Hebrews 11:8-16 October 28, 2007
“Heaven – Part 7”
Rev. Meagan M. Boozer
A Service for Wholeness & Healing
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old—and Sarah herself was barren—because he considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, “as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.” All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.
Especially in America, people try to create their piece of “heaven on earth.” More and more money is being spent to renovate & enlarge primary homes and surrounding grounds, putting in ponds and fountains to create a peaceful escape, more people are purchasing vacation homes, investing in hunting cabins, condos at the beach, buying boats, upgrading vehicles – trying to create a real place out of an inner yearning and dream in their heart.
Abraham and Sarah had their dreams, too. I doubt that their dreams included leaving their home, picking up whatever could be packed and carried, and following God’s directions for today, and then getting up and following them tomorrow, and then doing it all over again the next day, without any particular destination in sight.
Abraham and Sarah couldn’t comprehend God’s promises to them. They couldn’t completely grasp that God’s plan for them was greater than any dream they could create within their own imaginations. And yet, they chose to trust God’s promises and walk by faith each day. Their reward for that faith was more faith, giving them a grounded awareness of their position as those who are just passing through in this life. Their reward was their freedom from trying to create “heaven on earth” in this place or that place. Their reward was their readiness to walk with God all the way to that better country - to their heavenly home.
In January 2000, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina, invited their favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor. Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggles with Parkinson's disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, "We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you." So he agreed. After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, "I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton, on a train, when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets…it wasn't there, so he looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it. The conductor said, "Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it." Einstein nodded appreciatively.
The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket. The conductor rushed back and said, "Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are. No problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one." Einstein looked at him and said, "Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.'"
Having said that, Billy Graham continued, "See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My wife, my children, and my grandchildren are telling me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion. You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this: I not only know who I am ... I also know where I'm going."
Whatever circumstances swirl around us, whatever tragedy knocks down the door of the little piece of heaven you’ve tried to create on earth, no matter what the blood tests show, or the scans show, or the bottom number on the bank statement shows, in the midst of it all – do you know where you’re going, and are you walking by faith in such a way that God gets the greatest glory?
There are many people who thought nothing of spiritual matters, who knew zilch about faith in Jesus and his promises and the glory of God, whose lives were transformed at the least expected time of their lives: the time of dying.
One group of people I’ve been reading about over these last weeks, is a very large group of people who have had near-death-experiences. You’ve heard some stories about this kind of supernatural event on TV, or read about them in books or magazines. Just to bring it a little closer to home, you should know that there’s a person in this congregation who had back-to-back near-death experiences as an 8-year-old child. This person, in the light of true Life, saw people waiting with outstretched arms, ready for the homecoming. This is a not a person who makes up stories for attention or you would have all heard about it. And what has been the result of this person’s experience? A deep life-long, unwavering love for God.
One of the best, biblically sound books I’ve read about death and dying is entitled, Crossing the Threshold of Eternity, What the Dying can Teach the Living, by Robert L. Wise. In this book, Father Wise, an evangelical Episcopal archbishop, shares many reports from people who have been around the bedside of the dying, as well sharing personal testimonies from people who have been given a glimpse of what is to come. I want to read one story for you this morning that the author wrote about his own experience:
“I came face to face with death when I was 31 years old. Each year in the fall, I suffered from a severe attack of allergies. Expecting it to hit me like a truck, I went on about my business even when the sneezing, red eyes, and sore throat developed. On this particular fall, the winds were significantly hot, and before long I developed a piercing back pain with accompanying elevation of temperature. I felt terrible but kept working as usual. After the second week of a constant temperature, a doctor in the congregation came up to me and noted that an enduring temperature was an important call to examination. He was an excellent internist and said I needed to come in and see him. I reluctantly agreed and kept on working. Actually, I took what he said lightly and didn’t give it the weight I should have. On Tuesday, I went to his office and he began testing. As soon as the appointment was through, of course, I went back to my office to keep on working.
Dr. Harvey called late that afternoon to tell me that I hadn’t listened to him but the time had come for me to pay careful attention. My allergic reactions had given rise to a secondary infection. Consequently, I had developed an inflammation of the kidneys, causing the whole organ to become diseased. He convinced me that I needed to go home and go to bed.
Almost immediately the condition escalated and soon I was sleeping 20 hours a day. I began to develop double-vision and could no longer read. My back hurt terribly and nothing brought relief. Dialysis began to be discussed, which wasn’t all that common in those days. Finally, more tests were suggested to give the doctors an inner look at what was happening with my kidneys. He told me the test could cause burning, which was painful.
The technicians wheeled me in on a gurney and stuck the needle in my vein. It felt like they were pouring liquid fire into my arm. I needed something to distract me from the pain. When I looked up at the wall, I noticed a large crucifix (it was a Roman Catholic hospital). I decided to focus my attention on the suffering of Christ and try to identify with the awful struggle He endured on the cross, in hopes it would get my mind off my pain. I hadn’t heard of anyone doing such a thing. To my surprise, I found that my discomfort eased some. The more I attempted to identify with what had happened to Jesus Christ, the more my suffering seemed to lessen. By the time the test was over, I had become so absorbed in this meditation that I hardly noticed it was over. While my wife drove me home, I sat in the car lost in my thoughts. The incident had been surprising.
