Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

When Sorrow ComesRev. Robert McMillanPastor of the Seattle, Washington R. P. ChurchIn 1956, James Agee was awarded the Pulitzer prizefor his sensitive novel, A Death in the Family.(I) But theaward was made posthumously. The author had diedbefore his book about death was quite finished.The fact of death confronts every man alive. He maytry to blot the fact out of his thinking, but it is inescapable.The doorbell rings, and a salesman for a local cemeteryurges him to prepare for the inevitable. Perhaps there is adeath in the family, or a solemn warning from his doctorforces him to consider the possibility of his own demise."And as it is appointed unto men once to die,but after this the judgment" (Heb. 9:27).Recently, a woman in the neighborhood confessedto the minister:"I used to enjoy singing in church, but I can'tsing any more. First, my daughter and son-in-lawwere killed in that accident. Then my mother died;then my father. All within three months — it didsomething to me."The minister of the Gospel should deal frequentlywith the subject of death. He should not wait for a funeraloccasion, but at other times, when the sun is shining, andpeople are in good health, he should teach and preach andpersuade and invite men to put their faith in". . . .our Savior Jesus Christ, who hathabolished death, and hath brought life and immortalityto light through the gospel" (II Tim. 1:10).One approach is to study the death-scenes whereJesus was present, and the funerals that He attended.I. A DEATH IN A HOME IN BETHANYIt was not a home in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1915(Ihe home in Agee's prizewinning novel), but a home inBethany, not far from Jerusalem. The family consisted oftwo sisters and a brother — Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Itwas a home where Jesus had been a guest at least once —perhaps many times. It was a special home. John sayssimply, "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, andLazarus" (John 11:5).Lazarus became ill, and his illness was seriousenough that a message was sent to Jesus who was with Hisdisciples two days travel time away: "He whom thou lovestis sick." The story is condensed. We don't know the natureof Lazarus' illness, but we know the effects of it. He died.We don't know if his sisters tried home remedies or calleda doctor. We do know that they prayed. They sent amessage to Jesus and certainly that was a prayer. Maryand Martha remembered many miracles of healing whenJesus touched someone, or spoke to them, or even healedfrom a distance. They watched and waited. Lazarus drewhis last breath and died. Mary and Martha were left withtheir grief.Are you acquainted with grief?"I was six years old when my sister died. It wasjust at dawn, and I remember my mother rushinginto the room where I was, and screaming frantically,'My God, My God!' I could not understandthis, and turning to my father, I asked, 'Papa, whatmakes Mama swear so?' and he told me she was notswearing but praying in agony because she had losther only daughter. My sister was nearly seventeenyear's older than I, and had taken care of me veryoften, so that she seemed more like a second motherthan a sister. She had typhoid fever; it was a longillness; I had been taken to her bedroom, so that shemight say Good-bye. But her death was a mystery tomy childish mind; I saw her in the coffin; I went toher funeral in a state of excitement. It seemed to meincredible that she had disappeared from our homeand family life, had become inaccessible. This wasthe first time I was brought face to face with themystery of death. For death is as complete a mysteryas life."(2)The grief which comes with the death of a loved oneis often made more intense if we feel that the death couldhave been averted if only we had done differently, orsomeone else had done differently."A young woman was especially distressed thather husband died after a quarrel when he left her inanger. A mother whose son died in the hospitalthought the nurses were inattentive and blamedherself for not being there at the time to care forhim. A man who fainted in the fire and was unable tosa\ e his wife felt guilt so acutely that he did not wantto live."(3)It was something like this with Mary and Martha.They could not help but think that more could have beendone. When Jesus finally arrived, they both said the samething: "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had notdied" (John 11:21).Many people blame God when a loved one is taken.If thev don't say it in words, they sayit in actions:"It's God's fault. God could have preventedthis, but He didn't, so I don't even like God anymore."It is wicked even to think such a thought. Job spokethe language of faith:". . .the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away;blessed be the name of the Lord"' (Job 1:21b).APRIL 14, 1971