Stepping Through Death's Door

Have you ever walked up to a closed door and hesitated, just for a moment, because you weren’t sure what was on the other side? 

Walking through an open door changes things. At least, that’s usually what happens. The new space, on the other side, brings us face-to-face with new people, new possibilities and new challenges. We’ve all experienced it. Maybe that’s why we sometimes pause to consider whether we’ll step across the threshold. Though we’re well aware that most steps lead to little progress and small changes, in the back of our minds we know our next step – the step through the doorway – might change a lot of things, dramatically and quickly.

• Step out of your air-conditioned house on a humid, hot summer day; one step brings immediate change.
• Step off the diving board high above the swimming pool; one small step makes you gravity’s victim.
• Look to your left to check for oncoming traffic, then step off the curb into a London street; that one step triggers an adrenaline dump when you suddenly realize you should have looked to your right instead.
• Step through the doorway into a worship service, a new circle of friends, a week of summer camp, a marriage covenant, a difficult class of study or a new job; you may be the same person on the other side, but that one little step changes almost everything around you.

What about standing at death’s door? Have you considered what happens when you step across that threshold and cross over from death to life – moving from what is to what will be? I’m guessing you've given it some thought. I know I have.

When I took this picture I was in Egypt at the foot of Mt. Sinai, outside the wall enclosing St. Catherine’s monastery. I was looking at the door I needed to reach the Church of the Burning Bush. (Helena, the mother of Constantine, ordered the chapel built at the site where Moses was supposed to have seen the burning bush.) One step through this door took me into a new, sacred and holy space.  I thought about the implications of crossing that threshold - what I’d face on the other side - before I walked through that door.  And when I got to the other side I got more than I’d bargained for. It was amazing.

I think that’s what we’re in for when we pass through death’s door. We’ll get more than most of us bargained for; it’ll be a bit of what we expect, and much, much more. And so it will be with the judgment Jesus delivers on the other side of death’s door. Most of Christ’s followers will get more than we bargained for when we stand before HIM who has authority to judge because HE is the Son of Man.

Many have dwelt so long on the notion that God's judgment will unleash HIS wrath (and have thought so little about Christ’s love for sinners) that we’ve relegated - to the margins of our thinking - HIS wonderful blessing for the faithful witness of HIS followers and their Spirit-led work.

Pay attention. Our future judgment, when we’re on the other side of death’s door and as Christ’s followers we’ve crossed over from death to life, is highlighted by good news, not bad.

Check it out…

John 5:22-30

     Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
     Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
     Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.

 

 

Comments

[Samantha]

Hey Pastor Beeson,

I don't if you'll read this or not...but I just had to find a way to contact you directly. My name is Samantha, I came to introduce myself with 2 other ladies a few weeks ago (we're the trio from Plymouth Pizza Hut!) Anyway, I've been going through some really exciting (yet scary) spiritual growth recently and something you said on this post really got to me.

You said:

"Walking through an open door changes things. At least, that’s usually what happens. The new space, on the other side, brings us face-to-face with new people, new possibilities and new challenges. We’ve all experienced it. Maybe that’s why we sometimes pause to consider whether we’ll step across the threshold. Though we’re well aware that most steps lead to little progress and small changes, in the back of our minds we know our next step – the step through the doorway – might change a lot of things, dramatically and quickly."

I've had a lot of experience with this lately. I don't know how much to include in a comment on your blog page...and I also don't know how realistic it is to get a chance to talk with you one on one (I know how busy you are!) but, GCC has been my home for a little over a year now...and its the only place I know to go for prayer and guidence. I'm a senior in college, but over the past 6 months, I have pretty much been getting overwhelmingly clear messages that God wants me somewhere else. Somewhere closer to work that spreads His word. I need prayer, I need to talk to someone, I need guidence.

Can you email me? Or can you direct me to someone I can talk to?

Sorry this is so long. Thanks for your inspiration and being someone I can look up to.

Your sister in Christ,
Samantha

[RW]

Thank you for this post Mark, I want to step on with the Holy Spirit as my guide / partner.

Galatians 5:25
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.