Human beings are curious creatures by nature. We want to understand the logic and reasoning behind a thing. We want to know the why of a matter. However, motives are difficult to discern without some kind of self-revelation of the doer.
If we don't get an explanation from the doer of an action, then we have no way of truly answering the question. Eyewitnesses can fill us in on the nature of the action, but they can't explain why the action happens. Behavioral analysis may help us speculate on potential reasons why an event has happened, but it doesn't offer definitive answers.
Today 20 children were gunned down, and a county is reeling in shock. The question why is being thrown around, but answers aren't forthcoming. In a tragedy of this kind, there are no satisfactory answer. There is no making peace with a loss of this nature.
Life's have been shattered by this act of savagery. If we knew the reasons for such an attack, it wouldn't satisfy us. There is no making sense of it. The truth of the matter is that a sinful individual has acted out of his sin nature, and the results are devastating.
The human heart can be a savage place. It can be cold and cruel. For these reasons, we need new life on the inside. We can get that life in Christ Jesus our Lord. In Jesus, we can find peace in spite of the cruelties of others.
Showing posts with label Death. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Death. Show all posts
Friday, December 14, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Euthanasia
Today, I watched an episode of Cold Case that centered on euthanasia. The audience was duly informed that the term meant "good death." Those watching were also informed that pain and suffering stripped a human being of his or her dignity. The episode was packed full of emotive force. It created a great springboard for a discussion.
The arguments for euthanasia make sense in a culture that views death as an end or at least an end to suffering. If we die and that is it, then allowing a human being to suffer seems needlessly cruel. The same can be said if we believe that almost everyone who dies goes to heaven. As one of the characters said, "Hell is a place for those who have forgotten how to love." It sounds poetic and beautiful. But is it right? If we take the biblical teachings on death and life after death seriously, death isn't the end. The human soul lives on beyond the death of the body, and only those who have turned from sin and put their trust in Jesus Christ go to heaven.
What about human dignity? Maybe we shouldn't measure dignity in terms of being able to keep a stiff upper lip or responding to pain with a stoic resilience. What if tears in the midst of suffering isn't undignified? What if surrendering the will to live is undignified? Are human beings no different from a dog or a cat? Should human suffering be ended with a dose of death?
The arguments for euthanasia usually assume that suffering is, without exception, evil. Those fans and friends of "mercy killings" do not appear to believe that pain and suffering can have a positive result. Is it possible that suffering can have a redemptive element. I don't mean to imply that we can be saved through suffering. I mean that sometimes good things can come out of bad things. Even in the episode, the man whose death was being investigated had a change of heart and tried to make amends before his death.
The dilemma was presented in moral terms without theological context. In other words, the show informed the viewers this was a good thing, but it never presented God's opinion. They suggested that death should be left in the hands of the individual, but I just don't buy it. We have dignity because we bear the image of God. The soul of each person has value, and suffering cannot diminish that value.
The arguments for euthanasia make sense in a culture that views death as an end or at least an end to suffering. If we die and that is it, then allowing a human being to suffer seems needlessly cruel. The same can be said if we believe that almost everyone who dies goes to heaven. As one of the characters said, "Hell is a place for those who have forgotten how to love." It sounds poetic and beautiful. But is it right? If we take the biblical teachings on death and life after death seriously, death isn't the end. The human soul lives on beyond the death of the body, and only those who have turned from sin and put their trust in Jesus Christ go to heaven.
What about human dignity? Maybe we shouldn't measure dignity in terms of being able to keep a stiff upper lip or responding to pain with a stoic resilience. What if tears in the midst of suffering isn't undignified? What if surrendering the will to live is undignified? Are human beings no different from a dog or a cat? Should human suffering be ended with a dose of death?
The arguments for euthanasia usually assume that suffering is, without exception, evil. Those fans and friends of "mercy killings" do not appear to believe that pain and suffering can have a positive result. Is it possible that suffering can have a redemptive element. I don't mean to imply that we can be saved through suffering. I mean that sometimes good things can come out of bad things. Even in the episode, the man whose death was being investigated had a change of heart and tried to make amends before his death.
