Ready To Go And Go In Peace

Ready to Go and Go in Peace

LK 2 : 25-32

It was during the wintry season just like we are in now but about five years ago I remember sitting in my study in the basement of our home.

My daughter Elise would have about 6 years old at the time. She came over to the corner of our basement where I was studying the Scripture and she smiled sweetly at me and asked

"Daddy, what are you doing?"

I peered over the top of my Bible and said

" Honey, someone has died and gone to be with Jesus." "So Daddy is preparing a sermon for the funeral."

My young daughter paused, she was silent for perhaps as much as 60 seconds and then she looked up at me again and with innocent and curious eyes she asked me…

"Daddy are you afraid of dying?"

This question coming from a six-year-old really caught me a bit off guard. This time before I spoke,

I lay my Bible on the corner of my desk… I pulled young Elise, (then just six years old )onto my lap.

I said to her…"honey bunch" ( I always called her that when she was young she wont allow it now at age 11.)

But I said to her "Honey Bunch – Daddy is more afraid of not dying one day..... then daddy is afraid of dying..... even today."

I explained to her that when we know Jesus in our heart and believe in what He did when He died on the cross for our sins, ....then we don’t have to be afraid of death.

I explained to her that ....death when you know Jesus as your Savior only means that ...when you die ,...you will be in the most wonder place of Heaven and you will be face to face with the most wonderful person of all Jesus.

Boots, I know loved his grandchildren.... and from heaven today …Boots still loves his grandchildren…and his children …and his wonderful wife and all of his family and friends.

Just because God calls someone on ahead of us to heaven does not mean that love ceases.

It continues…it goes on ….

It was the Apostle Paul who said to us the powerful words of Scripture found in 1 Cor 13:8 these 3 important words: Love.... never.... fails.

Boots’ life was that of a man of many successes.

But... Boots’ body was failing in the way of his physical strength…

It was his time to go home to be with Jesus.

And yet his love has not ceased,.... nor left us.

To the family and friends of Boots Martin I say…Let the love of Boots still surround you today and let Christ’s’ love surround you. Because love ....never.... fails.

I believe if Boots were among us in body and earthly strength today he would tell us…If you know Jesus …then you need not fear death…

For Christ’s’ love will not cease.... neither in life on this earth or even in death...

Death can be welcomed because it is that which leads us.... out of this world.... and into eternity....

with Christ

But Christ’s love and His promise that comforts us even in death is always there.....when we know Christ as our personal Savior.

There are times when a persons body grows weak…and just as a tired person needs to rest.

There are times when those who have walked a long road in this life need to rest as they walk the pathway of death home to arms of God.

Death need not be a dreaded enemy.

It can be in fact a welcomed friend.

But whether death comes in youth or old age or whether it comes suddenly or after a prolonged illness, the important thing is that a person be readyto meet death.

If we are ready to die, regardless of the circumstances, ....IF WE ARE READY….

then we can do what Boots has done....we can die in peace.

When is a person ready to die?

When can a person.... die in peace?

The Bible gives us answers of those questions in the life of a man named Simeon.

Here is what the Bible says about Simeon in Luke’s Gospel and chapter 2

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,

Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.