Bones, Hair & Teeth

If you were to take a shovel to a nearby graveyard and begin digging over someone’s grave, eventually you would reach a casket.  If you were to open that casket and exhume the body, you would find remnants of what that person used to be.  At best, all that would be left would be a pile of bones, hair & teeth.  Without a doubt, no one would argue that the person who used to be there would be considered dead.  There would be no need for a medical examiner.  There is no need for a doctor to determine whether or not they were still alive.

In Luke 15 we hear Jesus tell the story of the prodigal son.  (Luke 15:11-31)  At the end of the parable, we see a conversation between the older “good” son and his father.  He asks his Dad “Why are we throwing a party for him?”  The Father replies “You brother was dead and now he is alive.”

A few thoughts:

• When we meet someone who has not met Jesus, they are dead.  There is no such thing as them getting their life together.  There is no such thing as them pulling themselves up by the bootstraps.  They are dead, and without Christ there is no hope in them “Straightening out” their life.
• Why do we expect any different?  So many times we as Christians/the Church ostracize those lost in sin by requiring them to act alive.  Why are we shocked at a life in disarray when we meet someone without Christ?  Jesus himself said that they are dead.  What are the chances that the body exhumed is going to get up and dance around?  In the same manner, what are the chances someone who hasn’t given their life to Jesus will act like Jesus?
• If we truly grasped this what a difference it would make!  What would evangelism look like if we treated those dead people we come in contact with each day with compassion?  What if we were patient with those who are dead in their sin?  What if we loved people where they are instead of trying to make them into someone they have no hope of being without Jesus?  Effective evangelism looks like this:

1. View everyone as either dead or alive.  (With Jesus or without Jesus)  There is no middle of the road.
2. Love them dead or alive.
3. Tell them the good news of Jesus Christ.

From now on, see people for what they really are:  dead or alive.   Love them in spite of their sin (see Luke 15:1-2)  Be a good example of what Jesus looks like and pray that they come to life instead of trying to bring them to life all by yourself.  That is where true results will take place.