Life in Christian preaching is portrayed as a journey or voyage, emphasizing spiritual progress over mere longevity. It highlights the importance of advancing toward God and eternal purposes rather than simply enduring time (Psalm 90:12). Illustrations often use images of travel or navigation to convey this purposeful movement (John 10:10).
Living is not a spectator sport. No one, at any price, is
privileged to sit in the stands and watch the action from a distance.
Being born means being a participant in the arena of life, where
opposition is fierce and winning comes only to those who exert every
ounce of energy.
- Jeanne Hendricks, {Afternoon} (Nashville: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 1979) 103
This life is the bud of eternity.
You have seen the tiny blossoms of the fruit trees opening in early
spring. After basking a few days in the sun it fades and falls. A germ
is left behind on the branch, but it is scarcely discernible among the
leaves. It is a green speck that can hardly be felt between your
fingers. If a hungry man should pluck and eat it, the morsel would not
satisfy; the germ as to present use is a sapless, tasteless nothing.
Grasped now as your object and end, it is the most worthless of all
things, but left and cherished as the germ of fruit, it is the most
precious.
This life is the bud of eternity; if plucked and used as the
portion of the soul, that soul will be empty now and empty forever.
But while thus abused it is worthless rightly used it is beyond all
price. Here is generated, cherished, ripened, the life that will never
die. -- William Arnot.
By J. Wilbur Chapan, "Present Day Parables."
The engineer on the Norwegian-American liner Vistafjord had invited some passengers to visit the ship's bridge. After he explained the operation of the navigational equipment, one of his guests remarked that all the brass gleamed as if it were gold. “How often do you polish it?” the man inquired. “Every day,” the engineer replied. “The minute you stop polishing, it starts to tarnish.”
That comment was like the self-appraisal made by the great pianist Ignacy Paderewski. Talking about the need for daily practice, he said that if he missed a day, he would notice the difference in his playing. If he missed several days, the critics would notice the difference. And if a week went by without practice, the public would notice the difference.
Both the engineer and the pianist teach us the same lesson. We had better not be sporadic in our spiritual disciplines if we want to become more like Christ and if we want our lives to be attractive testimonies for Him. Like David, we should praise God every day (Psalm 145:2). Like the Bereans, we are to search the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11). And like Daniel, we need to set aside times to pray throughout the day (Daniel 6:10).
Does your spiritual life need polishing?
"Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give
you light." \reference{Ephesians 5:14}{Ephesians 5:14} The following
notice was posted on the bulletin board in a business office: "The
management regrets that it has come to their attention that workers
dying on the job are failing to fall down. This practice must stop, as
it becomes impossible to distinguish between death and the natural
movement of the staff. Any employee found dead in an upright position
will be dropped from the payroll."
12/1//97 *WEST PADUCAH, Ky: 14-year-old Michael Carneal shot eight students just after an informal student prayer circle in the school lobby. Three were killed and five were wounded. He got the idea for the shootings from the 1995 movie "The Basketball Diaries," in which a student kills several people at a New York school. A possible motive is that he said he had had "been picked on at school." 10/22/97 *NORWALK, Calif.: 21-year-old Khoa Truc "Robert" Dang fatally shot his 16-year-old ex-girlfriend on her high school campus. 10/1/97 *PEARL, Mich.: Luke Woodham, 16, opened fire on his classmates, killing two and wounded seven more in the school cafeteria. 3/30/97 *SANA, YEMEN: A father opened fire at two high schools in the Yemeni capital, killing seven people, including three children, and wounding others. 2/19/97 *BETHEL, Ark.: After making multiple threats, 16-year-old Evan Ramsey fatally gunned down his high school principal and one of his classmates. 1/27/97 *WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.: Tronneal Mangum, 13, shot and killed another student on the sidewalk in front of his middle school. 10/31/96 *LOS ANGELES: High school junior Yohao Albert Rivas, 18, shot and wounded two classmates in a stairwell on campus. 10/31/96 *ST. LOUIS: A student with a gun critically wounded another student in a second-floor school hallway. 3/13/96 *DUNBLANE, SCOTLAND: Thomas Hamilton, 43, entered the local elmentary school, fatally shot 16 youngsters and their teacher and wounded 12 others. 2/29/96 *ST. LOUIS: Mark Boyd, 30, fired into a school bus after its doors swung open, killing a pregnant 15-year-old and wounding the driver. 2/2/96 *ATLANTA: David Dubose Jr., 16, shot and killed a teacher in a school hallway. 2/2/96 *MOSES LAKE, Wash.: 14-year-old Barry Loukaitas killed his teacher, fatally wounded two teenage boys and wounded a girl. 10/30/95 *RICHMOND, Va.: Edward Earl Spellman, 18, shot and wounded four students outside their high school.
