ƒ Christianity for Thinking People: Blessed are those that mourn

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Blessed are those that mourn

Ecclesiastes 7:2 says that it is better to go to a house of mourning than it is to go to a house of feasting. I wonder why? It brings to mind Jesus words, "Blessed are those that mourn" (Matt 5:4), or the voice from heaven recorded in Revelation 14, "Write: blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on."

This week Angela and I traveled down country to attend Ian's funeral -- a remembrance of a Godly man who passed away after a long illness. Inspiring, and interesting, as Ian was buried on his Maori ancestral burial ground, with traditional welcome (for us) and farewell (for him). After all had had their say, the family filled in the hole as we reminisced with friends in the calm warmth of afternoon sun and the drone of distant bagpipes. I don't recall a more blessed five hours in recent memory.

Ian knew he was going to die soon, and had penned a "conclusion of the matter" that I have included at the end of this email. Ian's funeral reminded me that death is the destiny of every man; and that I should take this to heart in the way I live now (v2).

Verse 8 reinforces the message with a statement that the end of a matter is better than the beginning. Why? Surely a baby shower elicits more rejoicing than does a funeral, as one obvious counter-example.

Some years ago I heard John Stott speak at University Presbyterian Church in Seattle. Stott is arguably one of the world's foremost theologians, albeit as an 86-year old Anglican clergyman. That is, at the end of his life, he is noted as one of the world's finest students of God. His talk was entitled:
"Death, then Life".
While the world thinks of
"Life, then Death",
Christianity is founded on the concepts of Death, then Life.

* Jesus' death, then resurrection.

* Our baptism, as a symbol of death to self, followed by life in Christ

* Our physical death, then resurrection.

* The pervasive NT symbolism of a seed's burial to bring new life

He then went on to outline several other aspects of the Christian life characterized by Death, then Life. I forget them all, but the one that sticks in my mind is that of mission. A Christian missionary dies to their own culture to immerse themselves in a new culture to live in and amongst and for a culture other than their own.

Do you agree with John Stott that Christianity is about Death, then Life? Do you agree with the Teacher, the King in Jerusalem, that the end of a matter is better than its beginning?

Can I suggest a personal application of this principle? In what ways can you die to your Christian "culture" to be effective in bringing life to those who currently do not know God? What "matters" need to be brought to an end in our own life? In our own study groups? In our own churches? -- for the sake of life.

More later.
(C) Alister L Hunt PhD

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