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Late in 1789 Benjamin Franklin wrote what is considered to be his last great quote, a saying about the Constitution and life that proved true for him about five months later.
Writing to a French scientist, concerning our nation's relatively new Constitution, Franklin wrote, "Our new Constitution is now established, everything seems to promise it will be durable; but, in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes."
It's Franklin's last phrase that is most memorable and the subject of this article.
Despite the never ending attempts to delay, and even avoid it, death has, as has often been said, a 100 percent mortality rate, it is unavoidable in this world. As I write this article one family in our church is dealing with the passing of a husband, father and grandfather. Across the state, the family of a college classmate conducted his funeral this morning. Death has been a reality in this world since the fall of Adam and will be until Jesus returns and finally makes all things new. Since death is an unavoidable reality in this world, how should we think about it? While there are several angles from which we could explore this subject, I want to encourage you to consider death as a sacred moment.
Psalm 116:15 reminds us "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints."
The New English Translation, in their study notes, explains that "the life-threatening experiences of God's followers get God's attention."
In the New Testament there is a beautiful picture of this reality, found in Acts chapter 7. There Stephen, a leader in the early church and one of the first to be martyred for his proclamation of the gospel of Jesus, as his would be executioners were pressing in upon him, "gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God" (Acts 7:55).
One interesting fact that is often pointed out is that Jesus standing (rather than seated) probably indicates his rising to receive his child. (NET Notes)
Then, as he is being stoned to death, he cried out "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." (Acts 7:59) So it seems quite clear that the moment of the death of one of God's "saints" (those he has redeemed by the sacrificial death of Jesus) is "precious," something he takes very seriously, treating it as a sacred moment.
The last words of Stephen are also significant. When he said "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" he was almost quoting Jesus' own last words from the cross.
In Luke's gospel account of Jesus' death the final words of Jesus are "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46 -- Remember that Luke is also the author of Acts.) And Luke (who was a physician) describes the moment of Jesus' death as "He breathed His last."
In the Greek language with which Luke wrote, this last sentence is one word which could be translated, "He expired." (The English word "expired" comes from a Latin word meaning "to breathe out.")
Mark used the same Greek word in his gospel account of Jesus' death, a word literally meaning "to breathe out," using a variation of the same word for "spirit."
All four gospel accounts record the moment of Jesus' death; Matthew and John describe it as Jesus "yielded up His spirit" (Matthew 27:50) and "He gave up His spirit" (John 19:30). The interplay of "breath" and "spirit" is found in both the Old and New testaments.
In the Old Testament record of God's creation of human beings "the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." (Genesis 2:7)
"Human life is described here as consisting of a body (made from soil from the ground) and breath (given by God). The Hebrew word used here is used for God and for the life imparted to humans. Whatever is given this breath of life becomes animated with the life from God, has spiritual understanding, and has a functioning conscience." (NET Notes) In the New Testament the Apostle James used this theme when explaining the necessity of action in demonstrating faith when he wrote, "as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (James 2:26)
While human tissue can be kept "alive" with the right drugs (chemicals) and medical equipment, that human body is only a "living being" when the life from God is present within it. This is why the body is considered dead, absent the spirit (the life giving breath, the animating life from God, which is given by God).
For the saints, those redeemed by the grace of God through faith in Jesus, the assurance we have in facing death is that to be absent from the body is to be "present with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:8) The crucial factor in this is having a reconciled relationship with God through faith in the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ.
If you are trusting in Jesus, you can face your own mortality with the assurance that when you "breathe your last" your spirit will be entering into the presence of the one who gave you life and redeemed your life for his glory. The same is true when a redeemed loved one experiences their own sacred moment.
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Finding Faith is written by area pastors. This week's column comes from Pastor Doug Packard of First Baptist Church, Lock Haven.