Bob Marcaurelle (Sermon Series- Life After Death)
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1.
"ONE MINUTE AFTER DEATH"
(The Intermediate State)
2 Cor. 5:8
“I would prefer to be absent from the body and present with the Lord.”
Heb. 12:22-23
“You have come to Mount Zion / To the heavenly Jerusalem, The city of the living God. / You have come to thousands upon thousands of Angels in joyful assembly; / to the church of the firstborn whose names are written in heaven. / You have come to God the Judge of all men / And to the spirits of righteous men (people) made perfect, and
to Jesus.”
Realities
We will all survive death. You say you don’t like that. We don’t get a vote. You say you don’t believe that. Our belief does not alter the facts. One minute after death we will be in heaven or hell. Jesus told the thief on the cross beside Him, who believed in Him. “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Lk. 23:43). This is heaven because Jesus said, “I am leaving this world and going back to the Father.” (Jn. 16:28). And Paradise, a Jewish term for heaven, is beside the Tree of life (Rev. 2:7); and the tree of life is in heaven (Rev.22:1-2). Paul said of a Christian death, “Absent from the body, we are present with the Lord.” (2 Cor. 5:8).
Of the lost, Jesus spoke of a heartless rich man, who died, and in hades, the afterlife, he was “tormented in the flames” (Lk. 16). 2 Pet.2:9 says, “The Lord knows how to hold the unrighteous for the day of Judgment.”
More to Come-It is not the full and final heaven or hell for three reasons: we will receive our resurrected bodies when Jesus returns at the end of history. The full influence of our lives will follow us to the Judgment to determine our degree of rewards in heaven and punishments in hell. And for Christians, the heavenly age includes this physical universe, including our wonderful earth. 2 Pet. 3 says this earth will be destroyed by fire when the day of the Lord comes, “But according to His promise we are looking for a new heaven and new earth, where goodness lives.” (v12)
How do we know this is true? Doctors tell us a person weighs less after he dies. Could this be the soul leaving? Thousands of people, in near death experiences, have talked about seeing the other world. This is all very interesting, but the only reason we believe in life after death is that Jesus Christ, lived 33 years on this earth, was killed by the Romans, and was buried. But He rose bodily from the grave, and was seen for the next 40 days by thousands of people (Acts 1:1-2)
Because of this event, the frightened band of disciples at his death; were now ready to die for him (Acts 3-5). Also, thousands of people, most of them Jewish, were converted in the first three or four years after Jesus rose. These converts were often being beaten, robbed of their homes, and disowned by their families. But they paid the price because the resurrection of Jesus, a thing they could easily check out, to see if it really happened. Christianity has succeeded and spread because it is based on the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. And it is in the soul of man to believe in life after death.
Besides this, it is in the soul of man to believe in life after this life.
A man laughed at a Christians comments about life after death, and said, “The only thing we can prove about a human being is that he is made of things like sulfur; iron; magnesium and water.” The Christian ignored the man and kept on talking. The man laughed and said, “Why don’t you answer me? You don’t have any answer.” The Christian said to him, “Yes sir, I do have an answer, but I am not in the habit of talking to a pile of sulfur; iron; magnesium and water.”
Life is real, life is earnest
And the grave is not its goal
“Dust thou art and to dust returneth
Was not written of the soul.
The order of events that lead to heaven seems to be:
- At death we go to be with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8)
- When He returns to earth we will come with Him
(1 Th. 4:12)
- Our bodies will rise and clothe our spirits; and the
bodies of Christians on earth will be changed
(1 Cor. 15: 51-51 / 1 Th. 4:14-16)
- They will be caught up into the air with us
(1 Th. 4)
- We will live forever with the Lord (1 Th. 4:16)
After this, Jesus will judge the lost and the saved and we will enter into heaven or hell forever. The question today is; what do the saved in heaven do until they return with Christ? This period is known as the “Intermediate State.”
Difficulties
We have a lot of questions. Will there be children in heaven, or will they grow to maturity? Children ask, “Will my puppy be in heaven?” To these and other questions, we can only answer, “We do not know.”
The simple truth is that God has chosen not to tell us much about heaven; and what He has told us is hard to interpret. We find ourselves wondering what to take literally and what to take symbolically. We wonder what the symbols mean. We wonder whether God is describing an earthly millennium, the intermediate state, or the final heaven? The unborn baby in his mother’s womb; has eyes that are being fashioned; but in that darkness, he knows about the colors of a sunset or a rose. Neither do we know what waits on the other side for us.