BreakPoint Commentary - September 3, 1998 Doing the Right Thing Christianity and Compassion by Charles W. Colson
Today's idealists believe that compassion for the individual is a universal trait, but it isn't so. The following story illustrates how, as our Judeo-Christian heritage is weakened, our own society can manifest an abject lack of compassion. The year was 1968, and Kenneth Swan was a young army surgeon, just arrived in Vietnam. One of his first cases was a 19-year-old soldier who had been blown up by a grenade, losing his eyesight and both legs. It took seven long grueling hours at the operating table to put him back together. Dr. Swan was surprised the next day to find his fellow surgeons sharply critical of him. For not doing a good job? No-for doing the job at all. "That kid was so badly mangled," they told him, "you shouldn't have even bothered to treat him. He would have been better off dead." For the next 20 years, Swan was haunted by those words. Had he had done the right thing in trying to save that soldier's life? Swan determined to find the soldier he had patched up so many years ago in Vietnam. It took more than two years, but in the end he managed to locate him. And what he found was nothing short of astonishing. Yes, the man is blind and in a wheelchair. But he is not languishing in any hospital. He is married and has two daughters. He attended college, learned to scuba dive, and trained to help others with debilitating injuries. Now in his forties, the former soldier has a zest for life-and a faith in God. When a reporter asked him about his success in life, he responded simply, "I give the credit to God." What a testimony. And it's a great example of the life-changing power of compassion. But without a sense of duty to a higher standard -- a commandment, for example, to treat life as sacred, to love our neighbor-moral decision making is often driven by purely utilitarian considerations. In the case of most of Dr. Swan's colleagues, the wounded soldier's life was not deemed worthy of the time and effort necessary to save him. But try telling this Vietnam vet's two daughters that their daddy's life wasn't worth saving. You see, each of us has a right to expect that no effort be spared to preserve our own lives and those of our loved ones. And the Christian worldview provides us with the basis for that expectation. That's because each of us is created in the "image of God." And all life-not just that which is judged "worthy," but all life-should be treated as a gift from God. Whether through medical missions, humanitarian relief, or fighting the killing of the unborn, Christians have historically borne witness to the dignity of human life. We can learn from Dr. Swan's example and never hesitate to act with compassion-to do the right thing. And oh yes-if your secular neighbor's life should ever be in danger, he should be very happy he has a Christian living next door.
(c) 1998 Prison Fellowship Ministries Copyright notice: We encourage liberal distribution of these transcripts through email and print. Please do not post on the world wide web or use this content for profit.
'Dead' Woman Fights for Her Life -- (PHOENIX) -- Early yesterday, January 6th, 1999, Bill Bennett was told his wife had been killed in a robbery. But five hours later, authorities said she was really alive. Michelle Bennett was kidnapped during an apparent robbery at a Castle Boutique adult bookstore. The kidnappers shot her several times and left her for dead on a trail near the Lost Dutchman State Park. She is listed in critical condition this morning after surgery.
The family of this woman had even identified the body through a picture and had accepted her death. Many of the people of this world are DEAD spiritually. Too many Christians accept their death without realizing that even though they are dead they can live again in Christ.
Do not undermine your worth
by comparing yourself with others.
It is because we are different
that each of us is special.
Do not set your goals
by what other people deem important.
Only you know
what is best for you.
Do not take for granted
the things closest to your heart.
Cling to them as you would your life,
for without them,
life is meaningless.
Do not let your life
slip through your fingers
by living in the past
nor for the future.
By living your life one day at a time,
you live all the days of your life.
Do not give up
when you still have something to give.
Nothing is really over
until the moment you stop trying.
It is a fragile thread
that binds us to each other.
Do not be afraid to encounter risks.
It is by taking chances
that we learn how to be brave.
Do not shut love out of your life
by saying it is impossible to find.
The quickest way to receive love
is to give love;
The fastest way to lose love
is to hold it too tightly.
Do not dismiss your dreams.
To be without dreams
is to be without hope;
To be without hope
is to be without purpose.
Do not run through life
so fast that you forget
not only where you have been,
but also where you are going.
Life is not a race,
but a journey
to be savored
each step of the way.
Finishing The Race
Read: 2 Timothy 4:6-8
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. --2 Timothy 4:7
It's easy to live a long life, at least in America. Look at the statistics: Out of every 100,000 persons, 88,361 reach 50 years of age, more than 70,000 make it to 70, and almost 17,000 get to 85 or more. Staying around a long time, however, should not be our primary goal. Rather, we should be concerned with giving significance and value to all our years and not letting them end in shame and disgrace.
How we finish the race depends to a great extent on the pace we set along the way. Joseph Wittig remarked that when we write people's biographies we should start with their death, not their birth. After all, we have nothing to do with the way our life began, but we have a lot to do with the way it ends.
When Paul wrote 2 Timothy, he was in a Roman dungeon awaiting execution. He said, "I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand" (4:6). At that moment he could testify, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (v.7).
We too can end the Christian race well, even if we began late, started slow, or faltered along the way. The secret is to stay true to Christ to the last moment. --HWR
Just live your life before your Lord,
Rise to that higher, nobler plane--
With single eye His glory seek,
And you shall His approval gain. --Rae
He who puts God first will have happiness that lasts.
Charlie Brown, pondering his plight in life, thought, "Yesterday,
for one brief moment I was happy. But just when I thought I was
winning in the game of life, there was a flag thrown on the play and
life dealt me a blow."
