Introduction:
1. Take out your pencil and paper & answer the questions in this pop quiz I’ve prepared for you. Ah, you thought you had left tests behind back in your school days didn’t you? I think you’ll find this multiple choice test interesting about what scientist have discovered about our bodies:
Cell #1—
#1- If your senses are normal, how much must the skin on your face or fingertip be depressed before you can feel it? A. 4/100,000 of an inch B. 4/10,000 of an inch C. 4/1000 of an inch D. 4/100 of an inch
#2- How far away can a person with normal eyesight see a candle flame on a clear dark night? A. 30 miles B. 20 miles C. 10 miles D. 1 mile
#3- A person with a normal sense of taste can detect 1/25 ounce of salt dissolved in how many gallons of water? A. 132 B. 71 C. 33 D. 11
#4- A person with normal eyesight can distinguish between how many different colors? A. 300,000 B. 100,000 C. 50,000 D. 10,000
2. Now let’s go back through the questions & let me give you the answers, The most amazing answer in each case is the correct one. You can feel pressure of only .00004" on your face or fingertips. You can see a candle flame from 30 miles away on a dark clear night. You could taste 1/25 of an ounce of salt dissolved in 132 gallons of water. You can distinguish between 300,000 different colors. 6
3. The body is an incredibly amazing thing isn’t it. God designed our bodies for this life which lasts perhaps 70 or 80 years.
4. This series of sermons which has focused on gaining an eternal perspective on this life concludes today with the fourth sermon in our series. In some ways it is perhaps the most challenging, because a lot of people, even Christians, fear death. One of the older deacons in the church I was ordained in was terrified as he neared death. So much so that some questioned whether he was truly a Christian. I believe he was, but that he needed the perspective I want to offer you today.
5. "The story is told of 6 blind friends in India who could barely conceal their excitement when they heard an elephant would be brought to their village that very day. When the elephant’s owner saw them he stopped his massive beast & invited the blind men to come & learn what an elephant was like. The 6 blind men rushed forward until they made contact with the great animal. The 1st grabbed onto the elephant’s trunk. ’Ah, he said, `An elephant is like a great snake.’ The 2nd happened upon the tusk of the elephant. ’So, he said, `An elephant is like a smooth spear.’ The 3rd bumped into the elephant’s leg & hugging it for support concluded, ’an elephant is like the trunk of a great tree.’ The 4th reached up & felt the elephant’s ear. ’Now I know,’ he said, ’An elephant is like the huge fan the Rajahs use to keep cool.’ The 5th walked into the enormous torso of the animal & knew beyond any shadow of a doubt an elephant was like a fortress wall, broad, tall & impenetrable. The 6th latched onto the elephant’s tail. ’Yes I can see now why an elephant so impresses everyone. He is like a rope which swings freely— traveling wherever it wills.’" 7
6. All of them were right, yet all of them were also wrong. They understood part of the big picture, but failed to grasp the whole thing. The big picture is that everyone dies, at least everyone will until Jesus returns. Two weeks ago I preached on the horrors of hell. Three weeks ago I preached about the wonders of heaven. This sermon today is directed specifically to those who are Christians. I’m not dealing with those who don’t know the Lord. The precise thing that happens to them at the moment of death isn’t what’s so frightening, it’s eternity that will truly be terrifying. I’m going to start in a different place this morning than usual. I’ll start outside of scripture but be patient, we’ll get to the Bible before long. Let’s begin with. . .
Cell #2—
I. Common Misconceptions About Death
1. Genesis 5 is not, I repeat, "is not," the most interesting chapter of Genesis. It contains the life story of Adam and his descendants. The reason it’s not more interesting is that it just gives us the big picture. It doesn’t give us the details of each person’s life that we’re reading about. It just gives us the vital information. In reading it you will find several common bits of information about each person: 1) The age when each had his first son born. 2) The number of years he lived and finally, the fact that each of them, with the exception of Enoch, died. (Enoch is one of only two people we know of in scripture who didn’t die.) This passage corrects the first misconception about death.