A. A Debated Place
Being mysterious, it follows that different people have different interpretations. Since it is not found in the Bible, we will pass right on by the RC doctrine of purgatory, which says, baptism forgives all sins before then, but we must pay of our sins committed after baptism.
We do so with penance, financial gifts, good deeds, etc. and suffering in purgatory after we die. First John says if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us, because Jesus stands up for us in heaven, and His sacrifice for us is still powerful (1:7-2:2). We are not forgiven by our suffering; but by the suffering of Jesus.
Spurgeon said he was going to be with Jesus, so if he went to purgatory, Jesus would be there, and that would make it heaven.
Neither do our souls sleep after death. When Jesus was told of Lazarus’ death, he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep and I am going there to wake him up.” (Jn. 11:11) Many good conservatives, especially in the Lutheran tradition, feel verses like this teach that at death, we are asleep until the return of Jesus.
The moment we die, they say, we find ourselves instantly, with all the saints of all the ages, at the Return of Christ and the end of the world as we know it. It is like being put to sleep and waking up after surgery, not remembering any time in between. Most Christians feel the term “sleep” refers to the body and not to the soul. But it isn’t worth fighting over. If we close our eyes in death and open them beside Jesus, as He prepares to return to this earth; that is quite alright for most of us.
Revelation 14:13 says, “Blessed are the dead who died in the Lord from now on. They rest from their labors.” Revelation 6:9f pictures the souls of the martyrs in heaven, under the altar, wondering why God had not avenged their deaths. We read:
“Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to rest (be at peace; wait peacefully and patiently) a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.” Rev. 6:9f
This term “rest” carries the idea of refreshed. Jesus used it when he said, “Come to me and I will give you rest.” In heaven, whatever we do, every day will be a good day. Our strength will be sufficient for every task and our minds will be at peace during every challenge..
B. A Real Place
Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you; and if I go away; I will come again and receive you; so that where I am you may be also.” (Jn. 14). He didn’t say he was going into another type of existence. He said it was a place. It is called by such names as Paradise (Luke 23:43); Abraham’s bosom (Lk. 16); the “third heaven” (2 Cor. 12); glory (Col. 3:4); rest (Heb. 4:9); the Kingdom (Matt. 25:34); the Father’s house (Jn. 14:2); the holy city, the heavenly Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2); and the new heaven and new earth (2Pet3 / Rev. 21:1)
Our final heaven will be a real place. It includes this universe and this earth, Peter calls it the “new heaven and the new earth, where goodness lives.” (2 Pet. 3). Revelation 21 says of the “new heaven and new earth” (21:1) that the “Holy city, the new Jerusalem will come down out of heaven.” (21:2).
The Bible also seems to indicate that at death, before this new earth, that we go to a real, visible, tangible place, with sights, sounds, and actions. When Paul was caught up into the “third heaven” (2Cor. 12), he “saw things”. When Stephen died, he said he “saw” the glory of God, and the Son of Man standing up to receive him.” (Acts 7)/
It is called “Abraham’s Bosom” (Lk. 16) Jewish people lay around the table eating; so this pictures the sweet fellowship we will enjoy with family or friends one minute after death. It is called “the third heaven”. When Paul. had an experience where God lifted him up to see things he was not allowed to repeat. He said, “Whether in the body out of it, I do not know; but I was lifted up into the third heaven / I was lifted up into paradise.” (2 Cor. 12:2-4). Every Jew would take this to mean that Paul went to heaven. They had three heavens: the atmospheric heaven where the birds fly; the stellar heaven of outer space; and the highest heaven, where God lived.
This third heaven, right now, cannot be seen by any telescope or visited by any space craft; but this does not mean it isn’t as real a place as London or Paris.
The Final Heaven- In the end, we will inhabit that wonderful place, and this renovated universe, in our resurrection bodies. It is a very sad thing not to emphasize the resurrection of the body. I am not a graveyard person. I do not believe any of my loved ones are there. But a precious part of them is there. That which I can see and touch and talk with is there. And their precious bodies, changed and cleansed of all imperfections, will rise one day so we can all be together again in a real place called heaven. The great evangelist Dwight L. Moody said it well:
“My heaven is a solid heaven. After the resurrection has come, you will have a resurrection foot and something to tread on; a resurrection eye and colors and substances to see with it, a resurrection ear and voices and music to regale it, a resurrection heart and love to satisfy it. I have no patience with your transcendental, gelatinous, gaseous heaven.”
