Invincible

about 15 years ago a friend of mine was so moved by a book that

she bought a copy for me and my whole family it was called the last lecture by randy pausch

it was a powerhouse people talk about the world just laying open for them and

and randy was that guy he was extraordinarily gifted worked extraordinarily hard and he arrived

when he wrote the book he seemed like he was on top of the world with work and with family he was

the professor of computer science at human computer science human computer interaction and design at

carnegie mellon mellon university he was an award-winning teacher and researcher he worked

with adobe google electronic arts walt disney and pioneered a non-profit to support youth and

computer technology on the home front he was married he had three young boys to many including himself

his life looked like a dream and at 46 he was excited and looking forward to what the next half of life

would hold at that time randy was diagnosed with cancer he had the best medical care that was

available but the treatments were ineffective and the doctors told him that he had three maybe six

months of relative health left and then his body would decline rapidly and he would die

it was a jarring and heartbreaking diagnosis not just for the loss of what he had built but perhaps even

more for what he had left to give the future he spent his life for wasn't going to happen and so what did

he do he did the best thing that he knew how he tried to make the most of that three months as a husband

father and professor he gave his limited health to what he hoped might most endure he stepped back from

regular teaching at the university and gave time to his family and especially his last lecture a last

lecture if you're not familiar with it and i am not in this community and what it was not that familiar with

it either but in academia it's a commonplace activity it's when a retiring professor gives their final

instruction to their students they're generally great it's like a mini magnum opus of all the most important

and profound bits of wisdom that they've gathered over their career their life randy's came much earlier than

expected but he handled it much differently too instead of words of wisdom for students and colleagues his were to his

not old enough really to comprehend what was going on he wanted to give them a way to learn from their father

after he could no longer be with them as it turns out randy's lecture struck a chord with many it was recorded

turned into a book and was a viral publishing sensation people passed his story on just like

that friend did to me and they wanted more more of his wisdom they wanted to see a miraculous recovery

but a very short time later randy passed away

what do you think you would do

it's not easy to answer sometimes we don't have the time to think about it like randy did

some of you probably remember the recent bills versus bangles game

it was early in the first quarter when bill's safety demar hamlin made an extraordinary tackle

he got back up

and he immediately fell straight back down

almost instantly players coaches and fans realized that something was wrong

players gathered around the roaring stadium fell to an eerie whisper

and announcers cut to commercial break after commercial break

no one said it out loud but it was clear that we were all wondering the same thing

