1. Gave birth to Martin she said I can do better than that!
2. Gave birth to Billy she I can do better than that!
3. Gave birth to Jack she said I can do better than that!
4. Gave birth to me she said I can do better than that!
5. Gave birth to Lois she said I can do better than that!
6. But when she gave birth to him, she stopped having babies because she said I could never do better than this!!!
I started this sermon off with humor because Doug was humus individual.
But on the serious side did you know that the Bible is filled with every solution for every problem we face in life.
For example:
• It deals with relationship problems. ..IAM GLAD IT DOES!
• It deals with debt problems…I AM GLAD IT DOES!
• It deals with discipline problems…I AM GLAD IT DOES!
• It deals with Marital problems…I AM GLAD IT DOES!
• It deals with Parenting problems…I AM GLAD IT DOES!
• It deals with death and…IAM SO GLAD IT DOES!
The reason I am so glad it does because if it did not…I WOULD NOT KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO US WHO HAVE COME HERE TO GRIEVE DOUG’S PASSING.
In fact, when it comes to the issue of death…the Bible gives us some examples.
• Such as the story of Mary and Martha whose Brother Lazarus had died.
• Such as the death of Absalom
• Such as the death of Abimelech
• Such as the death of Samson
• Such as the death of Lot’s wife
But in this sermon I would like to look at another example in the Bible about the issue of death that took place in the life of King David.
King David baby died and the Bible tells us a great deal about this death.
Let me read it to you.
2 Samuel 12:15-23 And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
This passage of scripture tells us a great deal about death. AND I AM GLAD IT DOES!
Notice, it deals with…
I. DEATH COMES TO ALL FAMILIES.
2 Samuel 12:15-16 And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
For years when I started preaching as a young minister I preached many funerals.
• Several funeral homes at times have called me and ask me if I could preach some charity funerals to help them out.
• It was only after a few weeks of preaching one my good Sunday school teacher died.
But as I preached these many funerals I had not lost a member of my family to death. I saw the grief of family after family suffering the grief of a loved one but I had not experience the grief in my family.
I still had my parents, and all my aunts, uncles, siblings and cousins!
I did my best to comfort these families with the Word of God but I had not suffered the deep grief they were suffering of the death of a loved one.
It was when death struck my family I began to realize what a person felt when a member of their family has been taken.
Probably most everyone here today probably can talk about that grief.
But notice, in our text no family is spared of this grief.
• We all remember short time ago September 8, 2022 the Royal family Queen Elizabeth died.
• And in our text even King David lost his child.
So we cannot say, WHY HAS THIS HAPPEN TO OUR FAMILY… It TO ALL FAMILIES.
Also, I want to show you something else about King David’s death in his family!
II. WHEN DEATH BECOMES A TOP PRIORITY IN OUR LIFE.
• We go through life day after day not even thinking about death.
• We drive by the funeral homes and not even think about death.
• We drive by the cemeteries and not even think about death.
But one day when death knocks on our family door everything comes to a halt!!!
DEATH BECOMES THE TOP PRIORITY IN OUR LIFE!
As busy as King David was as King of Israel none of these things in his daily life seem important at the time of the death of his baby.
While the child was sick before death Look at 2 Samuel 12:16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
When death come into our life not anything seem important.
• Sports
• Business
• Food
• Money
• Material things
When death knocks on our family door it becomes the top priority in our life!!!
Notice, when David child was sick the Bible says:
• He besought God for the child
• He prayed and fasted
• He went and played all night upon the earth.
This deep emotional feeling by David on this occasion is an indication of his affection for this child.
The servants who surrounded David saw how bad he was taking his sick son who was at the point of death. And they thought if he is taking this so bad while he is sick how he is going to act if the child dies.
We can all relate to what David reaction to the death of his child.
Illus: The last time I saw Doug before he died in the hospital I went home that night and cried like a baby, I prayed begging God not to take my brother. I slept very little that night!!!