A mother overheard her sons little six-year-old friend ask why
babies are spanked when they are born, the youngster replied, "To get
them used to it."
In 1944, a forty-one-year-old woman sought an abortion from her doctor. He firmly refused, asserting that abortion was just not right, morally, ethically, or legally.
The woman later gave birth to a baby boy and named him James Robinson. This unwanted child grew up to become a well-known evangelist.
God has a plan for every human life, even those who are not wanted.
- Michael Green
The inventor of the pencil addressed his finished product as
follows: "I want you to remember four things: "First, your goodness or
true worth is within you. Secondly, you'll need to be sharpened as you
go through life. Thirdly, you'll be in someone else's hand, otherwise
you'll make an awful mess. Finally, you'll be expected to leave a
mark."
- James A. Feehan, {Story Power!, }(San Jose, CA: Resource
Publications, Inc, 1994) 42
Submitted by:
Matthew Cole
They all lined up so full of hope,
each thought to win the race,
or tie for first, or if not that,
at least take second place.
And fathers watched from off the side,
each cheering for his son;
And each boy hoped to show his dad
that he would be the one.
The whistle blew, and off they went,
young hearts and hopes afire,
To win, to be the hero there
was each young boy's desire.
And one boy in particular
whose dad was in the crowd,
Was running in the lead and thought,
my dad will be so proud.
But as they sped down the field
across a shallow dip,
The little boy who thought to win,
lost his step and slipped.
Trying hard to catch himself,
his hands flew out in brace,
and mid the laughter of the crowd,
he fell flat on this face.
So down he fell and with him hope,
he couldn't win, not now;
Embarrassed, sad, he only wished
to disappear somehow.
But as he fell his dad stood up,
and showed his anxious face;
Which to the boy so clearly said;
get up and win the race.
He quickly rose, no damage done,
behind a bit, that's all.
And ran with all his might and mind
to make up for the fall.
So anxious to restore himself,
to catch up, to win,
His mind went faster than his legs,
he slipped and fell again.
He wished then he had quit before,
with only one disgrace;
I'm hopeless as a runner now,
I shouldn't try to race.
But in the laughing crowd he searched,
and found his father's face.
That steady look that said again,
get up and win the race.
So up he jumped to try again,
ten yards behind the last;
If I'm going to gain those yards
I've gotta move real fast.
Exerting everything he had,
he regained eight or ten;
But trying so hard to catch the lead
he slipped and fell again.
Defeat; he lay there silently,
a tear dropped from his eye;
There's no sense in running anymore
three strikes I'm out, why try.
The will to rise had disappeared
all hope had fled away;
So far behind, so error prone
I'll never go all the way.
I've lost - so what's the use he thought,
I'll live with my disgrace;
But then he thought about his dad
who soon he'd have to face.
Get up - an echo sounded low,
get up and take your place;
You were not meant for failure here,
get up and win the race.
With borrowed will, get up, it said,
you haven't lost at all;
For winning is no more than this,
to rise each time you fall.
So up he rose to run once more,
and a new commit;
He resolved that win or lose the race,
at least he wouldn't quit.
Three times he'd fallen, stumbling,
three time he rose again;
Now he gave it all he had,
and ran as though to win.
They cheered the winning runner
as he crossed the line first place;
Head high and proud and happy,
no failing, no falling, no disgrace.
But when the fallen youngster
crossed the line last place,
The crowd gave him the greatest cheer,
For finishing the race.
And even though he came in last
with head bowed low unproud,
You would have thought he won the race
to listen to the crowd.
And to his dad, he sadly said,
I didn't do so well;
To me you won, his father said,
you rose each time you fell.
And now when things seem dark
and hard and difficult to face,
The memory of that little boy
helps me in my race.
For all of life is like that race
with ups and downs and all,
And all you have to do to win,
Is RISE each time you fall.
(author unknown)
Start living now. Stop saving the good china for that special occasion. Stop withholding your love until that special person materializes. Every day you are alive is a special occasion. Every minute, every breath, is a gift from God. - Mary Manin Morrissey
"There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty." --Proverbs 11:24
The Dead Sea died of stinginess. Year after year it has received and not given. It has an inlet but no outlet. Likewise, the person who takes in what others offer spiritually but never gives anything out will become lifeless.
A student went to a professor and complained that he wasn't making progress in his studies. He then asked if he should find a tutor. "Get a tutor?" responded the wise professor. "What you need is a pupil!"
The author of the letter to the Hebrews scolded the readers because instead of being teachers they were like babies, still drinking spiritual milk (Heb. 5:12). Jesus, however, taught that we are to be generous in giving service to others (Lk. 6:30-38).
A man once said to me, "I never could get much out of the Bible until I began teaching a Sunday school class. Then I gave out the Word instead of just taking it in." There is no better way to learn than by teaching others. How much do you give out after taking in? Study the Word, not only for personal blessing and profit but for sharing.
