IT MAKES SENSE TO THINK THERE IS MORE

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

INTRODUCTORY THOUGHT

This passage of scripture is taken from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 19 verse 16. If you read this, you will find that a very well-to-do, intelligent young man asks Jesus this question concerning eternal life. A lot can, and has been, written about this encounter, but I am interested in this young man’s concern for “eternal life.”

Life after death is not a foreign concept to humans. The thought of eternal life is part of many cultures and many, many religions. Does it make sense for an intelligent, wealthy young man to concern himself with eternal life? Is it foolish to think that there is nothing more? Does the idea of eternal life stem only from religious foolishness? Have men and women for thousands of years waisted intellectual energy on this subject? Is it absurd to spend even one more moment on the subject?

I submit to you that not only do we contemplate this idea of eternal life, but we can’t help but think about it. The world has changed and there seems to be an increasing number of agnostics and atheists in it, but belief or disbelief really has no bearing on truth. Rejection of truth does not stop truth from being true, nor does the belief of a falsehood make it true because it is believed.

A SIMPLE BUT PROFOUND THOUGHT

This subject of eternal life is addressed by Richard Wurmbrand in his book Tortured for Christ. As he writes in his book, the approach of the underground Christians of Romania, when dealing with the increasing atheist population, was simple but very profound. He writes:

Suppose that we could speak with an embryo in his mother’s womb and that you would tell him that the embryonic life is only a short one after which follows a real, long life. What would the embryo answer? He would say just what you atheists answer to us, when we speak to you about paradise and hell. He would say that the life in the mother’s womb is the only one and that everything else is religious foolishness. But if the embryo could think, he would say to himself, ‘Here arms grow on me. I do not need them. I cannot even stretch them. Why do they grow? Perhaps they grow for a future stage of my existence, in which I will have to work with them. Legs grow, but I have to keep them bent towards my chest. Why do they grow? Probably life in a large world follows, where I will have to walk. Eyes grow, although I am surrounded by perfect darkness and don’t need them. Why do I have eyes? Probably a world with light and colors will follow.’ So, if the embryo would reflect on his own development, he would know about a life outside of his mother’s womb, without having seen it. It is the same with us. As long as we are young, we have vigor, but no mind to use it properly. When, with the years, we have grown in knowledge and wisdom, the hearse waits to take us to the grave. Why was it necessary to grow in knowledge and wisdom that we can use no more? Why do arms, legs, and eyes grow on an embryo? It is for what follows. So it is with us here. We grow here in experience, knowledge, and wisdom for what follows. We are prepared to serve on a higher level that follows death.

There is not one human being who does not deal with the concept of their future. We plan for it. We worry about it. We cannot avoid it. The atheist believes that this concept of time only exists within this bubble we call life. Our inherent quality that compels us to concern ourselves with tomorrow is real. We may try to deny its existence. We may try to avoid the persistent stress that comes from thinking about our futures. We may even try to turn it off so we can then deny that there is something more.

I have strained to be honest with myself about the issue of eternal life, and I must confess I have always believed there is more. It makes sense that a wealthy, intelligent man would ask about eternal life. He was intelligent and wealthy because he had concerned himself with his future. He could not forsake the principles that had brought success. His education, experience, and common sense caused him to enquire about eternal life.

PASTOR’S POWER POINT

Don’t fight what compels you to believe that there is more. Search for the truth about eternal life. Consider the horror of being unprepared.

Sincerely Yours, Securely Christ’s,

Pastor