Resolution 9: Trains, Planes and Automobiles

"Death rides a fast camel" ~ Arab Proverb

 Or a lumbering train. 

Train Crossing, by Michael Roe

Today, I was preparing to leave work for lunch and a train was coming. Now, the railroad crossing above is right next to my office. It has no crossing guard or signal. It only has a sign that says railroad crossing, yield. Because there is no forced stoppage at this crossing, the train will sound a warning by blowing its horn. Cars are expected to slow and stop. That would be common sense, right? 

I shook my head in amazement as three different vehicles ignored the bellowed warnings and crossed directly in front of the train. Here you have an engine with tons of steel behind it, bearing down on this crossing, at less than 100 feet - and cars kept going. The horn was sounding the warning, but no one cared to listen. Thankfully, no one was hurt. The train rumbled by and careless drivers journeyed on. 

But carelessness in the face of impending death isn't always so fortunate. This past week in my home town, a young man was killed by an early morning train. This 16 year old gambled and lost. Now his family will mourn his passing; his life cut short.    

 

Train Car, by Michael Roe

Death is like a train and people are like a car stopped on the tracks. Except this train will stop for no one. The horn blares its warning, the ground shakes underfoot, sparks fly. The warning is sounded. The question is, will you listen? 

Proverbs says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death" (Proverbs 16:25). In the context of proverbs, this "way" is the path of the fool or wicked person. This person hears the sound of wisdom crying out "life!" but fails to hear. The train of death hurtles toward this foolish person, and in their carelessness they fail to listen to its repeated warnings.

But there is a way off the tracks. Just like carelessness in the face of a train brings death, a healthy fear of the same train will preserve life. Fear makes your otherwise frozen feet move.

    "The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
    turning people away from the snares of death" (Proverbs 14:27)

Death is coming for all. Fear God and live. Seek Him while he may be found (Isaiah 55:6). The train thunders its warning. Will you listen?

Resolution 9: Your Family Wants to Kill You

Last month, I became aware of the story of Josef after seeing Al Mohler's tweet, strongly encouraging everyone to read the harrowing story of this Christian "on the run in Afghanistan." 

You need to drop everything right now and read this amazing @NYTimes story of a Christian on the run in Afghanistan. http://t.co/KeHaWyDzEc
— albertmohler (@albertmohler) June 23, 2014

I read the article and was amazed. I was amazed to see the NYT highlighting the plight of a persecuted Christian. Aside from the trending "bring back our girls" campaign that most have now forgotten, the persecution of Christians rarely makes headlines. If you haven't read the article yet, you can find it here. Praise God that this testimony was seen by the world. 

The most amazing that about this story was that God's power was on display. While the NYT author didn't explicitly glorify God, the testimony of Josef's faith did. Here is a man who was willing to turn his back on his family, culture, and religion; all for Jesus Christ. He knew it could cost his life but he decided to follow Jesus. He knows he might be killed for his Christian faith any day now, and yet he refuses to deny Christ. 

That is a powerful display of the power of God in Jesus Christ. The power to take an unbelieving Muslim and change him into a follower of Jesus who is willing to die for his savior. 

Christians in the West speak of "dying for Jesus" when they give up such mundane things as too much Starbucks or eating one less cookie. Sometimes, Western Christians come a little closer to an awareness of literal death for Jesus when they go on a short term missions trip in a third-world context, or when they do an evangelistic outreach "in the hood." 

But for Josef, the reality of martyrdom is just around the corner. Literally. It's lurking behind the tinted windows of an unmarked van, in the footsteps he hears scraping the street outside his flimsy door, in the faces of the men he once knew as brothers and uncles. Josef, like many other Christians in similar contexts, might take his last breath today. 

For Christians like Josef, death is an ever present reality. I imagine that Josef thinks of his death often. When he misses his family. When he misses the comforts of home. When he reads his Bible. Death is waiting.

Resolution 9 reminds Christian men to think of their death often. This is not morbid introspection. This is salvation verification (2 Cor 13:5). Josef has counted the cost and by God's grace is ready to die for Jesus. In his own words, “My body is in prison, but my soul is free.” The soul free in Jesus is ready to die for Jesus. 

Since most of my readers are Christians here in the U.S.A., I would encourage you to read this article about Josef. Put yourself in his shoes and imagine your family wanting to kill you for your faith. Go ahead, imagine it. 

Think about your brother or cousin hunting you with a machete in his hand, ready to sever your now-infidel head from your body. Think about your parents and uncles, standing by as you are beaten to a bloody pulp for embracing Jesus. Think about death for Christ - and then pray. 

Pray for Josef and the thousands of other Christians like him who face death for Jesus on a daily basis. Pray that they will stand fast in their faith. Pray that their persecutors will come to faith in Jesus. And pray that you will be strengthened in your faith; a faith strong enough to say, "my body is in prison, but my soul is free."

Sound off in the comments: Have you ever been persecuted for your faith?

Resolution 9

Resolution Nine: Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

While Jonathan Edwards was still a young man, he penned a series of "resolutions" for his life. These resolutions would shape the trajectory of his coming years and the godly character he became known for. While Edwards grew frustrated at times with his failure to keep his resolutions, they demonstrated the fervency with which he lived his Christian life. 

Recently, I was preparing to preach a sermon on John the Baptist's death in Mark 6:14-29. I came across by Edwards' ninth resolution and was struck by it again. Listen to this, "Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death." 

Society today would say that is a morbid statement. But Edwards did not focus on death for the sake of death itself. His goal in meditating on his demise was to spur himself on to greater holiness and Christ-likeness. 

Edwards meditated on his own demise to spur himself on to greater holiness and Christ-likeness.

Each Thursday, I will be posting a Resolution 9 segment on the blog. My goal is to offer the sober reminder that death is coming for all men and that all men of God should look to their future demise with the resolve to honor Christ today. 

I close with Paul's words. Words that fit Resolution 9. 

"For me, living is Christ  and dying is gain."

"Just one thing: Live your life  in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ."

Philippians 1:21, 27