[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 27A: “How Do Christians Think about Death?”

[Joe Parrish]

Forwarded: 
-------- Original message --------From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org> Date: 11/12/17  3:23 AM  (GMT+01:00) To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org> Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Proper 27A: “How Do Christians Think about Death?” 


Dear Friends,

 

This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “How Do
Christians Think about Death?” and deals with the gospel (Matthew 25: 1-13).  Here it is: 

 

These are hard times.  Last week,
our beloved sister Mary Howard called me early in the morning to say that her
father and retired head usher, Mr. John Howard, had died.  As you know, we buried him Friday.  He will be greatly missed.  You know- it’s not just John.  One day one of our loved ones will be making
that phone call about us.  We’re all
going there- one way or another, unless Jesus returns first.  Since death is a given, I’d like us to look
it squarely in the face.  Our culture
teaches us to avoid thinking about death. We have all sorts of ways to avoid
this serious kind of thinking. We seldom say someone died; instead we say that
they “passed away.”  Undertakers make the
departed look as if they are in the best of health- just asleep.  Often loved ones won’t talk about their
impending death- everyone pretends all is fine. 
Today I’d like us to do the unthinkable I’d like us to think about a
hard subject: DEATH.  Specifically, I’d
like us to do the unthinkable- think about what the Bible and the church teach
us about death and the implications for our own personal lives right now.  

FIRST- DEATH IS A BIRTH PROCESS. 
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, and our society honors him on this day- which is fine-
actually- it’s about time.  The church,
however, also honors him on April 4, the day of his death.  Why? 
Because all of the saints are honored on their death day, since that day
is an even more important birthday- their birthday into heaven.  For us to remember- dying is a birth
process.  It is our birth into the next
stage of our life.  We’ve gone from being
in the womb to being born into this training ground- Earth to being born into
heaven.  Getting dead is frequently
extremely unpleasant (as is any birth process), but being dead on the Earth is
wonderful because it means we have been born into heaven.  The nice thing is- we won’t have to
wait.  When did Jesus say the penitent
thief would see him?  (Yes, today.)

SECOND- WE WILL HAVE BODIES LIKE JESUS’
RESURRECTED BODY.  You know how people
tend to wonder what kind of body we will have in heaven.  In fact, some people wonder if we will have a
body at all, or if we will just be like ghosts. 
If they read the Bible, they would know. 
St. Paul
reminds the Corinthian church that Jesus is the firstfruit (1st
Corinthians 15: 23).  Who loves tomatoes?  You know that first tomato that you pick from
the vine every summer- how wonderful it tastes! 
When you bite into that tomato, you know it’s only the firstfruit- there
are more to come.  Our heavenly body will
be like Jesus’ resurrected body.

THIRD- YES, OUR DEAR ONES KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING
DOWN HERE.  Do you recall how the author
of the Hebrews reminds us that since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of
witnesses (those who have died), let us run with patience the race that is set
before us (Hebrews 12:1)?  It’s like we
are in a huge stadium with those we love who have already made their transition
cheering us on and encouraging us and praying for us.  Let me give you two examples.  Think back- way back- how hard Rev. Sims
tried to get us to sing loudly to the glory of God.  He fussed and begged and pleaded and almost
threatened to get our congregation to sing, with very mixed results.  Now that Rev. Stan’s in heaven with Jesus,
look how well we sing!  It’s amazing, but
we shouldn’t be surprised- he’s probably bringing our voices and worship to
Jesus.  Now tell me- how can we not
sing?  Another example: When I was a
little girl, I loved Superman; in fact I loved him so much that I used to put a
towel on my shoulders like a cape and try to fly off the kitchen table.  Well, Kathy Wilson Thompson has a daughter
who used to visit us occasionally- Taylor (Carla’s niece and my honorary
grand-daughter). When Taylor was six-years-old, she was also fascinated with
flying- so fascinated with it that she tried flying off the second floor
railing in her home and landed flat on her back.  9-1-1 was immediately called, everyone expected the worst;
but Taylor
emerged without even a scratch and without even losing consciousness.  Who do you think was praying for her at the
very throne of God?  Sure, probably
Lucille Wilson- her beloved grandmother (John Wilson’s wife; Carla’s mother)
who had died about three years earlier. 
So count on those prayers and don’t do anything in this life that would
disappoint those you love in the next; because they can see you.

KNOWING ALL OF THIS, WHAT ARE THE
IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR LIVES RIGHT NOW? 
After a person dies, the body is only a useless cast-off.  The person isn’t in it any more.  It’s like the chrysalis left behind after a
butterfly that has struggled out of that chrysalis and has flown free.  We treat it with respect because it used to
house our beloved, but they’re not there anymore.  Therefore:

1.  Especially children- don’t be afraid of a
dead body.  There’s no magic, no power in
it.  It’s just the set of leftovers.

2.  Since the body represents the leftovers,
think- what do you usually do with leftovers? 
If you get a new winter coat and the old one is still sort of good, what
would Jesus want you to do with it- throw it away?  Absolutely not, Jesus would expect you to
give it to someone who needs a coat. 
In  less than a month, we’ll
celebrate Thanksgiving.  If we have more
Thanksgiving leftovers than we can use, what would Jesus want us to do with
them- put them down the disposal?  Of
course not- Jesus would want us to share with those who don’t have enough to
eat.  Well then, if our loved ones die
and no longer need their kidneys or their liver or their corneas, because they
are getting new bodies from Jesus, what would Jesus want us to do with those
kidneys or livers or corneas?  It’s
obvious- give them to someone who needs a kidney to get off dialysis or a liver
so they can live or corneas so they can see. 
And yet when nurses ask about organ donation, I can’t tell you how many
families I’ve heard scream: “No!  Don’t
cut my baby!”  Tell me, is their baby in
that leftover body.  No one ever said
following Jesus would be easy, but what would Jesus want us to do?

3.  Don’t waste money on funerals.  A beautiful casket won’t make up for a life
badly lived and an inexpensive casket won’t take away from a life lived for the
Lord.  Don’t bury your money; use it to
help those still alive and struggling in this life.

4.  Don’t preserve life here at all costs.  What woman who is giving birth wants labor
prolonged?  If your loved one is
suffering, put yourself in that bed and do for them what you would want done
for you.  Release your loved ones.  Let them go when their time comes.

5.  Before we die, what would Jesus want us to
do?  He would want us to get ready; and
to make life as easy as possible for those loved ones left behind.  Therefore, make out a medical power of
attorney so someone can make decisions for you if you cannot speak for
yourself.  Get life insurance if you
possibly can, so your loved ones aren’t weighed down with debt from burying or
cremating you. Tell me if you want something read or sung at your funeral.

6.
Don’t waste life.  “Live until you die.”
(Thomas Hall- Mrs. Ellen Williams now deceased son)

 

For anyone who is interested, this
sermon and updated African-American wisdom statements are posted on our
parish’s web site under “Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: http://www.stpaulsepisag.org .

 

Blessed preaching,

Judy Boli

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Saginaw, Michigan





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