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Will glass coffins be a success? 
Remains to be seen. 
That is a joke, by the way. It's interesting to see what comes up when you google "jokes about death." Perhaps a chuckle here and there can help us face the sober subject. 
This past Sunday, our text from Revelation 10 & 11 brought up the important subject of death.
In the context of faithfully shining a witness of Jesus to our world, the parable of Revelation 11 depicts the death of the two witnesses. We are confronted with the reality: You could die. In fact, you will. Which brings up the question, "What would you die for?" or, maybe better, "What should you die for?" Many expressed that this diagram was helpful to them: 

In Mark 8.34-38, Jesus clearly points out that the essential core issues to die for (if one must) are Jesus and the Gospel. 
Interestingly, as we observed on Sunday, sometimes we as Christians can find it tempting to get so wound up about #3 matters, that it seems that they are in fact what we'd die for. Suggesting to others around us that maybe some #3 matters are in fact our god or our gospel. This does damage to our witness to the true essential core of Jesus & His gospel. 
A follow-up thought to all of this, that we did not have time to consider with as much depth on Sunday, would be that if Jesus and His gospel is worth dying for, then they are also worth living for - right now, and fully. 
This brings us back to Revelation 10, where we find a parable about John being instructed to eat and scroll and then prophesy. In other words, he was told -as are you and I- to "Internalize God's Message" and then "Speak God's Message." 
Let's quickly ponder internalizing God's message. How do you and I "eat the scroll" today? We do it by reading the Bible. We do it by becoming intimately familiar (often) with the gospel (or the Story of God and the 5 Trees, as we talk about it here in CPC). We do it by taking the message of God into our lives and living it out. 
Visibly.
For others to see. 
Maybe, then, one of the truest signs of an effective witness is not what you say to others, but what they say about you! 
If you were to interview my neighbours, or the people in the community with that I play volleyball each week, what would they say about me? Would they have anything to say about me that points to Jesus or the gospel? In fact, would they even use those words at all? Have they seen or heard them from my life in any way? Or would they use words like "nice" and "good people" - the kind of things people say of almost every Canadian? 
Maybe I need to live out my faith in Jesus more visibly. 
In a way, they can feel. 
I have so much room for improvement. How about you? 
This is why I need to be on mission alongside others. I'm so thankful for Laura and Dale who also play volleyball with me in the community -not just for the fun of volleyball, but for the sake of witness. Witnesses need others. That's why there are TWO witnesses in Revelation 11. 
I also need the empowerment of God's spirit. This is why the two olive trees (oil, anointing!) are mentioned in Revelation 11. 
Saint Francis of Assis is often attributed as saying, "Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words." 
It's an inspiring and compelling quote. 
But it needs a modification.
Preach the gospel at all times, and SINCE IT IS NECESSARY, use words. 
Let's learn to internalize and live God's message well. 
Let's learn to speak God's message well. 
We need His empowerment. We need each other. 
How will we do? 
Remains to be seen.
Pastor Mike