It was my honor to attend the Memorial Service for Pastor John MacArthur in Grace Community Church’s building in Los Angeles, California. I am grateful that God gave me the opportunity to attend. John Piper’s reflections about John MacArthur were fitting and touching (watch from about 58:15 to 1:13:50 in the video of the service).
Attending a God-honoring funeral is so good for you. God says, “It is better to go to the house of mourning / than to go to the house of feasting, / for this [i.e., death] is the end of all mankind, / and the living will lay it to heart” (Eccl 7:2). I enjoy a good feast, but a funeral is even better for you. Do you believe that? Do you believe that it’s better to attend a good funeral than a feast? You are going to die, so you should think carefully about that. You should prepare to die well.
John MacArthur used to say that his greatest regret in life was that he chose not to attend the funeral of his friend James Montgomery Boice. Jim Boice was pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, and MacArthur chose not to attend because of his busy schedule. I didn’t want to live with a similar regret by not attending John MacArthur’s funeral. I am glad I went.
Above is a photo of Jenni, me, and John MacArthur from our honeymoon over twenty-one years ago. John MacArthur was 65 years old at the time. We spent our honeymoon in San Diego, and we drove up to Los Angeles to hear John MacArthur preach the first sermon we heard together as a married couple. I wanted to go hear MacArthur preach in person because I had already benefitted so much from his preaching and writings as I trained to be a pastor and professor. I thank God for MacArthur’s expository preaching. It was formative for me. And he continued to influence me over the past twenty-one years. I admire his clarity, convictions, and courage.
John MacArthur prepared to die well, and then by God’s grace he did die well. In his final moments before he died, he was trusting God as he quoted 1 Corinthians 15: “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Cor 15:55). In between gasps for air, he said, “I feel no sting. I feel no fear.” That inspires me to prepare to die well.
Death “is the end of all mankind, / and the living will lay it to heart” (Eccl 7:2b). We should lay this to heart.
The Christian faith we believe is not make-believe. It’s real. This isn’t a game. This isn’t merely a cultural tradition.
Unless King Jesus returns to this earth during your lifetime, you will eventually die. As my mentor Don Carson often says with a smile, “Life is short, and then you die.” So prepare to die well. Make that your goal right now: Prepare to die well. Or as John Piper puts it, “Don’t waste your life!”
- You don’t want to die with regrets.
- You don’t want to die after a life characterized by unfaithfulness and disobedience.
- You don’t want to die in fear.
- You don’t want to die without hope—without confidently expecting that God will certainly save you from God’s wrath.
- You don’t want to die after failing to persevere in the Christian faith and in good works.
Instead, as you approach your death, you want to be able to say this with Paul:
I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (2 Tim 4:6–8)
Your Christian life is a race, and the finish line is your death. The race is happening right now. Don’t stop running. Don’t give up. Persevere in what God has called you to do—
- as a Christian,
- as a man or woman,
- as a husband or wife,
- as a son or daughter,
- as a brother or sister in Christ.
Every day you get closer to your finish line. So prepare to die well.
Andy Naselli, Ph.D.
Professor of Systematic Theology and New Testament
Prayer Requests:
- Pray that our faculty and staff would prepare to die well. Pray that we would not waste our lives.
- Pray for our students as they settle into school routines.
- Pray for those preparing messages and those who will hear them at Godward Life.
- Pray for the full funding of The Serious Joy Scholarships needed to support this year’s students.