Fall is upon us once again! Believe it or not, we are in full swing. November came quickly! (At least that’s my impression.) Like it or not, there’s no stopping fall…or winter at this point. It is getting dark at a much earlier time. The air is crisp and cool. Birds are beginning to bail out and head down to Florida or somewhere warm. Some “snowbirds” are doing the same…you know those folks, the fortunate (or unfortunate depending on your perspective) people that migrate just like the birds and head down south for the winter. The leaves are changing colors. Pumpkin spice is available and everywhere. Football is on television. Some people, including myself, are wondering, “What on earth happened to the summer?”
Now I don’t know if you are a fan of the fall season or not, but there are a lot of things that are remarkable about this time of year. Let me just name a few: Pumpkin pies. Pumpkin rolls. Pumpkin cake.
Sorry. I got a little sidetracked for just a minute. Let me branch out and name a few more: Apple pies. Apple tarts. Apple cider. There, you see? I’m open to some diversity in these writings.
Though I am a fan of yummy food, that actually isn’t what I am hoping that we would focus on today. Instead, I want for us to consider the leaves.
Remarkable, right?
Fall is the time of year when the leaves really begin to show off their splendor. Vibrant reds. Bright golds. Yellows. Oranges. So many different shades and colors. Walking or driving through an area where the fall leaves are on full display is truly a sight to behold. For me, the leaves, especially during this season, are a visual reminder of the beauty and majesty of God. They point me to a remarkable Creator who designed the trees in such a way that they would produce a marvelous display. I’m grateful for their beauty, and I’m thankful that they point me to God, the Creator of all of their wonder and majesty. I hope they do the same for you.
Not only do the fall leaves point me to God because of their beauty, but they also point me to God because of their death.
During this time of year, leaf after leaf after leaf is in the process of dying. Some take a little bit longer and hang onto their branches for just a bit more, but each of these leaves that had turned such bright colors are in the process of death. They will fall from their branches. They will turn brown. They will die. Sure, some might get raked into a pile for kids to jump and play in for a while, but that’s it. They will be no more. Decomposition is coming. That’s the end result of fall for all of these leaves. Winter. (Otherwise known as death.)
Kind of depressing isn’t it?
Such remarkable beauty. Here for a moment and then gone. Such vibrancy. Burning brightly and then snuffed out. Such wonder and splendor. On display for just an instant and then never to be seen again.
And yet, that’s the nature of the season. That’s the nature of fall. That’s the nature of the leaves. They are in the process of dying. Some are already dead.
Now, if this process stopped right there, it would almost be too depressing to even mention. Fortunately, we know that the process continues. Fortunately, we know that decomposition isn’t actually the end. Instead, it is part of the beginning. In dying, in decomposing, the leaves are actually contributing to life. In their death, they offer themselves to life, to be used for the nourishment of the trees through the soil. Yes, even in their death, we can see life. Even in their brevity, we can see the hope of eternity through Jesus. Even in their decomposition, we can see the provision for the future.
To me, this is even more remarkable than their initial beauty. It is even more amazing than their appearance of splendor. Life out of death.
Life out of death.
Sometimes, I say or think about that phrase so often that I fear that it loses some of its power, but when you consider it, that concept is truly remarkable.
Life out of death.
Jesus (who is the epitome of life coming out of death…just consider the miracle of Easter for a few moments) talks about this process. Look at what he teaches:
“Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”
~John 12:24
Ok. He’s not talking about the leaves. He’s talking about a kernel of wheat, a seed. But the idea is there. Life out of death. The seed must die to itself in order to produce many more seeds. This is pretty simple to understand. A seed that is never planted will never turn into anything other than a seed. Those pumpkins that I like made into yummy things would have never become pumpkins without a seed dying. Same deal goes for the apple. If I want to have apples turned into a pie, I first need some apple seeds to die at some point. We get this idea. (It’s a longer route, but we can also see this idea evidenced in the leaves decomposing to nourish the soil that nourishes the tree that produces more leaves.) But just so we don’t think that this idea of life out of death is restricted to seeds or to wheat, Jesus continues:
“Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
~John 12:25
Uh oh. That continuation stings a bit. Apparently Jesus isn’t really talking about seeds after all. Instead, he’s talking about me, about you. If we really wish to see life, life eternal, we’re called to drop to the ground and die. We’re called to die to ourselves in order that we might experience life through Christ. Jesus even says we must hate our lives in this world so that we might keep them for eternal life. (This is not a call to be joyless. Nor is it a call to walk around saying that we hate everything. Instead, it is a call to put Jesus and others above ourselves. Paul says it this way: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:3-4)
We must die so that we might live.
Life out of death.
We must embrace the idea of “fall-ing.” Just like the leaves, we must release our grip on the branches and fall. We must release the grip that we have on this world and fall to our deaths.
This is an incredibly difficult thing. I don’t think that we’re naturally called to die to ourselves. Like the leftover brown leaf that stubbornly hangs on through the winter, some of us want to cling to the branches of this world until we can cling no longer. And yet, we are called to do something different. The plan, the process, the design put in place by our Creator asks for something more. We are asked to fall like a leaf or a kernel of wheat and die so that life might spring forth.
For me, the leaves stand out as a vibrant reminder of what God has asked of my life. Value Jesus above myself. Put the needs of others before my own. Lay down my life in this world so that I might truly live.
It’s a hard ask, a difficult reminder, but I’m thankful that I am not asked to do this on my own. (I honestly couldn’t.) Instead, I have not been left by myself but have been given help and a promise.
Christ in me.
After all, Jesus made this promise:
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever — the Spirit of truth.
~John 14:16-17
We have the promise of the Holy Spirit who will lead us into truth, who will help us and be with us forever, who will enable us to die to ourselves. The very Spirit of God helping us, assisting us, being with us forever! We are not asked to complete this task alone. Not only that, but we have a further promise of life found in Romans.
But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
~Romans 8:10-11
Life out of death.
Not because of my strength, not because of my abilities, but because of the righteousness of Christ. The Spirit of God living in me, allowing me to be in the process of “fall-ing”. Dying to myself. Living for Christ.
Friend, this fall, would you embrace “fall-ing” in your own life? Would you embrace this call of Jesus to die?
No, it won’t be easy. No, it doesn’t sound fun, but you are not alone in your efforts. The Spirit of God has been promised to you as well. The Advocate who will help you and lead you into all truth awaits your answer. Would you die to yourself that you might truly live? Would you fall into the arms of Christ and trust that He will raise you to life?
I pray that you would and that in doing so, your death might produce life that is even more abundant, even more vibrant, even more remarkable than you could ever imagine.
~ Pastor Chris
