Remembered

It is possible to live under a delusion. You think you are kind, considerate and gracious when you are really not. You think you are building positive stuff into your children when in reality, if you could check with them twenty years later, you really didn’t. What if you could read your own obituary? How do people really see you? Here is the story of a man who did.
One morning in 1888 Alfred Nobel, inventor of dynamite, awoke to read his own obituary. The obituary was printed as a result of a simple journalistic error. You see, it was Alfred’s brother that had died and the reporter carelessly reported the death of the wrong brother. Any man would be disturbed under the circumstances, but to Alfred the shock was overwhelming because he saw himself as the world saw him. The “Dynamite King,” the great industrialist who had made an immense fortune from explosives. This, as far as the general public was concerned, was the entire purpose of Alfred’s life. None of his true intentions to break down the barriers that separated men and ideas for peace were recognized or given serious consideration. He was simply a merchant of death. And for that alone he would be remembered. As he read the obituary with horror, he resolved to make clear to the world the true meaning and purpose of his life. This could be done through the final disposition of his fortune. His last will and testament–an endowment of five annual prizes for outstanding contributions in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace (the sixth category of economics was added later)–would be the expression of his life’s ideals and ultimately would be why we would remember him. The result was the most valuable of prizes given to those who had done the most for the cause of world peace. It is called today, the “Nobel Peace Prize.”

Albert Nobel was so horrified that he was going to be remembered as the merchant of death he resolved to make it clear to the world the true meaning and purpose of his life. He made it clear to the world by giving out the most valuable prizes given to those who had done the most for the cause of world peace.

Not too many people get to read their own obituaries or hear their eulogy. The bottom line is that we’re all going to be remembered for something and all of us are going to leave a legacy of some kind. This why I believe the scriptures urge us to be faithful unto death and to continue to grow as a Christ follower.

In Hebrews 11 you get to read what some of the Christ followers were remembered for. These people were faithful to God unto death:

• Abel is remembered for righteousness. What do you think Cain is remembered for?
• Enoch is remembered as one who pleased God and did not experience death.
• Noah is remembered for building an ark.
• Abraham is remembered for being the father of our faith.
• Sarah is remembered for giving birth in her old age because she considered God faithful and he would keep his promise.
• Moses is remembered for leading people out of slavery.
• Rahab the prostitute is remembered for hiding two Israelite spies.

In Hebrews 11:22, Joseph is not remembered for being thrown into a cistern by his brothers. He is not remembered for being framed for rape. He is not remembered for spending a couple of years in prison for no reason at all. He is not remembered for being the second most powerful man in Egypt.

What is he remembered for:
22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.

He’s remembered for how well he finished his life. He was faithful to God despite all the circumstances, all the tests, all the trials, all the disappointment, and all the discouragement he walked through in life. That’s what he was remembered for. Even in death, Joseph still spoke about God’s faithfulness to those who worshiped him. Despite all that he walked through in life – he only gets a one sentence mention in Hebrews 11. Which is known as the hall of fame of faith.

Joseph was remembered for his faithfulness to God. Not for all of things he walked through in life. All of those things he walked through in life helped him be faithful to God. Through disappointment he remained faith to God. Through discouragement he remained faithful to God. Even being brought up in a dysfunctional family – he remained faithful to God.

Joseph did not allow his circumstances to dictate his life or his faith! God was enough for Joseph. That’s all Joseph had. His family let him down. His employer let him down. The cupbearer let him down.  What we learn from Joseph is his circumstances didn’t dictate his faith, his faith dictated his circumstances.

In every moment of our life we are either going to be a thermometer which reflects the temperature in a room or the thermostat which dictates the temperature in a room. As Christ followers, our faith needs to dictate our circumstances. That’s why we have faith.  Our faith forces us to face our discouragements, disappointments, and our spiritual dysfunction. Our faith forces us to cry for help because we know we can’t handle it alone   Our faith forces us to seek after God because we understand that we have nowhere else to turn.