Why is the Dead Sea dead? It keeps taking in but never gives out. Don't make the same mistake. Tell someone today what you are learning. Share the blessing and be blessed yourself. --M. R. De Haan, M.D. (founder of RBC Ministries)
Is your life a channel of blessing?
Is the love of God flowing through you?
Are you telling the lost of the Savior?
Are you ready His service to do? --Smyth
When you give help to another, you get a blessing in return.
A Name Of Honor
Read: 1 Chronicles 4:1-10
Oh, that You would bless me . . . and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain! –1 Chronicles 4:10
Bible In One Year: Ephesians 4-6
When we read through the Bible, we're inclined to skip the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles because they're just lists of names. But here and there we can find interesting nuggets of information. The two verses about Jabez are a case in point (4:9-10).
The chronicler paused to tell us that this man was "more honorable than his brothers" (v.9). Why was he so honorable? We don't know for sure, but we can find some clues in his name and in a short prayer he uttered.
The name Jabez means "he causes pain." Who would want a name like that? His mother may have given him that name because of the intense suffering she experienced at his birth.
Instead of being bitter, or changing his name to something like "love" or "peace," Jabez turned to the Lord. He asked God to bless his life (v.10). Bible scholars have translated the last part of verse 10 either as a prayer to be kept from pain or as a plea for help so he would not cause pain to others. I believe Jabez was honorable because he pleaded with the Lord to help him live righteously so he would not cause others to suffer.
No matter what your name is, you too can be a person of honor. Ask the Lord to bless you and to make you a blessing to others today. –DCE
Make me a blessing, make me a blessing!
Out of my life may Jesus shine;
Make me a blessing, O Savior, I pray,
Make me a blessing to someone today. –Wilson
© Renewal 1952 The Rodeheaver Company
God blesses us so that we will bless others.
Honesty/Life/Time
A lawyer dies in a car accident on his 40th birthday and finds himself greeted at the Pearly Gates by a brass band. Saint Peter runs over, shakes his hand and says "Congratulations!!!"
"Congratulations for what?" asks the lawyer.
"Congratulations for what?!?!?" says Saint Peter. "We're celebrating the fact that you lived to be 160 years old."
"But that's not true," says the lawyer. "I only lived to be forty."
"That's impossible," says Saint Peter. "We've added up your time sheets."
Yukon: No sign of life on meteorite
WHITEHORSE - To scientists' disappointment, a meteorite that fell on Tagish Lake in B.C. last year has been found to contain none of the organic ingredients believed necessary to have initiated life on Earth. Fragments of the meteorite sprinkled on the lake barely possess the amino acids necessary for life. Many scientists believe simple life arose on Earth more than four billion years ago after meteorites crashed through the atmosphere, carrying amino acids and other biochemical compounds from outer space.
Life is a journey through many terrains,
from gardens of pleasure to deserts of pain.
From an ocean of love to a jungle of hate,
from mountains of glory to canyons of fate.
There’s a highway for joy and a highway for sorrow,
a road for today and a road for tomorrow,
so choose your path wisely and walk it with care.
If you follow your heart, you’ll find your way there.
I’ve been to the garden and planted seeds there,
I’ve been to the desert and felt the despair.
I’ve swum in the ocean and drank of it’s wine,
and I’ve soared the skies through clouds divine.
I climbed up the mountain to touch the sky,
I went to the canyon and started to cry.
I’ve traveled both highways: both today and tomorrow;
I’ve basked in the joy and wallowed in sorrow.
My Path has been chosen and I’ve walked it with care;
I followed my heart and I’m on my way there.
So I’ll just keep walking till I find what I’m after,
to mountains and oceans and gardens of laughter.
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.
1. Gone is the guilt of my sin,
Peace is now reigning within;
Since I believed — pardon received —
Happy, so happy I’ve been.
Chorus:
New life in Christ, abundant and free!
What glories shine, what joys are mine,
What wondrous blessings I see!
My past with its sin, the searching and strife,
Forever gone — there's a bright new dawn!
For in Christ I have found new life!
2. Brighter the journey each day,
Though there is much to dismay;
Heaven awaits — bright pearly gates —
There at the end of the way.
3. Come with your sin-burdened heart,
Christ will His cleansing impart;
He will forgive — in Him you’ll live —
Oh how the joybells will start.
The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. — Genesis 2:7
As scientists get closer and closer to unlocking the entire genetic code of humans — as they move toward determining the exact chemical sequence of the DNA in every cell in every human body — they run the risk of jumping to a wrong conclusion. One Harvard biologist made that logical error when he said that the discovery of those facts will lead scientists and researchers to know “what it is to be human.”
Not quite.
That kind of assumption can be made only when humans are viewed from an evolutionary viewpoint — one that eliminates God. When people study the origins of mankind without considering God, they will, for example, look at the fact that humans and other mammals have a similar DNA structure and assume this is evidence that we have descended from those other beings.
Any such thinking literally takes our breath away: our breath of life from God. The major difference between humans and animals cannot be discovered in a lab. That difference happened thousands of years ago when, according to Genesis 2:7, God did something special with the first person He created — something he apparently didn’t do with monkeys or tigers or giraffes. God “breathed into [Adam’s] nostrils the breath of life.”
