How often do we as humans think about our mortality? Generally something has to jog our brains a bit before we being to really contemplate the seriousness of life and death. Maybe we see a horrific accident on the news, a national disaster such as hurricane Katrina, or even now an act of terror such as September 11th. We put our time into many activities to keep us preoccupied so that we do not have to face the reality that our lives change from day to day and we will one day have to face the end. How do you feel about that day? You know the day when, in reality, you will face death. Most of us think about our own mortality when a relative or friend passes away. We think, “He was only my age how could he have passed.” He got cancer at the age of forty-seven; wow that must be tough.
Different people approach the idea of mortality differently. A person’s view on life, the purpose of mankind, the innate value of a person, and other such important issues can find themselves on many different sides of the issue of death. Some people don’t believe in an after life while others don’t think about it until the very end and find themselves greatly afraid of what they do not know. Yet, there is another group on the other side of this issue that should have absolute confidence in their eternal home and yet so many of those fear because they aren’t absolutely sure. In my work I have encountered many people and many different faces of those who have approached death’s door. I have been to quite a few bedsides during the last hours of people’s lives. Let me take you through what I have seen and heard. Let me take you through what I say and what I don’t say so that you have a better picture of what I see.
As soon as I get the phone call, I begin prepping myself for the upcoming encounter with the family. I try to control my voice, inflections, and how I sound so that I present a calm and caring influence. “I will be there as soon as possible,” I guarantee as I rush out of the door. As I hurry to the place of their final hours, I prepare myself for the coming onslaught of questions and emotions that preempt the final hours of life. I know full well that soon enough I must have the answers they seek and that yet also I must have perfect control of what I say in those moments. Sooner than I think I begin pulling into the parking place where my car will rest. All that drive disappeared in what felt like a matter of seconds. I quickly enter the building and head for the elevator. I mentally prepare myself as I slowly walk down the corridors of the hospital. They are grayish green, bleak with hurried nurses running around. As I walk I notice the dead silence of the hospital. All you can really hear is the clicking of shoes. I step past the nurses’ station and towards the door of the one passing. Lightly knocking on the door, I make my presence known by peeking in to make sure I am welcome. After just a brief few steps I stand before those who have gathered; close family. Now, the conversation goes one of two ways at this point: 1) they have great doubts of their fate or 2) they know exactly where they are going.
Let’s start with scenario number 1: they have no idea what’s coming and doubt their fate. I’ve seen so many people questioning what will happen next, can they do anything to assure them, will they go to heaven? It’s like watching someone drown in a sea of doubt and regret, begging for a life raft to help them through this storm and I don’t have a life raft like that. You look into their eyes and you see the emptiness of their soul searching for anything resembling hope. I tell them about Christ’s saving grace and the eternity he promises. I tell them they should have listened to the truth about Christ and accepted Him as their Lord and Savior. I can see the emptiness and fear in their eyes begging me to give them one ounce of hope but at this point I have told them all there is to know except that God judges the tenor of ones life. You cannot have a tenor of life if you accept Christ and pass-away. I don’t tell them this because God is the judge of all mankind and He will make a just ruling about their lives. God is the judge and he will do what is right in His sight; not mankind’s. As I stand next to the bedside I watch in sadness with the family as a loved one passes away. The family wants to believe nothing more than that they are in a perfect place with no more pain or trouble. I look around holding their hands and hugging them trying to give them some solace and comfort during this dark hour in their lives. I can see the doubt in their eyes as well. They are grabbing at straws that give them hope as well. They want to believe that their beloved family member is in heaven. I don’t have the heart to tell them that without Christ they have no chance of entering heaven. I wouldn’t want to crush their already hurting hearts. At this point I say a prayer, asking God to care for the family left behind and to help with the grief of losing a loved one because nothing more can be done for the deceased. That person is in the hands of God now.
They have passed and will face God with little or no assurance of what is next because they did not know in this life. This life is like a trial run upon which the rest of eternity is based. We have a guide book to help us during our trial run but in all reality it is up to us to read it and be prepared. My attention turns fully to the family. You can see the grief and despair in their faces and you know full well that the same Gospel that could save the one that passed could save them too. I once again take the time to speak and console them with words of affirmation, give them my card, and offer my services in any way as I leave to give the family time to grieve. Did you see what I have seen? Did you see the faces in your mind? Did you see yourself through my eyes? Pattern number one that I have seen comes from those who have no knowledge of what happens next. They are unsure of what happens and will do almost anything to have a small piece of hope. These break my heart because I don’t know what to say about them.