Brittany Maynard who suffered with the worse brain cancer a person can have ended up taking her life (legally and doctor assisted in the state of Oregon) on November 1st, 2014. I did read her final entry. I was looking for signs of a faith in God. All I read was a reference to a positive power and positive energy. I am not saying she didn’t have a faith in God – I am just saying I didn’t see any signs of any kind of faith that pointed to living. Brittany was dealt some very unfair circumstances in life. It would be rather self-righteous of me to say Brittany made the wrong decision. I can’t even imagine being faced with such a circumstance. I do know cancer doesn’t care whether you are a Christian or not. It destroys and disrupts one’s life no matter what your age, faith background, rich or poor. I also know that dealing with cancer can give life too.

A 60-something guy, Darrel, who I shared with about the love of God and how much God loves him and wants a relationship with him, had cancer. Darrel wasn’t a person of faith before his cancer surgery. After his surgery and with his family standing around he said, “I’m ready.” I said, “ready for what?” He responded by saying, “I’m ready to begin that relationship.” The whole room changed after that time of worship in his hospital room. In Darrel’s case, he understood there was a God who loved him and a God who was with him. He didn’t allow his cancer to dictate what he was going to do next. Darrel, now, allowed his faith to dictate his circumstance. I mentored Darrel, who was in his mid to late 60’s, for a number of weeks. Darrel still died months later but he died knowing that God loved him and He gave him eternal life.

Then there is Martha (I can’t remember her real name I just remember the experience.) Martha had esophagus cancer. On top of that Martha had the foulest of mouths. Martha’s life included the abuse of alcohol, giving sexual favors to men, and she was just mean. She could easily be labeled an “old bitty.” By the time I got to her, she had softened a little. I was asked by some people in our church to go out to her house and visit with her. I did. We talked about her cancer and her past and I told her there was a God who loved her by using the story of the woman at the well. By the time I left, this 60 something woman understood that God loved her. She started a relationship with God. All I am telling you is what I have seen and heard. Both of these people were unbelievers dealing with cancer. Both of them realized they had nowhere else to turn. Cancer was dictating and stealing their life. God gave them both life. In both of those moments, each person was remembered not for their foul mouths and hard hearts but for that one moment when they made the decision to not allow their circumstances to dictate their life. They both rewrote their obituary that day. They will be remembered for letting their faith dictate their circumstances. Their new faith changed the way they looked at their circumstances. Their faith was now giving them life but cancer was still killing them both. 

Our faith changes the way we look at our circumstances in life.

• In midst of discouragement faith gives hope
• In the midst of disappointment faith gives wisdom.
• In the midst of a tragedy faith gives perspective.

When we allow the circumstances in our life to dictate our life we become a slave to the circumstances. When we allow our faith to dictate our life we become a slave to the hope we have in Christ. When you become a slave to the hope we have in Christ  your obituary is rewritten. You are not remembered for all the great things you did or didn’t do. You are not remembered for the circumstances you walked through in life. You are remembered for your faithfulness. 

James 4 tells us our life is just a mist. It appears for a little while and then vanishes.

What are you going to do with the “little while” you have on earth? The “little while” is that dash between 1963 – 20?? Or whatever year your  life on earth started.

John tells us in the last part of Revelation 2:10 to

Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

If you are mature in years, be faithful to the point of death.

• At 65 Winston Churchill became the prime minister of England and led the victorious fight against Nazi, Germany.
• At 70, Benjamin Franklin helped draft the Declaration of Independence.
• At 77, John Glenn became the oldest person to go into space.
• At 89, Albert Schweitzer ran a hospital in Africa.
• At 93, Strom Thurmond, the longest-serving senator in US history, won reelection after promising not to run again at 99.

If you are young in years, be faithful to the point of death. This past week an 18-year-old young lady won a house or representative seat in West Virginia. Since you have a lot of years a head of you become a part of something that is much bigger than you and give your life away.

Whether you are young or old, do something greater than winning an election, drafting the Declaration of Independence, or going into space. These are great accomplishments and have impacted our countries history and these people will definitely be remembered for their great accomplishments.

The story of Joseph reminds us of the greatest accomplishment being faithful to the point of death.

• When tragedy hits – be faithful until death
• When discouragement comes – be faithful until death
• When temptation comes – be faithful until death
• When disappointment comes – be faithful until death.

Why? because God promises to give you a hope and a future. Just ask my friends Darrell and Martha.

What do you want to be remembered for?