DEATH IS NOT THE END, BUT A NEW BEGINNING
1 Corinthians 15:1-7
Rev. Paul Wrightman 10/10/21
IT’S HARD TO FIND A GOOD METAPHOR
FOR THE CHRISTIAN UNDERSTANDING OF DEATH
AND WHAT HAPPENS AFTER DEATH.
DOWN BELOW THE SURFACE OF A QUIET POND
LIVED A LITTLE COLONY OF WATER BUGS.
THEY WERE A HAPPY COLONY, LIVING FAR AWAY FROM THE SUN.
FOR MANY MONTHS THEY WERE VERY BUSY,
SCURRYING OVER THE SOFT MUD ON THE BOTTOM OF THE POND.
THEY DID NOTICE THAT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE
ONE OF THEIR COLONY SEEMED TO LOSE INTEREST
IN GOING ABOUT WITH HIS FRIENDS.
CLINGING TO THE STEM OF A POND LILY,
HE GRADUALLY MOVED OUT OF SIGHT AND WAS SEEN NO MORE.
“LOOK!” SAID ONE OF THE WATER BUGS TO ANOTHER.
“ONE OF OUR COLONY IS CLIMBING UP THE LILY STALK.
WHERE DO YOU SUPPOSE HE IS GOING?”
UP, UP, UP HE WENT SLOWLY.
EVEN AS THEY WATCHED HIM,
THE WATER BUG DISAPPEARED FROM SIGHT.
HIS FRIENDS WAITED AND WAITED BUT HE DIDN’T RETURN.
“THAT’S FUNNY!” SAID ONE WATER BUG TO ANOTHER.
“WASN’T HE HAPPY HERE?” ASKED A SECOND WATER BUG.
“WHERE DO YOU SUPPOSE HE WENT?” ASKED A THIRD.
NO ONE HAD AN ANSWER. THEY WERE GREATLY PUZZLED.
FINALLY ONE OF THE WATER BUGS, A LEADER IN THE COLONY,
GATHERED HIS FRIENDS TOGETHER.
“I HAVE AN IDEA.
THE NEXT ONE OF US WHO CLIMBS UP THE LILY STALK
MUST PROMISE TO COME BACK AND TELL US
WHERE HE WENT AND WHY.”
“WE PROMISE,” THEY SAID SOLEMNLY.
ONE SPRING DAY, NOT LONG AFTER,
THE VERY WATER BUG WHO HAD SUGGESTED THE PLAN
FOUND HIMSELF CLIMBING UP THE LILY STALK.
UP, UP, UP HE WENT.
BEFORE HE KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING,
HE HAD BROKEN THROUGH THE SURFACE OF THE WATER,
AND FALLEN ONTO THE BROAD, GREEN LILY PAD ABOVE.
WHEN HE AWOKE, HE LOOKED ABOUT WITH SURPRISE.
HE COULDN’T BELIEVE WHAT HE SAW.
A STARTLING CHANGE HAD COME TO HIS OLD BODY.
HIS MOVEMENT REVEALED FOUR SILVER WINGS AND A LONG TAIL.
EVEN AS HE STRUGGLED, HE FELT AN IMPULSE TO MOVE HIS WINGS.
THE WARMTH OF THE SUN
DRIED THE MOISTURE FROM THE NEW BODY.
HE MOVED HIS WINGS AGAIN
AND SUDDENLY FOUND HIMSELF UP ABOVE THE WATER.
HE HAD BECOME A DRAGONFLY.
SWOOPING AND DIPPING IN GREAT CURVES,
HE FLEW THROUGH THE AIR.
HE FELT EXHILARATED IN THE NEW ATMOSPHERE.
BY AND BY, HE LIGHTED HAPPILY ON A LILY PAD TO REST.
THEN IT WAS THAT HE CHANCED TO LOOK BELOW
TO THE BOTTOM OF THE POND.
WHY, HE WAS RIGHT ABOVE HIS OLD FRIENDS, THE WATER BUGS!
