“His initials were W.W., and in the 1930s and 1940s they were enough to identify him to most of America.  He was widely considered the creator of modern gossip writing, and in his heyday this rude, abrasive, egotistical and witty man was the country's best known and most widely read journalist and one of its most influential.  In 1943, when there were 140 million people in the United States, more than 50 million of them read his gossip column every day in more than 1000 newspapers, including his flagship, The New York Daily Mirror.  Even more people listened to his weekly radio broadcast.  Hated, feared and revered, he presided over Table 50 of the Stork Club in New York, creating and destroying celebrities at the drop of his trademark gray snap-brim fedora.  Yet when he died in 1972, at age 74, he was practically forgotten.  Only two people attended his funeral: his daughter, Walda, and the rabbi who officiated at his services.  Today, not many people under 40 even know the name of Walter Winchell.” -- Mervyn Rothstein in the New York Times, 6-24- 1990 *

Recognize any of these names: Owen D. Young, Pierre Laval, Hugh S. Johnson, James F. Byrnes, Mohammed Mossadegh, Harlow Curtis?  You should.  According to Time magazine, these are all people who have been designated (in past years) as “Man of the Year” by Time, indicating they had the greatest impact in that year of all persons living on Earth.  The celebrity of today is all but forgotten tomorrow. *

“All is ephemeral -- fame and the famous as well.”
-- Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

On one occasion during His earthly ministry, Jesus appointed seventy disciples to go out and spread the Good News of Jesus and His kingdom (Luke 10:1-16).  He also empowered them to perform miracles to provide evidence that their message was from God.

Luke informs us that “the seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name’” (Luke 10:17).

Observe Jesus’ response: “And He said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” – Luke 10:18-20

The seventy likely became famous for their miraculous abilities.  But Jesus told them that what mattered most was where their names were recorded: “in heaven” – in the Lamb’s Book of Life (cf. Revelation 20:12, 15; 21:27).

That’s what’s most important for you and me.  Is your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life?

Jesus, the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29), died on the cross for our sins so that we can be saved (1 Peter 2:24).

God will save and write in the Lamb’s Book of Life the names of those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9; Revelation 3:5).

The “Who’s Who” of the world is ever-changing and ephemeral.  Those in the Lamb’s Book of Life recognize that all glory goes to God for His provision of salvation and eternal life through the Lamb of God.

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned illustrations about “fame” in www.sermonillustrations.com.

-- David A. Sargent