"What Happens When We Die?"
We’re wrapping up a series of messages called "the Basic Questions of Life." This series has looked at some of the questions people ask at some point in their lives. Questions such as: "Is there a God?" "Is the Bible reliable and true?" "How did we get here?" "Why are we here?"
And the question for today is, "What Happens When We Die?" This is an important question because death is something we all eventually face. The Statistics on death are appalling. The numbers tell us that 100 out of 100 people will eventually die.
And death is no respecter of persons. It strikes the old and the young, the sick and the healthy, the poor and the rich, the good and the bad. I’m sure you’ve heard the old joke about two friends (we’ll call them Don and Fred) who wanted to know if they play baseball in Heaven. They decided that the first one to die would find out and come back and let the other one know. Don died first. And a few days after his death, he appeared to Fred in a dream. Fred asked "What did you find out? Do they play baseball in heaven?" Don replied, "I’ve got some good news and some bad news. The good news is: they play baseball in Heaven. The bad news is: YOU’RE PITCHING TOMORROW NIGHT!" Death is no respecter of persons.
They say, "There are only two things certain in life: death and taxes." I submit that death is more certain than taxes. A clever man can find ways to evade taxes, but no one evades the Grim Reaper. When your time is up, it’s up. Death can be postponed, but never eliminated. The fact of the matter is, someday I will die, and those I love will die, and nothing can change this solemn fact. We all have a meeting with death. So what happens when we die? Let’s begin by talking about what WILL NOT happen when we die. Let’s talk about . . .
I. Some Misconceptions about Death.
A. Some folks say that death is the end of existence.
They say that when you die, you simply cease to exist. But that isn’t true according to the Bible. The Bible says . . . (Gen. 25:8). This implies an existence after death. So death is NOT the end of existence.
B. Some folks say that when a person dies, they are "reincarnated" into something or someone else. In fact, I was watching a show on the Discovery Channel yesterday and they were talking about a 16th Century English Prince who built a luxurious and expensive horse stable because he was convinced he would be reincarnated AS A HORSE! But reincarnation is nothing more than a fairy tale. The Bible says . . . (Heb. 9:27). You get just one run in life and that’s it.
C. Some folks say that there is a "second chance" after death. They say that if a person says "No" to Jesus in this life, then they’ll be given another chance in the life to come. But that’s nothing more than wishful thinking. The Bible says . . . (Heb. 9:27). In other words, we get one run at life and then we face the judgement of God after we die. The only opportunity we will ever have to get right with God is the opportunity God gives us in this life. There is NO second chance after death.
We’ve cleared up a few misconceptions about death, now let’s talk about what WILL happen when we die. Let’s talk about . . .
II. The Moment of Death.
A. Keep in mind, death is a separation.
When you die (I hope it will be MANY, MANY, years down the road), your body and soul will separate. Your body will remain here on earth where you family and friends will bury it and "lay it to rest." But what about your soul? Where your soul goes depends on whether you are saved or lost.
B. If you are saved, that is, you’ve accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord and have a personal relationship with God, then your soul will go straight to Heaven to be with Jesus (Luke 23:43, 2 Cor. 5:8).
But that’s not the whole story. The souls of departed believers will wait in Heaven with Jesus until the Second Coming. They will return with Jesus and be reunited with their resurrected bodies (1 Thess. 4:14, 16). I Cor. 15:51-55 adds that our resurrected bodies will be "imperishable." That is, they will be perfect in every way. They will never wear out, never suffer injury, never get sick, never grow old, and never die. They will be imperishable. This, in a nutshell, is what happens to a believer when he (or she) dies.
But what about the unbeliever? What about those who haven’t experienced the love and forgiveness which God makes available through the cross?
C. If a person is lost, that is, He (or she) hasn’t accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord, and he doesn’t have a personal relationship with God, then his soul will go straight to Hell where he will be separated from Jesus.
There are three words in the original language of the NT translated "Hell" in our English Bibles.
1. Tartarus - which is where the most vile and wicked demons are imprisoned (2 Peter 2:4).
2. Hades- which is where a lost person’s soul is sent when they pass from this life (Luke 16:22-24) (note that the Rich Man was alert, in agony, and all alone). Hades is like a temporary holding cell in which criminals are held until they are sentenced. The Bible tells us that Hades will be emptied out just before the Great White Throne Judgement (Rev. 20:13). The lost of the earth will be judged and sentenced to . . .
3. Gehenna - this is the final place of punishment for those who never experienced the love and forgiveness of God made available through the cross. It is a terrible, terrible, fate for sinners. This, in a nutshell, is what happens to a lost person after they die.
Dear people, you and I will meet death, face to face, some day and we need to be ready. So let’s talk about that. Let’s talk about . . .
III. The Best Way to Meet Death.
A. First, give your heart and life to Jesus.
Jesus says in John 11:25-26, . . . . He promises victory over death to everyone who believes in Him - so give your heart and life to Jesus if you haven’t already - and your home in heaven will be secure.
B. Second, get your affairs in order.
Isaiah told Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20:1 . . . . Get your affairs in order. Make your will if you haven’t already. Pay off your debts, or at least make arrangements to do so. Gather all your important papers, label them, and tell someone where they are. Your goal is that your loved ones will find your affairs in order should you pass on to the life to come.
C. Third, live for Jesus.
Philippians 1:21 says . . . You can’t say "To die is gain" until you can say "To live is Christ." Dear people, Jesus gives you and me every reason not to fear death, and He gives us every reason to embrace and enjoy life. So live for Jesus every single day of your life.
D. Fourth, don’t take one single day for granted.
James 4:14 reminds us . . . . Life is a precious, precious gift. So don’t waste one single day. If you’re holding any grudges, let them go. If you’re living in sin, stop doing what’s wrong and start doing what’s right. If you’re not as close to Jesus as you ought to be, then get as close to Him as you possibly can. Life is too short to waste. Don’t waste it on foolishness, selfishness, or sinful living. Get as close as you can to Jesus and you will enjoy life and fulfill your purpose for being here.
Do these things and you will be ready when you meet death, face to face.
What about you? Are you ready? If you are, then I commend you and encourage you to stay as close as you can to Jesus. If you’re not, then trust Christ, set your affairs in order, live for Jesus, and don’t take one day for granted.
