By John A. Huffman Jr.
I will never forget the story he would often tell about a little unborn child in his mother's womb during the eighth month of her pregnancy. How eloquently he would describe the conversation of the mother telling the unborn son that soon he would be born. He would argue back, "I don't want to be born." She would say, "But there is laughter and music and dancing, family and friends." His response would be, "I don't understand any of that. I like it in here where it is moist, dark, warm, and all my needs are met." She would argue back, "Little one, for another month and a few days that's alright, but you can't stay in there too long, or things will turn ghastly." But the little one, incapable of understanding the life she described outside the womb, would fight with everything he had to maintain the status quo.
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Then Dr. Peale, in his own way with words, would shift venues, declaring that now it is 90 years later. That unborn child is now a man close to death. This time, his argument is no longer with his earthly mother. This time, it is with the Father. The Father is telling him of the provision He has made for the life beyond this life. The man argues back, "But I like it here. I don't want to die!" The Father says, "Life with me in heaven is so much greater than anything you have experienced on earth. Just trust me. You will no longer be subject to sin, sickness, broken relationships, war, the aging process, betrayal of friends — all the brokenness of the world in which you live. Yet the argument goes on. We never learn, do we, to really trust the Father?
Thursday morning, I went to the bedside of Frances Boice, 101 years old, in the last days of her life. I stroked her head, talking to her about some of the times we have had together here at St. Andrew's. The morphine drip was doing its job. Occasionally her eyes would open. I am not certain how much she comprehended. Then, I put my hand on her and said, "Frances, soon you will be in the presence of Jesus Christ." Then, with family members joined hand in hand in a circle of prayer, we prayed a prayer of committal of Frances into the mercy of Almighty God.
Yesterday morning, as I was completing final preparations for this message, my office phone rang, and I received word that Frances had just died and I paused to celebrate. She is now in the presence of Jesus Christ and those who have gone before.
Why did Jesus Christ come? He came to give you and me salvation (rescue) from the past, new life for the present, and a great future beyond this life!
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This is one of a series of sermons based on the Apostles Creed. Additional sermons from that series will appear in Preaching On-Line in March, April and May.
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John A. Huffman, Jr. is the Senior Minister at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, CA. He is a Senior Contributing Editor to Preaching.