By Pastor Greg
There
was a time when Albert Einstein was going on a train to an out-of-town
engagement. The conductor stopped by to
punch his ticket. The great scientist, preoccupied
with his work, rummaged through his coat pockets and briefcase. Embarrassed, he could not find his
ticket. The conductor said, "We all
know who you are, Dr. Einstein. I'm sure
you bought a ticket. Don't worry about
it. Everything is okay.” The conductor walked on down the aisle
punching other tickets. Before he moved
to the next car, he looked back and saw Dr. Einstein down on his hands and
knees looking under his seat trying to find his ticket. He came back and gently said, "Dr.
Einstein, please don't worry about it. I
know who you are.” Einstein looked up
and said, "I too know who I am.
What I don't know is where I'm going!"
Imagine that. All them “smarts” but too absent minded to
know where he was headed. Reminds me of
a lot of people today. It’s difficult to
make sense out of life if you don’t know where you are headed. Life seems like a pointless journey if you
don’t know your destination. Unfortunately,
many people have no clue where their life is leading them. Some don’t even care. Personally, I can’t imagine anything more
hopeless that to live a life that is leading nowhere.
As Jesus walked among the people
of Israel, He attempted to give hope to those who did not know where they were
going. He reached into the hearts of those
filled with despair and told them about a day in the future when all their
trials and sufferings would make sense.
He spoke to the blind, the lame, and to those held hostage by death, and
told them that one day, all of this would end.
He spoke of a future day - a day when even those who are dead and in the
grave will be brought back to life. He
reminded them of God’s promise from long ago: “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the
ground will awake to everlasting life” (Daniel 12:2). However, even though He spoke such
encouraging words, many Jewish leaders got all bent out of shape simply because
Jesus said He was the one who would be granting life to those who had
died.
“And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed
it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God.
And those who listen will live. 26 The Father has life in
himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son. 27 And
he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man.* 28 Don’t
be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves
will hear the voice of God’s Son, 29 and they will rise again.
Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who
have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment” [1]
(John 5:25-29).
As I said, most of these Jewish
leaders were more concerned about what Jesus had said about Himself rather than
find hope in what He promised. Earlier,
Jesus had told this group of Jewish leaders that those who hear His message and
believe in God have passed from death to life.
Now, that’s a pretty nifty promise, if you ask me. Because of a person’s faith in Jesus, they
will not die spiritually. This is the
whole “Salvation” promise Jesus spoke to the lost people of Israel. This is the “Good News” the Apostles preached
throughout the world. However, this
speaks of freedom from judgment. It
doesn’t talk about our destination.
Knowing that our faith in Christ
removes us from God’s judgment and knowing we have passed from death into life,
are two things that make this present life a bit more bearable. Our trials and bumps along the way are a bit
more tolerable knowing that overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who
loved us (Romans 8:37). No matter what
we experience in this life, we know that Jesus still loves us. Nothing can separate us from the love of God
that is found in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Yet Jesus doesn’t just want to give us peace for the journey. He wants us to know our destination. He wants us to know where we are going, which
is why He speaks about the resurrection.
Have you ever stopped to
consider the words of Jesus here? Those
who are physically dead will one day live.
Everyone who is in the grave will hear His voice, and everyone will be
called out. At this point, some will
experience eternal life while others will experience judgment. This is where Jesus reveals a person’s
destination. This is where He tells us
where we are going. The spiritually dead
person who responds to the words of Christ will live (verse 25). The physically dead believer will be raised
to eternal life (verse 28). The
rebellious person will experience judgment.
In other words, the grave is not a person’s final resting place. The grave is not a person’s destination. As explained by the Apostle Paul, a
believer’s destination is “eternal life” and an “eternal body” (see 1
Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15).
Death is not the end for a believer, nor will they live in heaven as
disembodied spirits. God saves the whole
person, and this includes the body.
I
tell you the truth, this life is a lot more tolerable knowing my
destination. Bumps and bruises make a
bit more sense knowing where I am headed.
Even the Lord’s discipline is a bit easier to endure knowing that it is
only temporary and is being used by the Father to help me become more holy; to
help me become different from a person of the world. Knowing where I am going helps me run the race
before me. It assures me of a great
reward for being faithful. I may not
receive much in this life, but then again, I will one day leave all this
behind.
I want you to experience this same
kind of peace and assurance. I want you
to know where you are headed as well.
This is why week after week I talk about your relationship with
Jesus. When you know Him as Savior, you
will know where you are headed, and life’s journey does not seem quite so
difficult when you know where you are going.
[1] Tyndale House Publishers.
(2007). Holy Bible: New Living
Translation (3rd ed.) (Jn 5:25–29). Carol Stream, IL.
No comments:
Post a Comment