Bethany Bullet - April 29, 2013

We all know the old saying, “You can’t take it with you.” When you hear those words what “it” comes to mind? For most of us it is possessions. Those things which have been earned and amassed, goods gained from work or given as gifts, our stuff that is what comes to mind right? The knowledge that we can’t take “it” with us might compel us to make sure we leave one last final act of stewardship. It might also cause us to put the bumper sticker that reads, “I’m spending my kid’s inheritance” on our car; perhaps a bit of both.

But what is really fascinating to me is that whenever I’ve heard that said, “You can’t take it with you,” I’ve always thought about goods (things that are good to have on earth, house, car, stock, art, or jewelry precious metals. . .)

‘Tis true you can’t take that with you; however, the Biblical definition of “it” in Revelation 21:1-5 doesn’t include any of those things.

You know what you can’t take with you? 

·         Tears & fears

·         Hurts & haunts

·         Feeling lonely

·         Being loathed

·         Mortality & mourning

·         Terror, turmoil, and trauma

·         and Trepidation

All of these stay behind because they are the “it” that you can’t take with you. There will be none of “it” in heaven.  The old order of things will have passed away. 

As the LAMB, God experienced each of those on earth, that we might escape them in eternity.  He knew fears and tears – “Father if it is possible take this cup from me.”  He knew hurts and haunts in the form of Rome’s brutality and flogging and in the form of Satan’s tempting. He felt lonely, “Could you not keep watch with me for an hour?”  He was loathed, “They spat on him and mocked him and struck him.” He knew mourning, as he wept by Lazarus grave, and though the eternal 2^nd person of the ONE TRUE, Triune God, Jesus Christ (who is at the same time True Man) knew mortality and “Breathed his last and gave up his Spirit.”  He took this all on Himself that when He takes us to Himself – these very things might take their leave from us forever! 

V  One day there will be no more disease, no more divorce, no more debt, no more despair;

V  One day we will never again face temptation and never again know frustration. 

V  One day terrorism and tragedy alike will be no longer known.  Not only the acts of sin, but the very nature of sin will be gone. 

V  One day that which we now know only by declaration of God, that we are righteous and holy and pure and perfect, will be ours by reception from God. 

Until that day, in the day to day, tears will still fall, pain will remain, and mourning will happen both day and night.  However, when it does we know we have a God whose Lamb, Jesus Christ, experienced the same.  He cried over us, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem …how I would have.”  He cried for us, “My God, my God, why?”  and He cries with us, letting us know Him more fully in our own sorrow; and more wonderful still knowing that one day He will take us to be with Him in a place where “it” can’t come with us.

-Pastor Kevin Kritzer