Gathered To His People

Intro

What do you want the end of your life to be like? Or to put it in a slightly more morbid way, how do you hope you will behave at your death? I know those sound like odd questions, but really of all things that we can prepare for in life, this is the one certain thing. Only the Christian has the answer for how to prepare oneself for such an event. Only the Christian can view death for what it is, a hated friend. What do I mean by that? How can one be a hated friend? Death is hated because it is a result of sin. The reason why we die is because of sin. Yet death can be a friend in its capacity to deliver us to heaven, something only Jesus could accomplish.

Today we are going to look at two points today The Christian faces death with hope yet Christians rightly grieve death.

Christians Face Death with Hope

Let’s see how Jacob meets his end. He has just finished proclaiming blessings on his sons, which makes total sense. Jacob is finishing his task, and so now it is time for his sons to pick up the mantel and keep going.

But what follows wouldn’t make a lot of sense to a world like ours that views death as the end of all hope. He has instructions for what to do with his body, very specific instructions at that. He does not want to be buried in Egypt, but rather where his fathers are buried in the land of Canaan.

This doesn’t make much sense to our modern ears. Is not Joseph all but the pharaoh of Egypt at this point? Is not every member of Jacob’s family in Egypt? Did Joseph not save the entire known world from starvation? Surely that would mean that the family will be respected for all time! As we will see in a moment, all of Egypt it would seem mourns the loss of Jacob. According to one source that I read, they grieved for only two or three days less than they would the pharaoh of the land! This was no small, unimportant family. Why not assume that Egypt is the land of promise? Has not Canaan had a famine every time we turn around? Is it not currently full of other residents, some of whom are hostile?

But Jacob insists with this act that the land of promise is Canaan. That defies all earthly reasoning and present circumstances. But Jacob has something more precious than all of that, the promise of God. If he isn’t going to be able to live in the land of promise, then he wants to be buried there, where his descendants will be. That is a man who understands that God’s promises are sure.

As one writer put it, “Death does not put our relationship with God into the past tense.” - John Blanchard. Jacob isn’t saying, “It’s all over for me, just let me die.” No, he still has something he wants to ensure is done, his body will be resting in the land of promise. God still has something for Him. Death doesn’t stop the fulfillment of a promise.

Even the fact that he has a place to be buried is evidence of God’s faithfulness. He promised that they would have a possession in the land, and so they have. Abraham, Isaac, Leah, and now Jacob will take their place God claimed for them.

The text then simply says gathered up his feet, breathed his last, and was gathered to his people. That word “gathered” is in the passive tense. Jacob didn’t “pass” or “go.” He was gathered by God. It is a fitting end. The wrestler, the struggler, wrestles and struggles no more. He simply gathers up and is gathered gently into that good night. He isn’t terrified or looking at it with dread. He speaks of it matter of a factly, yet clearly viewing it as anything but the end.

Is this your view of death? I’m not saying that we are hastening it along or looking forward to the process, but do you think about your death this way? Christ has died to purchase your hope in that process. If you don’t have that hope, why?

Yes, the process isn’t enjoyable, but is your soul at rest knowing that your place in eternity is secure? If it isn’t, this might be a good time to consider why. Perhaps you feel distant from God at the moment and wonder about your salvation. Don’t stuff those thoughts away. God is there to answer those fears. Maybe you remember something horrible from your past and assume that there is little or no hope that God could accept you. You’ve grown somewhat numb to that fear all these years, but as those years drag on that fear gets deeper. It’s time to come to the cross. It is time to take Jesus at His faithful word when He says come to me, you who are weary and I will give you rest. Listen to His promise in John 6:37 “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” Come to Him, and keep coming to Him. Let each moment of doubt and fear be a reminder to you that there is a Savior Who is ready and willing to save scared sinners just like you.

Now, maybe you’re on the other end of this spectrum and you aren’t bothered by death because, honestly, you don’t even think about it. If that is your camp, than it is probably because you are young and assume that death is really far away. One may come to the conclusion that thinking about your death at a young age is morbid and unhealthy. While I agree that we don’t need to think about it every minute, the Bible brings up numerous times that it is something that needs to be brought to mind regularly. Psalm 90:12 “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Or, Psalm 39:4–5 ““O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah” And who could forget James 4:14 “yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” And there are more!

The point of this isn’t to be depressing but to be driving. It wakes us up to the reality that this world really isn’t our home. We won’t be here in this state forever. Your life was meant for more than just surviving to the next day. It was meant for more than getting a job, getting married, getting a house, getting kids, it was always about Jesus and what you can give for Him. That is what eternity is going to be. And those who learn to follow after Him find out that they are pursuing their own joy. It puts things into perspective. And not in a cheap, you-only-live-once so do what feels good kind of junk. No. It is a, your life is going so fast, so what are you doing that is going to last? This isn’t a call to panic. It’s a sobering call to being deliberate. To think rightly about your life, knowing that our time here on earth is limited, to gain the right perspective on how fleeting life is, letting that panic start to build in your chest and then look. Look to Jesus. Be reminded that He is building His kingdom, His church, and you can be a part of it. Then soberly, deliberately live out what He has called you to do, with the time that you have, in the place where you are right now. And if you live your life that way, you will be on your deathbed with hope. Not because you will have done everything you wanted, but because by then you will be close enough with Jesus to see that it was always Him anyway. And you just can’t wait to see what happens next.

Christians Rightly Grieve Death

Now, after all that, it may seem odd for me to then say that Christians rightly grieve death. You might think that I have laid out all that I’ve said so far to speak positively of death. It is true that Death is my friend insofar as it leads me to the presence of Christ. But we must never think that death in itself is a good thing. We cannot forget where death comes from and that is sin. That is worth morning.

But even within that is hope. Joseph and his brothers follow Jacob’s instructions precisely and they burry him in the tomb that Abraham bought. The possession in the land has come down to the descendants.

For us, who live on the other side of the cross, we have an even greater hope because we know about the resurrection (Matthews). When we bury someone, it isn’t because they will never need their body again, but precisely because they will!

But in the meantime, we occupy a sinful world. It causes grief in our hearts. Death is not a part of God’s original design, and it isn’t in the future designs of God either. So we lament at the gravesides, just as Jesus did. We are not glib at funerals. We all must recognize the horrible effects of sin. Yet at the same time, we are not without hope of sin and death’s final defeat.

The emotional range of the Christian at a funeral is astonishing. We can grieve like no other because we know that the sin that we give ourselves to time after time is the same thing that brings about death. Sin is not your friend. Yet at the same time we can see that Jesus’ resurrection from the dead has defeated death! It won’t be like this forever. So therefore we are able to be joyful in our pain knowing that every day we are getting closer to a world with no more death. That is how we are able to say with Paul that death has no sting.

Don’t live each day as if it were your last; that sort of living is not sustainable. Instead live each day obediently to God’s word, and you will live a life that you will not regret at the end. As someone once said, no one repents of being a Christian on their deathbed. So be a Christian. Be an obedient Christian. And there you will find out only a life worth living, but a life worth rejoicing in. Such is the gift of Christ. He is not just a comfort in death, but is also the reason for living. What else or who else are you going to live for? What else or who else is going to survive beyond your death? Is it not him? And is it not those that you lied to Christ as well? And those things that you do for him? There is simply no other way to live your life that will extend into eternity, but he gives you that opportunity. Will you take it? If not, what else is going to last longer?