THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE ON
EARTH
MIKE CUNNINGHAM
DECEMBER 6, 2009
For those of you who may have been wondering
when my fictitious Bible Study is going to resume, I have to say I really
don’t know. All I can tell you is that right now Martha and her son are experiencing
mixed emotions. Of course, they’re enjoying the relative tranquility because
of Charlie’s absence from the household, but they’re saddened by the fact
his disease has progressed to the point where he is living in what is commonly
referred to as being a “persistent vegetative state.” PVS is a condition of
unconsciousness in which Charlie’s eyes are open and able to move, but he
can’t see. He has periods of sleep mingled with those of wakefulness, but
Charlie can’t speak, hear, reason, or respond to anything on purpose.
Whenever they visit him in the end
of life nursing facility, outward appearances leave them with the impression
that Charlie’s situation is hopeless and that this almost totally self-absorbed,
obnoxious, know-it-all, loose-cannon is rapidly approaching the doorway to
Hell. However, physical appearances are sometimes deceiving as we saw recently
in the case of Rom Houben, the 46 year old man from Belgian who as a result
of a car accident 23 torturous years ago lay trapped in a paralyzed body in
a condition which had been diagnosed as PVS. But the experts were mistaken.
Rom was acutely aware of what was going on around him the whole time but was
powerless to tell anyone. Even when he screamed there was nothing to hear.
Things aren’t always as they appear to be. For
example, there was the time when everyone was gazing at the silent and motionless
pathetic shell of his former self, while unbeknownst to them Charlie’s vibrant
spirit and his exasperated guardian angel were engaged in a series of one
sided conversations with you know who doing most of the talking. A case in
point was the time when the angel mentioned the fact that God has a good reason
for allowing his wife and son to endure such a heart-breaking experience.
Charlie interrupted the angel in mid sentence and let loose with one of his
signature outbursts:"A good reason
for all their suffering and heartbreak? You got to be kidding pal. Here I
am locked in a body that by now must look like death warmed over. They probably
got me propped up in a chair with my head hanging over the side and my mouth
wide open or else I'm laying helpless on a bed in a crummy nursing home, while
Martha and the rest of them are being drained emotionally, and you're trying
to tell me that God has a good reason for allowing them to go through this
kind of Hell on Earth. Be real for a change, will you pal. The whole thing
makes about as much sense what happened to the poor slob who fell into the
open grave on that Halloween night,” [a]
In his own attempt to make sense out of the suffering
of someone such as his best friend Rick who recently discovered he would remain
paralyzed from the waist down and may have to endure living in that miserable
condition for another 50 to 60 years the boy discovered the following Bible
verse.
“For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an
eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 2 Corinthians,” 4:17 (ESV).
The boy and Rick each understood Paul to be saying
that God was using the sufferings of folks I have been describing in recent
sermons as being His “special children” in order to prepare and enable them
to be capable of rejoicing in the Lord Jesus throughout eternity in a way
the rest of His children can’t.” The boy’s Uncle Claude and his therapist
tried their best to dampen their hopes. They almost succeeded until the boy
came across something on the web entitled “The Gift of Susan.” It was read
at the funeral of a remarkable young woman by her sister Lisa. Susan had been
born blind and mute and remained trapped inside a quadriplegic body until
the moment of her death. Then, thanks to Christ’s unfathomable love as exemplified
on His cross, Susan was immediately clothed with a brand new immortal/invisible/spiritual
body and soared with the angels into the Lord’s presence, and joined
the company of the vast multitude of other “special” sufferer’s who were mostly
unknown on this world’s stage, but who are now “The Happiest People
In Heaven.”
Without even pondering all that food for thought,
Claude attempted to rip it apart when he sarcastically told the boy how happy
he was for Rick because he only had to suffer in that miserable condition
for another 50 to 60 years, and then when Rick dies and goes to Heaven he’s
going to be blessed big-time and live forever as one happy dude. Can you imagine
the field day someone such as Claude is apt to have about Rom Houben’s plight?
So what words of wisdom would you offer to everyone
at the Bible Study which has moved into Rick’s home and you were the teacher?
Surely there has to be more meaning to his life than getting saved and then
living in that awful state until he dies and enters Heaven. Most unbelievers
never give a serious thought to trying to find the meaning to life unless
perhaps they are personally affected by a tragedy. And it’s sad to say all
too many Christians don’t either. For starters you may want to remind the
folks at the study why God created human beings.
“So,
whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God,”
1 Corinthians
10:31 (ESV). “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing
on earth that I desire besides you,” Psalms 73:25 (ESV).
Rick and every human being have been created
by God for a specific purpose: to glorify God and be happy with Him forever.
I believe you should tell those folks the rule to follow which God has given
to direct them where to find how they may glorify and enjoy Him. Speaking
to young Timothy, Paul wrote:
“...and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the
sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith
in Christ Jesus. 16
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching,
for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” 2 Timothy 3:15-16 (ESV). John further explains:
“...that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you,
so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is
with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ,” 1 John 1:3 (ESV).
Next you may want to remind them who and what
kind of a being God is.
24
God is spirit,
and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:24 (ESV)
2
Before the
mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Psalms 90:2 (ESV)
17
Every good
gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of
lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17 (ESV)
5
Great is our
Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. Psalms 147:5 (ESV)
3
And one called
to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole
earth is full of his glory!" Isaiah 6:3 (ESV)
6
The Lord passed
before him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast
love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who
will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on
the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation."
