Following Judah's Lion

The Dead Bury the Dead

Matt.821-22 - And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

What a curious and seemingly uncompassionate word from our Loving Lord. A follower of the Master asked Jesus for a couple of days to bury his father. Of course we would assume that Jesus would be gracious and support the man in his hour of grief. But on the contrary, Jesus established a truth that the church has forgotten. Unless a “memorial” service is a platform for the gospel it is a pagan ritual. There will be much of that today.

On 9/11/01 many people from several different religions died on what the world calls “9/11”. And today the world will honor their dead and pray for the families of those who have lost loved ones to that tragedy. I have already heard ministers pray that God will comfort those extended families. Now I ask you, how can God comfort those who do not know Him and are still in rebellion and dead in their sins? The spectacle of a memorial for a select few is a national ritual that gives the impression that those people who died are in a “better place” when in fact many share the same place as their wicked murderers.

You will see Christian, Muslim, and Jewish ministers participating in services around the country. In fact, I have seen church billboards inviting people to attend Sunday morning because their will be a memorial service there. But there is only one memorial that believers are to observe.

I Cor.11:23-26 - For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

The rate of death is every generation is constant - 100%. Everyone dies. But please take a moment to listen to the Spirit. Is it ever right for believers to join with unbelievers and memorialize a mixed group of unbelievers and believers who have died, some of which would gladly take an opportunity to come back from the dead and warn their family and others so that they may not come to the place in which they now exist. This is not some game, and we are not to participate in pagan ceremonies just because it makes us feel good or because we consider ourselves of the tribe of “America”.

I realize this seems very radical and might even bring upon us some persecution, but hasn’t the Lord warned us that we will be persecuted? Think about the man whose father had died. Think about what his family would say when they are told the son would not be attending his father’s burial. Of course he would be persecuted, and perhaps his siblings would reject him from that time forth. Or perhaps one of his sisters would seek that brother out to inquire as to why he refused to attend his father’s memorial. But regardless of the consequences, this follower of Christ must obey his Master.

Do you see how insidious nationalism is? What date was the Haitian earthquake which killed 300,00? What date was the southeast Asian tsunami which killed 250,000? Oh, you say, “I do not know”. Do you know why you don’t know those dates? Because American lives are much more significant to American believer than the lives of people in other countries.

I do not wish to mock anyone, however we as believers must not participate with unbelievers in anything spiritual and in pagan ceremonies that are basically designed to comfort those who do not know Christ. Today, across the country, words of comfort will be spoken to those who are in desperate need of words of warning and words of the gospel of Christ. And it cannot be denied that today will also be a time of reinforcing the sectarian hatred that abides in people’s hearts concerning Muslims. In addition, today will also be a day that will reinforce the national idolatry, not only among unbelievers, but sadly among many believers.

And a word to us. We can never let self righteousness rise up in our hearts because we don’t “go bury or fathers”. (A memorial service for a loved one must always exalt the Lord Jesus.) And as I have written about previously, these kind of separation issues must never define us. In fact, if you live near a memorial service today, go and pass out tracts and share Christ with anyone you can, but refuse to get into any discussion about Muslims, America, or even the service that was being held. Share Christ and Him crucified.

All memorials must preach the gospel or believers cannot be part.

Matt.26:12-13 - For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

Today, let us as believers, pray for and mourn for the spectacle of the dead burying their dead, and let us be a light that reveals the only way to find eternal rest, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!