Death Series

SERMON BRIEF

Date Written: February 2003

Date Preached: February 26, 2003

Church: BBC (PM) Wednesday

FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS

Series: What the Bible Says…

Title: About Death

Text: Revelation 21:1-4

Introduction:

The fact that there are so many different theories about what happens to our souls when we die… that tells us that as humans we really want to know and understand about this event that ends every life… the event we call DEATH.

Now we have heard many phrases that try to explain or give a name to death and what happens after death, phrases such as “The other life” “life in the next world” “life after death” “life on the other side”

You may ask the question, “Does the Bible speak to the particular issue?” And my answer to that is an emphatic YES! But not only does it speak to this issue… the Bible gives believers Scriptural answers to provide them with hope when we are faced with the death of our loved ones… or even our own death.

First, let’s look at the question, “What is death?” Webster’s dictionary defines death as: The permanent cessation of all vital functions : the end of life.

But let’s look a little closer at this issue from a perspective of God’s Word. In Rom 5:12 (read passage) we find that death is a direct result of the sin in the world.

When Adam and Eve broke God’s command in the Garden, death became their companion and b/c of what they did… death was passed on to all of their descendents.

The died spiritually when this occurred as their relationship with God was severed. They had had a fellowship with God in the Garden, but that was not gone… it was dead.

And the principle of death became a very operative part of their physical lives as they began to DIE physically. The deterioration of the physical body is a direct result of the sin that Adam and Eve brought into the Garden.

In the book of Hebrews we find that death is something that we ALL have to look forward to. Let’s read what it says (read passage).

For the human, death is inescapable. From the day we are born our cells are dying. Eventually our bodies cannot keep up with the rate of dying and then our bodies give way to death.

This death the Bible speaks of is the death that is defined in Webster’s definition… it is that which terminates our life functions. It is the means by which our temporal (earthly) life is ended. We find this in Eccl 9:10 (read passage)

Our bodies do not survive thru death as the Bible tells us that our bodies will return to the dust of the earth from which it came. (read Gen 3:19)

Death is also described in Gen 25:8 when Abraham dies and the Bible says he goes on to where his anscestors have gone… meaning that they all ceased to breathe and with that comes death.

In the book of Philippians 1:23 we read how the Apostle Paul saw death as a departure from this world to the next. (read passage).

Finally in Matt 17 we can read the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus and during that wonderful event, we read about 2 men who had died…(read v. 3-4)

We find that the dead have been recognized by the living. No it was NOT their ‘heavenly nametags’ but it was a spiritual recognition that Peter , James and John had.

Finally in 1 Cor 13 we find Paul describing that what we do not understand here in this world will be made abundantly clear in the next. Like us looking into a dirty, poor quality mirror and seeing a dim and distorted reflection… in heaven that image will be crystal clear to us.

Now that we have looked at what the Bible says about death itself, I want us to look in at what I would call ‘the state of death…’

When we look in the OT and before the resurrection of Christ the dead apparently when to a place called Sheol.

In the story about the rich man and the beggar Lazarus in Luke 16, the rich man suffered in a place of torment, but was able to look across a great chasm and see the beggar Lazarus in paradise with Abraham.

Also we find a reference to Paradise when Jesus was dying on the Cross he told the thief that that day he would be with Him in Paradise.

However, after the resurrection of Jesus Christ… the Bible is very clear about where believers go after this life. In 2 Cor 5:8 (read passage) we find Paul telling the Corinthian church that to be absent from the body (in other words to die… to leave our body) we are present with the Lord.