Born of the Spirit
Jesus was not simply a man who led a good life and died. He rose from the dead. Death cannot hold Him or His followers. God conquered death, and gave us hope.
The year 1899 marked the deaths of two well-known men - Dwight L. Moody, the acclaimed evangelist, and Robert Ingersoll, the famous lawyer, orator, and political leader.
The two men had many similarities. Both were raised in Christian homes. Both were skilled orators. . . Both drew immense crowds when they spoke and attracted loyal followings. But there was one striking difference between them - their view of God.
Ingersoll was an agnostic; he had no belief in the eternal, but stressed the importance of living only in the here and now. Ingersoll made light of the Bible. . . The Bible was "a fable, an obscenity, a humbug, a sham and a lie". . .
Dwight L. Moody, had different convictions. He dedicated his life to presenting a resurrected King to a dying people. He embraced the Bible as the hope for humanity and the cross as the turning point of history. He left behind a legacy of written and spoken words, institutions of education, churches, and changed lives.
Two men. Both powerful speakers and influential leaders. One rejected God; the other embraced Him. The impact of their decisions is seen most clearly in the way they died. . .
Ingersoll died suddenly. The news of his death stunned his family. His body was kept at home for several days because his wife was reluctant to part with it. It was eventually removed for the sake of the family's health.
Ingersoll's remains were cremeted, and the public response to his passing was altogether dismal. For a man who put all his hopes on the world, death was tragic and came without the consolation of hope. . .
Moody's legacy was different. On December 22, 1899, Moody awoke to his last winter dawn. Having grown increasingly weak during the night, he began to speak in slow measured words. "Earth recedes, heaven opens before me!" Son Will, who was nearby, hurried across the room to his father's side.
"Father, you are dreaming," he said.
"No. This is no dream, Will," Moody said. "It is beautiful. It is like a trance. If this is death, it is sweet. God is calling me, and I must go. Don't call me back."
At that point, the family gathered around, and moments later the great evangelist died. It was his coronation day - a day he had looked forward to for many years. He was with his Lord.
. . . There was no despair. Loved ones gathered to sing praise to God at a triumphant home-going service. Many remembered the words the evangelist had spoken earlier that year in New York City: "Someday you will read in the papers that Moody is dead. Don't you believe a word of it. At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. . . I was born of the flesh in 1837, I was born of the spirit in 1855. That which is born of the flesh may die. That which is born of the Spirit shall live forever."
-From The Applause of Heaven by Max Lucado; part of The Inspirational Study Bible: New Century Version by Max Lucado
Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit that brings life made me free from the law that brings sin and death. -Romans 8:2 (NCV)
So this body that can be destroyed will clothe itself with that which can never be destroyed, and this body that dies will clothe itself with that which can never die. When this happens, this Scripture will be made true: "Death is destroyed forever in victory." Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your pain? Death's power to hurt is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But we thank God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. -1 Corinthians 15:54-57
But God's mercy is great, and He loved us very much. Though we were spiritually dead because of the things we did against God, He gave us new life with Christ. You have been saved by God's grace. -Ephesians 2:4-5 (NCV)
I am the One who lives; I was dead, but look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys to death and to the place of the dead. -Revelation 1:18 (NCV)
The year 1899 marked the deaths of two well-known men - Dwight L. Moody, the acclaimed evangelist, and Robert Ingersoll, the famous lawyer, orator, and political leader.
The two men had many similarities. Both were raised in Christian homes. Both were skilled orators. . . Both drew immense crowds when they spoke and attracted loyal followings. But there was one striking difference between them - their view of God.
Ingersoll was an agnostic; he had no belief in the eternal, but stressed the importance of living only in the here and now. Ingersoll made light of the Bible. . . The Bible was "a fable, an obscenity, a humbug, a sham and a lie". . .
Dwight L. Moody, had different convictions. He dedicated his life to presenting a resurrected King to a dying people. He embraced the Bible as the hope for humanity and the cross as the turning point of history. He left behind a legacy of written and spoken words, institutions of education, churches, and changed lives.
Two men. Both powerful speakers and influential leaders. One rejected God; the other embraced Him. The impact of their decisions is seen most clearly in the way they died. . .
Ingersoll died suddenly. The news of his death stunned his family. His body was kept at home for several days because his wife was reluctant to part with it. It was eventually removed for the sake of the family's health.
Ingersoll's remains were cremeted, and the public response to his passing was altogether dismal. For a man who put all his hopes on the world, death was tragic and came without the consolation of hope. . .
Moody's legacy was different. On December 22, 1899, Moody awoke to his last winter dawn. Having grown increasingly weak during the night, he began to speak in slow measured words. "Earth recedes, heaven opens before me!" Son Will, who was nearby, hurried across the room to his father's side.
"Father, you are dreaming," he said.
"No. This is no dream, Will," Moody said. "It is beautiful. It is like a trance. If this is death, it is sweet. God is calling me, and I must go. Don't call me back."
At that point, the family gathered around, and moments later the great evangelist died. It was his coronation day - a day he had looked forward to for many years. He was with his Lord.
. . . There was no despair. Loved ones gathered to sing praise to God at a triumphant home-going service. Many remembered the words the evangelist had spoken earlier that year in New York City: "Someday you will read in the papers that Moody is dead. Don't you believe a word of it. At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. . . I was born of the flesh in 1837, I was born of the spirit in 1855. That which is born of the flesh may die. That which is born of the Spirit shall live forever."
-From The Applause of Heaven by Max Lucado; part of The Inspirational Study Bible: New Century Version by Max Lucado
Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit that brings life made me free from the law that brings sin and death. -Romans 8:2 (NCV)
So this body that can be destroyed will clothe itself with that which can never be destroyed, and this body that dies will clothe itself with that which can never die. When this happens, this Scripture will be made true: "Death is destroyed forever in victory." Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your pain? Death's power to hurt is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But we thank God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. -1 Corinthians 15:54-57
But God's mercy is great, and He loved us very much. Though we were spiritually dead because of the things we did against God, He gave us new life with Christ. You have been saved by God's grace. -Ephesians 2:4-5 (NCV)
I am the One who lives; I was dead, but look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys to death and to the place of the dead. -Revelation 1:18 (NCV)
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