Dr. Paul Brand, writing in his book IN HIS IMAGE, said this: “This single act of special creation, God breathing into man ‘the breath of life,’ distinguishes humanity from all other creatures. We share with animals a biological shell composed, in our case, of bone, organs, muscle, fat, and skin. In truth, we fall short in direct comparison to the strictly biological functions of some animals. … The total sum of our sheer physical qualities is no more godlike than a cat’s.
“And yet, we are made in the image of God… We are not ‘mere mortals.’ We are, all of us, immortals.”
According to Genesis, God created mankind in His image. Then He breathed the breath of life into the first human. That puts an uncrossable gap between humans and animals. Now, that’s something that can take your breath away. — DB
REFLECTION
• What is my thinking on the origins of life? Do I believe it happened as God’s Word says, or do I think evolutionary scientists are right?
• Have I examined the implications of not believing the Bible’s account of Adam and Eve? How does that impact what we believe about God’s plan of redemption?
God is our creator — not our “evolver.”
“For to me, to live [is] Christ, and to die [is] gain.” (Philippians 1:21 NKJV)
Living and Dying
• for…Christ — Gal 2:20, Col 3:3-4 — union with Him, devotion to His service (Ellicott)
• to…gain — Rev 14:13 — corporeal, mental, spiritual, eternal. Gain every way: better condition, employments, companions, place, rewards.
To die is gain — C. Payne
This is true of the Christian :-
I. Physically;
II. Mentally;
III. Morally;
IV. Socially;
V. Eternally.
Christian life — J. C. Jackson
These words indicate:–
I. Entire renouncement of self.
II. Absolute devotedness to Christ. Christ is worthy of this:-
1. Because He is a Divine Person, in whom dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily;
2. He is a Divine Saviour, and has done and suffered for us more than our gratitude and service can ever repay.
Christ, the believer’s gain in life and death — Dr Tuckney
I. Christ is a true Christian’s life. He is so:-
1. As the efficient cause — the Author — and Preserver of that life;
2. As the believer lives not to himself, but to Christ — lives to Him as the vital principle from which. he acts — as his example — as His honour is his main end.
II. Death is gain to the godly:-
1. It ends all sin;
2. It ends all misery, sorrow, and fear;
3. It perfects all graces;
4. It completes their happiness.
Application :-
1. Consider the believer’s blessedness in life and death;
2. Labour to attain to this happiness;
3. Be superior to fear of death;
4. Estimate all gain by this test — will it prove a gain in death?
The gain of dying — “I am no longer disposed,” says a Jew in writing to another, “to laugh at religion, or to plead that Christianity has no comforts in death. I witnessed the last moments of my worthy gardener, and wish I may die his death; and, if there is happiness in another life, this disciple of Jesus is assuredly happy. When the physician told him he was in extreme danger, ‘How,’ said he, ‘can that be, when God is my Father, Jesus my Redeemer, heaven my country, and death the messenger of peace? The greatest risk I run is to die, but to die is to enter into complete and endless bliss.’ His last words were, ‘I die, but what needs that trouble me? My Jesus is the true God, and eternal life.’”
“Death only supplies the oil for the inextinguishable lamp of life.” — Coleridge
“To look upon death as eternity’s birthday, is that which makes itnot only tolerable, but amiable. ‘Hie dies postremus aeterni natalis est,’ are words I admire more than any others that ever dropt from a heathen’s lips.” — Leighton.
Luke 10:25–42 — Two Ways to Life — « Leader information shown in this fashion »
A. The context: this follows the words of Jesus to His disciples in which He rejoices that the Father has made spiritual truth clear, not to the wise and prudent, but to babes (verse 21). The two incidents next recorded are contrasting illustrations of this truth. « There is a lawyer, skilled in the understanding of the law of Moses and the traditions; there is Mary, a young girl, a “babe” in terms of education. »
B. Parable of the Good Samaritan (only found in Luke)
1. preamble, Luke 10:25–29 (NKJV): 25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” 27 So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbour as yourself.’” 28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” 29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?”
a. the lawyer’s first question, 10:25. It is important in looking at Jesus’ reply here, and other places, to carefully note what is the question that is being asked. « For example, many people wrongly interpret Matthew 24 and 25 because they fail to realize that
(A) in Matthew 24:3, the disciples ask three questions
(1) when will the temple be destroyed?
(2) what will be the signs of Jesus’ coming (parousia)?
(3) what will be the sings of the end of the age?
(B) and that Jesus answers the disciples’ questions neither in order nor individually. » Jesus probably was teaching with everyone seated; so the lawyer stood to question Him.
b. what was the purpose of the lawyer’s question?
(A) « to put to the test fully (ek-) or evaluate completely »
(B) is this necessarily bad? « — no, Deuteronomy 13:1-5 and 18:15–22 placed the responsibility on Israelites to test prophets to ensure they were not false »
c. what are the principal elements of the lawyer’s question?
