Comfort in Death
Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV)
}6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
}7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
}Let us pray
}7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
}Let us pray
In the Beginning
}"In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” (Benjamin Franklin)
}The world that we live in this is most certainly true. The statistics on death are astounding- one out of every one person born is going to die. You could say that everyone that is issued a birth certificate is guaranteed to die.
}But was it designed to be this way?
}“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31 ESV)
}“but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17 ESV)
}Man was the absolute pinnacle of Creation- the highest of the high points. It was very good and a reason to celebrate.
}The original plan was the Man, Woman, and never ending fellowship with the Lord in the Garden of Eden.
}It wasn’t until the first sin, eating of the forbidden fruit, that death enters the picture.
}“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 ESV)
}The world that we live in this is most certainly true. The statistics on death are astounding- one out of every one person born is going to die. You could say that everyone that is issued a birth certificate is guaranteed to die.
}But was it designed to be this way?
}“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31 ESV)
}“but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17 ESV)
}Man was the absolute pinnacle of Creation- the highest of the high points. It was very good and a reason to celebrate.
}The original plan was the Man, Woman, and never ending fellowship with the Lord in the Garden of Eden.
}It wasn’t until the first sin, eating of the forbidden fruit, that death enters the picture.
}“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 ESV)
Mourning
Ezekiel 24
}15 The word of the Lord came to me:
}16 “Son of man, behold, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you at a stroke; yet you shall not mourn or weep, nor shall your tears run down.
}17 Sigh, but not aloud; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban, and put your shoes on your feet; do not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.”
}18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died. And on the next morning I did as I was commanded.
}16 “Son of man, behold, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you at a stroke; yet you shall not mourn or weep, nor shall your tears run down.
}17 Sigh, but not aloud; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban, and put your shoes on your feet; do not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.”
}18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died. And on the next morning I did as I was commanded.
What?
}You may possibly be asking yourself, “What in the wide world of sports does that passage have to do with anything?”
}There was a prescribed mourning procedure in ancient Israel. Crying loudly with big, sobbing tears was expected. The turban (hat) was to be taken off and ashes were to be put on your head. Your sandals were to be taken off. Covering your lips (face) was another sign of sorrow.
}Ezekiel was told that his wife was going to die (the delight of your eyes) but he was going to be prohibited from performing the traditional Israeli mourning procedure.
}The Lord was about to destroy Solomon’s Temple- the one thing that the Israelites thought could not happen to them. This was a tough time in Israelite history and the Lord wanted to teach them a lesson.
}All of these acts from the normal mourning procedure were done so that all the people in the community could stop their lives and grieve with the grieving individual. Prayers were said every single day for a year after death to remember the dead; yet Ezekiel was to go on with his life and continue. This was an object lesson in life going on and continuing even though someone had breathed their last or that you must carry on when tragedy strikes.
}There was a prescribed mourning procedure in ancient Israel. Crying loudly with big, sobbing tears was expected. The turban (hat) was to be taken off and ashes were to be put on your head. Your sandals were to be taken off. Covering your lips (face) was another sign of sorrow.
}Ezekiel was told that his wife was going to die (the delight of your eyes) but he was going to be prohibited from performing the traditional Israeli mourning procedure.
}The Lord was about to destroy Solomon’s Temple- the one thing that the Israelites thought could not happen to them. This was a tough time in Israelite history and the Lord wanted to teach them a lesson.
}All of these acts from the normal mourning procedure were done so that all the people in the community could stop their lives and grieve with the grieving individual. Prayers were said every single day for a year after death to remember the dead; yet Ezekiel was to go on with his life and continue. This was an object lesson in life going on and continuing even though someone had breathed their last or that you must carry on when tragedy strikes.
The Race of Life
The Christian Race
}“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” (I Corinthians 9:24 ESV)
}Christianity is a life long endeavor, not a one-and-done fad; live your life according to Christ in order to finish your race.
}“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (II Timothy 4:7 ESV)
}In the end you want to be able to say this with confidence, that you were able to live your life for Christ and that you kept your faith in him.
}“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1 ESV)
}Running with endurance also points to this life not being a fad- it is to continue every day. There will be ups and downs, and everything isn’t going to be rosie- but don’t despair and stay in it for the long haul.
}Christianity is a life long endeavor, not a one-and-done fad; live your life according to Christ in order to finish your race.
}“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (II Timothy 4:7 ESV)
}In the end you want to be able to say this with confidence, that you were able to live your life for Christ and that you kept your faith in him.
}“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1 ESV)
}Running with endurance also points to this life not being a fad- it is to continue every day. There will be ups and downs, and everything isn’t going to be rosie- but don’t despair and stay in it for the long haul.
I Thessalonians 4
}13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
}14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
}Our hope is in Jesus that he has our loved ones when they leave this earth to be with him. I have hope that one day we will all meet together again.
}14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
}Our hope is in Jesus that he has our loved ones when they leave this earth to be with him. I have hope that one day we will all meet together again.