Death
I want to talk about death this and what the Bible says about it.
The Lord laid it on my heart to do a sermon on death. It seems this past year and recently right here at church ,people that we been praying for, or passing away.
So what does death mean to you? Are you afraid to die? God did not give us a spirit of fear.
II Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given to us the Spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, & of a sound mind. His Spirit is a source of power and love and self-control. If were not a child of God, death can trigger a lot of emotions. It can trigger images of darkness, seeing people in black robes, see the angel of death. Being a afraid where we’re going to end up. Fear of the unknown. Some people say, I will get with God later on in life when I’ve lived a little. But right now I am young and have nothing to worry about. Then you’re in a car accident, you get a call back that shows you have cancer, or you’re dying from some other disease. Now you’re scared and are not sure what to do, where to turn or where you are going to end up. But God doesn’t want us to live in fear and defeat. He wants us to live with confidence that Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior died on the cross, not just for me but for every person out there no matter race, color, and creed. And that he defeated death, took the keys from satan and is now victorious. And is at the right hand of the father.
Mark 16:19 tells us, “So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God” The “right hand” is seen as a place of honor and status throughout the bible. When the Bible makes statements that Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of the Father, it is affirming that he has equal status to the Father within the Godhead
And if we live for God we are victorious to know that we have a place waiting for us when death comes knocking at our door.. And we are not have fear. Knowing that it should give us an incredible hope. Because when we are saved ,the Bible tells us in
II Corinthians 5:8 as a child God is to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. But it is also the opposite if you’re not a child of God to be absent of the body is to be present in hell. The choice is yours. It doesn’t matter what heart aches and struggles we have on this earth to draw us closer to the Savior and draws deeper into his word. And in doing so that we can learn to say what Paul said in Philippians 1:21 to live is Christ and to die is gain. For we know we have a heavenly home.
I’m here to tell you this morning, death is not the end only the beginning. Some people believe were born we exist, and we die end of story. They think the body just grows old and dies. Thinking that no matter what we do there is no consequences for what we do we just die. The word of God says different. Scripture teaches us that these bodies we have now will decompose, but our soul will live forever. We will either be in the presence of God or eternally separated from him in hell. Jesus shares with us in Matthew 25:32 regarding God’s kingdom. He tells us he will separate the sheep from the goats. Those that are declared righteous through his blood will have eternal life, whereas those who reject him will go into eternal punishment. In other words, eternity awaits, for each one of us ,but there is a very distinct differences heaven and hell.
We Don’t Have to Fear Death
God does not want his children to fear uncertainty or be sacred and confused. He gives us hope and offers us a beautiful glorious destination, an eternal future free of pain, sorrow, sickness. And the best thing of it is it is free. This is offered to anyone who does not trust in themselves or their own works. But trust in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior paid the ultimate price a debt we could not pay. When we believe Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior the sinless son of God, and he paid the ultimate price for us ,and died for our sins and rose from the dead to give us eternal life. And if we believe this,we will try to be more Christ like and walk in his ways. Scripture says we have an entrance. That means we were made heirs to Christ, and we are just passing through this world, because we already have citizenship in heaven. Jesus holds the universe and our lives in his hands as we walk with him day by day. This also means, our bodies will either fail of illness or old age. We will die. Because we all go down this road one day, and if we are a child of God he says he sends an escort of angels to come to receive us. Luke 16, Jesus said, “So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom,” referring to heaven. Notice that Lazarus wasn’t merely escorted to heaven. The angels carried him there. Then in Heb 1:14 it says ,All the angels are spirits who serve God and are sent to help those who will receive salvation.. isn,t it neat that we have angels watching over us.I think we all should remember that one day we will travel on our eternal destination,. So we should not be afraid at the moment of death? If we are a child of God., The journey to heaven will not be dark, fearful, or lonesome. God will dispatch His angels at just the right time, and they’ll meet us just within the veil and carry us to the heights of His glory.
But we have to remember Not Everyone we going to the same place.
We have to remember the word of God tells us there are 2 destinations. the one place which is heaven the other place which is hell. Those who truly accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior will be ushered into the presence of God where we will remain for all eternity. Those that turned their back on our Lord and Savior and reject him ,and did not accept his grace, will spend eternity in hell. Hell is not a place people like to talk about. It isn’t the fear of Hell that saves you, it is knowing Jesus that saves you!. He told us it’s a place of darkness and of fire, populated by the wicked and rebellious people.A place of eternal tourment. With each parable and statement, He’s offering us a warning: “There’s death” that means separation from God, “and life. Choose life.”