THERE THEY WERE, SCURRYING ABOUT,
JUST AS HE HAD BEEN DOING SOME TIME BEFORE.
THEN HE REMEMBERED THE PROMISE:
“THE NEXT ONE OF US WHO CLIMBS UP THE LILY STALK
WILL COME BACK AND TELL WHERE HE WENT AND WHY.”
WITHOUT THINKING, HE DARTED DOWN.
SUDDENLY HE HIT THE SURFACE OF THE WATER.
“I CAN’T RETURN!” HE SAID IN DISMAY.
“AT LEAST I TRIED, BUT I CAN’T KEEP MY PROMISE.
EVEN IF I COULD GO BACK, NOT ONE OF THE WATER BUGS
WOULD KNOW ME IN MY NEW BODY.
I GUESS I’LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT
UNTIL THEY BECOME DRAGON FLIES, TOO.
THEN THEY’LL UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED TO ME,
AND WHERE I WENT.”
AND THE DRAGONFLY WINGED OFF HAPPILY
INTO HIS WONDERFUL NEW WORLD OF SUN AND AIR.
(PAUSE)
BASED ON NUMEROUS PASTORAL COUNSELING SESSIONS
AND HOSPITAL VISITS, I WOULD SAY THAT THE BIGGEST FEAR
FACING PERSONS IN THIS CONGREGATION
IS THE FEAR OF SERIOUS ILLNESS AND DEATH.
AND OF ALL SERIOUS ILLNESSES,
THE ONE MOST FEARED IS ALTZHEIMER’S DISEASE.
IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS TERRIBLE DISEASE,
THE EXAMPLE OF KATHY WARTHAN,
WHOSE LIFE WE CELEBRATED YESTERDAY,
CAN GIVE THE REST OF US COURAGE AND HOPE.
I REMEMBER A CONVERSATION I HAD WITH KATHY
IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE DISEASE
WHERE SHE TALKED VERY EXPLICITLY
ABOUT THE VERY REAL PROSPECT
OF SEEMING TO FORGET THOSE WHOM SHE LOVED
AND SEEMING TO LOSE TOUCH WITH HER OWN IDENTITY.
KATHY’S OPERATIVE WORD IN THIS CONVERSATION WAS SEEMING.
SHE KNEW THAT THE DISEASE SHE HAD WOULD PROGRESS
TO THE POINT WHERE IT WOULD SEEM
THAT SHE HAD FORGOTTEN BOTH HERSELF AND HER LOVED ONES.
KATHY STATED VERY CLEARLY TO ME
THAT THE ONLY REAL CHOICE SHE HAD
WAS TO TRUST OR NOT TO TRUST
THAT GOD WOULD NEVER LET GO OF HER IDENTITY,
THAT ONE DAY, IN GOD’S KINGDOM,
WHAT WE CALL “HEAVEN,”
HER IDENTITY WOULD BE RESTORED,
AND THAT SHE WOULD ONCE AGAIN RECOGNIZE
HERSELF AND THOSE WHOM SHE LOVED.
KATHY TOLD ME OF HER CHOICE
TO TRUST GOD IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING,
IN SPITE OF HER BODY BREAKING DOWN,
IN SPITE OF HAVING HER WORLD DISSOLVE.
SHE SAID THAT IF ON THE CROSS
JESUS COULD SAY TO GOD,
“INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT,”
THEN SHE COULD SAY THE SAME.
SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE FIGURED THAT
JESUS KNEW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN HE SAID
“TODAY YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE” (Luke 23:43),
AND WHEN HE SAID,
“BEHOLD, I AM MAKING EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING NEW.”
(Revelation 21:5)
SHE TOLD ME THAT HER WHOLE LIFE
WAS BUILT ON THESE PROMISES,
AND THAT SHE WASN’T ABOUT TO REJECT THEM
BECAUSE OF A “LITTLE” THING LIKE ALTZHEIMER’S.
IT WAS, OF COURSE, VERY CHALLENGING SEEING KATHY
AS THE DISEASE PROGRESSED.
BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT SHE HAD SHARED WITH ME BEFOREHAND,
I ALWAYS FELT THAT IT WAS KATHY, AND NOT THE DISEASE,
THAT HAD ALREADY HAD THE LAST WORDS,
AND THAT THOSE LAST WORDS WERE NOT
RESIGNATION OR DEPRESSION OR DESPAIR OR RAGE,
BUT TRUST AND HOPE AND A QUIET JOY IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT
JUST AS GOD CHERISHED JESUS’ IDENTITY
AND DID NOT LET THAT IDENTITY DISSOLVE IN DEATH,
SO TOO GOD CHERISHED KATHY’S IDENTITY,
AND WOULD NOT LET THAT IDENTITY DISSOLVE
IN ILLNESS AND DEATH.
THE STRENGTH AND COURAGE OF KATHY WARTHAN
IN THE FACE OF ONE OF THE WORST DISEASES ON THE PLANET,
HAS STRENGTHENED AND ENCOURAGED ME,
AND IS, I THINK, A WONDERFUL SOURCE OF ENCOURAGEMENT
TO OUR CONGREGATION AS A WHOLE.
SINCE SO MANY OF US ARE CAUGHT UP IN FEAR
CONCERNING SERIOUS ILLNESS AND DEATH,
NOW IS AN OPPORTUNE TIME TO SAY A FEW WORDS
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE.
PERHAPS YOU WILL DISCOUNT WHAT FOLLOWS
AS “TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.”
BUT I WOULD COUNTER BY SAYING THAT,
GIVEN THE GOD DESCRIBED BY JESUS IN THE GOSPELS –
THE GOD WHO CREATED EACH OF US,
WHO KNOWS US BETTER THAN WE KNOW OURSELVES,
WHO LOVES BEING IN RELATIONSHIP WITH US,
WHO WANTS TO SEE EACH OF US HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND WHOLE,
AND WHO HAS PROMISED US, THROUGH JESUS,
AN ETERNAL “DWELLING PLACE” (see John 14:1-3) –
I WOULD COUNTER BY SAYING THAT, GIVEN WHO JESUS IS
AND WHAT HE TEACHES US ABOUT GOD,
LIFE AFTER DEATH IS A GOD-GIVEN REALITY
TOO GOOD NOT TO BE TRUE.
WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE, I CHOOSE TO TRUST JESUS
MORE THAN I TRUST MYSELF.
SO – WHAT CAN WE EXPECT WHEN WE DIE?
BASED ON SCRIPTURE
AND ON NUMEROUS ACCOUNTS OF NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES
(EXPERIENCES WHICH, BY THE WAY,
ARE NO LONGER CONSIDERED TO BE MERELY “ANECDOTAL,”
BUT HAVE RECEIVED SERIOUS SCIENTIFIC STUDY
OVER THE PAST THIRTY YEARS),
WE CAN EXPECT THE FOLLOWING:
IMMEDIATELY AFTER WE DIE
WE WAKE UP IN ANOTHER DIMENSION WITH A NEW BODY.
REMEMBER THAT THE WORD “BODY” HERE
ENCOMPASSES THE QUANTUM PHYSICS PARADOX
OF A “SPIRITUAL MATERIALITY” WHICH INCLUDES
HEART, MIND, SOUL, AND SPIRIT.
FIRST OFF, WE RECOGNIZE OURSELVES,
BUT OURSELVES IN A RADIANTLY RESTORED STATE,
A STATE WHICH WE MAY HAVE HAD GLIMPSES OF,
BUT NEVER FULLY EXPERIENCED IN THIS DIMENSION.
MOST PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES
DESCRIBE THEMSELVES AS BEING THEIR “IDEAL” AGE,
FOR MOST OF THEM, LOOKING LIKE THEY DID
IN THEIR EARLY THIRTIES.
WE RECOGNIZE OURSELVES AND WE RECOGNIZE OUR LOVED ONES
WHO HAVE PRECEDED US IN DEATH.