God has answered so many of my prayers in my life and I begged and pleaded with God to answer one more and not to take my brother.
The next morning I had an appointment at the church. After the appointment as I was getting ready to go back to the hospital in Augusta, Ga. on the way I got a call that Doug had passed.
I WAS SHOCKED TO THE CORE THAT DOUG HAD DIED AND DISAPPOINTED GOD HAD NOT ANSWERED MY PRAYER.
As I was driving to the hospital I ask God why He not answered my prayer.
As I ask God this question one scripture kept popping in my mind, I ignored it first not realizing God was trying to tell me why He did not answer my prayer.
This scripture kept popping in my mind and it dawned on me that God was trying to tell me why He did not answer my prayer.
This is the scripture that the Lord kept giving me as I was asking Him why He took my brother in Hebrews 9:27, which is “As it is appointed unto men once to die…”
You see what God was telling me that Doug appointment time had come.
WHY DOES GOD MAKE THE APPOINTMENT?
God makes the appointment because he knows we could never make the appointment for Doug. We are never ready to have one of our family members depart from this life.
But this appointment that God makes for us none of us are not going to be one second late.
The appointment of death is one prayer God will not answer.
There is only one time in the scripture where God had changed the appointment for someone for dying. It was in the life Hezekiah.
Look at:
2 Kings 20:1-6 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD. And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.
Hezekiah pleaded with God to change his appointment with death.
Listen, it would be better if God had not changed this appointment!!!
Why?
Because he lived to give birth to a wicked son called Manasseh. Everything if godly father did that was he un-did.
Not only did Manasseh sin personally, but as king he led Judah in forsaking the LORD and worshiping idols.
If God had not changed Hezekiah appointment to death he would have never been born.
This is the only time in the scriptures that God changed the appointment of death.
WE ALL HAVE AN APPOINTED TIME WHEN WE ARE GOING TO DIE. And when that times come all the crying, fasting and praying is not going to do any good.
You see, all time belongs to God.
Illus: The richest man on earth when his appointed time come he cannot buy one second of time. TIME BELONGS TO GOD.
He loans it to us and holds us responsible for how we use the time He loans us!!!
• We can waste it like so many does.
• We can spend it selfishly on ourselves like so many does
• We can pretend we are god and live our life without consulting with God ABOUT ANYTHING, like so many does.
But I Need to tell everyone here time belongs to God. It has been loaned to us to carry out God’s will for our life.
God loaned Doug seventy some odd years but a few days ago his appointment with death had arrived.
• He was in one of the best hospitals available in the South east but his time had come. BUT THEY COULD NOT CHANGE HIS APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH.
• He was under the care of some of the best doctors in the South east but his time had come. THEY COULD NOT CHANGE HIS APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH.
Listen to Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die…”
God loans us time on earth and the same verse of scripture tells us one day we all are going to die and give account of how we spent this time on Earth.
Look at this verse in its entirety. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.
We are going to be judge for this time God has loaned each of us how we spent it for GOOD or for EVIL.
Look at II Cor. 5:10, we read, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
The Bible makes it clear we all are going to give account how we spent the time He has loaned us for GOOD or EVIL.
And Listen, He will be the one who defines GOOD AND EVIL.
While this passage of scripture talks about the sadness of death, it also talks about what every child of God has to look forward to.
III. IT TELLS US DEATH IS NOT THE END.
The people that surrounded David’s life were concern about David.
They saw him crying out to God and the servants wondered what they were going to do with him if the child was to die.
THE CHILD DID DIE!!!
But look how he responded with hope in his life. He surprise his servants.
His servants said to him after the child had died. Then said his servants unto him, what thing is this that thou hast done? Thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
And he said, while the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?
But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
David knew his child was with the Lord and he had crossed the bridge of death and cannot return.
HE SAID, BUT HE SHALL NOT RETURN TO ME BUT I SHALL GO TO HIM.
