To: Hebraic-Foundations@yahoogroups.com
From: "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Date sent: Fri, 7 Jun 2002 16:44:26 -0500
Subject: [HF] Bible Study HF066 - Remember Friend As You Pass By
Hebraics,
When my great grandfather, James Erwin Martin, died in 1905, my
grandfather prepared a home made headstone for him. On the front of
the head stone he encased behind glass a paper which read,
"Remember friend, as you pass by,
As you are now, so once was I.
As I am now, you soon shall be.
Prepare my friend to follow me."
Due to a broken edge of the glass and the weathering over the years,
the paper is now barely readable. I'm one of the few people to know
what it says. Very often when I do a funeral, I'll call attention to those
words. And more often than not, someone will want me to show them my great
grandfather's grave. Of course I'm always happy to do that. It gives me a
chance
to ministry from the writing.
So it might be said of my great grandfather, 'Though he is dead, he
still
speaks.' In nothing else, he speaks through his great grandson.
But it wasn't simply my great grandfather. His father, and his father's
father were believers. Their faith in God's Christ passed on to their
children. And I have passed their faith in Jesus Christ on to my
children and they to their children. That's how it is to the be with God's
people.
Lets look more closely at the testimony of faith. This is Bible Study
HF066 - Remember Friend As You Pass By. (This study contains a bit
of personal references. I hope you enjoy it.)
It says of Abel, "By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice
than
Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous,
God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he
still speaks."
Abel is still speaking through the Bible record. Yes, he died, but his
death was only physical. He belonged to the Lord. There is no greater
testimony than that of belonging to the Lord.
In the Bible record of the righteous, we often simply hear, "And
he
died."
"So all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years, and
he
died."
"So all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years, and he
died."
"So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years, and he
died."
Yet the Bible says elsewhere, "All these died in faith, without
receiving
the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from
a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles
on the earth." (Heb11:13) God's people have always known that
greater things await them in the future. It is this hope that undergirds
our faith walk.
The apostolic writer went on to include this statement; "Therefore
God
is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for
them." (Vs16) One of the promises God gave the righteous in ages
gone by, was the promise of a heavenly and holy city. Part of
Abraham's travels included looking for that city.
What had God promised the righteous in generations gone by? He
promised them a Redeemer. He promised them that one day the
righteous would inherit a transformed earth. He promised them a holy
and heavenly city. It is these promises and many more that rested in
the hearts of God's holy people from ancient time. And though we as
new covenant believers have received the promise of Messiah, we still
have the same promises resting in us. We anxiously await the
wonders that are reserved in heaven for us. (Cf. 1Pet1:4)
And this is why God's people look at death through a different set of
glasses. When the Spirit of Jesus enters the heart of a believing one,
the atmosphere of heaven makes its home in the deepest part of our
spiritual make-up. Jesus said that was how it would be. He said, "If
anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him,
and We will come to him and make Our abode with him." (John 14:23)
What does the Spirit of Jesus do in a believer? The Spirit goes to work
casting out fear. Not just some fear, but all fear. Once God's perfect
love has completed its work, the only fear that remains is that
wondrous fear called 'the fear of the Lord.' This fear is holy. It
connects is
to a holy God. The fear of the Lord becomes our treasure. It is filled
with
love, respect, and reverence for our heavenly Father.
Probably the greatest fear that the Holy Spirit dispels is the fear of
death. I know people who are so afraid of death that they will not
attend a funeral, including the funeral of a loved one who passed on.
Perhaps it is because looking at the body of the deceased leaves them
with too many questions. They are bewildered. To them it represents
the end. It may also remind them of a judgment to come. And for those
who do attend a funeral, the wailing is heart rending. This is why at
every funeral I try to minister the gospel with the love of God.
You see, the fear of death actually loses its power over a child of
God.
In fact in the heart of every believer is an upward longing for those
things that lie ahead. Paul said it best, "Brethren, I do not regard
myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what
lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward
the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
(Phil3:13,14)
For many years I've had a habit of visiting cemeteries, especially
those
where some of my forebearers have been laid to rest. Don't think it
strange. When you do as many funerals as I do, cemeteries have
much to say. Sometimes I get my children to accompany me. When I
talk with them about their ancestors, I try to point out something of
their Christian nature. I've done this since my now grown children were
quite small.
It has been my deepest desire to instill in my children eternal values.
Some of my sweetest memories have been those of talking with my
children about Jesus, the heavenly Father, and all that belong to him.
Some year ago when my daughter was very young, I was in my study
and heard a small knock on my door. There she was. Shana looked at
me, and said, "Daddy, I don't have anybody to hold me." Quickly
I
scooped her up, sat her in my lap, and the two of us looked out my
french doors. Then I began talking with her about God's birds, and His
creation, and of His love for us.
But I did the same with my sons. We would be out raking the yard,
when I'd have all three of my children sit down with me under a tree.
Usually the boys would get quiet. There we would let the heavenly
Father love us in His quietness. Then again I'd hear my youngest say,
"Daddy, everybody needs a hug, huh? Even God." "Yes, baby,
everybody needs a hug."
Isn't it amazing how a child can speak such wonderful things. Does
God need a hug? I think so. I love to hug Him. Does God love to hold
us? Yes, I believe He does. How much does God love us? We are
unable to measure of even fathom such a love. But He loved us
enough to give His own Son as a sacrifice for our sins. As the writer
said, "One sacrifice for sins for all time." (Heb10:12)
God doesn't want his children to be afraid. I think this is what my
grand
father wanted to say when he wrote the inscription for my great
grandfather's head stone. It wasn't written to cause fear, but to cause
those who walked by to think a bit on the eternal.
Sure it is true -- The apostolic writer said, "And inasmuch as it
is
appointed for men to died once and after this comes judgment...." But
isn't it interesting when folk quote that verse, they forget to look at
the rest
of the sentence. The rest of the sentence says, "...so Christ also,
having been
offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for
salvation
without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him."
(Heb9:27,28)
Notice it says "without reference to sin." The sin problem
has been
settled for all who receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. And it
is these believers who eagerly await Him. Only those who turn from
Jesus appear for judgment.
In the meantime we walk in our testimony to the Lord. We are His
living proof (witnesses) of the reality of Jesus Christ. And thank you
granddaddy for writing those words. They sure have done well for my
preaching.
The study is open for comments, observations, or questions. Feel free
to share.
Buddy
Lawrence E. (Buddy) Martin, HF Host
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.ChristianChallenge.org
"See to it that no one comes short of the grace
of God; that no root of bitterness springing up
causes trouble, and by it many be defiled." (Heb12:15)