Greetings, I'd like to welcome you to the
new and improved Speaking of Life.
I'm excited to share the new set and other
updates with you, and I hope you enjoy them
as well.
I look forward to joining you weekly as we
continue this ongoing ministry.
50 years ago, President Kennedy was assassinated
in Dallas, Texas.
It was a day that shocked the world.
Many can still remember exactly where they
were when they heard the news.
But did you know that November 22nd also marks
the passing of Aldous Huxley and C.S. Lewis?
These three men died within hours of each
other.
As we look back at their departure, we are
reminded of our own mortality.
Hebrews tells us that: "Man is destined to
die once, and after that the judgment."
That can sound a little threatening since
we know that we've all fallen short.
But judgment doesn't necessarily imply condemnation.
Earthly death is a kind of judgment in and
of itself.
And we know that not all who die are condemned.
I think that judgment in this context indicates
a "sorting out" of the true nature of a person's
being.
In this moment, standing before our judge,
some may cling to life achievements.
Clearly Kennedy, Lewis and Huxley made great
contributions to our world.
But on that final day, even their temporal
works will be stripped away and we will stand
before our Creator as fallen creatures, all
equal -- Presidents, Novelists and Humanists
-- all of us will be subject to death.
But we are not without hope.
The Bible tells us that Christ came into the
world to take on our sins.
Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15: "One
died for all, and therefore all died.
And he died for all that those who live should
no longer live for themselves but for him
who died for them and was raised again."
Jesus' death was vicarious -- meaning that
when he, our Creator died, the entire human
race was laid in the grave with him.
But the good news of the Gospel is that we
were also raised with him, to a great hope
-- the hope of not only escaping the penalty
of sin but also being reconciled to God.
With that in mind, judgment doesn't seem as
scary.
In Jesus we have an advocate with the Father,
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
He is the "One who died for all."
And he is the reason that none of us have
to "get what we deserve."
Christ alone is the final basis for our eternal
judgment.
And that means we have hope in Jesus -- our
Great High Priest and Merciful Judge.
I'm Joseph Tkach, Speaking of LIFE.