Exodus 34:6-7 (ESV)
Those verses are only a smattering of how magnificent
our Creator truly is. There was a time shortly after my conversion when I
kept getting convicted of certain sins He wanted me to get rid of but I was
reluctant to do so. I wondered if there was an easier way. I kept looking
for a while but I always came back to the same conclusion the Apostle Peter
did when Christ asked His disciples:
67
So Jesus said
to the Twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?" 68 Simon Peter answered
him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,
John 6:67-68 (ESV)
I stopped looking for
another way almost 40 years ago because there is no other way except through
Him.
16
"For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in
him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (ESV)
6
Jesus said
to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through me. John
14:6 (ESV)
Finally, you should remind them who
and what they are in Christ. And suggest they jot the following verses down
and make the time to meditate on them frequently. Among other benefits they
provide the remedy for low self-esteem.
12
But to all
who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become
children of God, John 1:12
(ESV)
15
No longer
do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing;
but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father
I have made known to you. John
15:15 (ESV)
24
and are justified
by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Romans
3:24 (ESV)
1
There is therefore
now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 (ESV)
17
and if children,
then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with
him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Romans 8:17 (ESV)
7
Therefore
welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. Romans 15:7 (ESV)
30
He is the
source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness
and sanctification and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30 (ESV)
19
Or do you
not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you
have from God? You are not your own, 1
Corinthians 6:19 (ESV)
17
But he who
is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (ESV)
17
Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold,
the new has come. 2 Corinthians
5:17 (ESV)
21
For our sake
he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the
righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians
5:21 (ESV)
3
Blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, Ephesians 1:3 (ESV)
4
But God, being
rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, Ephesians 2:4 (ESV)
7
In him we
have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according
to the riches of his grace, Ephesians
1:7 (ESV)
10
as a plan
for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and
things on earth. 11
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined
according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel
of his will, Ephesians 1:10-11 (ESV)
13
In him you
also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and
believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, Ephesians 1:13 (ESV)
4
But God, being
rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were
dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have
been saved— Ephesians 2:4-5 (ESV)
6
and raised
us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
Ephesians 2:6 (ESV)
10
For we are
his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)
13
But now in
Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood
of Christ. Ephesians 2:13 (ESV)
12
in whom we
have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. Ephesians 3:12 (ESV)
24
and to put
on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and
holiness. Ephesians 4:24 (ESV)
8
for at one
time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children
of light Ephesians 5:8 (ESV)
20
But our citizenship
is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Philippians
3:20 (ESV)
7
And the peace
of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your
minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians
4:7 (ESV)
19
And my God
will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ
Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (ESV)
10
and you have
been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. Colossians 2:10 (ESV)
1
If then you
have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ
is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians
3:1 (ESV)
3
For you have
died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3 (ESV)
4
When Christ
who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:4 (ESV)
12
Put on then,
as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness,
and patience, Colossians 3:12 (ESV)
35
Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution,
or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
"For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded
as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through
him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor
rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love
of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39 (ESV)
You
can be certain that precious “special” child of God I mentioned earlier must
have taken in and absorbed those verses and others as often as she was exposed
to them. Allow me to share the following excerpts from a reading by her sister
Lisa at her funeral a little more than a month ago. “Without even one spoken
word, Susan taught lessons to those who came in contact with her and those
who cared for her. She taught lessons of patience, trust, forgiveness,
perseverance, joy amidst any circumstance and unshakeable peace. Without
a doubt, what was most special about Susan was her joy. It was a joy,
or happiness, that wasn’t just apparent on her face. It was a joy that so
obviously came from deep within her spirit and radiated out whenever she smiled.
It was a deep joy, a real joy, a complete joy. Her joy was not dependent
on her circumstance. It was present no matter the illness, no matter
the surgery, no matter the pain. Yes, there was something special about
Susan and it was not her special needs. Susan had a faith in God and
she had the peace and comfort of His Holy Spirit within her. Those of you
who were blessed enough to attend church with her have heard her joy as she
sang in that beautiful voice with no words.
As
her family, we take great joy in knowing that Susan is now in heaven with
the Lord, singing praises directly to Him, free from her body, free from pain,
free from illness. Her joy is complete now. Our sorrow is not for Susan.
We have the peace of knowing who is caring for her now. We know, without a
doubt, that she was given to us by God, just as she was, to teach us of Him. He
blessed us with her. For the rest of our lives we will wholeheartedly thank
Him for the blessing she was, as she spends eternity thanking Him for His
work in her life.”
And
I might add, if those Christians who had the privilege of being present at
the exact moment this precious “special” child of God died were to put on
their eyes of faith, they would have been able to joyfully visualize an ecstatic Susan clothed
with a brand new immortal/invisible/spiritual body soaring with the angels
into the Lord’s presence, and join the company of the vast multitude of
other “special” sufferer’s who were mostly unknown on this world’s
stage, but who are now “The Happiest
People In Heaven”—and,
while she lived in our world, I believe Susan was one of THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE
ON EARTH! And so can you and I be regardless of our circumstances if we make
the time to saturate ourselves with the Sacred Scriptures and then memorize
and believe them!
I pray the Lord turn this message into a blessing
for each of you who just heard it and all those who may read it later. Lord
willing, next week...
[a] http://s128601634.onlinehome.us/blessing_disguise.htm