Life and Death
Isaiah 38-39
Last Sunday, I spoke with you about issues of life and death from Isaiah 38. I urged you that Christians should have a passion to live in our culture of death. We live in a nation where the unborn are thoughtlessly killed by the many millions every year. Where suicide is at record high numbers in many demographics, and where physician assisted suicide is nearly upon us. As Christians we should desire to live, and in that to live unto the glory of Jesus! We should pray for a full and joyful life, asking God to watch over and protect us along the way. We do not know how this prayer will be answered, or with what hardships it will come. We know from the constant pattern of Scripture that struggle and hardship will always be a part of our lives. The Lord uses this struggle to keep us in dependence upon Himself. He uses the hardships of life to refine our character and increase our longing for heaven.
Isaiah 39 is an interesting passage. This chapter records what happens in the life of King Hezekiah after the Lord answers his prayer for healing and grants him 15 more years to live. What would you do with your life if from your deathbed you were granted 15 more years to live? Sadly, it’s the least impressive period of Hezekiah’s life. He does not go on to live passionately for the Lord, leading the people to revival and godliness. Instead, he slows down, is overly proud of his accomplishments, makes unwise decisions, and is self-indulgent. He ends up touring an emissary of Babylon all over the land and is rebuked by Isaiah for giving their enemies an open door because of his pride. He is told by Isaiah that Babylon will one day come in and destroy the land. The last recorded words of Hezekiah are shocking, “’The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.’ For he thought, ‘There will be peace and security in my days.'” (verse 8)
This is a shocking and callous statement. It means what it says, “As long as this ruin doesn’t come in my day, then it’s not my concern!” My initial reaction is to condemn Hezekiah for having no heart of care or mission toward the generation of his children. But this should cause each of us to examine our own hearts. How much real concern do you have for the next generations? Is your life lived in this same self-preserving selfish way? What are you really doing in a self-sacrificing, gospel oriented, disciple-making way to affect coming generations? Do you really care that coming generations grow in godliness and strength, or do you just want to live out your days in peace? These are serious questions where, if truthful, many American seniors would fall into the same camp as senior King Hezekiah.
I am deeply impressed and encouraged by many seniors at Redeemer who are intentionally living in a different way. Thankfully in our church there are many examples of seniors that DO care deeply about the next generation and are diligently and sacrificially working to make disciples of Jesus Christ in the next generation. They are not just relaxing and telling stories of their youth but are actively using the years of their lives to fulfill the great commission of Jesus to go into all the world and make disciples. This is the attitude we must have as the Lord grants us more years to live. We must care about the wellbeing of coming generations, leaving a legacy of godliness.
This can take many different forms, but it should begin in your own family. We should strive after the souls and godly character of our children and grandchildren. If you are a senior, please take action to be directly involved in the lives of your grandchildren for the sake of godliness. Don’t just smile and wish them well. Engage them and talk about things that matter. Pray for them and encourage them. Be actively involved in their lives. Then look to the lives of other young people. Perhaps volunteer to work in the children’s ministry, youth ministry, or with our young adults. See and know the struggles of youth today and come alongside them in what way you can to speak godly wisdom, encourage, and pray.
I urge our seniors to follow in the godly example of Joshua, who at age 110 ended his life with a powerful charge to the next generation to forsake evil and unbelief, and follow him as he followed after God!
“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the river and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14-15
We all see the dark clouds coming upon us in culture. We know the future looks bleak, but there is always hope in Jesus Christ. As long as the Lord gives us breath may we live for him with intention and focus upon making disciples. This is the means by which revival comes!
May the Lord strengthen us all to live well,
Pastor Vic