(A) the result:– « eternal life; literally, life for the age to come; ie., life suitable for the promised kingdom age; it is probably only a slight exaggeration to say that for the Jew this was bound up with a kingdom in the land »
(B) the process:– « inheritance; God’s blessing of the nation of Israel, and particularly those related to the land, was based upon its keeping of the Mosaic covenant; so the word shows the scope of the lawyer’s question: the Law. Can there be inheritance without death? Yes; prodigal son, inheritance of the land of Canaan, for example. The argument in Hebrews 9:16ff is on another subject. »
(C) the means:– « doing (works); “what can I perform?” so his underlying assumptions were eternal life is law-based and that he so far had met all of the required criteria. »
d. what does Jesus choose as the authority for the answer to the question of the lawyer? « — the Law, his own field »
e. what are Jesus’ questions to the lawyer?
(A) « what is written that you recite in the shema’ daily? »
(B) « how do you understand the words your recite? »
f. the lawyer recites (as did Jesus, Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:29) from two old testament passages; what do these sum up?
(A) Deuteronomy 6:4–5? « — the first table of the law, being man’s duty to God »
(B) Leviticus 19:18? « — the second table of the law, being one’s duty to fellow man; »
g. the word neighbour: in the Greek it is not the word for the person living next door, but part of the community; in the Hebrew it is from ra’ah: meaning II, associate with (meaning I, tend, pasture, shepherd)
h. how does Jesus assess the lawyer’s answer? « — it is correct »
i. Jesus tells him to do this; what will be the result? « — eternal life, because Jesus is answering his question without deceitful »
j. Jesus could answer this way because He knew (1) what the next question would be, (2) so that the lawyer would not be able to leave with a false hope, and, (3) the lawyer’s answer was not about performance of the Law, but about having love which can only come by grace — in the same situation, we need to make sure these truths are stated
k. what was the purpose and implication of the lawyer’s second question?
(A) « to show himself either righteous or learned in the law »
(B) « to prove his keeping of the second part was complete by appropriately limiting what is a neighbour »
l. Jesus replies with the parable of the Good Samaritan; what question does it
(A) answer? « — who is my neighbour? »
(B) NOT answer? « — how am I saved; can I earn eternal life? »
2. the parable, Luke 10:30–35 (NKJV): 30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’”
a. the man was beaten and dying, already half way there
b. priests and Levites were religious professionals whose duties
(A) were « — the ministration of temple sacrifice & service »
(B) required (Leviticus 21:1–4, Numbers 8:6, 19:11-12) « — to be ceremonial clean in order to carry out their duties »
c. the the Jews, the Samaritan was
(A) « a mixed, partly Jewish race »
(B) « one practising a false, heathen religion »
d. and he showed: « compassion, mercy, love »
3. Luke 10:36-37 (NKJV): 36 “So which of these three do you think was neighbour to him who fell among the thieves?” 37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
a. then how is “neighbour” defined here? « — any fellow human who is in need of your neighbourliness, of mercy or help »
b. what is pointed out as missing in the lawyer? « — mercy »
c. is mercy a commandment of God? « — consider Micah 6:8; it is not “what the Lord suggests for you” »
4. so, can a person (other than Jesus Christ) be justified by Law?
a. Romans 3:20? « — no, it is impossible »
b. why not (also Romans 8:3)? « — because the law can only bring to light the knowledge of our sin, and man must fail in its keeping because of the impact of our fallen nature »
C. The Mary and Martho Lesson, Luke 10:38–42 (NKJV): 38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” 41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part {share}, which will not be taken away from her.”
1. in this context of lawyers, Jews, and Samaritans
a. where was Martha situated? « — a good Jew, even believing in Christ, but more concerned with duty and service than with spending time with Jesus himself »
b. Mary? « — a good Jew, but thirsting for more than any doctor of the law could give; thirsting for the word of the Lord »
2. what is the character of Mary’s portion? « — everlasting; Greek word is used in LXX in Deuteronomy 10:9, 12:12 »
D. what lessons should Christians learn from these two narratives?
1. « what it really means to show love to one’s neighbour »
2. « what it really means to love the Lord »
Psalm 34:11–14 — The Ways of Life « Leader information shown in this fashion »
A. There are psalms that are so full of truth, that one is hard-pressed to choose just one section to meditate upon; this 34th is such a one
1. 34:1–3 are a magnificent call to praise God
2. 34:4–7 are a testimony of God’s answering of prayer
3. 34:8–10 are an invitation to see how Providential He is
4. 34:11–14 teaches the ways of life that God would have for us
5. 34:15–22 here 4 couplets describe God’s dealing with the righteous, in contrast to the trouble around them, and in contrast to the wicked « ; it includes a Messianic prophecy (verse 30, see John 19:36, but also Exodus 12:46, Numbers 9:12); note also the heading of this Psalm found in some Bibles »
B. 11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12 Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit. 14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. (NKJV) «
1. Spurgeon suggests that the words are addressed to the boys and girls of Gath who made sport of David’s seeming madness; here a king, and in trouble, pauses to teach others of God »
2. “the fear of the LORD” what is it?
