If you were asked to write a large print, short book called Making The Most Of The Rest Of Your Life, what would you include? Would you write about health, medical plans, retirement issues, managing your finances and the like? Maybe you would also try to squeeze in some information on golf and lawn bowls, and, for the adventurous, something about those grey nomad caravans. You might also canvas wills and aged care choices.
Veteran Aussie evangelist, John Chapman dismisses these things in his opening words, reminding us of the foolishness of preparing for the last few years of your time on earth, without giving thought to the bulk of the rest of your life, which we will all spend "with Christ, or without Him in eternity." (page 11)
In fifty pages of text, we are given a gentle, clear presentation of the Christian message, largely based on the words of the New Testament itself, beginning with Jesus' story of the rich fool, building barns for all his stuff and planning for relaxing twilight years which he isn't going to have. We are then reminded that the message we are pinning our hopes on is based on the words of Jesus himself, brought to us by reliable eyewitnesses, who had no reason to lie.
A quick snapshot of Mark's Gospel introduces us to Jesus as healer, teacher and miracle worker. At the same time, Chapman is telling us what we may expect in the life to come. He rightly reminds us that the bible does not talk about people going to heaven and playing harps and drifting aimlessly, but tells us that God will bring in a newly created world where there is no hunger, no suffering, no ageing and no dying. In this world there will be no natural disasters, no evil and a good government under a loving, honest king.
This would be a great book to give to any older person, whether Christian or not, because many of us have fuzzy ideas about the life to come and how God says we may enjoy it. I was particularly pleased that the book doesn't speculate and pontificate on details that the bible does not give, but concentrates on telling us things that God has revealed in his Word. And as the author himself has often said, Christians also need to hear the gospel.
The thousands of people who have appreciated Chappo's talks over more than fifty years will enjoy hearing his voice in this informal, friendly little book. (It would make a terrific talking book, if Matthias Media and Chappo were so inclined, allowing those who haven't heard him speak to hear it in this way, too.)