are we witnessing the healthiest one of the healthiest people on the planet

in the prime of his life living his dream die on national tv

as time went on hours and then days

we came to find out that demar had suffered a cardiac arrest

as cardiac arrests go his chance of survival was 10 percent

there was a 90 percent chance that he would die

millions watched as this elite human being laid helpless

on full life support on a hospital bed

fortunately demar was one of the 10 percent

he came out of the coma and is recovering surprisingly well

the point is no matter how strong we are

how well we're doing

how much more we have to give

we are fragile

as paul puts it later on in this very letter

we are like jars of clay hard pressed on every side

the problem is we don't really handle our fragility very well

for the most part we try to ignore it

we don the rose-colored glasses and feign invincibility

we are tough

but it doesn't work

no matter how hard we try the truth keeps poking holes

in our delusion

on the physical side every day we get a little older

some of you know better this experience than others

at a certain point we don't run as fast

we don't lift as much

our bones hurt

those six-pack abs they fade

and so does our vision

so does our memory thankfully

and on the mental side it's worse

every one of our personal histories is fraught with anxiety

temptation and failure

in the face of our anxiety

we shrink back from what we ought to do

and in the face of our temptations we give way

in fact

the more obvious our fragility becomes

the weakness becomes

our inability to control our circumstances

the more seriously we look for relief

or escape

in any form that we can find it

even if that's escape from life itself

and this is where God meets us

in Paul's confession to the Corinthians

in verse 8 he says

for we do not want you to be unaware brothers

of the affliction we experienced in Asia

for we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength

that we despaired of life itself

now I think our first impulse

hearing a story like that from anyone

is to ask

what happened

that had to be so bad

and especially if it drove Paul

to this point

I mean Paul's

no stranger to suffering

in chapter 11

in this

very letter

this is what he says

in just chapter 11

five times I received at the hands of the Jews

forty lashes less one

three times I was beaten with rods

once I was stoned

three times I was shipwrecked

a night and a day I was adrift at sea

on frequent journeys

in danger from rivers

danger from robbers

danger from my own people

danger from Gentiles

danger in the city

danger in the wilderness

danger at sea

danger from false brothers

in toil and hardship

through many a sleepless night

in hunger and thirst

often without food

and cold and exposure

and apart from other things

there's the daily pressure on me

of my anxiety for all the churches

so what

what in the world happened

and yet Paul

he doesn't tell us

the case specific details here

and I think that's on purpose

we're not supposed to be able

to distance ourselves

too far

from his experience

the bigger deal

is that Paul felt like

he had been pushed so far

beyond what he could handle

that he despaired

and that's something

that's meant to resonate

with all of us

so what's despair?

