Jump Start # 821

Luke 12:4 “I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do, but I will warn you whom to fear; fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!”

In this section of Scripture, Jesus is stressing the power, authority and realm of God. God is the one to be obeyed and feared. I have heard some say that ‘we shouldn’t fear God because He loves us.’ God does love us. In Hebrews it reminds us that “it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Let’s consider two thoughts:

1. “after that have no more that they can do” – there is a limit to what man can do. Recently, in a neighborhood not far from where I live, a man was shot and killed by a couple of teenagers who were trying to burglarize the place in the middle of the day. They thought no one was home. They killed the home owner. That was shocking and tragic to the community. Yet, there was no more that they could do. The enemies of this country continue to try to harm us. They have killed some. Yet after that, there is no more that they can do.

A person does not become “deader” than what they are. Once the soul has left the body, death takes place. The body can be honored in a funeral or disgraced by mutilation yet “there is no more that they can do.” Death is the end of the road to what harm one person can do to another. There is a limit to what damage can be done. No one can send you to Hell. They can end your life, but only God can do that.

Expanding that thought, there is a limit to what people can do. There is a limit in our knowledge. There is a limit in our ability. Doctors are limited. Once death happens, they can do no more. There is a limit to what people can do spiritually. They can show us, teach us, remind us, encourage us, but only God can save. When someone has hurt me, I can forgive him for that, but my forgiveness does not mean God has forgiven him. Nor, does my forgiveness, take care of all of their sins. There is a limit. There is a point where I can do no more. Some things only God can do.

2. God is capable, able and in the position to do much more than we can. God, according to this passage, can do more harm than we can. We can take life and that’s it. God can do more. God can take life and then God can send to Hell. God’s authority is not limited. It is not limited to life, nor this world, nor this time.

This passage reminds us that death is not the worst thing that can happen to us. Beyond death, there is God. Beyond death, there is a comfort or there this a pain that we can not fully understand nor grasp. Beyond death, there is God. In desperation or in sadness, some take their own lives. Suicide. The thought is that the suffering will end. The pain will end. The misery of the soul will end. Take your life and end the suffering. However, it won’t end. Death is not the end of the journey. Beyond death, is God.

In a similar way, when a person suffers with cancer and finally passes away, someone will say, “at least they are no longer suffering.” Is that true? It is for the faithful of God. It is for those who have chosen to walk with God. Is it true for all people? For those who denied that God exists? For those who lived in open rebellion to God all of their lives? What about the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16? After the rich man died, he was in torment. So miserable was he that he begged for Lazarus to bring one drop of water to him. At the rich man’s funeral, some may have said, “At least he is no longer suffering?” That wasn’t true. He was still suffering. His suffering was worse. Death is not the end. Death is not the worst thing that can happen to us.

There is no limit to what God can do to forgive us. Jesus told Peter to forgive up to seventy times. God does that. God does more than that. He forgave Paul when he was abusing and harassing the early church. God forgave Peter when he was a hypocrite. God forgave Peter after he denied Jesus. This is important to know. Sometimes our sins have done a lot of damage. Sometimes we have torn our families apart. Sometimes there is lasting reminders of our poor choices. A marriage ends…the kids only see dad every other weekend. A constant reminder to a sin. A job ends…fired for cheating. At the next job interview, it surfaces again. A reminder of poor choices. Failing health caused by long habits of drinking or drugs…a reminder of sin. The reminders of our sin can be with us for a lifetime. Our sins can be so great that we think no one will ever forgive us. God can. God can do what man cannot. God can do what man will not. God is greater than we are. There is a limit to what we can do.

Should we fear God? Yes. That’s what this passage says. Fear in such a way that we tremble, don’t want to talk to Him and try to hide from Him? No. Fear in such a way that we realize that He is upon the throne and has the power and the right to throw us into Hell. That fear will make us reverent. That fear will help us close our mouths and not say dumb nor arrogant things. That fear will lead us to obedience.

Some have had the opportunity to visit the White House. I have. I did not get to the second floor where the Oval Office is. That’s off limits. Even if I did, I would not be allowed to sit at the President’s desk. That’s off limits. Even if I could do that, I would not be allowed to put my feet up on his desk. I do that to my desk. Not the President’s desk. That’s disrespectful. That’s acting like a big shot. That’s implying that I am bigger and better than the President.

How do I act toward God? His word? His will? His ways? Do I obey if I want? Do I play the game of picking out what I want to believe and do and leaving the things that I don’t? Do I say, ‘I like it,’ therefore that must mean that ‘God likes it.’ Those attitudes do not reflect the respect, honor nor fear toward God.

Fear God. Love God. Obey God. Praise God. Follow God. Know God. Tell God’s story. Those all flow together. Those are all connected to each other. It’s not one without the others. It’s not picking out the nice ones and leaving the others. It’s all of them. Awesome is our God!

Roger