The whole atmosphere was solemn. You could hear people crying uncontrollably. Having done so many wake services while I was in church ministry, I have never seen one with such a high attendance. Even paying our last respect took more than 20 minutes.
My heart had been heavy since I heard about his passing. He was so young! He was just pursuing his dream. He was answering the call of God in his life to be a great baker. I was elated when he shared passionately with me in 2014 when we met at Young Methodist Leaders' Conference.
While attending his wake, I was hit hard by the fact that we as Christians have watered down the truth in the Gospel. We (including me) lowered the standard of Jesus. We turned His words into pure concept.
If it's pure concept, we won't do anything about it. If we believe it as truth, we will act upon it.
I sat there pondering, "What would Jesus do if He were to walk into this wake service?"
The clearest picture that came to my mind is about Lazarus. During his wake, everyone was weeping. When Jesus saw that, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. The word 'groan' in Greek also means 'to snort in anger' or 'to charge with admonition.' Jesus was angry at the devil who took away Lazarus' life.
The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. But Jesus comes to give abundant life. (John 10:10). Not everyone who died is taken by God. The Bible promises that we live a long and satisfying life. We are not supposed to die until we have finished the race and the destiny that God has given to each of us.
If Jesus were to walk in to my ex-colleague's wake, without a shadow of doubt, He would raise him from the dead. That is the greatest expression of love. Love snatches life from death. In Luke 7, Jesus literally grabbed hold (aggressively) of the coffin where a widow's son lay in and raised him from the dead.
Love is more than just a feeling. Love is compassion = passion in action. God is the Giver of life. He is never the taker of life. Yet when someone died for whatever reasons, God RECEIVED him into His arms.
For far too long, preachers have taken it easy. We often preach, "God has a purpose for calling him home." In church announcement, we say, "So and so has been called home to be with the Lord." The truth is, God did not call him home. God did not take him back. It was the enemy who came to steal his life. God RECEIVED him back into His arms.
Jesus commanded his disciples in Matthew 10:8 to heal the sick and raise the dead. He sent His disciples out to DO it. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus told His disciples to teach every believer to obey EVERYTHING He had commanded them. Paul raised the dead man when he fell from the window while listening to his preaching. Today, there is a Dead Raising Team who earnestly takes God at His word and goes around raising the dead. They have seen close to 30 people being raised from the dead. The number is not significant but at least they are taking the step of faith to act on the truth.
Many of us, however, do not even step out to do it. Yes, it includes me. I have no problem laying hand on the sick. But when I come to a wake service, I am unsure of how the family would respond. I have yet the confidence to do it. I am still growing in my faith journey. I do want to see the dead raised in Jesus' name!
Sitting at the wake service, tears came down from my eyes - both because of the fact that my friend died young and because I didn't walk out the truth.
We have let the reality of fact overwhelm the reality of heaven and truth.
I need to know more of You, Jesus!
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