Lincoln’s Tomb and Jesus’ Tomb

My wife and I went to visit Lincoln’s Tomb yesterday, March 21, 2009, in
Springfield, Illinois. I must say it is a massive structure, very impressive,
and quite a sight to see in a very scenic setting. As for the cemetery itself I
guess one could say as cemeteries go this was and is as beautiful a
cemetery as one is likely to see anywhere. It is very hilly with giant oak
trees and quiet as cemeteries generally are, very well kept.

It was for me a melancholy occasion. The tomb, or mausoleum, was dark

and quiet and one felt as if he was indeed in the presence of death and the
dead. I could not help but think how long it has been and how many years
Lincoln’s body has already lain there. The same could be said of many of the
graves in the cemetery outside the tomb. Many have been dead for years
and years and their bodies just lay there.
I heard a preacher a few years back who was about 70 at the time say that when one
gets older he begins to look at death differently. I am not 70 yet but I am old enough to
begin to see what he meant. You go to a place like this cemetery and you are reminded
that it will not be that long until you too will lie there or in a similar place.
We love life. Very few people have a desire to die save for perhaps those few whose
physical condition is such as to make life nearly unbearable. God gave us life. We did
not volunteer to come into the world but having arrived here we enjoy what wehave
found even if we are poor and lack what many others have. God gave us an innate
desire for life. Why do we desire eternal life otherwise?
But, lest I stray from my topic, I was reminded of the words of The Preacher (Solomon)
in Eccl. 7:2, “Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting,
for that is the end of all men; and the living will take it to heart.” (NKJV)
What does that mean? Our time on earth is limited. We need to use it wisely. Do not
get caught up in trivia, things that seem so important to us at the time but in reality are
about as important as a speck of dust on a dust mite. We always ought to ask
ourselves questions like what is this event, occasion, or happening going to mean to
me, to us, 10, 20, 30 years down the road. Will it make the least bit of difference in the
long run? The honest answer is there are very few things that will – very few?
If a person matures spiritually as they ought they are able to see this more clearly as
time goes by. The things that upset us once upon a time no longer matter. As the
Psalmist said in Psalms 90:10 of our life, “it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”(NKJV)
What does it matter if your son or daughter spills the milk, makes a C rather than a B,
ends up working as a clerk rather than as a doctor? These things do not matter. Life is
soon cut off and we fly away.
The spiritually mature man or woman is a person one of whose outstanding traits is
calmness. Little things do not upset them as they are able to see the big picture. Peter
in speaking to wivessays they should adorn themselves with “a gentle and quiet spirit,
which is very precious in the sight of God.” (1 Peter 3:4 NKJV) Paul earlier in speaking
to Timothysaid that among other things a man of God is to pursue “faith, love, patience,
gentleness.” (1 Tim. 6:11 NKJV)
At the point of death will it matter to you what line of work you were in, the part of town
you lived in, how nice a home you owned, what kind of car you drove, how much money
you made, or a thousand other things? If you are conscious and aware I judge it will not
matter in the very, very least to you. Your mind will be on none of those things. You will
have finally have learned your lesson but should we not all learn it sooner when it
canmake a difference? Yes, we should.
People are in prison serving life sentences because some very tiny event happened that
amounted to nothing but put them into a rage because they were unable to distinguish
the important from the unimportant and made a mountain out of a speck and lost all
control. Who has not seen the parent that went berserk with their child over nothing in a
store? What is really important? What really matters? Life is soon cut off and we fly
away.
There are very few things in life that really matter in the long term. What does matter
though is the kind of life we have lived while we were here in the flesh.
Were we kind with people; were we gentle, patient, and understanding? Did we care
about people? Did we love? Were we forgiving? Did we seek God? Did we obey the
gospel and his commandments? Were we faithful to Jesus and did we accept him as
Lord? Did we worship and serve God? These are the kinds of things that matter.
These are the kinds of things that will matter when death comes.
But as I thought on this visit at Lincoln’s tomb the thought came to mind that the
beautiful thing about Jesus’ tomb is that it does not exist. There is no body lying in a
tomb. Jesus lives, was resurrected. He lived in a flesh and blood body as we do “that
through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and
release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
(Heb. 2:14-15NKJV) This is not to say the devil is dead for he will live eternally in hell
but it does mean he lost his power to keep us in the grave, he is destroyed in the sense
of his power over us.
Paul told Timothy that Jesus, “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light
through the gospel.” (2 Tim. 1:10 NKJV) I am not interested in death. I hate death. I
am interested in life and immortality (what a beautiful word). This is revealed in the
gospel so why do men who should cherish life not seek it where it can be found? You
will have to answer that one for me for I cannot understand? Maybe they need some
time in the house of real mourning where, if they are wise, they will learn.
The last enemy Jesus will destroy, and that at his coming, is death. (1 Cor. 15:26 NKJV)
Won’t it be wonderful to put on anew spiritual body wherein there will be eternal life for
us? Death will be no more. There will be no need to ever be afraid of death.
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor
sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed
away.” (Rev. 21:4 NKJV)
“The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is
raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body
(which can and will die – DS) and is raised a spiritual body (which cannot die – DS).” (1
Cor. 15:42-44 NKJV)
No, give me Jesus’ tomb every time over Lincoln’s tomb. People wonder why a person
would be a Christian. I wonder how it is that anyone who desired life could keep from
being one. Where else can life be found? Where else is there a promise of life? I want
to live.
I close with this. According to a recent Harris poll taken Feb. 19, 2009, Jesus had to
take second place to Barack Obama as to whom people admire enough to call them
heroes. As for me Jesus is my hero and the one who will take me out of the grave with
a new and glorious body with life eternal. I don’t trust Mr. Obama to do that. Make
Jesus your Lord, your Savior, your hope, and your hero.