Death
Death seems so final from this side of reality. But if you look at death through the eyes of the full counsel of God it is almost magical. The pastor Sunday walked us through a lot of the scriptures that expanded our knowledge of death to encompass the resurrection. I have to admit I sat there for awhile wondering what it had to do with me, death that is. I mean beyond the fact we are all going to die. Why was I in this particular place in this particular time hearing a sermon on death? I ask these sorts of questions. It is one thing to know we all die and another to know we are dying. Now that I think about it the reaction “What does this have to do with me” is strange because I was reminded of death this morning. In the raspy sound of my dog who is dying of cancer as she sleeps outside my room, my sister’s email as she struggles to make sense of her life and her illness and the lack of strength she regularly feels, to the phone call from my brother saying my mother-in-law in the hospital with chest pain. Still my mind automatically goes, “what does it have to do with me?” We don’t want to deal with death. But if we listen to the scriptures they are really awesome. What God has in store for us when we die is worth thinking about. Death is just a door we pass through.
The scriptures are comforting.
2 Corinthians 5:6-9
6Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7We live by faith, not by sight. 8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.
The moment of my salvation I remember so vividly. It as if Christ was beside me but above me. He was reaching a hand down to me to lift me up. I knew at the moment I no longer had to fear death. Whatever happened after I died, I was in his care. He would be my guide through the whole adventure; I only had to take his hand. To be in the body or to be with the Lord, that should give us confidence.
The reality is that we appointed to die once.
Hebrews 9:27
27Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
Again from Sunday
Psalm 90
9 All our days pass away under your wrath;
we finish our years with a moan.
10 The length of our days is seventy years—
or eighty, if we have the strength;
yet their span [a] is but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
11 Who knows the power of your anger?
For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.
12 Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
If we are just concerned with our 70 maybe 80 years we are given if we are blessed then it is only sorrowful. The pastor reminded us that the scriptures are not saying that we should not have sorrow, but we should not sorrow like the world. The reason is Jesus is alive. Although he died he was resurrected, transformed in a most amazing way. The scripture tell us that Jesus is the firstborn or the first to be resurrected from the dead and a promise that those who believe in him shall one day follow.
Romans 8:28-30
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,[j] who[k] have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
The text used on Sunday told us we should not sorrow like we have no hope by reminding us of what we believe. This brings us to the grand finale and a scripture I love to read and have read to me.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
The Coming of the Lord
13Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words.
The Pastor said we are like a short story. We have a beginning and an end. Death is the spirit separated from the body. We fly away Where do we go? What happens?
1 Corinthians 15:51-56
51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."[g]
55"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"[h] 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
If we have to die then give me Jesus, archangels and trumpets and what sounds like a great big party. I just like the sound of it. How about you?