a. first of all « a respectful reverence and awe to His person (the 4 fears of sin: inconvenience, punishment, loss of some joy in heaven, offending the Father) »
b. Proverbs 8:13 but also « a changed life reflecting the above »
3. what are two results to those who “fear the LORD?”
a. Proverbs 10:27, 14:27 « — prolonged days (why?) »
b. Proverbs 15:16, 19:23 « — sees good; enjoys life »
4. what are the lessons to be learned to show fear of the Lord?
a. sanctification in S « peech » ________
(A) evil — « those things which hurt, harm, injure »
(B) guile — « those things which deceive, are false »
b. sanctification in A « ction » ________
(A) A « bandon » _________ what is evil
(B) P « ractice » _________ what is good
c. Sanctification in A « ppetite » _________, seeking, pursuing P « eace » _______, « which is first of all with God, then with men, and is a characteristic of true spiritual health »
Today we begin to examine one of the most profound truths in the Bible — the principle that life is always preceded by death. It is not difficult to bring together a host of corroborative Scriptures to prove this point, but let the one that is before us suffice for now. The order is unmistakable It is only when a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies that it produces more seeds. No death, no life — it is as simple as that.
Understanding this issue is so important that I would go as far as to say that Christians who don’t grasp the concept can easily lose their way spiritually. Some years ago I read of a pilot whose plane crashed in a field outside a small town in Africa. Investigators looking for the cause of the crash surmised that the pilot thought he was landing at his intended destination when in fact he was approaching a town with a similar name. The difference in spelling was a matter of just one letter. His planned destination was a thousand feet lower than where he actually landed, and he was killed (so it is thought) because he believed he had a thousand feet more than was actually the case. He worked from the wrong map.
If we have the wrong “mental map” of the issue that is before us — that life is preceded by death — then we can miss our way and end up as a spiritual casualty. If we are to live — really live — then we must be willing to die to all self-interest. A missed step here may mean a miss-spent life.
PRAYER:
Gracious and loving heavenly Father, help me I pray not to work from the wrong “mental map”. Give me a clear understanding of the fact that life must be preceded by death. In Christ’s Name I ask it. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
• Rom. 6:1-23; Luke 9:24; 1 Cor.15:36
• What is the significance of baptism?
• What is “spiritual” death?
For one family in Venezuela, the space between death and life is filled with more shock than usual. After a serious car accident, Carlos Camejo was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials released the body to the morgue and a routine autopsy was ordered. But as soon as examiners began the autopsy, they realized something was gravely amiss: the body was bleeding. Without anesthesia, they quickly stitched up the wounds to stop the bleeding, a procedure, in turn, that jarred the man awake. “I woke up because the pain was unbearable,” said Camejo. Equally jarred awake was Camejo’s wife, who came to the morgue to identify her husband’s body and instead found him in the hallway -- alive.
Saturated with images from countless forensic television shows, the scene comes vividly to life. But equally vivid is the scientific principle utilized by the doctors in the morgue. Blood is ubiquitous with work in a morgue; but the dead do not bleed. This is a sign of the living.
Thought and practice in Old Testament times revolved around a similar understanding: LIFE IS IN THE BLOOD. It is this notion that informs the expression that “blood is on one’s hands” when life has wrongfully been taken. When Cain killed his brother Abel, God confronted him in the field, “Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10). There is a general understanding that blood is the very substance of our createdness, that in our blood is the essence of living. There is life in the blood; there is power.
This notion of blood and its power can also be seen in the language of sacrifice and offering found throughout Near Eastern culture. “And you shall provide a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering to the LORD daily; morning by morning you shall provide it” (Ezekiel 46:13). Just as it was understood that the force of life exists in the blood, there was a general understanding of our need for THE POWER of blood, a need in our lives for atonement. But the blood of Israel’s sacrifices was not like the blood shed by those attempting to appease and approach the gods they feared and followed. The prophets sent throughout Israel’s history were forever insisting that God wanted more than the empty performance of sacrifice. God desired these offerings to exemplify the heart of a worshiper, one who yearns to be fully alive in the presence of the creator. The blood of a living sacrifice made this possible, but God would provide a better way.
When Scripture speaks of Christ as the Lamb of God, it is meant to be a description that moves well beyond symbolism. Christ is the Lamb whose blood cries out with enough life and power to atone the depravity of the world. He is the Lamb who comes to the slaughter alive and aware, and with his blood moves us forever into the presence of God. There is life in the blood of Christ; there is power, and he has freely given it. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said to a crowd that would understand the concept, “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, YOU HAVE NO LIFE IN YOU” (John 6:53).
Mr. Camejo bled because he was living. His pain was equally a sign of life. When you consider your own pain or the many ways in which you have bled, fragile and mortal, do you see it as a sigh of life, something shared with one who suffered in every way? When you consider the elements of the Lord’s Supper, Christ’s body and blood, or the story of Jesus being led to the Cross, do you see someone very much alive, bleeding, and conscious? “When they hurled their insults at him,” writes Peter, “he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he...bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness” (1 Peter 2:23-24). When you consider standing before the throne of heaven, before the Lamb standing in the center looking as if it had been slain, will you bow before the one who forever bears the scars of your atonement, whose blood offers you life itself? The Lamb of God is not dead and buried, but living and active, beckoning a broken world to his wounded side. Indeed, the dead don’t bleed.