Cell #3—
You aren’t going to die.
2. If you had known the men listed here, you would have discovered that each was different. Some, like Noah, were worthy of respect, others were not respectable. However, the truth of the passage is that whether they were godly or ungodly, each of them died.
3. You may have also noticed that they lived very long lives. We can only guess why people during those days lived so long. Methuselah, for instance, whose life is summarized in verse 27 holds the scriptural record for living the longest at 969 years, but I want you to notice that in the big picture, even he eventually died. It doesn’t matter who you are, or where you live, everyone will eventually die. The most common misconception about death is that, "it won’t happen to me," but it will.
4. I believe I need to deal with a second misconception regarding death because it’s also a very common one. Rarely, do I focus on the differences between denominations because I believe that what unites us is far greater than what divides us. We worship the same Lord and we believe that salvation is through Jesus Christ, not ourselves. However, when it comes to what happens when we die, I believe some churches or denominations have got it a bit wrong at this point. Though any honest Christian would agree that believers still sin after they accept Christ, some believe that after we die those sins will be purged by going through fire in a place called "purgatory." Two major denominations teach that. There is, however, one major flaw with this teaching.
Cell #4—
Scripture never teaches the existence of purgatory.
5. If that’s the case then it raises the question of where the concept of purgatory came from. Most of you probably know that the Catholic Bible contains seven more books than the Bible Protestants use. We call these the "apocryphal books," because while much of what they teach may be true, we don’t believe they are inspired scripture. Thus, we cannot base doctrine on them. One passage in one of these books, II Maccabees 12:42-45, contains a single statement about making atonement for the dead. This apparently was the beginning of the teaching about purgatory. Also, Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:29 makes a statement about being "baptized for the dead." There are certainly other ways to take this passage, but some believe it confirms the existence of purgatory.
6. The problem is that even this passage doesn’t deal with purgatory. The word is never used in scripture. Not only that, but I believe the clear teaching of what we’re going to look at in this morning’s sermon makes clear that purgatory doesn’t fit what scripture says.
7. Enough about the misconceptions concerning what happens when a Christian dies, This brings me to the point of what I really want to chat with you about today, what does happen when a person who has accepted Christ dies? Does it take them a few years to get to heaven? Are they instantly in the presence of the Lord? Is there something they have to do after they die before they can be accepted into God’s throne room? These are very significant questions because as I mentioned a few minutes ago, unless Christ returns in our lifetime, all of us are going to die. So here is the big question. . .
Cell #5—
What Happens When a Christian Dies?
Cell #6—
II. Angels Carry Us to Paradise Luke 16:22
1. I want us to return to a passage that we examined recently in the sermon I preached about hell. However, this morning we are going to focus on a very different part of that story. In the previous sermon we focused on the rich man who found himself in hell. There were words like, "torment" and "anguish." Our focus this time is not on what happened to Lazarus after he died, but specifically on what happened to Lazarus at the moment of his death. Let’s read the verse together. What we discover here is something that none of us have experienced yet. However, if we are a Christian, it is something all of us can look forward to one day one day in our future.
Cell #7—
Luke 16:22
"Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried." (NAS 95)
2. First, notice that he was carried by the angels. I honestly believe that at the moment of death we are going to meet our first angel face to face. I think at that moment the spiritual world is going to become as visible as the material world we have spent our earthly lives in. At that moment we are going to be escorted from this world to the next. Our guide in that journey will be, according to Luke 16:22, angels. I also want you to notice that word is plural. The passage doesn’t say how many angels there were, but we know that there was more than one. Was it two, four, eight, or a thousand? We don’t know, we just know that God didn’t send a single angel, He sent more than one.
3. Most of you probably know that the word death literally means, "to separate." The idea is that the body and the spirit separate. All our lives we have lived in these bodies. However, at death this body will be placed in the ground, but our spiritual being, who we really are, goes back to God. That concept is in fact captured in this passage, The Greek word used here for, "carried," comes from two other Greek words. It comes from a word meaning "to separate" and from another word meaning "to carry or lead away." I believe at the moment of our death we will separate from this body, meet our first angels & they will guide us from this life to the one to come. In other words, we aren’t going to make that journey alone. When the friends we love so much in this life can no longer be here for us, God has angels ready in the next life to guide us home.