The dilemma was presented in moral terms without theological context. In other words, the show informed the viewers this was a good thing, but it never presented God's opinion. They suggested that death should be left in the hands of the individual, but I just don't buy it. We have dignity because we bear the image of God. The soul of each person has value, and suffering cannot diminish that value.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Lessons from a Funeral Procession
As a pastor, I have been in several funeral processions. I'm usually between the police escort and the hearse, so I get to watch as people approach the procession. For some, as soon as they see the hearse, they move to the side of the road and patiently wait for procession to pass them. Others, begrudgingly follow the example of the those drivers, and pull to the side of the road. Some try to creep passed the procession unnoticed. Today, I witnessed a car keep driving as if everything was normal. Maybe they had an emergency. Maybe they were talking on their phone and didn't notice the police lights and the hearse with its flashing lights or the dozen cars crawling up the road with their lights on. But the sight saddened me.
It saddened me because it demonstrated a lack of respect for life (and death). It saddened me to imagine that we live in a world so busy we don't have time to pause a few moments and contemplate the deeper things of life.
Just because things change, doesn't mean respect has to die. We can keep a tradition of respect alive and well. I hope you will pull over the next time you see a funeral procession. Here are somethings you can do while you wait for the procession to finish passing:
1. Thank God that you are alive and well. Even if you are battling a serious illness, you are not in a box headed for your final resting place. God has given you the grace of one more day.
2. Resolve to make the most of the life you have been given. None of us knows when it will be our turn to die, so make the most of every opportunity.
3. Remember those you have lost and the ways in which they impacted your life.
4. Contemplate your mortality and make certain you are prepared to stand before your maker.
5. Pray for the family and friends of the person in the back of the hearse.
The simple truth is that even the longest funeral procession will be passed you in a matter of moments. Life as you know will resume, but a new life is dawning for those in the funeral procession. It is a life with a hole in it. Your moments of discomfort on the side of the road serves as a silent reminder that their loved one truly mattered. Your display of empathy will also remind them that life in this different world is possible.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Death Defying Power
Are you afraid of death? Why do you think people fear dying? Some might say it is the fear of the unknown. Other fear losing their loved ones. Others fear waiting judgment. How should we approach death as believers?
I want to look at three brief case studies:
In Mark 5:35-43, we see Jesus raise Jairus' daughter from the dead. Jesus simply commands the dead girl to rise, and she does.
Luke 7:11-16 tells us about a funeral that Jesus stopped. Moved by compassion, Jesus speaks life back into a young man, and gives him back to his mother.
The account of Lazarus is more widely known. In John 11:1-43, we are told about the death and subsequent resuscitation of Lazarus. In this story, Lazarus had been dead four days and had began to smell. Yet, Jesus was able to call him out of the grave, as one would call a child from their bedroom.
There are at least three ways to view these stories. One way suggest they are myth. Some would say there is no truth to these stories. They are just legends told to make Jesus seem more powerful. Another way to read this stories is to suggest there is a kernel of truth to them, either as moral bearing fables, or events of Jesus being in the right place at the right time and recognizing life where others saw death. The final way to approach them is as truth. We see three events where Jesus actually brought three individuals back to life.
If we accept these as truth, as I believe we should, then these stories encourage us to trust in Jesus. We are moved to ask why Jesus raised these individuals back to life. I propose four reasons:
1. To accomplish the Father's will (John 5:19-30)
2. To demonstrate his power over death (John 5:21, 28-30; 11:21-26), including his own death (John 8:31-33; 10:32-34; 14:12-26; John 10:18)
3. To engender faith (John 11:41-42)
4. To show compassion (John 7:11-16)
These stories offer us, in a very tangible way, a reminder that Jesus will one day call us forth from the grave. They teach us that Jesus has power even over death. So how should we respond?
1. Trust Jesus.
2. Meditate on his power (Jesus hasn't changed).
3. Meditate on the resurrection.
4. Rethink death.
5. Meditate on your mortality and immortality.
6. Live this life as preparation for the next one.
I want to look at three brief case studies:
In Mark 5:35-43, we see Jesus raise Jairus' daughter from the dead. Jesus simply commands the dead girl to rise, and she does.
Luke 7:11-16 tells us about a funeral that Jesus stopped. Moved by compassion, Jesus speaks life back into a young man, and gives him back to his mother.
