INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• Today we will complete our WHAT DO I BELIEVE ABOUT series with the crown jewel of the series!
• If you will embrace the past nine beliefs of the Christian faith in your heart and mind, you will experience an enhanced quality of life like never before.
• I can attest to the truth of this through my own life. Having Jesus as my Lord and Savior has made my life fulfilling, purposeful, joyful, and I pray, a blessing to others.
• Over the past nine weeks we have examined issues concerning the existence of God, how to have a relationship with Him.
• We have examined what we believe concerning humanity, and how we ought to deal with humanity.
• WE talk a lot about how a relationship with Jesus can change your life, but today we are going to tackle the key question for today, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
• When this life is over, what happens next? Do we die, go into the ground and cease to exist, are in in some state of nothingness floating around haunting stuff in Tombstone?
• All of us are on a journey, all of us are walking on a path, Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 7:13-14
• SLIDE #2
• Matthew 7:13–14 (HCSB) — 13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. 14 How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.
• Jesus reminds us there are two possible paths to follow, one the wide path that will lead to destruction, and the narrow path that will lead to life.
• When Jesus speaks of these choices He is not merely speaking of the abundant life we can now enjoy in Christ, or the life of ruin we can experience outside of Christ, He is speaking of eternity and the possible outcomes we can choose.
• Our key thought for today is:
• I believe there is a heaven and a hell, and that Jesus will return to judge all people and to establish His Eternal Kingdom!
• The reason we can surmise that Jesus is speaking of something deeper than our physical existence is the fact that…
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
I. Physical death is not the end of your existence.
• When one considers what happens next, after we breath our last breathe, we need to understand that when we die physically, it is just our body that dies, our spirit is released from the body to go to its appointed place.
• Listen to what Jesus says in John 14:1-4
• SLIDE #4
• John 14:1–4 (HCSB) — 1 “Your heart must not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also. 4 You know the way to where I am going.”
• Jesus speaks of leaving the disciples so that He could go prepare a place for them.
• If Jesus stayed dead, then He could not prepare anything for anyone!
• And notice Jesus speaks of His Father’s house. He does not speak of His Father’s tomb or mausoleum!
• The word translated HOUSE is the word denoting a dwelling place that serves as living quarters for one or more families.
• One does not live in a grave, you live in a house!
• Jesus showed us that death can be death can be defeated!
• SLIDE #5
• 1 Corinthians 15:20–22 (HCSB) — But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
• We will all die physically because of Adam, because Adam’s sin brought forth death, but in Christ, we will all be made alive again!
• In the Matthew 7:13-14 passage, Jesus offers both a warning, a warning to make sure we do not end up on the wide path to destruction and an encouragement to stay on the narrow path that leads to life both now and for eternity!
• So what happens next?
• When we die, when you are in Christ, your spirit goes to dwell with Him until the Second Coming, when Jesus returns and this time period of complete!
• SLIDE #6
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (HCSB) — 13 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 14 Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. 15 For we say this to you by a revelation from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly have no advantage over those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
• Notice Paul tells us that Jesus will bring with Him those who have died before His return. If we are alive when Jesus returns, we will meet Him in the air!
• The Second Coming is tied to the resurrection of everyone!
• Ok, what is next?
• SLIDE #7
• Revelation 20:11–15 (HCSB) — 11 Then I saw a great white throne and One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them. 12 I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books. 13 Then the sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead; all were judged according to their works. 14 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And anyone not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
• Now we examine the ONLY two possible outcomes for one’s life.
• I am going to look at these paths in reverse order than offered in the text because I do not want to end on a sad note!
• SLIDE #8
II. The tragedy of an eternity apart from God.
• O.k. the first outcome from one’s life is the outcome that will befall everyone who is not a part of the Family of God, that is, anyone who is not an immersed believer in Christ!
• Look at verse 15 again. 15 And anyone not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
• This is not a place you want to end spending eternity.
• It is the place the Bible calls hell.
• Look at what Revelation 21:8 says about this place!
• SLIDE #9
• Revelation 21:8 (HCSB) But the cowards, unbelievers, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars —their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
• This does not sound like the place to spend eternity!
• This verse gives a list of those who will end up with this tragic fate. These are but a few symptoms of those who have a deeper problem, they have no relationship with Jesus, they are not a part of God’s family.
• We know this because the way you get your name written in the book of life is by being clothed with Christ and staying clothed with Him!
• SLIDE #10
• Galatians 3:25–27 (HCSB) But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ like a garment.
• Now people will wonder how a loving God would send someone to hell, the answer is, He does not, we chose it for ourselves!
• SLIDE #11
• 1 Timothy 2:3–4 (HCSB) This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
• We learned that God so loved the world, He sent Jesus to die on the cross so that our sins could be washed away and we could be saved.
• If we miss out on the riches of heaven, it is because we made the choice and God honored our choice!
• Now, let’s look at…
• SLIDE #12
III. The joy of eternal life with God.
• Heaven is indescribable! The apostle John tries his best to show us what he saw in his vision from God, but how do you describe something indescribable?
• How do you draw a picture of love, how do you draw a picture of heaven?
• When Jesus returns, He will set up His eternal kingdom!
• What a kingdom it will be. When you look around you, what do you see, suffering, pain, sadness, disease, violence, tragedy.
• Listen to what an eternity with God will be like!
• SLIDE #13
• Revelation 21:1–4 (HCSB) — 1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea no longer existed. 2 I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. 3 Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look! God’s dwelling is with humanity, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away.
• How many tears have you shed during this life? GONE!
• How many loved ones have you lost to death? GONE!
• How much grief have you experienced in this life? GONE!
• How much crying have you done? NO MORE!
• How much PAIN have you experienced? DONE!
• This is the place Jesus spoke of in John 14, the place He has been preparing for those who are in Christ.
• The biggest tragedy is the fact that many will miss out because they will choose to stay on the wide path that leads to destruction!
• The Apostle Paul had an internal struggle, stay here or go be with Jesus!
• SLIDE #14
• Philippians 1:23–25 (HCSB) I am pressured by both. I have the desire to depart and be with Christ —which is far better — but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am persuaded of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,
• Heaven is real, Jesus wants you to be there with Him, it is not His fault if you choose not to go!
• Jesus died for you on the cross so you would not have to miss the joys of heaven.
• The choice one has to make in this life is simple, do you want to spend eternity with God, or do you want to spend it apart from Him.
CONCLUSION
• I hope that this series has given you some information about what we believe at FCC!
• We believe that NO ONE needs to perish, that all can experience the joy of eternal life with Jesus!
• But the only way one can experience eternal life is through a relationship with Jesus.
• In John 14:6, Jesus tells is that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except THROUGH HIM!
• Today is the day, you can be part of God’s family IF you chose!
