09.28.06

WASTED FUNERALS

Posted in Uncategorized, All at 1:48 pm by Pastor Bill

Have you ever attended a wasted funeral? You may wonder what I am talking about. In our culture, at least from the Christian perspective, funerals typically serve at least 3 major functions. The first is to say goodby to our departed loved one, to allow our expression of grief, love, sadness, whatever emotions need to be addressed at this time of parting. The second is to allow us to eulogize the deceased, to remember their contributions to society and to us personally. We hear and relive many of their attributes and mannerisms that made them personal and beloved by us. We honor their life achievements and reflect on their impact upon us. It is good to remember how their life intertwined with others, and how we were affected by them personally.

But perhaps the most important reason for a funeral is to remind us of our own mortality, that this life doesn’t last forever, and that we will someday be laid in the ground also, this earthly life ended forever. Funerals remind us that eternity is in store for all of us, and that we need to be prepared. I believe that a funeral is wasted when we do not take this opportunity to present the gospel, to remind the attenders that death is a result of sin, that Jesus is the only provision for salvation, and that salvation is our only hope for eternal life in glory with God.

I attended a wasted funeral earlier this week. A distant family member passed away, a true Christian who urged the pastor to ‘give the gospel’ at her funeral so that everyone would know who and what her faith was in. Her family stressed their urgent desire that the gospel be presented to the attenders, since many would be unsaved. What a tremendous opportunity for the Holy Spirit of God to work as God’s word would be given clearly and plainly for all to hear and consider the state of their own souls….but no. The gospel was NOT given. The lady’s goodness was stressed more than the saving work of Christ on the cross. She was now presented as having wings in heaven as an angel, nudging the heavenly spectators and urging them to look down on earth and to be proud of her grandchildren’s accomplishments. Whatever it was, it certainly was not the gospel. A wasted funeral. Don’t get me wrong, as far as a celebration of her life, it was great! It was a great time for family to say goodby and to remember her fondly! But it was no time for unbelievers to feel that they were in peril of eternal loss, or to hear how they could escape God’s wrath. Because the preacher never gave the gospel. Sin…never mentioned. Judgement…never mentioned. The universal human condition of separation from God because of sin…never mentioned. Forgiveness of sin and restoration to God only through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus…never mentioned.

Only shallow platitudes about how you need to know Jesus…without telling them why and how.

ANOTHER WASTED FUNERAL.

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09.20.06

WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?

Posted in Biblical Reflections, All, Theology at 6:10 pm by Pastor Bill

As I looked at the date of my last post, I was amazed to see that over 2 weeks had passed, instead of the few days that it seemed it should have been. What happened during those last couple of weeks? A family vacation, pre-vacation planning and hecticness (is that a word?) and several hospital visits to some of our church members who have had phyiscal problems lately. The last few weeks were a blur, not to mention that it is Autumn already, and I wonder where the first 8 months of the year went. Life has a penchant for passing us by all too quickly. Perhaps that is what the Psalmist meant when he wrote “So teach us to number our days, that we might apply our hearts to wisdom.”..Psalm 90:12. The writer of Ecclesiastes bemoaned the fact that too often our life passes by without our accomplishing anything lasting or meaningful. Too many people spend all their time working for and accumulating things that they will soon die and leave to someone else. What has your life profited you? What has your life accomplished for the glory of God? What have you done that will last after you die and be an eternal benefit to others?

Ecclesiastes gives us the truth that in living for the here and now, we waste our lives and endanger our souls. The only life that lasts is one that is lived to the glory of God, one that is spent not for our own goals and dreams, but lived to serve Christ. The only way we can serve him is to be first saved by him, saved from sin and eternal death.

It is good to go to funerals and spend time walking through graveyards, reading the dates on the tombstones. It reminds us that soon we will be where they are, no longer among the living. Our destiny is determined by whether we choose Christ, or self.

Take some time to meditate upon your mortality before life passes you by, and evaluate what and who you are living for. Jesus asks you, “what will it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”. How will YOU answer Him?

If you have questions about your spiritual relationship with God, please email me at hpbcrillo (at) yahoo (dot) com. I would love to spend some time sharing what God has told us about himself and about our need in His word.

JESUS…DON’T LEAVE THIS WORLD WITHOUT HIM!

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09.05.06

Billy Graham and Theology…

Posted in Biblical Reflections, Theology, In The News... at 10:25 pm by Pastor Bill

You may have seen the article about Billy Graham in the August 14 edition of Newsweek magazine. The author focused on how Mr. Graham was handling the ageing process, and if He had changed any of his youthful views about God, the bible and mankind. From Mr. Grahams remarks, you would think that he is now wavering on the biblical truth that Jesus is the ONLY way to heaven. Fortunately the magazine printed his followup statements in a later edition where he held to the biblical truth.

The interesting part of his statements were in regard to what he would do differently in his life if he had it to do over again. He, the best known evangelist of our lifetime said…”he would spend more time immersed in Scripture and theology.” As an accomplished evangelist and fearless proclaimer of the gospel, he realizes that he would be better off and have a stronger faith in God if he spent more time studying the Bible, and mining the depths of scriptural theology.

If Billy Graham needs to spend more time studying scripture and learning biblicly correct theology, what does that say about you and me?

Our nation would be a better place to live, and our neighbors better influenced for God by us, if we would truly know what the Bible teaches, and truly know and understand the God of the Bible. I don’t know about you, but I plan on not having to confess my lack of skill in the scriptures, and my inaccurate handling of them when I look back on my life.

Knowing the Word of God, yielding to the Word, and living the Word…through the cross of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit…Let’s press on towards the goal of our calling as believers!  Psalm 199:105…Thy WORD have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

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