Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church

Dear Friends in Christ Jesus, 

            What would it take for you to realize that it is time to put your house in order?  Do you have to be sitting in a doctor’s office with your charts in his hand?  He looks at you with the test results and says, “I would recommend that you put everything in order.”  Would that have a greater impact than if you would read the words of our text and say, “well that is a good idea.”  Maybe next year I will start working on that.  A few weeks ago I asked a woman what her thoughts were about death and dying.  She cut me off very quickly in the conversation saying, “I don’t think about those matters.”  That was it.  Is death going to strike everyone else but you?  Do you know how much longer you are going to live?  Are you going to have as much time as those on the Titanic to think about these matters?  Are you going to have the minutes that those on the passenger plane that lost its tail and tell from the sky?  Are you hoping to be like the thief of the cross and meet your Savior in just the last minutes of your life?  Today we hear the Lord tell Hezekiah, “Put your house in order.”  On this the last Sunday of the Church Year it will set our thoughts.

I.                     Your Spiritual House.

Have you ever wondered what the pastor will say at your funeral?  Do you wonder if the pastors are ever at a loss of what to say?  What will be your spiritual legacy?  What will people remember about your spiritual life?  What will people remember about your spiritual life or will they only remember the lack of your spirituality?  Jesus reminds people that there are those who cry “Lord, Lord with their lips, but their hearts are far from me!”

Where is your heart?  Hezekiah was forced to reflect on all aspects of his life.  He would have to wrestle with the short time he had yet to live.  He would have to wrestle with what would happen after death. 

Our readings today remind us of the story of grace and glory being a child of God.  First of all the sinner is confronted with all the sins that have driven a wedge between God and the sinner.  The thief on the cross knew he had only one plea, “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  He knew he was getting the kind of death he deserved as a law breaker and criminal. 

            The Apostle Paul reminds everyone, (2 Cor 5:10 NIV)  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.  Why should the Lord let you into heaven?  Take just the third commandment for example, (Exo 20:8 NIV)  "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.  Do you believe that by not going to church, by not following the word of God proclaimed, by setting earthly things such as work, family and fun before your worship of the Lord that you have despised God’s word and deserved to go to hell?  James makes it clear, (James 2:10 NIV)  For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.  If you don’t have time to worship the Lord and listen to his voice now, what makes you think you will get to in heaven? 

            Our only plea is Lord have mercy.  It will be only by the grace of God that we will enter through the pearly gates and walk the streets of gold.  This is Jesus gift to all who believe.  Jesus has set his house in order.  He has done the work here on earth so that he could proclaim. I go to prepare a place for you that where I am there you will be also.  By the grace of God we see the glory of God. 

II.                   Your Earthly House

What would Hezekiah have to think about to set his house in order?  By the laws, traditions and customs of each culture various details have to be established and taken care of.  Just take the funeral and burial details.  Are you planning a pyramid?  Are you ordering 8000 terracotta warriors to be made?  Or have you left the family your thoughts and plans.  As a Christian have you thought to make your funeral a celebration of God’s grace in your life?  Will your funeral service be a testimony to friends, family and the community of how special Jesus was to you in life and in death?  Have you written it down and do family members know where it is kept?  I can tell you, Micah called me when I was in the mountains of East Tibet wondering what were the songs my mother had chosen?  I did know, but others didn’t know where they were recorded. 

  So easily we can think we will do it latter, another time.  In our own family Cheri’s father died with his will unsigned.  What he wanted did not come to be.  If you don’t have a will the government already does.  Of course the government will make sure it gets their share first.  But with Christian estate planning you can be a blessing to your family after death and continue to build the kingdom of God and care for those areas the Lord placed on your heart during life.

Another blessing which many families will testify and confirm is the troubles that can arise in families.  During Jesus’ ministry two family members came to him arguing over an estate. Luke 12 we read,   Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." 14  Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" 15  Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."  Yet greed will raise its ugly head at the time of death. 

            With all the medical advancement there comes another area that we need to address.  What happens when you are unable to make choices, decisions concerning your own well being?  Who is in charge, who will do what you want?  Will they or will they not hook up machines?  How will people know what to do, if you do not take care of those issues now?  How many families struggle with guilt not knowing what to do or not to do?  What a blessing when power of attorney and health care declarations are all in order.  Even here a Christian faith can be expressed.  I remember one member of Salem who wrote in his health care declaration, “As a Christian I believe that through faith in Jesus Christ I will be in heaven….”  I was in the hospital when his health care declaration was being read by the medical staff and they paused and noted his confession of faith. 

            As the one lady did not want to think about the hereafter, many don’t want to think about the here either.  Do you plan to be so in charge of your life that you are not going to expect a nurse or medical personal to have to care for you later in life?  Are you going to guilt and wear out of loved one insisting that they have to care for you at your home, when no family member has the medical expertise or energy to be up around the clock?  Will you always plan to turn off the stove, the burner and eat right meals?  How many family members only wished that a Christian parent had faced the reality of growing older without piling guilt and frustration on the rest of the family!

            There is also the story about the elderly person who complained that their eye sight had failed, their hearing was gone, but at least they still could drive their car.  Human pride, human independence cans literally in danger the lives of family members and others on the road.  In our Christian love for others, included our loved ones, do we want it on our conscience that we may have hurt or killed a loved one or another? 

            Though you might think much of this is just legal issues, all of them have been brought to my attention by members of our congregations in the 35 years.  I have heard the stories, I have seen the tears, I have witnessed the worn out loved ones because one child cared and another didn’t, or siblings living in denial and I have had to address the guilt laid on the hearts of family members. 

            When the Lord told Hezekiah to set his house in order, we have a reminder that the Lord does want us as his people to face the reality of life and death and have all things in order, body and soul.  In this way we also give him glory in life and in death. Amen.