IF WE HAVE LOST AN INFANT OR A CHILD, THAT INFANT OR CHILD
HAS “GROWN UP,” SO TO SPEAK,
BUT IS STILL OUR SON OR DAUGHTER.
IF WE HAVE LOST A BELOVED COMPANION ANIMAL, OR ANIMALS,
THEY ARE THERE AS WELL.
ALMOST EVERYONE WHO HAS COME BACK FROM THE OTHER SIDE
DESCRIBES MEETING WHAT THEY CALL “A BEING OF LIGHT,”
A “BEING OF LIGHT” WHO RADIATES UNCONDITIONAL
LOVE, ACCEPTANCE, AND FORGIVENESS.
IN THE PRESENCE OF THIS BEING, WHO MANY RECOGNIZE AS JESUS,
ONE IS LED THROUGH A PROCESS OF LIFE REVIEW.
IN GOD’S ETERNAL PRESENT,
OUR ENTIRE EARTHLY LIFE IS “PLAYED BACK” TO US.
WE ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECONCILE
WITH THOSE WE HAVE INJURED,
TO RECEIVE AND TO GIVE FORGIVENESS,
TO EXPRESS TO THIS BEING OF LIGHT REMORSE
FOR DOING THOSE THINGS WE OUGHT NOT TO HAVE DONE,
AND FOR NOT DOING THE MANY THINGS WE SHOULD HAVE DONE.
THE PURSPOSE OF THIS LIFE REVIEW
IS NOT PUNISHMENT, BUT RESTORATION.
AFTER THIS PROCESS OF RECONCILIATION AND RESTORATION,
WE GO ON TO EXPERIENCE A JOY IN RELATIONSHIP TO GOD,
OURSELVES, AND OTHERS THAT CANNOT BE PUT INTO WORDS.
THERE IS, OF COURSE, NO WAY TO PROVE
THAT THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS AFTER DEATH.
THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR DOUBT,
AND THIS BECAUSE GOD WANTS OUR FREELY GIVEN TRUST,
AND NOT MERELY OUR SUBMISSION
TO DIVINE AUTHORITY AND POWER.
EACH OF US, LIKE KATHY, IS FACED WITH A CHOICE –
THE CHOICE OF WHETHER TO LET OUR DOUBT
TRANSCEND OUR TRUST,
OR WHETHER TO LET OUR TRUST TRANSCEND OUR DOUBT.
THE QUESTION, FINALLY, IS THE QUESTION
OF WHETHER WE CAN TRUST THE PERSON WHO SAID:
“TODAY YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE,”
WHO SAID, “SEE, I AM MAKING EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE NEW,”
AND WHO SAID, “DO NOT LET YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED.
TRUST IN GOD, TRUST ALSO IN ME.
IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE ARE MANY DWELLING PLACES.
IF IT WERE NOT SO, WOULD I HAVE TOLD YOU
THAT I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU?
AND IF I GO AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU,
I WILL COME AND WILL TAKE YOU TO MYSELF,
SO THAT WHERE I AM, THERE YOU MAY BE ALSO.”
(John 14:1-3)
IF WE ARE NOT YET AT THE COURAGEOUS PLACE
OF KATHY WARTHAN, WHO CHOSE TO DEFY HER ILLNESS
AND PUT HER TRUST IN JESUS IN SPITE OF EVEYTHING,
WE CAN ALWAYS PRAY THE PRAYER
OF THE PERSON IN THE GOSPLES
WHO WAS JUST BEGINNING TO PUT HIS TRUST IN JESUS,
AND WHO SAID TO HIM, “LORD, I BELIEVE.
HELP ME WITH MY UNBELIEF.” (Mark9:24)
I’D LIKE TO END THIS SERMON BY RE-SHARING WITH YOU
MY FAVORITE ILLUSTRATION
ON THE CHRISTIAN APPROACH TO DEATH.