________
Copyright © 2007 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. — Colossians 3:4.
A missionary who was returning to his home from a service he had been conducting had these five words, “Christ, who is our life,” pass through his soul and they were made a new world to him. He said, “Within ten paces, as I walked, life was transformed to me. So wonderful was the discovery that the Lord Christ is not
only Rescuer, Friend, King, but Life itself — Life central, inexhaustible, springing up within my heart, rising to eternity.” — T. M. Olson.
Thy biddings are enablings,
Thy leadings always right;
Thy presence is salvation,
Thy prowess is our might;
Thy smile our compensation,
THYSELF OUR LIFE, our light.
And have put ‘on the new man. — Col. 3:10.
We put it on, however, not just as a man may don a new coat, but rather as a bird dons a new dress of feathers after molting. The new character grows naturally out of the new life we have in Christ. — F. B. Hole.
O teach us so the power to know
Of risen life with Thee,
Not we may live while here below,
But Christ our life may be.
Life is a Miracle
Don't let it slip away,
Open your heart to others
Give of yourself each day.
See the Beauty in everyone
Regardless of where they've been,
Some have a difficult journey
And really need a friend.
Share your talents
Listen with your heart.
Do the things you dream about
But don't have time to start.
Pick a bouquet of flowers
Show someone that you care,
Be gracious and forgiving
Life is never fair.
Hold on to your courage
You may need it down the road,
We all have a cross to bear
It could be a heavy load.
If your practice all these things
No matter where you roam,
You may find both sun and rain
But you'll never feel alone.
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith (Colossians 2:6, 7).
Some Christians believe that walking by faith means being carried along by a mysterious, ethereal, indescribable inner sense called “faith.” But the walk of faith is much more practical and definable than that. Walking by faith simply means that you function in daily life on the basis of what you believe. Your belief system determines your behavior. If your behavior is off in a certain area, you need to correct your belief in that area because your misbehavior is the result of your misbelief.
“But how can I know what I really believe?” you may ask. Take a few minutes to complete the following statements as concisely and truthfully as possible.
I would be more successful if …
I would be more significant if …
I would be more fulfilled if …
I would be more satisfied if …
I would be happier if …
I would have more fun if …
I would be more secure if …
I would have more peace if …
Whatever you believe is the answer to these statements constitutes your present belief system.
Assuming that your basic physiological needs (food, shelter, safety, etc.) are met, you will be motivated in life by what you believe will bring your success, significance, fulfillment, satisfaction, happiness, fun, security and peace. If what you believe about these eight values does not line up with what God says about them, your walk of faith will be off to the same degree that your belief is off.
Father, enable me to grow in my understanding of Your Word today so my faith-walk will be strengthened.
”If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” — Gal 5:25-26
What’s the difference between living by and walking by the Spirit? Paul tells us that we live at the mercy of the Holy Spirit. Because of Him, we have come to know the Lord. We have accepted Him as our Savior. But that is not enough. We must also let the Spirit guide us in our day by day lives. See the difference? The first gives us life, the second empowers us to live that life to it’s fullest.
About a year ago, friends of ours had a baby girl. Melissa has life. There is no doubt about that. She laughs, she chatters, she cries, she eats — all the things a living being does. However, it will be years before she can cope with all of life’s complexities. There is no way she can go to the store and buy her own food. She cannot read a book. She cannot earn a living. Why? She does not have those abilities. Her parents do all that for us.
So it is with the Christian life. When the Spirit brings us to the foot of the cross, we accept life in Jesus. That means we have been redeemed. Our sins are forgiven. The death pall that covered us has been pulled away — we are alive! But, if a sudden spiritual storm approaches us, we may well flounder in our newborn state. It is only through the empowering indwelling of the Spirit that we are given strength for the day to day trials of Christian living.
Melissa lives by her parents union. She walks by their strength because they do everything for her. We live by the Spirit because of our new birth in Jesus. We must learn to walk by Him — allowing Him to direct our paths. Paul tells us that we must WALK BY THE POWER AND GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT! When we do this, I can assure you that we will not be boastful. The man who walks in his own strength can readily and honestly boast of his accomplishments. “Look what I have done. I have taken this idea and made it into a multi-million dollar business. I did it with my own hands and intellect.” On the other hand, the man who walks by the Spirit, can only boast in what the Lord has done in his life. “Look what the Lord has done. He has taken what little I have to offer and built it into a multi-million dollar business. I didn’t do it. I couldn’t do it. He did it! Blessed be the Name of the Lord!”
See the difference? Let’s determine today to walk humbly being led daily by the Holy Spirit of God. Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength. – Charles Spurgeon
Theologian Robert Clouse had heart transplant. Some believers told him it was God's will for him to die. Transplant gave him renewed appreciation for life and spiritual things. Tough questions - is donor really dead? U.S. policy examined.
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