In Mat 13:38-43 it says The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
Mat 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
Mat 13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
Mat 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
Mat 13:42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Scripture is clear: God is a loving Father who doesn’t want anyone to perish. “‘As I live,’ declares the Sovereign Lord, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked’” (Ezekiel 33:11). God loves each and every one of us; he gives us all a chance to repent he will right to the end. He loves each and every one of us and heaven rejoices when a single sinner repentance and gives his life to him. But one day the chances will run out God will say it’s enough.
Jesus died on the cross overcame death, and so shall we.
When God created Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, we were to live forever no sickness or pain.. But When mankind rebelled against Him in the garden of eden.
(Gen. 3), we were separated from God the father. And the curse of death and sin began. When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, he broke the power satan held over us, and now we have been united with Him in His death” through faith, and it tells us (Rom. 6:5). For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
When Jesus arose from the dead, he had a new body. This means, our physical bodies will cease to function and die, and if it we are a child of God our souls will immediately enter into God’s presence. And if we are not a child of God we will enter into hell, totally separated from the father.. How do I know that. It tells us in Revelation 20:13; "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead
which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. Then when Christ returns, our souls will be reunited with our physical bodies, then we will receive our” glorified” bodies. If the souls of the ones that died unsaved had not gone to hell,why would hell have to give the up for judgement.
2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every man may receive the things which are done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil.
Spiritual Death Is Separation from God
The word of God tells us our physical bodies will eventually cease to function and will die and begin to decay. Our souls, however, are eternal. So once brain death occurs, our bodies and souls separate. But spiritual death, caused by sin, separates us from God.. But When we receive eternal life, our relationship with God is restored. Those who were not saved, are eternally separated from Him ,this is hell. God’s never takes his love from us but we can walk away from it.
No one has to die has to die alone.
When we get her knees and repent and accept Jesus Christ into our lives.. He makes His home within us, , walks beside us, and we become one with Him. As long as we stay true to him from that moment on, we are never and will never be alone. His Holy Spirit dwells within us, and he says he never leave us or forsake us.
This was the message Jesus was trying to tell His disciples on the night before He died.in
John 14:17-20.
“[The Father] will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth” which is the Holy Spirit. “You know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. … On that day, you will realize that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you”
Family and friends may abandon us or reject us but Christ never will. When our time on earth ends, we will have an escort of angels come to ushers into his presence.
Death Was Never what God wanted.
The word of God tells us he designed the human race to live eternally in relationship with Him. It was personal when he created us he created us in his image. Gen 1:26 Furthermore God said, Let us make man in our image according to our likeness, He created the rest of the universe by a mere command, speaking stars, planets, and oceans into existence. But when it came to man, God’s involvement was much more direct and personal.
“Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being” (Gen. 2:7).
Then Psalm 139 tells us He knit together our inmost being, that He knows us fully, and “searches” our depths. All of these verses speak of a loving Father and Creator deeply involved with His creation.
Though mankind’s sin brought death—separation from God—into the world, this was never God’s intent.
Sin Won’t Always Reign
When we look at this world we see anger, hatred, political upheaval, wars, and racism, you can feel evil as if evil is winning. But God’s word tells us this is not true. One day Jesus will return, sin will be gone from this world, and He will make all things right.
Revelation 21:4 promises, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, no mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." May this truth give us hope and peace as we endure all the chaos in this broken turned upside down world.
We Mourn with Hope
When we lose a loved one, it hurts it feels like part of us died with them. We always think about the moments that we will no longer share. The pain is real and it’s deep. But the loss of a love one ,husband ,wife, child ,family member or friend, God comforts us that we will get to see them again one day. If they are a child of God.They went on before us they have their heavenly home and glorified body with no pain no sickness. God’s word promises this. It tells us in
I Thessalonians 4:14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.” This means, for those in the family of faith, our goodbyes are never truly goodbyes but rather we look forward to seeing one another again.
Heaven Will Be Better Than Anything We Can Imagine
I’ve experienced some amazing things in my 68 years on earth. Some of the places Karen and I and the girls went to and place that Karen and I have went. Was exceedingly great ,we had a great time. But let me tell you heaven will be better than all the earthly pleasures combined.. the Bible says, in
(1 Cor. 2:9). “But as it is written, The things which eye hath not seen, neither ear hath heard, neither came into man’s heart, are, which God hath prepared for them that love him.
Physical death is going to happen one day to each one of us. Even if the Lord comes which can anytime and we are raptured out, this body will die and we will receive a glorified body. But we have to remember God never intended this for his creation.. So Jesus died on the cross, pay the penalty that we that we could not pay. He offers us eternal life—to have a personal relationship with Him, and his amazing blessings He has planned for us. He gives us his love for all eternity.
Because Christ died on the cross and was resurrection, we as his children a family of faith can confidently say, “Where, o death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:55-57). Please remember death is inevitable, make sure your right with our Lord and Savior before it is too late. We do not get a second chance.