John MacArthur broke it down this way

and this was one of the most

helpful explanations to me

he said

the word

he said

the root word in the Greek

is porous

which means passage

and that together

with the prefix de

means

no passage

it's to say

there is no exit

there's no way out

it's to be so overwhelmed

physically or mentally

that you let go

or release your grip on life

it's an awful space

it's like

drowning

some think of that

as the most horrendous

way to die

there's thrashing

and then eventually

your strength

is overcome

your inability

to do anything about it

and you

slowly sink

below the water

and you stop fighting

and you let go

but when we think about it

in the life of Paul

it seems worse

if not unfathomable

for a big extra here

Paul is no ordinary man

he's a Christian

of Christians

a pastor

to the pastors

he was called

and set apart

by God

to be an apostle

inspired by the Holy Spirit

to write much

of the New Testament

and bring the gospel

to the known world

if you're looking

for someone

that really understands

the gospel

who really

gets how it connects

to life and practice

Paul is that guy

more than any other guy

and so Paul's despair

is certainly

that his own strength

is gone

but it would seem

that he's also wrestling

with that

unutterable voice

of doubt

that maybe

his God's strength

is gone

or at least

insufficient

for this task

and so what does he do

well

he lets go

but God doesn't

it's right here

when Paul is at the end

of himself

when he's convinced

that he's received

the sentence of death

that all that he had

envisioned

yet to do

on this earth

that he felt

that God

had called him to do

was going to get cut short

that he lets go

and finds anew

that his God knows

his God is there

is sufficient

for the task

and more and more

for as Paul describes it

it wasn't an accident

that he found himself

in this place

it was according

to God's purpose

his design

his God

is in charge

here at the doorstep

of the end

of his life too

he says verse 9

but that was

to make us

God made us

that was to make us

rely not

on ourselves

but God

and specifically

the God

who raises the dead

and that point

is just as noteworthy

you see

death

is the ultimate

trump card

for life

for instance

what's your heart's desire

money

security

love

children

island paradise

not today

we're just suspended

in disbelief

it's not possible

and it sounds good

right

I mean

a whole lot

of problems

go away

happy life

our heart's desire

has been found

but there's a catch

it will cost you

your life

well in that case

well

it's not such

a good deal

right

in fact

it's instantly

a no deal

if we can't

have that stuff

with life

then what's the point

but you see

if God

is the God

who raises

the dead

who's thereby

unnecessarily

stronger than death

then not only

can he deliver us

from the ultimate

trump card

on our life

he can deliver us

everything

less than death

and that's the

realization

that infuses

Paul with

a supernatural

vitality

a bold sense

of almost

invincibility

as he continues

in verse 10

he says

he delivered us

from such a deadly

peril

and he will

deliver us

on him

we have set

our hope

that he will

deliver us again

I love that

it's a boldness

that doesn't

just live life

intentionally

so as to

make the most

out of the time

that we have

which we should

all do

but it is

future focused

past death

in such a way

that death

is not our

ultimate end

in other words

Paul has gained

such a sure

confidence

in the preserving

care and power

of his invincible

God

that he doesn't

fear the loss

of anything

even his life

because he knows

his God is able

and has determined

to return it

a hundredfold

and more

in the next

as Paul put it

in his letter

to the Philippians

indeed I count

everything as loss

because of the

surpassing worth

of knowing

Christ Jesus

my Lord

or perhaps even

more to the point

in 1 Peter

blessed be the

God and Father

of our Lord

Jesus Christ

according to his

great mercy

he has caused

us to be born

again

to a living hope

through the

resurrection

of Jesus Christ

from the dead

to an inheritance

that is imperishable

undefiled

and unfading

in other words

not only will God

deliver us

from such

a death

but in Christ

he will give us

all things

more than money

can buy

more love

more beauty

more than

an island paradise

more security

than Cheyenne

mountain bunker

and all that

without loss

or fading

forever

and so what's next

well Paul says

verse 11

go forth

and conquer

not exactly

he says

you must help

us by prayer

when I read

that I said

what

with such a

renewed sense

of vigor

and energy

why

why prayer

because

you see

we can't help

but pray

when we're

forced to rely

not on ourselves

but on God

that's one

of the beautiful

parts of

Damar Hamlin

in that incident

it was a

surreal moment

even watching it

on TV

for some

unexplained

unexpected

whatever

when this

perfectly healthy

giant of a

human being

collapsed on

the ground

a quick

sobriety

fell across

every player

coach

referee

fan

and spectator

and do you

know what

they did

it happened

so fast

so instinctively

it was like

it was

choreographed

but it

wasn't

they all

got down

on a

knee

they bowed

their heads

and they

prayed

and an

NFL stadium

broadcast

on live

television

became a

giant

revival

church

it was like

they knew

what to do

when they

knew there

was nothing

that they

could do

and so

what is

Paul really

showing us

here

well at

the most

basic level

when Paul

came face

to face

with the

end of

himself

and a

certain

sentence

of death

he saw

Christ

and through

him he

gained a

renewed

confidence

in his