Death is a one way ticket.
But the good news is our loved ones who have gone before us cannot return but we can go to them.
God loans us this time here on earth.
Let’s take a few minutes and…
IV. LOOK AT THE LIFE OF DOUG AND SEE HOW HE SPENT THE TIME GOD LOANED HIM.
There are a lot of good things that can be said about how Doug spent the time God loaned him here on earth.
Illus: I received a Christmas card from John and Lori Summers this past year. I receive a lot of cards and always I am glad that someone would think enough of me to send me one.
But this card was very special card they sent me. I read it and I pondered on the message that was within it.
• The Christmas card talked about how some live on this earth leaving some deep footprints behind for others to follow.
I was thankful that John and Lori felt that way about me.
• This card could have also been sent to Doug because he left some deep footprints behind for others to follow.
(1) Doug enjoyed telling jokes to make people laugh.
I cannot tell you the times he called me during the week and said I know you are busy but I want to tell you a good joke.
Everywhere he went he generally left people laughing.
(2) Doug also loved to play tricks. He played tricks on people over and over again. He use to play tricks on my Mom.
(3) Doug was very generous.
I choose not to be a part of dealing with money that come into this church as a pastor. But I cannot tell you the times the treasurer would tell me how Doug gave thousands of dollars to advance the Lord’s Work.
(4) Doug was faithful in his giving and in his attendance. He faithfully attended the church three times a week.
(5) Doug was a sharp dresser. He enjoyed wearing nice clothes and he wore them well!
(6) You very seldom saw Doug alone because people always enjoyed being around him.
(7) He was a wonderful caretaker for the family.
I could go on and on about Doug how he spent the time God loaned him here on earth.
But the one thing that needs to be said about Doug most of all and that is everyone in this church knows he loved the Lord.
Many time when I was preaching I could look back in the corner where Doug always set and I had his full attention as I preached the Word of God.
After church many times he would look me in the eye and give me what I call a dish rag handshake and say, THAT WAS A GOOD SERMON!
He was a good little brother and we all are going to miss this LITTLE BROTHER WHO LEFT SOME DEEP FOOT PRINTS FOR US TO FOLLOW.
Doug left some deep footprints for...
• His Daughter
• His Wife
• His biological Family
• And friends
Conclusion:
Before I close I want to take time to thank everyone for their prayers and kindness during this trying time for our family.
I want to thank everyone for the love and kindness that you was showed Doug during his life time.
Illus: The other day at the hospital I saw Jeremy carrying around a box wrapped in Christmas paper in the hospital while Doug was in the Intensive Care Unit.
I asked someone why Jeremy was carrying this box wrapped in Christmas paper into the intensive care room where Doug was.
I was told Jeremy had not seen Doug since Christmas and it was his Christmas gift he wanted to give Doug.
I deeply appreciate the LOVE Jeremy and Robbie has shown to Doug in this difficult time.
Doug has a little daughter in heaven that was called Allison. He often talked about her and kept up with her birthday. Today he is with her in this joyous place call heaven.
Doug’s full name was Douglas Larry Belger. But I think Jeremy put it best when He said the other day at the hospital, I AM GOING TO MISS MY LITTLE BROTHER.
• Some called Doug by his name.
• Some called Doug Choo! Choo! When he played football in high school.
• Some called him “Uncle Doug”
• But like Jeremy said the other day, I AM GOING TO MISS MY LITTLE BROTHER!
Doug is in now in this wonderful place call heaven that the Bible describes as a place where EYES HAVE NOT SEEN AND EARS HAVE NOT HEARD WHAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR HIS PEOPLE.
In a few minutes we are going to the cemetery that contains the body that Doug lived in for over seventy years but he is no longer in this body. The Bible tells us to ABSENT FROM THE BODY IS TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD.
I am so glad to God that God gives us a Bible to help us understand some things about death.
Let’s pray…