Yet, there will always be the second pattern or group that I have seen. This group consists of those who have packed their bags and are ready to board the plane gladly that will take them from this world to the next. This group amazes me to no end. Let’s jump back to that point where I enter the room and see how the scenario goes this time. Once again I enter the room with the same knock and peek. This time I am greeted by the same saddened faces and the same grief but with a different quality to it. No one wants to lose a loved one but these occurrences are different. As I move forward, I walk around to the bedside of the one at the end of their time and ask them if they would like me to do anything. Usually they smile at me and ask me to pray for them. So I usually pray for the family and grief but also that God would take home His servant and that we would follow that example. You see there may be grief in this room but there is also this almost touchable feeling of joy and grace. The person struggling encourages those saddened with words of affirmation about their heavenly home because they are absolutely sure they are going home to heaven. No matter how sad I am for the family, it is so hard to be solemn in the face of such faith. I just want to jump up and down because they know their Savior is taking them home forever. I have had some speak scripture out to me to encourage me. I have listened to them tell me stories about never quitting and telling me about receiving a crown in heaven. I came to encourage and support them and yet they are building me up. WHAT FAITH!
I cannot help but be overwhelmed at God’s faithfulness and majesty. Soon, the person slowly leaves this world and soon their spirit is gone. The joy that filled the room diminishes some as everyone realizes this person of great faith has now passed and will no longer live with us. Many tears are shed but some of those tears are tears of joy. An amazing person of great faith has just went back to be with God. I compose myself and turn to the family and tell them some of the stories of the person I knew and how amazing they were. They smile and nod in agreement. I pray again for the family, give them my card, and offer my services if they ever need me. I dismiss myself and leave the room so that the family can grieve unless I am asked to stay for moral support.
Did you catch the difference between those two? They are like stark contrasts, complete polar opposites. On one side I see the deep darkness and emptiness so many live in and I could almost cry as I want to help them. On the other side, I see people who have the greatest faith in God and it is so wonderful to be near them. Their hearts are prepared and they are ready to go. Amazing! What makes them different? Let me tell you about Jesus Christ and His power to save your soul.
You see every single one of us has sinned. We have all chosen to do something wrong. We know not to steal, cheat, hurt others, look at dirty pictures, etc. We all know we should have obeyed our parents as children. Did you always obey your parents? No, you didn’t. We have all failed in some way. Those failures have separated us from God because God has never failed and is completely perfect. He has rules set up and we have broken those rules. Now we must face punishment and its pretty strict. The punishment for breaking God’s rules (sinning) is death. Someone or something must die and so God sent His only son to die for you on the cross. Christ died in your place to take your penalty for your sin. He died for you. Now, by believing that Christ died for you, repenting from your sin, confessing your faith in Christ, and being baptized you can change your status with God. You must believe in Christ and his death and resurrection and change your attitude towards sin. “Repenting” means turning away from sins. You used to curse, get drunk, look at dirty pictures or whatever you did but now you need to leave those things behind. You must confess your faith in Christ to others. You have to tell others and finally you must be obedient in being baptized for the forgiveness of your sins. Once your sins are forgiven, your relationship with God is renewed. Your sin has been covered.
Now, what is so great about becoming a Christian? Listen to this text from 1 Corinthians 15:50-58. “I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
Our physical bodies cannot even go to heaven. We leave these mortal bodies here on the planet earth to be buried by our family members. Every funeral I make a note to say that the body is here but the spirit is not. Those who have had faith in Christ and have lived their lives for Him with have some very special gifts waiting in heaven. They will take off this perishable body and receive an imperishable body. Their new body will be beyond the reach of death. Nothing could ever scar or hurt their new bodies. They will no longer deal with temporal items but with eternal items. When Christ comes back and the end of time comes, no one will stop it. We will all hear out of the sky a loud trumpet blast and some will tremble in fear but some of us will jump for joy. Every single person who died before us will come back with eternal bodies and they will have an immortal body to match their immortal saved soul. And we will all sing and chant “Where is death now?” Listen to the hope and joy in the last part of those verses; “Death where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?” Death will finally lose in that day and we will live forever in heaven with our loving Heavenly Father!
“Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” There is your answer to the joy of those who sit at deaths door and smile knowing where they are going. No wonder others have such doubt and I am so sad when I look into their eyes. They don’t have the joy of knowing God has them in His hands. I want you to hear the last line, verse 58. “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” My Christian brothers and sisters never fear but be prepared for heaven by working as hard as you can on this earth because some day I might be presiding over your final hours and you know what; I want to see the joy and gladness in your eyes and heart.
Listen to me very carefully. One day I may stand at your bedside and I will look into your eyes. What will I see? Think very carefully and cautiously about this because your faith now will determine what you look like then. Are you absolutely sure you have a home in heaven or do you question? Don’t bring sadness to my heart, your families’ hearts, and God’s heart. You know the truth accept it and believe. Live it and learn about the God who saves. I want you to sing with me, “Death, where is your victory?” Look into my eyes. What will I see? Will I find emptiness and fear or hope and joy? I’ll give you a few minutes to think. Come and I’ll pray for you or sit in your pew and think. Have you really thought about your mortality? You will die one day. Do you have hope for tomorrow?
