Good day dear friends,
As we continue our study of John's gospel, it is good to see what the other gospels have Jesus saying about light and darkness. Here then for today is our study guide:
Thursday: Read Matthew 8:5-13. What are your thoughts about this “outer darkness” that Jesus mentions in this passage? Can you imagine an eternity without light? Some would say that is exactly what Hell is; a place of complete darkness and complete separation from God and our righteous loved ones.
Here is that passage from NRSV:
5 When he entered Caper'naum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him 6 and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible distress." 7 And he said to him, "I will come and cure him." 8 The centurion answered, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, "Go,' and he goes, and to another, "Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, "Do this,' and the slave does it." 10 When Jesus heard him, he was amazed and said to those who followed him, "Truly I tell you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 13 And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; let it be done for you according to your faith." And the servant was healed in that hour.
The story is straightforward. Jesus comes into the town of Capernaum, and a Roman officer, one in charge of 100 men, comes to Jesus and asks for healing for his servant. This illness was severe and had paralyzed the man. The Roman officer knew of Jesus' fame and power and so asks for healing from Jesus. Jesus replies that he would go home with the man, but the officer realizing the holiness of our Lord said, "I'm not worthy to have you come under my roof..." We're not sure of the reasons behind his saying this other than he knew of Jesus' holiness being what it was, that all Jesus had to do was to give the order and the man would be healed. This was an awesome testimony of his faith and Jesus spoke to his disciples about it. He said that no one in Israel had such faith. He then prophesies about those from outside the Jewish people who would come and eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while those who had no such faith would "be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
We can sit here and argue about how hot Hell really is or whether there really is a hell. All I know is that Jesus spoke of it as a real place and uses several illustrations, such as this one to describe it, and so I believe there really is a place where we can be eternally separated from God and those we love who die in the faith. Did God send these folks there? Is God that sort of God to do that? No, my friends, we choose to go there by rejecting faith. We are responsible for the consequences of our lack of faith.
The question I asked for today asks us to imagine such a place. I'd rather you imagine the fullness of life lived in the light of Jesus, which is what is available to us right now. Don't worry about that day of death when our fate is sealed, right now is the day of decision. Decide to live in the fullness of Christ's love!
In a few days I'm sending out a Leadership Letter to the officers and leaders of the church. In it I'm challenging the members of FUMC-SM to have a new passion for the days and months ahead. And that passion is precisely for the lost; for those lost in sin, living apart from God. That's why we have a church. We seek to bring to the lost the saving message of Jesus Christ. We can start today by praying for them, for asking God to use all of us to be the light of the world, not hidden but shining brightly for those we know need Jesus like never before.
PRAYER: God of love and light, shine brightly on our situation. We pray for the lost, that they might be rescued from their sins and lifted to the fullness of life. Use us, use all that we have to be instruments of that grace. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a blessed day!
e.v.
