Death Of A Saint Is Precious! Series

Sermon Precious!

Thesis: God looks at the death of a saint as precious and as beautiful as a Masterpiece of Art – Yes, God looks at the death of a saint as precious something foreign to most people’s eyes!

Scripture text: Psalm 116:1-19:

1 I love the LORD, for he heard my voice;

he heard my cry for mercy.

2 Because he turned his ear to me,

I will call on him as long as I live.

3 The cords of death entangled me,

the anguish of the grave came upon me;

I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.

4 Then I called on the name of the LORD:

“O LORD, save me!”

5 The LORD is gracious and righteous;

our God is full of compassion.

6 The LORD protects the simplehearted;

when I was in great need, he saved me.

7 Be at rest once more, O my soul,

for the LORD has been good to you.

8 For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death,

my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling,

9 that I may walk before the LORD

in the land of the living.

10 I believed; therefore I said,

“I am greatly afflicted.”

11 And in my dismay I said,

“All men are liars.”

12 How can I repay the LORD

for all his goodness to me?

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation

and call on the name of the LORD.

14 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD

in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight of the LORD

is the death of his saints.

16 O LORD, truly I am your servant.

I am your servant, the son of your maidservant;

you have freed me from my chains.

17 I will sacrifice a thank offering to you

and call on the name of the LORD.

18 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD

in the presence of all his people,

19 in the courts of the house of the LORD—

in your midst, O Jerusalem.

Praise the LORD.

The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Ps 116:1–19.

Some thoughts from our passage today in honor and in the memory of Lori!

Introduction:

Our Psalm 116:15 says something unusual and may even catch you off guard today “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”

In our Psalm we read about how loving God is – He hears our cry for help, we learn how compassionate he is, how faithful, how he is there to save us even as we are tangled in the cords of death, sorrow, and trouble. If we call, he hears us and will respond to us! Jesus' presence is here today to comfort you to encourage you and to give you peace in the storm.

Did you notice that phrase in the Psalm? The Psalmist uses the word precious in connection with the word death. Most people I know would not associate these two things together!

Precious means (of an object, substance, or resource) of great value; not to be wasted or treated carelessly. Like "precious works of art" Our Psalmist says the death of a saint is like a precious work of art to the Lord – I know most people struggle – they ache in their souls when someone they love dies – I have felt this ache and most you have too – I guess I never associated the word “precious = death” before – Some people I know do not look forward to dying because it means transitioning from this life to eternity and with that separation comes separation from loved ones – from family, spouses, children and even grandchildren.

But in Scripture right here in this Psalm it says God looks at the death of a saint as precious as something which holds great value and beauty! It is like a gorgeous work of art – a masterpiece painted and created by the individual dying and of the Creator of the universe being there with them as they enter Heaven. The Creator looks at the artwork of the life of the Saint and says now that is “Precious!”. It’s a personal moment between the saint and their Savior as they meet on the other side of Eternity!

Story - years ago, I went to pray for a person who was dying of Cancer. We had become good friends over the years – she told me this as we prayed, and I concluded my prayer – I have been living my whole life for this very moment! Now that sounded precious to me – she had painted a masterpiece with her life and now it was the time for the unveiling. While to experience the beauty and the majesty of death like this is rare – to understand that transitioning from this life to Heaven unveils a masterpiece – a mona Lisa, a Last Supper to the Creator- to me it’s precious. Our lives are to be precious in the sight of God.