1 Corinthians 15

I Skype a friend from school days. He has sold his businesses in Australia. He is tired of working ten to twelve hours a day. He is going to travel through Africa with his family for three months. The day before their departure his new partner rushed into the office with the news that his friend had just died of a heart attack. Forty nine years old. Just like that.

Here in our town a new Spar has opened, a beautiful shop. The owner can be very proud. A week later he died of a heart attack on his way home.

It doesn’t matter how hard you step on the gas of life, the fact remains that death might wait for you around the corner. Nobody knows when death waits on your doorstep. The only thing we are certain of is where we are going to when death arrives. 31I look death in the face practically every day I live.

It is a hard fact. We all live in the shadow of death. No, we don’t have to be afraid and stressed all the time because death is waiting around the corner. Rather put your energy into making certain that your relationship with God is sound. Paul is very clear about this: 34Think straight. Awaken to the holiness of life. No more playing fast and loose with resurrection facts. Ignorance of God is a luxury you can’t afford in times like these.

Maybe your situation is in order and this message is meant for somebody else. Maybe you are the person who has to deliver the message to the other person. Maybe somebody’s name gets into your head and you have known for some time this person’s relationship with God is not 100% sorted out.

You don’t have to make a big deal of this. While making conversation simply ask the person where he will go if death knocks on his door tomorrow. Most people simply say that they will go to heaven because they can still remember this from Sunday school.

Then you ask the following question: When you get to heaven and they ask you why they have to allow you inside, what will your answer be? If your friend answers anything other than ”because Jesus died for my sins”, you have a problem. A person who is uncertain usually answers something like “I haven’t been too bad and did a few good deeds here and there”.

Of course we know that this is not good enough to get us through the gates of heaven. The people we are in contact with on a daily bases urgently need us. What will happen in their lives after today is very much our concern. Let us not forsake our assignment. May the festive fires burn high in heaven because we have made a difference everywhere we went. Maybe this is simply because we have warned the people around us that a bus may run them down and they have to get their affairs in order with God. We have to urge them to get a personal relationship with God and also get their lives in line with God.

May God give us the strength to do this. May we hide our shame and with the power of the Spirit lead others to a personal relationship with God.

Reflection

Where will you go when you are run over by a bus one day, maybe tomorrow?

Why would you be allowed into heaven?

To whom do you have to ask these two questions?

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for the knowledge that I will walk through the gates of heaven one day. Thank you for making this possible for me. Help me not to keep this wonderful news to myself but to tell all the people that You want me to. There are many busses driving around. Amen