C. With God and Jesus
Jesus said he was leaving this world and going back to the Father (Jn. 16:28); and we, Paul says, go to be with Jesus (2 Cor. 5:8).
The Presence of Jesus The Bible says of Jesus, that “We shall see His face.” (Rev. 22:4). This begins at death. Jesus told His disciples He would survive death and would come back and get them so they could be with Him (Jn. 14). He was probably not referring to His second coming; but to His coming to get them at death.
A few years later, the first he met was James, who was put to the sword, by Herod (Acts 12:2). Years before He came to meet the brilliant young preacher Stephen, the first person we know of to die a martyr’s death. We read:
“Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He cried, Look, I see heaven opened and the Son of Man, standing at the right hand of God. / And he prayed, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” (Acts 7:53-59)
“When I come to the river at closing of day /
There will be somebody waiting to show me the way / I won’t have to cross Jordan alone / Jesus died for my sins to atone / In the darkness I see / He’ll be waiting for me / I won’t have to cross Jordan alone.
Jesus is heaven’s greatest treasure and blessing. Before he died and went to heaven, Adrian Rogers said the greatest joy in heaven is Jesus. He said when he returned home from a long trip, he did not go and hug his TV or refrigerator; he hugged his dear wife Joyce. Thinking of this, words fail me, for Jesus is everything to a Christian. He is what color is to the rose; fire is to warmth; and joy is to laughter.
The Presence of God- Stephen saw God’s “glory” (Acts 7). God is spirit (Jn. 4). He is not an old man with hands and feet and a face. God will live in heaven like He lived in the Old Testament tabernacle. He will let His glory shine there. Rev. 22:4 says of heaven,
“They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will shine on them”
Revelation calls God the “light” of heaven; and calls Jesus, the “lamp” of heaven (Rev. 21:23).
It is absurd to say that God “lives”, or can be “found” anywhere; because God lives everywhere. The Old Testament says, “The highest heaven cannot hold Him” (1 Kings 8:27). The only God we ever can or will see is Jesus Christ. God, as Spirit, and uncreated, is far beyond anything we can imagine. As a fraction of His glory shines into heaven it is in Jesus.
D. With the People of God
Matt. 8:11
Jesus said, “Many will come from the East and the West and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.”
We are in a “joyful assembly / the Father’s house / the heavenly Jerusalem” (Heb. 12 / Jn. 14 / Rev. 21-22) / and eating together at “Abraham’s bosom” (Lk. 16). Heaven is a community. It is where God and His people live together. Thus it is release from isolation and loneliness and separation.
There will be reunion. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob met in heaven (Matt. 8:11). You, who have sent your loved ones across the great divide of death, will go to be with them.
The great slave preacher John Jasper got carried away in a sermon on heaven. He talked about rambling down the streets of glory and talking to Moses and David and Paul. And then he said, “And now I will ramble down the side streets to find the cabin in which the good Lord set up my mother in housekeeping. I will know it (He said) by the flowers in the garden and the vines on the cabin door.
There will be recognition in heaven. The resurrection of the body means we will be identifiable. People in heaven are called by their names. Jesus spoke of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Peter knew and recognized Elijah and Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-3).
We are all different and special and unique. No two faces are alike. No two fingerprints are alike. No two people are alike. We are all identifiable. If we did not know each other in heaven, there would be no memory and this earthly life would be a forgotten time and a tragic waste.
Intermediate Bodies- Will we have some kind of recognizable form or body after death; before we receive our final body? No one knows, but Paul sure hoped so. He wrote:
2 Cor. 5:1,2,3
“...We know that if the earthly tent we line in is destroyed, we HAVE a building from God, an eternal house in heaven...We groan longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.”
He is horrified at the thought of his soul or spirit being “found naked” (5:3); and says we “have”, present tense, a “building” in heaven. We cannot be dogmatic; but it is highly probable that we will have some kind of temporary, visible form, after death Luke 16 speaks of the thirst of the Rich man’s tongue. Rev. 6 talks about the saved crying out to be avenged and wearing white robes. The Bible does speak symbolically of God’s eyes and ears and hands, etc., yet God is “spirit” (Jn. 4:24). Probably the best we can say is that we have some kind of recognizable form, but will not get our resurrected body until Jesus returns.