4. We struggle to know how to deal with death however, partially because we know so little about exactly how it’s going to be. I still remember well while I was pastor in Rolla a young man named Doug Brown. Doug was really a nice man. When Doug & his wife Kelly moved to the area they became active in our church. They hadn’t been attending for too long however, before I found out something about Doug. He had cancer. We were almost the same age, in fact, I was a little older than he was. I tried to support Doug the best I could, but I remember shortly after Doug started coming to church that he pulled me aside one Sunday morning & asked if I could visit the next week. When I arrived at his house we looked at his wood working tools & then we went inside where we sat down to talk about what was really on his mind. He confided that no one would talk to him about what was going to happened when he died. I shared with him basically what I’ve shared with you today. What I hope comforted him most was...
Cell #8—
III. We Will Be With Christ
1. I want to use several passages to illustrate what we’re going to look at next. Some passages take on great meaning for us because we have experienced them on some level. However, these next passages have great meaning because we know that someday as Christians we will experience them. Though we don’t understand the reality of them yet, we will some day in the future. Paul wrote about this very thing in the next passage we will look at.
Cell #9—
2 Corinthians 5:6-8
6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—
8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. (NAS)
2. Paul began in verse 6 by saying that at the present we are at home in "the body" and presently we are absent from the Lord. You & I understand that. We have yet to see the Lord face to face, we look forward to that, but we haven’t personally experienced it yet. This earthly life is all we know at the present though we look forward to a greater life. Right now, we walk by faith knowing that one day we will see face to face what we only see now through the eye of faith. We look forward to the day when the present reality will be reversed. Instead of being absent from the Lord, we will be absent from this body. Instead of being at home in this body, we will be at home with the Lord. We will finally truly be home because when it comes to eternity, home is where the Lord is. Paul makes the same point later when he says,
Cell #10—
Philippians 1:23-24
23 I’m torn between two desires: Sometimes I want to live, and sometimes I long to go and be with Christ. That would be far better for me,
24 but it is better for you that I live. (NLT)
3. As Paul wrote these words, he was aware of two things. First, he recognized the fact that there were times when he wanted to live on here. The opportunities and challenges of this life and doing what God had put him here to do captured his attention. Then, there were other times, when he saw things clearly and realized that the very best this life has to offer completely pales in comparison to what lies ahead. He will one day have the privilege of personally going to, "be with Christ." I know we’re moving rather rapidly through these passages, but bear with me as we look at one more. Consider these words of Jesus, Himself, as He hung dying on the cross. When the criminal next to Him asked that He remember Him when He came into His kingdom.
Cell #11— Luke 23:43
43 And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise." (NLT)
4. At the risk of repeating notice Jesus makes three points. First, he says that what is going to happen will take place that very day. It’s not going to happen later, it will be that very day. Secondly, notice, that He says the condemned man will be with Him. Finally, He calls the place they will be together, "paradise." His words of reassurance were directed to the criminal, but indirectly they are directed to us as well. At the moment of our death when the angels show up to whisk us away to the next life, we can know now we’re going to be with Jesus.
5. Scripture sometimes calls this place where we will go immediately upon our death "Paradise" as here, or "Abraham’s bosom," as it was referred to in Luke 23. To be honest, what you call where we’re going isn’t the key thing. What’s really important is that when we arrive Jesus will be there to welcome us home.
6. As wonderful as this picture is, the most incredible glimpse we have into what happens when we die is recorded in Acts 7:55-59 at the death of Stephen, the first martyr of the church.
Cell #12— Acts 7:55 - 59
55 But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;
56 and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse.
