This message was given at the funeral of a “biker.” At least 100 “bikers” and their “babes” were in attendance with all of their motorcycles, tattoos, duds and attitudes. We are all lost “bikers” and “babes” in one style of life or another with all of its accessories too, until we seek the only Hope available.
From Death to Life
This is difficult! None of us want to be here under these circumstances. None of us want to say goodbye to our dear loved one and friend. But most of all, we don’t want to be here because we are confronted with the single ultimate reality of life on this earth - death! We do our best not to think about it, cover it up, ignore it, but then this happens - someone we know and love dies. Reality sets in, until we can crowd it out or cover it up again - until the next time!
Romans 5:12 says, “therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” Every man, woman, and child that is in this world is a sinner, we all have fallen short of God’s perfect Righteous standard. We have all chosen our own way, thumbing our noses at His beautiful will and character. Do you know how I know? Because everyone dies!! And the life we live until we die is defined by death. We are engulfed with guarantees, insurances, broken this, defective that. Why, because death reigns even in this so called life. We save for retirement. What is that? It is an overrated holding pattern until we die! Nothing lasts, nothing on earth is eternal. Even though I have been married 42 wonderful years to a wonderful lady, I am facing the day when one of us will die. That’s Life!!
Romans 8:22 puts it this way. “For we know that the whole creation groans.” All of creation and all life in it groans. It groans because this fallen world is not according to the design and purpose of God. The design of the Creator was for man to live in perfect peace and joy, in beautiful communion with the Creator, in a perfect environment. But that was shattered by our self will, and the desire to be our own god. And so we groan.
But the text says the earth groans in birth pangs, looking to a better day. So also do those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ as their righteous Redeemer. And we are saved in this hope. This hope sweetens our groaning, turns it into a symphony of anticipation. So there are two types of groaning. The first type is hopeless groaning. This is the type that has to find something to cover up the reality of death in this life. A host of things are used to distract from this hopeless groan. Alcohol, drugs, sex, work, entertainment, texting! There is no end to the ways hopeless man tries to cover up, to quiet the groaning of his soul.
And then there is groaning in hope, groaning that is living in the promise of a new heaven and a new earth wherein Righteousness dwells. That means a place of no death, no divorces, no theft, whatever you can conjure up as your worst fear does not exist in the new heavens and the new earth. This promise is given to the people of God in 2 Peter 3:12-13. "We are looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."
In Romans 8, it talks about another groaning. And that is of The Groaning Companion of the people of God, the groaning Holy Spirit. God sends Him into the hearts of His people to pour out the Love of God in their hearts. And this same Spirit inhabits the groaning of His people, perfecting their prayers, and strengthening them in their travels through this dead and deadly world. And He works continually to assure His people that nothing can separate them from the love of Christ, “neither tribulation, or distress, or persecution or famine, or nakedness or peril, or sword, neither death nor life, nor angels nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.
So which will it be? A hopeless groaning, continuing on in the pretension that death doesn’t exist, running away from it until it is too late? Or will you come to Jesus Christ, confessing your sins and the life of death your sins require. Call upon Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins, a forgiveness which He gladly gives to those who call upon His Name. And the God of hope will fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
On Dying. "I am going to the three Persons with whom I have had communion: They have taken me, I did not take Them. I shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye; all my lusts and corruptions I shall be rid of, which I could not be rid of here; those croaking toads will fall off in a moment" - Thomas Goodwin
From Death to Life
This is difficult! None of us want to be here under these circumstances. None of us want to say goodbye to our dear loved one and friend. But most of all, we don’t want to be here because we are confronted with the single ultimate reality of life on this earth - death! We do our best not to think about it, cover it up, ignore it, but then this happens - someone we know and love dies. Reality sets in, until we can crowd it out or cover it up again - until the next time!
Romans 5:12 says, “therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” Every man, woman, and child that is in this world is a sinner, we all have fallen short of God’s perfect Righteous standard. We have all chosen our own way, thumbing our noses at His beautiful will and character. Do you know how I know? Because everyone dies!! And the life we live until we die is defined by death. We are engulfed with guarantees, insurances, broken this, defective that. Why, because death reigns even in this so called life. We save for retirement. What is that? It is an overrated holding pattern until we die! Nothing lasts, nothing on earth is eternal. Even though I have been married 42 wonderful years to a wonderful lady, I am facing the day when one of us will die. That’s Life!!
Romans 8:22 puts it this way. “For we know that the whole creation groans.” All of creation and all life in it groans. It groans because this fallen world is not according to the design and purpose of God. The design of the Creator was for man to live in perfect peace and joy, in beautiful communion with the Creator, in a perfect environment. But that was shattered by our self will, and the desire to be our own god. And so we groan.
But the text says the earth groans in birth pangs, looking to a better day. So also do those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ as their righteous Redeemer. And we are saved in this hope. This hope sweetens our groaning, turns it into a symphony of anticipation. So there are two types of groaning. The first type is hopeless groaning. This is the type that has to find something to cover up the reality of death in this life. A host of things are used to distract from this hopeless groan. Alcohol, drugs, sex, work, entertainment, texting! There is no end to the ways hopeless man tries to cover up, to quiet the groaning of his soul.
And then there is groaning in hope, groaning that is living in the promise of a new heaven and a new earth wherein Righteousness dwells. That means a place of no death, no divorces, no theft, whatever you can conjure up as your worst fear does not exist in the new heavens and the new earth. This promise is given to the people of God in 2 Peter 3:12-13. "We are looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."
In Romans 8, it talks about another groaning. And that is of The Groaning Companion of the people of God, the groaning Holy Spirit. God sends Him into the hearts of His people to pour out the Love of God in their hearts. And this same Spirit inhabits the groaning of His people, perfecting their prayers, and strengthening them in their travels through this dead and deadly world. And He works continually to assure His people that nothing can separate them from the love of Christ, “neither tribulation, or distress, or persecution or famine, or nakedness or peril, or sword, neither death nor life, nor angels nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.
So which will it be? A hopeless groaning, continuing on in the pretension that death doesn’t exist, running away from it until it is too late? Or will you come to Jesus Christ, confessing your sins and the life of death your sins require. Call upon Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins, a forgiveness which He gladly gives to those who call upon His Name. And the God of hope will fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
On Dying. "I am going to the three Persons with whom I have had communion: They have taken me, I did not take Them. I shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye; all my lusts and corruptions I shall be rid of, which I could not be rid of here; those croaking toads will fall off in a moment" - Thomas Goodwin