How do we view death?
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My time here at Bridge of Faith I have done a lot of funerals. I do believe that it has slowed down some in the most recent years and I do attribute this to the work of the church in our community. You have heard me say that in my time here I have done over 15 funerals that were directly related to drug overdose, alcohol or suicide.
In some cases, before the individual was about to leave this earth the family has invited me over to save their family member. I can’t save anyone.
Only Jesus saves those who trust in his name. I have had some reject the Gospel entirely as I shared.
Our goal is to believe the Bible and formulate all of our beliefs from the Bible. It is our authority on life, but it is interesting that here in the Bible belt when it comes to funerals that many Christ followers become universalist at funerals.
What is a universalist?
Universalism: The doctrine that hell is in essence temporary and that all intelligent beings will therefore in the end be saved.
Friends this is not the case as you saw last week from Luke 16 and Lazarus and the rich man.
For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God.
Friends scripture clearly teaches that there is a heaven and there is a hell and not everyone goes to heaven.
How then should we view our own death?
How then should we view our own death?
All who follow Christ should approach death with confidence
Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff —they comfort me.
Christians should not fear death! Again I have spoke often about this that we are free to live and not fear death.
No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.
For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers,
height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!
because I know this will lead to my deliverance through your prayers and help from the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all boldness, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
For me, living is Christ and dying is gain.
Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful work for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose.
I am pressured by both. I have the desire to depart and be with Christ —which is far better —
Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through His death He might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the Devil —
and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.
Jesus died to set us free from the slavery of the fear of death.
What about those who do not follow Christ? How should they approach death?
What about those who do not follow Christ? How should they approach death?
All who do not follow Christ should approach death with fear That death might happen.
Luke 16 is clear that those who do not follow Christ end up in a place of torment. Turn to Luke 16
This should absolutely break us.
One day the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.
And being in torment in Hades, he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off, with Lazarus at his side.
‘Father Abraham!’ he called out, ‘Have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this flame!’
“ ‘Son,’ Abraham said, ‘remember that during your life you received your good things, just as Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.
Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to pass over from here to you cannot; neither can those from there cross over to us.’
“ ‘Father,’ he said, ‘then I beg you to send him to my father’s house—
because I have five brothers—to warn them, so they won’t also come to this place of torment.’
He was in torment the Bible says or agony just wanting a drink of water
How should we view the death of non-Christians?
With Biblical Honesty
It is a clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment that you will be counted worthy of God’s kingdom, for which you also are suffering,
since it is righteous for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you
and to reward with rest you who are afflicted, along with us. This will take place at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with His powerful angels,
taking vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction from the Lord’s presence and from His glorious strength
No one knows a person’s heart except God.
With personal humility
And He said to him, “I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise.”
Maybe at the last minute they trusted in Christ like the thief on the cross. Maybe that person who rejected me in person later after I left trusted in Christ.
With appropriate honor
Notice how David approached this in 2 Samuel over the death of Saul.
Even if we don’t believe the person followed Jesus we still approach this by showing them proper honor. For we know that God created this person.
The splendor of Israel lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen!
Do not tell it in Gath, don’t announce it in the marketplaces of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised will gloat.
Mountains of Gilboa, let no dew or rain be on you, or fields of offerings, for there the shield of the mighty was defiled — the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil.
Jonathan’s bow never retreated, Saul’s sword never returned unstained, from the blood of the slain, from the bodies of the mighty.
Saul and Jonathan, loved and delightful, they were not parted in life or in death. They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with luxurious things, who decked your garments with gold ornaments.
How the mighty have fallen in the thick of battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
With heart-breaking anguish
I speak the truth in Christ —I am not lying; my conscience is testifying to me with the Holy Spirit —
that I have intense sorrow and continual anguish in my heart.
For I could almost wish to be cursed and cut off from the Messiah for the benefit of my brothers, my own flesh and blood.
With life-giving resolve.
“Surely those who know the great passionate heart of Jehovah must deny their own loves to share in the expression of His. Consider the call from the throne above, ‘Go ye,’ and from round about, ‘Come over and help us,’ and even the call from the damned souls below, ‘Send Lazarus to my brothers, that they come not to this place.’ Impelled, then, by these voices, I dare not stay home while Quichuas perish. So what if the well-fed church in the homeland needs stirring? They have the Scriptures, Moses, and the Prophets, and a whole lot more. Their condemnation is written on their bank books and in the dust on their Bible covers. American believers have sold their lives to the service of Mammon, and God has His rightful way of dealing with those who succumb to the spirit of Laodicea.”
Jim Elliot
How should we view the death of Christians?
With profound sorrow.
Jesus wept
“Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
Then they screamed at the top of their voices, covered their ears, and together rushed against him.
They threw him out of the city and began to stone him. And the witnesses laid their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
They were stoning Stephen as he called out: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin!” And saying this, he fell asleep.
Saul agreed with putting him to death. On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria.
Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.
But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus —my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need —
since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick.
Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have one grief on top of another.
With abiding joy.
“I assure you: You will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.
When a woman is in labor she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world.
So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will rob you of your joy.
In that day you will not ask Me anything. “I assure you: Anything you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.
Until now you have asked for nothing in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
The death of His faithful ones is valuable in the Lord’s sight.
Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write: The dead who die in the Lord from now on are blessed.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “let them rest from their labors, for their works follow them!”
With sincere worship to God.
When David saw that his servants were whispering to each other, he guessed that the baby was dead. So he asked his servants, “Is the baby dead?” “He is dead,” they replied.
Then David got up from the ground. He washed, anointed himself, changed his clothes, went to the Lord’s house, and worshiped. Then he went home and requested something to eat. So they served him food, and he ate.
He was still speaking when another messenger came and reported: “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house.
Suddenly a powerful wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on the young people so that they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped,
saying: Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Praise the name of Yahweh.
Throughout all this Job did not sin or blame God for anything.
With unshakeable hope.
We know this world is not all there is.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Therefore encourage one another with these words.