58 When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" (NASB)
7. As Stephen nears the end we get a glimpse of what takes place at death. We aren’t told that this is what happens to every Christian, but we know that this time it did. As Stephen approached death God pulled back the windows of heaven & allowed him to see Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father. Why was Jesus standing? We’re not told, but I would like to think He was up to welcome him home.
8. I remember the first time I was with someone when they died. Just before he passed from this life to the next he talked about how he saw someone holding his hands out to him. I believe he was talking about Jesus. The rest of in the room didn’t see Him, but we didn’t have to. We heard Lloyd acknowledge what we couldn’t see and it brought all of us great comfort.
Conclusion:
1. Why preach a sermon like this? That’s a fair question and one that has a number of different answers. First, because you can take great comfort in knowing where your Christian family members and friends have gone the moment they die. Second, because each of us faces that same appointment with death ourselves. I don’t want you to be like my good friend Byron Booker, who struggled with death even though he was going to a far better place than he lived in here. Perhaps my words alone won’t provide the comfort I want them to. Let me share a final story that I hope will seal the deal so to speak.
2. John Todd was a minister in 19th century New England. Born in Vermont, he soon moved to Connecticut. When he was only six years old, both of his parents died, & the child was given a home by a nearby aunt. He lived with his aunt until he left to study for the ministry. While away, his aunt became seriously ill, & wrote her nephew with questions about death. A part of his reply has been saved & I want to share a part of it with you. It is now 35 years since I, as a little boy of 6, was left alone in the world. You sent word that you would give me a home & be a kind mother to me. I’ll never forget the day when I made the 10 mile journey to your house. I can still remember my disappointment when instead of coming for me yourself, you sent Caesar to fetch me. I well remember my tears & anxiety as, perched high on your horse & clinging tight to Caesar, I rode off to my new home. Night fell before we finished the journey, &, as it grew dark, I became lonely & afraid. "Do you think she’ll go to bed before we get there?" I asked Caesar anxiously. "Oh, no." he said reassuringly. "She’ll stay up for you. When we get out of this here woods, you’ll see her candle shinin’ in the window." Presently we did ride out into the clearing, & there, sure enough, was your candle. I remember you were waiting at the door, that you put your arms close about me & that you lifted me— a tired & bewildered little boy— down from the horse. You had a fire burning on the hearth, a hot supper waiting on the stove. After supper you took me to my room, heard me say my prayers, & then sat beside me till I fell asleep. You probably realize why I am recalling all of this to your memory. Someday soon God will send for you to take you to a new home. Don’t fear the summons, the strange journey or the dark messenger of death. God can be trusted to do as much for you as you were kind enough to do for me so many years ago. At the end of the road you will find love & a welcome awaiting, & you will be safe in God’s care. I shall watch you & pray for you till you are out of sight & then wait for the day when I shall make the journey myself & find my Savior & you waiting at the end of the road to greet me. 8
3. I’m reminded of Jesus words when he said that if we being evil know how to give good gifts to our children, then how much more will our Heavenly Father know how to give good gifts to those who ask Him.
4. Dear friends, for those of us who are Christians, death will merely be the moment when we finally get to go home.
5. For those of you who don’t know the Lord, let me assure you, that you can make sure of your eternal destination this morning as well. It’s as simple as accepting the gift that cost the Father His only Begotten Son. Let’s pray!
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1) Sonny Thomas Sr. The Preciousness of Death, (Sermoncentral.com, Faith Freewill Baptist Church) April, 2002.
2) Carl Eckhoff, Precious Is the Death of His Saints, (Sermoncentral.com, Zion Church) October 2, 2003.
3) Charles Pfeiffer, Howard Voss, John Rea, editors, The Wycliff Bible Encyclopedia, (Chicago, IL: Moody Press) 1975.
4) Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1994.
5) Walter Elwell, editor, Evangeliscal Dictionary of Theology, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books) 1984.
6) Reader’s Digest, May, 1996, P 91
7) Tony Pappas, Entering the World of the Small Church, P 6
8) Lynn Malone, An illustration posted on Sermoncentral.com, original source not known.
This sermon is a revision of an earlier one I preached in 1996
