It's Not About Me!

There is a dark and ominous elephant in the room of our lives that despite its gargantuan size and impact, nobody wants to think about it let alone talk about it. If we have been alive for very long we have seen the reality of the elephant’s impact on relatives and friends. We are also often reminded about the “elephant” in news reports when we hear about celebrities who have passed on. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has served as a reminder of the “elephant’s” presence. By now from the context, you know that the elephant is death, more specifically, our physical death.

So, just what to do about this elephant? Or, is there anything we can do to remove the elephant’s power over us? Here is what some others have come up with:

Buddha (563 BCE– 483 BCE) Grave is in Jingchuan County, Pingliang, China

• “Your purpose in life is to find your purpose and give your whole heart and soul to it.”
• “Life is uncertain; death is certain.”
• “Of all footprints, that of the elephant is supreme. Similarly, of all mindfulness meditations, that on death is supreme.”

Buddha died around the age of 80, possibly of an illness from eating spoiled meat or other food. When he died, it is said that he told his disciples that they should follow no leader, but to “be your own light.”

Buddhists believe death is a natural part of the life cycle. They believe that death simply leads to rebirth. This belief is reincarnation.

Mohammad ( 571 AD – 632 AD) His grave is in the Green Dome, Medina, Saudi Arabia

“Since the day of my birth, my death began its walk. It is walking toward me, without hurrying.”

• “Death is inevitable. No matter how much people try to escape death, it will reach everyone.” (Quran 50.19)

Muslims believe death is not seen as the termination of life, rather the continuation of life in another form and that God, (Allah) has made this worldly life as a test and a preparation ground for the afterlife, and with death this worldly life comes to an end. Thus, every person has only one chance to prepare themselves for the life to come where God will resurrect and judge every individual and will entitle them to rewards or punishment based on their good or bad deeds.
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Reform Judaism: (https://reformjudaism.org/judaism-what-believed-happen-someone-after-they-die) “The attitude of Judaism might best be summed up as “We really do not know, but if there is a life after this one, and a reward for what we do, then surely it will be dependent upon the kind of life we have lived. Therefore, let us strive to follow God’s path for us as closely and as enthusiastically as possible, for then we surely will know all manner of rewards, especially the one of seeing a world that is a better place for our efforts.”

Note: The Bible talks about three different deaths.

1. Spiritual Death – Separated spiritually from God, a severed relationship. This is our state before accepting God’s specific way of salvation. This is related to what Jesus was talking about when he said in John 3:3: “You must be born again.” It is born, (made alive) spiritually. God’s Spirit indwells you enabling your conscience to understand God’s Word and being more aware of what He wants for us. This is precisely the death that Adam and Eve experienced when they rebelled against God’s instructions. It was death of relationship.
   
2. Physical death – Separation from other mortals like our friends and loved ones and bodies that no longer function here on the earth.
   
3. Second Death – Eternal Spiritual death and separation from God (Hell). Rev 2:11, Rev 20:6, Rev 20:14, Rev 21:8.

For Believers in Christ, there is no second death and we are not to fear our physical death because of our assurance and trust that there is a more and better life (with our Creator) afterward.

• Psalms 146:4 “When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.”
• Ecclesiastes 3:2 “A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;”
• Genesis 3:19 “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
• Ecclesiastes 8:8 “No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it.”
• Psalms 116:15 “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.”

Jesus demonstrated His authority over death:

• Raises a widows son: Luke 7:11-17
• Raises a little girl: Mark 5:38-43
• Raises Lazarus (Dead for four days): John: 11:1-44 – In the case of Lazarus, before raising Lazarus Jesus and Martha had this conversation: “Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Then, Jesus proved that He did have the power over death even though Lazarus had been dead for so long, he stank. Please read the whole account for yourself.

Side-note: The raising of Lazarus was such a powerful testimony that Jesus was the Messiah that there was a plot to actually kill Lazarus to silence him. John 12:9-11.

Jesus (As the Good Shepherd) claimed authority over His own death. John 10:14-18.

• Jesus was Crucified – Most everyone knows the story.
• Buried in a tomb guarded by Roman Centurions.
• Jesus disciples were fearful and went into hiding.
• Jesus raised to life again and appeared to many hundreds of people over the next forty days.
• After seeing the resurrected Jesus, the disciples became bold witnesses and according to tradition, all of them except John were killed because of their witness.

The Old Testament prophets foretold about Jesus coming and the things He would do.

He came and the miracles demonstrated His authority and supernatural abilities.

His message was that:

• He is the Truth
• He is the Life
• He is the Door to Heaven
• He is the Resurrection

Jesus said: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God and this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” John 3:16-21

So, while the major religions talk about death but don’t demonstrate any power over it, Christianity explains more about death and offers the way to avoid the eternal second death. Jesus not only claimed authority over death; He proved it.

Many who saw Jesus and heard His words believed in Him; they were convinced that He was who He said He was and could do what He claimed. For me, His offer seems to be the only credible offer out there.

Early in Jesus’ ministry, after He explained some facets of salvation, the Apostle John said:

“From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, “Will ye also go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” John 6:66-69.

When you think about it, we are really in the same situation as Peter. Jesus is the only One who has the words of eternal life, and Jesus alone openly demonstrated His supernatural power over death. Peter was sure that Jesus was the Christ (The Messiah) and Son of the Living God. Peter’s declaration also serves as an invitation for all to believe and trust in Jesus, The Way, The Truth and The Eternal Life.

Since death is so final and serious, wouldn’t it be worth a shot to take Him up on His offer and see what happens?