During the next several days, my condition worsened. Finally, one afternoon I awoke to discover that my wife had placed a large open book on the nightstand while I was sleeping. It looked like an encyclopedia. Seeing double, it was hard to read but I discovered that she had gone to the library and picked up a medical book describing my situation. As I read what she had outlined in pencil, I realized I was dying.
The awareness that I would not live much longer did not frighten me because my Christian faith had already promised me eternal life, but I sensed complete isolation. I felt the lonely awareness of watching a parade go down the street and disappear around the corner while I stood by myself. My children would grow up but I wouldn’t be there. Someone else would walk my daughter down the aisle when she got married. The lights were off in my bedroom and darkness settled over me. I felt empty.
I didn’t want to die. Then I remembered the crucifix at St. Anthony’s hospital.
Certainly something important had happened to me when I was lying on that X-ray table. Maybe seeing the suffering figure of Christ had accomplished something, I thought. Possibly I should try to return to that same place again. My mind began to fill with Bible passages that I had memorized several years earlier. From the book of Isaiah came the words, “Surely He has borne our grief and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions . . . the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we were healed.” (53:4-5)
The words rolled around in my head over and over. Abruptly, a verse from the New Testament came from out of nowhere, “By his stripes you were healed” (1 Pet. 2:24). I stretched my arms out and softly said over and over, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.” My imagination created a scene. I could see Jesus Christ on the cross just like I had seen in the crucifix on the wall. It was as if I were standing before the cross in A.D. 33, looking up at Jesus stretched out in the same way I was in the bed. Suddenly, I was on the cross with Christ. I was in Christ and Christ was in me.
Words from the New Testament surged through my mind. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). It was as if both Robert Wise and Jesus Christ were dying together, and yet, at the same time, I was alive in Christ more than I had ever been alive in my life. I have no idea how long I stayed suspended in thought and lost in His love.
Slowly the scene faded from my mind, but I didn’t open my eyes. Without moving, I rested in the awareness that something awesome had occurred beyond anything I could ever have dreamed. At that moment, I felt light beginning to fill the bedroom. I kept my eyes closed as the light became so bright that I had to squint. It felt like I was out on a beach with summer sunlight flooding over my body, bathing me with vitality. I could literally feel the increase in warmth in the room, and in me. My body felt like it was being wrapped in light but it was also penetrating to the core of my being.
I can’t tell you whether this lasted for minutes or hours. Finally, I drifted off to sleep. Usually, I slept around the clock until the next afternoon but I woke up the next morning at around 10:00. I was startled because I felt so good and refreshed. Where it had been difficult for me to move, I seemed to be quite flexible. On the nightstand was one of my books, which I picked up. To my delight, I wasn’t seeing double and started to read.
The phone rang, notifying me that a nurse would be coming to get a urine sample. Shortly the person came and I went back to reading. In about an hour the phone rang again. “We’ve made some mistakes. We need to take another sample. I’m sorry to bother you, but the person will be there shortly.” Without delay the delivery person came, and I got back to reading.
At noon, I got up and went into the kitchen to fix some soup. I hadn’t done that in so long that the realization began to settle in that I felt better than I had in weeks. About that time the phone rang again. It was my doctor.
“You don’t listen to me well anyway, but what’s going on now? Is this a joke or something?” “What?” I blinked several times. “Are you sending tea over here?” Dr. Harvey asked with irritation in his voice. “Are you kidding?” I protested. “I don’t understand.” “Look!” Dr. Harvey said. “These urine samples are normal. Nothing unusual. It can’t be. The tests all indicate normality.”
Today is a service for wholeness and healing. As a church we are committed to pray for anyone at any time, who wants prayers for any reason. But, we make an intentional effort to set apart an entire worship service that focuses on healing so we can all be involved together in praying (in faith) for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
In fear, we are bound to live this life the way the world tells us to live it. In fear, we look only at ourself and our circumstances, and we tremble with self-directed pity.
In faith, we look at the Lord, and we step forward to follow Him. In faith, we are given the courage to let go of all that keeps us from going where God calls us to go. Robert Wise was led straight to the cross of Christ, and in that particular experience, he was physically healed. Miracles still happen every single day. People are still spontaneously healed according to the will of God. But remember, even a miraculous, spontaneous physical healing is only temporary, because unless Jesus returns first, we will all eventually meet up with death.
That’s why the greatest healing, for now and forever, comes when we can say with expectant faith, “My true home is in heaven.” When we know this down into the very core of who God has made us to be, then, in spite of the hard things that are happening in our lives, we can continue to live with hope and courage, loving people with the passion of Christ because we will not be afraid of losing anything. When we know that not just a little piece of heaven, but the whole realm of heaven is our final destination, we can live a faith-filled, victorious life – knowing that we have already gained everything in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Come expectantly today with whatever faith you have – even if you wonder whether you have any faith at all. If you want prayer for something very specific, I encourage you to come for the laying on of hands and anointing with oil. After we pray for those who come forward, we will all have the opportunity to step out in faith and come forward to receive the communion meal as a means of grace, remembering Christ’s sacrifice for us.
“By his wounds, we are healed,”
now and forever.
Amen.
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