invincible

God

you see

as fragile

people we

have an

instinctive

drive to

protect

ourselves

it's our

survival

instinct

it's why

we invest

in safe

cars

friendly

neighborhoods

savings

fitness

and nutrition

and that's

obviously

not all

bad

but

sometimes

we confuse

these things

as our

security

or as

invoking us

with independent

autonomy

and invincibility

on the other

hand we find

in Christ

this wonder

for he had

real

invincibility

and immortality

and he exchanged

that for

fragility

and mortality

and then when he

was faced with

the prospect

of certain

death

he didn't

turn to

self-reliance

self-protectionism

anxiety

or giving way

to the temptation

for relief

and escape

but through

prayer

he entrusted

himself

into the hands

of his father

in his dying

breath

he said

father into

your hands

I commit

my spirit

and his father

the invincible

God

who raises

the dead

raised him

from the dead

and so what

difference does

this make

well first

let's return

to Randy

from the

perspective

of this

world

Randy was

a great

man

and there's

truly much

to respect

in him

he handled

the reality

of death

with a lot

of grace

and maturity

but from a

Christian

perspective

as I read

that book

there was a

glaring omission

in his last

lecture

and he knew

it

it was

on purpose

even joked

about it

he said

this is not

about religion

or spirituality

or a deathbed

conversion

and then his

joke

though I did

buy a

Macintosh

which is

must have

been a PC

guy

you see

for Randy

death

was it

there was no

God in this

life

in his life

and therefore

there was no

after this

life

and that

obviously

had a profound

effect on how

he lived

his life

from his

perspective

life was about

how much

you could get

for as long

as you could

get it

it was about

realizing childhood

dreams

it was

carpe diem

seize the day

and there's

there's right

stuff about

some of those

perspectives

we should strive

to make the most

of everyday

waste

is sinful

but if tomorrow

and eternal life

are a certainty

then what we do

today

isn't as much

about today

as it is

about an eternal

tomorrow

and so

what do we

take away

from this

in the renewed

confidence

that God

is

that God

knows

that he

has the

power

and will

take care

of us

in death

and everything

less than

that

we need

to live

our lives

more out

of faith

in his

care

than

our own

it's the

difference

between

approaching

life

from the

perspective

of fragility

and temporality

versus

invincibility

and immortality

imagine that

before you

are two

doors

it's like

on the

price is

right

on the

top of

the

the left

door

your left

it says

why

oh

you

you

inside

is a

short

and fragile

life

it's

whatever

you can

get

for as

long

as

you

can

get

it

it's

all

up

to

you

and

after

a

little

while

you

die

it's

how

the

animals

live

on top

of the

door

on the

right

it says

h-i-m

him

inside

that door

is an

all-powerful

and personal

heavenly father

he loves

you

he did

not even

withhold

his only

son

to rescue

you

behind

that

door

it's

not

all

about

you

but

it

is

good

for

you

and

ultimately

everything

there

depends

not

on

you

but

him

and

finally

he

loves

you

so

much

that

he

will

not

withhold

everything

that

is

good

and

it

will

never

ever

end

and

so

which

do

you

choose

the

right

door

is

so

much

better

than

it

all

depends

on

you

and

yet

even

as

Christians

even

when

we

know

even

after

we

profess

we

know

the

door

on

the

right

is

better

is

real

and

the

door

on

the

left

is

a

lie

and

even

worse

than

it

looks

and

worse

than

it

looks

we

drift

again

and

that's

what

Paul

is

trying

to

show

us

here

it's

not

that

the

Christian

life

is

going

to

be

easy

we

all

know

it

isn't

but

that

our

invincible

God

has

more

power

than

the

hardest

it

can

be

and

therefore

everything

less

than

that

as

well

as

a

result

in

Christ

there

is

strength

not

just

to be

wise

stewards

of the

time

we

have

on

this

earth

to

make

the

most

of

it

but

to

boldly

prayerfully

and

faithfully

keep

striving

to

follow

after

Christ

to

keep

taking

step

after

step

even

through

pain

fear

and

uncertainty

even

through

the

valley

of

the

shadow

of

death

because

our

future

does

not

ultimately

depend

on

our

strength

but

his

as

Jesus

told

his

disciples

in

the

gospel

of

John

in

the

world

you

will

have

trouble

but

take

overcome

the

world

and

as

Paul

puts

it

a little

later

in

this

letter

this

light

momentary

affliction

is

preparing

for us

an eternal

weight

of glory

beyond

all

comparison

and

therefore

if

you're

not a

Christian

today

consider

the

difference

between

your

left

door

it

all

depends

on

me

delusion

and

the

right

door

a

true

reality

that

God

offers

everyone

that

will

come

to

him

in

Christ

choose

Christ

and

if

you're

a

Christian

be

renewed

like

Paul

in

the

confidence

that

our

invisible

God

is

faithful

he

delivered

us

from

such

a

deadly

peril

and

he

will

deliver

us

on

him

we

have

set

our

hope

that

he

will

deliver

us

again

let's

pray

dear

almighty

God

Lord

thank

you

for

your

word

thank

you

that

you

are

the

God

who

raises

the

dead

Lord

would

you

please

strengthen

our

faith

give

us

boldness

not

because

of

some

power

that

we

have

but

because

you

have

all

power

Lord

there

is

nothing

in

this

world

that

you

cannot

remedy

and

so

give

us

strength

in

that

Lord

to

follow

after

you

with

boldness

in

Jesus

name

we

pray

amen