Who is Looking After You

Matthew 10:29–31

²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. ³⁰ And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

I am writing this blog on November 1 – All Saints Day 2018.  For me this is always a day that brings to mind people, believers, whom I have loved and lost – my oldest sister, my mom and dad, Linda’s folks and others.   This coming Sunday, in worship, we will pause in worship to remember the members of Fishers who have passed since Nov. 1, 2017 – Barbara Frazer and Christine Knopp.  All Saints day is a day for celebrating God’s saving work in Jesus Christ by whom He takes sinners and makes us His saints.  It’s a day for celebrating those believers who have finished their course on earth and now await the final victory promised by Christ – the glorious resurrection on the last day.

As a Pastor I get lots of questions about believers who have died and “where” they are between now and judgment day. In fact, I got asked one such question last Sunday at the end of Bible class.  Someone in class remarked, “Pastor I often hear people who have lost a loved one say that they think their mom or day or whoever is up in heaven looking down on them and looking after them.  What do you think Pastor?  Are they looking after us?”

To answer that question, we need to think about what happens to us when we die.  Where are we in that time between death and Judgment Day?  The truth is that the Bible says very little.  Yet there are some passages.  One that is often pointed to is the promise Jesus makes to the thief on the cross next to His – “Today, you shall be with me in paradise.” Paradise sounds like a pretty good place to be.  Being with Jesus sounds great.  Does this mean that we die and immediately go to heaven to await the resurrection?  Or does it mean that dying the next thing we know is it is the last day and we are with Jesus?  I don’t know but either way sounds good to me. 

The Scriptures also talk about the dead in Christ as those who have “fallen asleep in Jesus.”  Is that what happens – our souls in the hands of God, as we “sleep” until the last day?  Or does that a metaphor for death that simply affirms that one day we will “awaken” that is be raised from the dead?”  In my eyes, that is the most likely meaning. 

Whichever way you go with this, the final victory is the last day – Judgment Day – the Day when Jesus comes again to “raise up me and all the dead and give unto me and all believers in Christ eternal life.” (Luther’s explanation of the third article of the Apostle’s Creed, The Small Catechism).    That’s where all history is heading.  Read St. Paul’s description of that Day in 1 Corinthians 15. “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.  For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:  “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

Did you notice?  There is no passage that talks about those who died looking after their loved ones who are still alive.   The closest passage is the parable of the rich man and Lazarus.  In the parable the rich man, who is in hell, asks Jesus to send Lazarus back to warn his brothers so that they don’t end up in hell with him.  Pay close attention to the answer the rich man receives.  “He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’ ” 

So how did I answer that question?  My dad is with Jesus, awaiting the resurrection.  He now knows better than anyone that He doesn’t need to be watching over me.  He knows that our Father in heaven is watching over me.  Dad is free to “be asleep in Jesus”… to rest in the joy of paradise… awaiting the day of the resurrection when our God welcomes all His saints home.  In the meantime our God who loved us and gave His Son for us… our Almighty, gracious God who can handle anything promises, Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.   At one time, the Lord used my dad to watch over me – while dad was alive.  Now that work is done and my dad ‘rests from those labors.  He rests in peace.  Indeed you and I can also rest in the peace of knowing that God is the one watching over us every day!