Saturday, April 10, 2010
Revelation 14:13 Blessed are the dead which die in the LORD.
DEATH TAKES AN ETERNAL HOLIDAY
Some years ago a TV movie was shown, entitled "Death Takes A Holiday." In this film Death, which was personified, felt that people simply did not understand the wonderful purpose it served, but instead clung to "life" at all costs. Seeing no their recourse, Death decided to "take a holiday," to remove himself from the world for a 24-hour period. During this one day everything continued as usual -- except no one died. Suddenly, people began to realize that death is a vital part of life, that the world desperately needs it. The message of this film reflects the only possible explanation and comfort a godless world can draw from death -- the end of earthly troubles.
And yet, as Scripture clearly teaches and even natural man senses, death is not the end. There is "something" beyond the grave; and that "something" involves facing some kind of divine tribunal who will judge them and their lives.
The Easter Story, far from being a fictionalized tale of false hope, is a divinely-inspired factual account of living and eternal hope. Its message: Death Takes An Eternal Holiday! Of our Heavenly Homeland Jesus once said: "If a man keep My sayings, he shall never see death" (Jn. 8:51). Yet, note that little word "if" in our Savior's words. Living forever with the Lord is not a guaranteed right of human citizenship. Only by "keeping Jesus' saying", only by Spirit-created repentance and faith in Him "who was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification" will man conquer real death.
Without Christ, death must always remain that one last, great, mysterious, and inescapable reality that simply will not go away. There is an eternally better way -- found in Him who is risen. Thanks be to God, who has given death an eternal holiday!
-- The Lutheran Spokesman, April 1996