JOHN TODD WAS BORN IN RUTLAND, VERMONT,
IN OCTOBER OF 1800,
AND SHORTLY AFTERWARD HIS FAMILY MOVED TO CONNNECTICUT.
WHEN JOHN WAS SIX YEARS OLD, BOTH HIS PARENTS DIED,
AND A KINDLY AUNT AGREED TO GIVE JOHN A HOME.
THERE HE LIVED UNTIL HE LEFT TO STUDY FOR THE MINISTRY.
EVENTUALLY HIS AUNT BECAME SERIOUSLY ILL
AND FEARED SHE WOULD DIE.
IN HER ALARM, SHE WROTE HER NEPHEW
WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT DEATH.
HERE IS A PORTION OF JOHN TODD’S REPLY:
“IT IS NOW THIRTY-FIVE YEARS SINCE I, AS A LITTLE BOY OF SIX,
WAS LEFT QUITE ALONE IN THE WORLD.
YOU SENT ME WORD THAT YOU WOULD GIVE ME A HOME
AND BE A KIND MOTHER TO ME.
I WILL NEVER FORGET THE DAY
WHEN I MADE THE LONG JOURNEY OF TEN MILES
TO YOUR HOUSE IN NORTH KILLINGWORTH.
I CAN STILL REMEMBER MY DISAPPOINTMENT
WHEN INSTEAD OF COMING FOR ME YOURSELF,
YOU SENT YOUR SERVANT CAESAR TO FETCH ME.
I WELL REMEMBER MY TEARS AND ANXIETY AS,
PERCHED HIGH ON YOUR HORSE AND CLINGING TIGHT TO CAESAR,
I RODE OFF TO MY NEW HOME.
NIGHT FELL BEFORE WE FINISHED THE JOURNEY,
AND, AS IT GREW DARK, I BECAME LONELY AND AFRAID.
“DO YOU THINK SHE’LL GO TO BED BEFORE WE GET THERE?”
I ASKED CAESAR ANXIOUSLY.
“OH, NO,” HE SAID REASSURINGLY.
“SHE’LL STAY UP FOR YOU
WHEN WE GET OUT OF THESE WOODS,
YOU’LL SEE HER CANDLE SHINING IN THE WINDOW.”
PRESENTLY WE DID RIDE OUT INTO THE CLEARING,
AND THERE, SURE ENOUGH, WAS YOUR CANDLE.
I REMEMBER YOU WERE WAITING AT THE DOOR,
THAT YOU PUT YOUR ARMS CLOSE ABOUT ME
AND THAT YOU LIFTED ME – A TIRED AND BEWILDERED LITTLE BOY –
DOWN FROM THE HORSE.
YOU HAD A FIRE BURNING ON THE HEARTH,
A HOT SUPPER WAITING ON THE STOVE.
AFTER SUPPER YOU TOOK ME TO MY ROOM,
HEARD ME SAY MY PRAYERS,
AND THEN SAT BESIDE ME TILL I FELL ASLEEP.
YOU PROBABLY REALIZE WHY I AM RECALLING
ALL OF THIS TO YOUR MEMORY.
SOMEDAY SOON GOD WILL SEND FOR YOU
TO TAKE YOU TO A NEW HOME.
DON’T FEAR THE SUMMONS, THE STRANGE JOURNEY
OR THE DARK MESSENGER OF DEATH.
GOD CAN BE TRUSTED TO DO AS MUCH FOR YOU
AS YOU WERE KIND ENOUGH TO DO FOR ME SO MANY YEARS AGO.
AT THE END OF THE ROAD
YOU WILL FIND LOVE ANJD A WELCOME AWAITING,
AND YOU WILL BE SAFE IN GOD’S CARE.
I SHALL WATCH YOU AND PRAY FOR YOU
TILL YOU ARE OUT OF SIGHT
AND THEN WAIT FOR THE DAY
WHEN I SHALL MAKE THE JOURNEY MYSELF
AND FIND MY SAVIOR AND YOU
WAITING AT THE END OF THE ROAD TO GREET ME.
AMEN.