May 21, 2011?

Here's a great blog post from my colleague Pastor Weedon. Check out his blog: Weedon's Blog.

The End of the World

is supposed to be on May 21, I understand. For Christians, of course, the end of the world was that moment when the world slew its own Life - the Crucifixion of Him who is the Life of life. The world ended there - and the signs that our Lord foretold would accompany the great and dreadful day were in evidence. But we are an Easter people and alleluia is our song. We simply know that this world that totters on is dead. It's running around like the proverbial chicken with its head cut off. It's dead and doesn't realize it yet! But sooner or later it WILL keel over. The whole thing come undone. And yet in the midst of the dead and dying world, which moves inexorably towards its end, we live our lives from the flesh and blood that rose from the grave on Easter Day, the Pardon of all our sin, the Destruction of all death, the Life that endures to eternity. It changes how we live in this world forever. We know that no amount of bandaids we apply to this world as it is can keep it from its final death throes. But when you belong to an eternal kingdom, all is well, and it is fitting for you to dance through life forevermore (Luther). Should the end come on the 21st, we'll be joyously going on still: singing the praises of the Lamb and joining the saints and angels around the throne. Should the end delay (as I suspect it will), we'll go on: singing the praises of the Lamb and joining the saints and angels around the throne. Either way our life goes on, because our life IS Christ and that's a life that endures forever. What joy to sing together then:

Death you cannot end my gladness,
I am baptized into Christ!
When I die, I leave all sadness
To inherit paradise.
Though I lie in dust and ashes,
Faith's assurance brightly flashes
Baptism has the strength divine
To make life immortal mine.

There is nothing worth comparing
To this life-long comfort sure,
Open eyed my grave is staring,
Even there I'll sleep secure.
Though my flesh awaits its raising,
Still my soul continues praising:
I am baptized into Christ!
I'm a child of Paradise!