Carry Me Down

 

What do Michael Jackson, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Billy Mays all have in common?

No, there is not a cruel punch line coming.

All at some point in their lives were wealthy, successful in their fields, and known the world over.

Now, they have all passed away.

We have been inundated over the last month by even legitimate news organizations printing headlines of star’s untimely deaths with tabloid frenzy. While brave Iranians are risking their lives for potential democracy and other newsworthy stories are set on the back burner, we are subjected to these individuals being memorialized as demi-gods for their contribution to art and entertainment.

Many of us desire to achieve just a part of the ‘American dream’ that these exemplified. Have you stopped to think about how they were portrayed just a few months and years ago? From accusations of child molestation to drug use and bankruptcy, only a person with the darkest shade of rose colored glasses would be hard pressed to make excuses that the ‘glamorous’ life is true as advertised.

When any person dies, prominent or private, it does not matter how many accolades they earned during their lifetime. The awards and album sales are all there as a reminder to the living that our own time on earth is a transitory moment. These celebrities will be eulogized in the days to come but will not be here to take pleasure in them.

The Bible weighs in on the subject many times.

“They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches. Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God.” Psalm 49:6-7

“Man is like a breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow.” Psalm 144:4

“We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can’t take our riches with us.” Ecclesiastes 5:15 

“Everyone has to die once, then face the consequences.”  Hebrews 9:27

Is it a sin to be wealthy and successful? Absolutely not. All people, whether they were revered or reviled will one day stand before the throne of God Himself and give an account of their lives before entering eternity.

From the most legendary figures to the homeless vagrant on the street, the only thing that matters at that very moment is whether or not we have embraced Jesus Christ as our Forgiver and Leader.

1 Peter 3:18 states that “Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but He was raised to life in the Spirit.”

Romans 10:9-10 says “The word that saves is right here, as near as the tongue in your mouth, as close as the heart in your chest.

It’s the word of faith that welcomes God to go to work and set things right for us. This is the core of our preaching. Say the welcoming word to God—”Jesus is my Master”—embracing, body and soul, God’s work of doing in us what He did in raising Jesus from the dead.

That’s it.

You’re not “doing” anything; you’re simply calling out to God, trusting Him to do it for you. That’s salvation. With your whole being you embrace God setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud: “God has set everything right between Him and me!” The Message

The constant reminders of these celebrity deaths may have sparked a gnawing feeling within you. When you stand before God as we all eventually will, what will you have to say?

It isn’t how many platinum albums you sold or how many dollars your estate is worth.

It doesn’t even matter how good of a person you have been or charitable organizations you tirelessly gave to or worked for.

We can hope our futile earthly efforts were enough to impress God or realize even on our best days we are worthless and empty. Since our exertion is woefully ineffective, our only hope is for Someone that will exchange His virtue for our vice.

Jesus already has. The next step is up to you.