And don’t ask what kind of body. 1 Cor. 15:35f says anyone who does this is foolish; because it is far beyond anything we can imagine.
There will also be a mysterious revolution in our relationships. Jesus said in Lk. 20:34-35, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage.”
One of the great mysteries is whether or not we will still bear the relationships such as fathers and sons or husbands and wives in heaven. I believe we shall remember these blessed relationships of earth, but in heaven, all will be new and better. I like the word “friend.” My wife will be my dear friend in heaven. My three children and I will be the closest of friends.
Pastor E. V. Hill remarried in his 60’s, after his wife died. At a conference I attended, he said, “I have two wives. One is in heaven and one is in Houston. And that is close enough.”
Finally, and best of all, there will be reconciliation. Heaven’s rule will be love. My mother and I, who never could get along, will be friends. The idea of sitting at the table points to joyful communion. All the walls that divided us will be torn down. Sin will no more cloud our vision and cause division. When we lose loved ones, we all have regrets. But these will be healed in heaven’s love. The old hymn said it well:
We shall come with joy and gladness
We shall gather round the throne
Face to face with those that love us
We shall know as we are known
When the shadows have departed
And the mists have rolled away
We shall know as we are known
Nevermore to walk alone
In the dawning of the morning
Of that bright and glorious day
A Serious Question All Christians want to know, that if we have memories of earth, and know one another; how can we be happy in heaven knowing one we love is in hell? Some say that when we know all the facts, we will agree with God’s righteous decision. Better, to me, is the hope that our memory of that person will be removed. Either way, we agree with Spurgeon, who said, “I do not know what handkerchief God will use, but He has promised us He will remove every tear; and that includes these.”
E. Not Far Away
When Jesus came up out of the water at His baptism, he heard the voice of God and saw the Spirit of God come down in a dove (Mt. 3:16). After His resurrection, he would just “appear” in locked rooms; having no need to open any door (Jn. 20:26). When Stephen was being stoned, he cried out, “Look! I see heaven opened up and the Son of Man (Jesus) standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:56).
The distance to heaven should not be calculated in miles. It, like unseen radio and TV waves that fill this room, is on another dimension. Our loved ones and our Lord are only a whisper away right now.
G. Do We Agonize (Rev. 6:9-11)
Rev. 6:9-11 (NIV)
“When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice,
‘How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?’
Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to rest (be at peace; wait peacefully and patiently) a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.”
Are we really worried and perplexed in heaven? Are we living under an altar? These sound like earthly symbols of blessed realities in heaven. For example, after Cain killed Abel, God said, “The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground” (Gen. 4:10) We certainly don’t believe “blood” talks and we know this passage primarily means the feelings of the martyrs who suffered speak volumes to God.
H. Do We Minister on Earth?
After his death Jesus ministered to the disciples for forty days (Acts 1:1). Samuel was brought back to pronounce judgment upon Saul (1 Sam. 28). Moses and Elijah came to earth in visible form to encourage Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mk. 9:4)
Norman Vincent Peale, who founded Guideposts Magazine, was a very intelligent man, not given to emotional excesses. Yet he told how, in deep depression, sitting on the pulpit platform, he saw his dad, dead for 12 years, walk down the aisle and smile at him. He told how God used that to give him new courage.
The Danger- We should never limit God and it could well be that loved ones can be sent back, and many stories like Peale’s have come up in church history. The danger in this is that we might be tempted in our grief to try and communicate with the dead, something strictly forbidden in Scripture (Dt. 18:11; Lev. 19:31; 20:6).
I. Are We Witnessing Earth’s Events?
Heb. 12:1
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders...”
Is the Bible speaking here of people in heaven, like those in Heb. 11, witnessing our lives from heaven’s grandstands? Good people divide over this. It is hard to conceive of it. No doubt Jesus will tell them what they need to know about what is going on down here. But if they are aware of what is happening on earth, they aren’t burdened or worried. They have looked at the last page of the Bible and at the face of Jesus; and they know WE WON.
In golf tournaments those who finish the last hole (18) often stay there until all the others come in. They watch them play hole 18. They also know some of their friends are creeks; or fighting briars; or angry over missed putts, etc. But all is joy, because they know their friends will make it through, and, like them, finish 18, to join them.
