HoHum:
When I die, I want to die peacefully and die in my sleep like my Grandfather did. Not screaming like the passengers in his car.
WBTU:
Mankind naturally has a fear of death. “I don’t fear death at all.” That person is either not being honest or has lost his mind. That fear will remain until Christ’s Return for 2 reasons:
If there was no fear of death, think of how many would commit suicide. Think of how many would be reckless in their sports, hobbies and work. A sense of self preservation is healthy.
That men and women would make preparations for that day. We fear it so we make preparations. Everyone is going to die. There is a 100% mortality rate. Every man knows he will die, but no one wants to believe it.
Thesis: Let’s talk honestly about the fears surrounding death and then about how Jesus helps us with those fears.
For instances:
The fears surrounding death.
Fear Of pain. How much pain will there be for me? Will it be a blast of great pain or a gradual pain that last for years? We don’t like pain and we don’t want to see people suffer. We are blessed today with a lot of medical technology to lessen pain. However, we have this idea that we need to keep our loved ones alive as long as possible and use every possible means to extend life. It seems in our current American culture, we make every effort to deny death’s existence and fight “to the very end,” to say, “it ain’t so.” We need to discuss with our loves ones our wishes on CPR, feeding tubes, ventillators, and respirators.
Fear of the state of mind. Will I still have my mind at the time of death? To lose one’s mind is a fear. Need to discuss with loves ones about nursing homes. Also, near the time of death will my mind be in a state of bliss or terror? Woody Allen said, “I am not afraid to die. I just don’t want to be there when it happens.”
Fear of being separated from loved ones. We need to make a will and try to make things easy on them by our planning. However, that is not the main fear here. Miss their company. Miss the times together, the relationships. Don’t want to go. Don’t want to be forgotten. Don’t want to be a non entity.
Death happens alone, solitary and singular. It is so personal. Only have one life, only have one death. No one can live for us and no one can die for us. We do it alone.
Fear of the unknown. We fear things we have never experienced. The first time for anything we are apprehensive and unsure of ourselves.
Fear of the judgment.
There was a tough cowboy who didn’t fear anything. One man asked him, “Don’t you fear death?” The cowboy said, “No, I don’t fear death, only what happens after?!?”
Hebrews 9:27: man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment
How Jesus helps us with these fears.
Fear of the judgment-
James 5:9: The Judge is standing at the door!
Hebrews 2:14-15
Now when we look at these verses we have to clear up a possible misunderstanding. God is the one who made us, brought us to life by birth, and God will be the one who closes our eyes in death. The devil does not have control over the day of our death.
Satan entered the garden in the form of a serpent, tempted man to sin, and with sin came death. And that’s why the Bible calls Satan a murderer from the beginning. And the reason Hebrews 2:14 says, "him that had the power of death, that is, the devil" is because death is the realm in which Satan exercises his authority over the human race because he tempts a man to sin and with sin comes death. Even though Satan doesn’t determine the day of our death, when we die, because of sin, we will suffer eternal separation from God. We will go down with Satan to hell. Satan uses this to enslave us.
God knew that to help us He had to become like us. And for that reason He became human flesh and blood. When Jesus Christ walked the surface of the earth He was as human as you and I are human. As it says again in verse 14, "And as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same." At the same time He never sinned. But He knew before the sinner could be pardoned, the sin had to be punished. So what the Bible is saying is He took our place on a cross. And the punishment for our sins was placed upon Him and He died in our place. He was our substitute.
The Bible is saying that when the punishment for our sin fell, it fell on Christ and He saved us by dying for us. He died in our place and suffered our hell.
It says in Hebrews 2 that Jesus is our brother. The Bible says that Jesus is our elder brother, the firstborn. The firstborn many times has a sense of responsibility for his siblings. Jesus is no different. Jack Kelley- We were in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, in East Africa, during a famine. It was so bad we walked into one village and everybody was dead. There is a stench of death that gets into your hair, gets onto your skin, gets onto your clothes, and you can’t wash it off. We saw this little boy. You could tell he had worms and was malnourished; his stomach was protruding. When a child is extremely malnourished, the hair turns a reddish color, and the skin becomes crinkled as though he’s 100 years old. Our photographer had a grapefruit, which he gave to the boy. The boy was so weak he didn’t have the strength to hold the grapefruit, so we cut it in half and gave it to him. He picked it up, looked at us as if to say thanks, and began to walk back towards his village. We walked behind him in a way that he couldn’t see us. When he entered the village, there on the ground was a little boy who I thought was dead. His eyes were completely glazed over. It turned out that this was his younger brother. The older brother kneeled down next to his younger brother, bit off a piece of the grapefruit, and chewed it. Then he opened up his younger brother’s mouth, put the grapefruit in, and worked his brother’s jaw up and down. We learned that the older brother had been doing that for the younger brother for two weeks. A couple days later the older brother died of malnutrition, and the younger brother lived. I remember driving home that night thinking, I wonder if this is what Jesus meant when he said, John 15:13: Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. Jesus is a Big Brother like that.
Not only was Christ the substitute to take our punishment, but through his resurrection, he destroyed the devil’s work. 1 John 3:8: The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
What is devil’s greatest tool to enslave mankind? Vs. 15 Revelation 1:18: I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
Jesus told the people of His day that they need not fear the river of death, but they wouldn’t believe so He entered the river of death and came out on the other side. Many saw him.
Fear of the unknown.
Psalm 91:11: For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
Luke 16:22: The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side.
Death happens alone, solitary and singular.
Psalm 23:4: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
The valley of the shadow of death is wide enough for two - a Christian and His Savior.
Fear of being separated from loved ones.
Luke 16:23: In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.
Matthew 17:2-4: There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” How did Peter know who these men were?
We shall know each other in heaven. 1 Corinthians 13:12- Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
Make sure going to heaven because there we will have a reunion. Father said to two of his sons on his deathbed, “See you later.” To his last son he said, “Goodbye.” Why different? First two had Jesus, the last one did not. For him it was “Goodbye” forever.
Fear of the state of mind.
Psalm 55:4: My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me.
A faithful Christian lady told the preacher on her death bed that she felt like two demons were always around her. She said that when she died she felt like those demons were going to escort her to hell. The preacher was disturbed and couldn’t understand her terrors. That night he found Psalm 23:6: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. He came to her room the next day and said, “Those are not two demons but Mr. Surely Goodness and Mr. Mercy and when you die they are going to escort you to heaven.” She died later that day in peace.
Fear of pain.
Psalm 38:7: My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body.
Matthew 4:24: News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, ... and he healed them. The ultimate healing is in heaven.
Revelation 21:4: He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
Conclusion and invitation:
Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die. Joe Louis