The account of Lazarus is more widely known. In John 11:1-43, we are told about the death and subsequent resuscitation of Lazarus. In this story, Lazarus had been dead four days and had began to smell. Yet, Jesus was able to call him out of the grave, as one would call a child from their bedroom.
There are at least three ways to view these stories. One way suggest they are myth. Some would say there is no truth to these stories. They are just legends told to make Jesus seem more powerful. Another way to read this stories is to suggest there is a kernel of truth to them, either as moral bearing fables, or events of Jesus being in the right place at the right time and recognizing life where others saw death. The final way to approach them is as truth. We see three events where Jesus actually brought three individuals back to life.
If we accept these as truth, as I believe we should, then these stories encourage us to trust in Jesus. We are moved to ask why Jesus raised these individuals back to life. I propose four reasons:
1. To accomplish the Father's will (John 5:19-30)
2. To demonstrate his power over death (John 5:21, 28-30; 11:21-26), including his own death (John 8:31-33; 10:32-34; 14:12-26; John 10:18)
3. To engender faith (John 11:41-42)
4. To show compassion (John 7:11-16)
These stories offer us, in a very tangible way, a reminder that Jesus will one day call us forth from the grave. They teach us that Jesus has power even over death. So how should we respond?
1. Trust Jesus.
2. Meditate on his power (Jesus hasn't changed).
3. Meditate on the resurrection.
4. Rethink death.
5. Meditate on your mortality and immortality.
6. Live this life as preparation for the next one.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Leave Them with Regret
"And he departed with no one's regret" (2 Chr. 21:20b).
These are chilling words. How bad does a person have to be if no one regrets their death? I realize that not regretting someone's death and rejoicing at their death are two different things, but I doubt that they are that different.
Jehoram, king of Judah, executed his brothers (and probably some of his cousins) when he ascended his throne (2 Chr. 21:4). He followed "the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done" (2 Chr. 21:6). He extended pagan worship throughout the kingdom of Judah, angering the Lord.
Because of Jehoram's great wickedness, God sent a plague on the people, he stirred up the anger of the Philistines against Judah, and struck Jehoram with an incurable disease of the bowels. His death was slow and painful. His power and wealth were diminished. In spite of all his pain and suffering, no one cared.
I can't imagine being such a horrible human being that no one grieved my passing. I would like to believe that my death would be mourned by several (for one because they deemed it untimely, and two because they thought I was a descent fellow). Of course, I don't really want find out who all would come to my funeral.
As I am thinking about this passage, it occurs to me that wisdom dictates that we choose the best course in which to walk. Jehoram was very foolish. There was no reason for him to execute his brothers, to extend false worship, etc. It also teaches me that a life devoted to ignoring God will not be remembered in the long run.
If you want to be remembered, don't devote yourself to self-veneration. Labor for the glory of God and the good of your neighbor. People always remember kind people. Live in such a way that you leave people with regret over your loss.
These are chilling words. How bad does a person have to be if no one regrets their death? I realize that not regretting someone's death and rejoicing at their death are two different things, but I doubt that they are that different.
Jehoram, king of Judah, executed his brothers (and probably some of his cousins) when he ascended his throne (2 Chr. 21:4). He followed "the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done" (2 Chr. 21:6). He extended pagan worship throughout the kingdom of Judah, angering the Lord.
Because of Jehoram's great wickedness, God sent a plague on the people, he stirred up the anger of the Philistines against Judah, and struck Jehoram with an incurable disease of the bowels. His death was slow and painful. His power and wealth were diminished. In spite of all his pain and suffering, no one cared.
I can't imagine being such a horrible human being that no one grieved my passing. I would like to believe that my death would be mourned by several (for one because they deemed it untimely, and two because they thought I was a descent fellow). Of course, I don't really want find out who all would come to my funeral.
As I am thinking about this passage, it occurs to me that wisdom dictates that we choose the best course in which to walk. Jehoram was very foolish. There was no reason for him to execute his brothers, to extend false worship, etc. It also teaches me that a life devoted to ignoring God will not be remembered in the long run.
If you want to be remembered, don't devote yourself to self-veneration. Labor for the glory of God and the good of your neighbor. People always remember kind people. Live in such a way that you leave people with regret over your loss.
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