losing those we love lingers for a long time, even when we have everlasting hope. Gerald L. Sittser, who lost three generations of his family in one automobile accident, writes in his thoughtful and helpful book, A Grace Disguised, “Suffering engenders a certain degree of ambivalence in those of us who believe in the resurrection. We feel the pain of our present circumstance, which reminds us of what we have lost; yet we hope for future release and victory. We doubt, yet try to believe; we suffer, yet long for real healing; we inch hesitantly toward death, yet see death as the door to resurrection.... Living with this ambivalence is both difficult and vital. It stretches our souls, challenging us to acknowledge our morality and yet to continue to hope for final victory — the victory Jesus won for us in his death and resurrection, a victory that awaits us only on the other side of the grave.”

Though all people die, not all people will really live. Sittser writes, “The last chapter of the human story is not death but life. Jesus' resurrection guarantees it.” That is, for all who are willing to be part of his unquenchable hope and his never-ending story. This hope holds all of our sorrows in tension as we await our own permanent resurrection. Jesus Christ will utter, once and for all, “Come forth!”

__________

Copyright © 2003 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

*

Several weeks before he died in his sleep, on April 7, 1891, circus legend P.T. Barnum read his own obituary. “The New York Sun” newspaper, responding to Barnum's comment that the press only says nice things about people after they die, ran his obituary on the front page with the headline, “Great and Only Barnum - He Wanted to Read His Obituary - Here It Is.”

__________

Source: ArcaMax Trivia, http://www.arcamax.com/cgi-bin/reg

*

Darkness upon darkness. Sorrow upon sorrow. Pain upon pain. Anguish upon anguish. That's death. Death is a fearful visitor, snatching away people who are precious to us and leaving us behind to mourn, grieve, and wonder. It blocks the light that before had shined so freely and easily on our lives.

Whether we're facing the prospect of dying, or dealing with the death of a loved one, death can be devastating. It can sap our energy, change our plans, overwhelm our soul, alter our outlook, test our faith, steal our joy, and challenge our assumptions about life's purposes. When we walk through the deep valley, we feel swallowed up by the shadow and come face-to-face with fear. The frantic emptiness of our loss threatens the comfort that previously originated from our trust in God, and so we grow afraid. Afraid of our future. Afraid to enjoy life again.

Yet in that valley, under that shadow, we can say to the Lord, "I will fear no evil; for You are with me" (Psalm 23:4). His loving arms never let us go. He is always with us. Slowly at first, but most assuredly, He provides comfort and release from the darkness. He gives light. He leads us out. Eventually, we escape the valley of the shadow. -Dave Branon

We need not ponder death with fear, Though what's ahead we cannot see; For we who put our faith in Christ Look forward to eternity. -Sper Death separates us for a time; Christ will reunite us forever.

In the winter and early spring there seems to be no life in the garden and field and forest. Everything looks dead-twice dead. But it is not so really. Under the surface, roots are full of ferment, seeds are swelling, and within the bark of the trees is as much movement as in a city's noisy streets. Every fiber is tingling with vital force, and the sap is coursing along the minute channels, and all that is needed is the breath of the south wind, the warmth of the smiling sun, and the branches will burst into buds, and the earth will break out with laughing flowers. So in souls that seem dead, twice dead, the Spirit of God is often at work, and one earnest heaven-sent message calls out the buds of penitence and faith, and it is seen as a very garden of the Lord. Spiritual winter may hold a springtide of blessing and resurrection glory in its chill grasp, but He who commands both can easily transform the one into the other.

Paul tells of Christians who "through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Hebrews 2:15). There are some men and women who haunt their lives and make them cheerless for fear they will not be able to meet the king of terrors when he comes. Dear friends, learn from your Savior that no duty reveals itself till we approach it. The duty of death, when you approach it, will light itself up, you may be sure, and seem very easy to your soul. Till then do not trouble yourself about it. To live, and not to die, is your work now. When your time comes, the Christ who conquered death will prove Himself its Lord, and pave the narrow river to a sea of glass for you to cross. The work of life is living, and not, as we are so often told, preparing to die, except by living well.

-Phillips Brooks