Icons

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.  - Hebrews 9:26,27

Sunday, David Bowie died.  If you are anywhere near my age, it is a big deal.  Huge.  I have been surprising emotional about his passing.  For me, Bowie was one of those names, if not an artist, that has been in my life and background since I was in high school.  I can vividly remember a high school friend insisting I listen to some new song by this new singer almost like it was yesterday. To say he was –to me and my generation - a cultural icon would be an understatement.

Don’t get me wrong – I was never that big of a David Bowie fan, although there are probably five or six songs by him that, through the years, I have really, really liked.  And no doubt he was creative beyond most ordinary people.  It’s just that some of his creativity just did not resonate with me.  But he was an icon that has always been there in my life, seemingly.  And icons never die. Right?

Wrong.

The writer of Hebrews is very matter of fact about this. It’s almost a throwaway phrase. Just as the writer is really pointing to Jesus and the promise of his return, he inserts, “just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment….”

We need to stop there.

Because it is true.  Even an icon like David Bowie was not above the fact that we live once, we die, then we face judgement.  And in the background today I hear the populist choirs proclaiming that ‘heaven has gained another musician.’

Maybe its true. Maybe heaven has.  But the idea of judgment must include the fact that it is completely possible that another area of afterlife, you know, uh, the one we don’t like to talk about (that I’ll coincidentally be preaching on this Sunday), has gained…another musician.

Some good news is that I’m not in charge of who gets in and who doesn’t. I’d make a terrible judge, and besides, we are told we are not to judge.  The greater news is that I know, and most of us know, who is the judge.  And I know, and most of us know, what it takes to pass the judgment.  As wonderful as creativity may be, as great as some music may be…or in my case, as good as some of my works in my life may have been to this point, these things will not get me or anyone else in.

What will? It is Jesus.  Always has been. Always will be. Icons will come…and icons unfortunately will go.  But as the writer of Hebrews eventually shares “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (visit Hebrews 13:8)

So I guess  the challenge for us then is this. What are we counting on that will help us pass judgment when it comes?  What is it in our lives that is so iconic that we think it will open the doors to eternity? As iconic as I felt Bowie was, the answer is Jesus. It is in him and on him I place my complete trust.  And I would encourage you, even if you are mourning an icon’s death, to do the same.

It’s all about Jesus.  The name that has always been there, and always will be.