Facing Death: Hope and Confidence in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: Death as a Temporary Separation

Death is described as the temporary separation of the soul from the body, a dismantling of the union God created. This separation is why death is considered an enemy, yet it is not the end. The resurrection promises a future reunion of body and soul, offering hope beyond the grave. Understanding death in this way allows believers to see it not as a final defeat but as a transition to a promised future. The Bible portrays death as a formidable enemy, but one that has been ultimately defeated through Christ's resurrection. This perspective encourages believers to live with hope and assurance, knowing that death does not have the final word. [03:20]

"For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep." (1 Thessalonians 4:14, ESV)

Reflection: How does viewing death as a temporary separation change your perspective on life and the challenges you face today?

Day 2: Conscious Joy in the Presence of the Lord

After death, believers are at home with the Lord, experiencing the conscious joy of heaven. This is not a state of unconsciousness or "soul sleep," but a vibrant, conscious existence in the presence of Jesus. The Holy Spirit, who indwells believers, ensures that they continue to live with consciousness and joy, even as they await the resurrection. This conscious enjoyment of the presence of Jesus is far better than any earthly experience, providing a profound sense of peace and fulfillment. Believers can find comfort in knowing that their loved ones who have passed are experiencing this joy and that they too will one day join them in this eternal state. [16:45]

"So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:6-7, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you cultivate a deeper awareness of the Holy Spirit's presence in your life today, knowing that it is a foretaste of the joy to come?

Day 3: The Indwelling Spirit and Eternal Joy

The Holy Spirit, who indwells believers, ensures that they continue to live with consciousness and joy, even as they await the resurrection. This conscious enjoyment of the presence of Jesus is far better than any earthly experience. The indwelling Spirit is a guarantee of the eternal joy that awaits believers, providing a sense of peace and assurance in the present. This understanding encourages believers to live with a sense of purpose and hope, knowing that their lives are part of a greater eternal plan. The presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives is a constant reminder of God's love and the promise of eternal life. [19:40]

"In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively seek to experience the joy of the Holy Spirit in your daily life, as a foretaste of the eternal joy promised to you?

Day 4: Anticipating the Resurrection

Believers anticipate the resurrection, even in the presence of Christ. This anticipation is a reminder that the ultimate completion of all that God has for us awaits the day of Christ's return. The resurrection is not just a future event but a present hope that shapes the way believers live their lives. It provides a sense of purpose and direction, knowing that their lives are part of a greater story that God is unfolding. This anticipation encourages believers to live with a sense of expectancy and hope, knowing that their future is secure in Christ. [31:26]

"But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead." (1 Corinthians 15:20-21, ESV)

Reflection: What are some practical ways you can live with a sense of anticipation for the resurrection and the fulfillment of God's promises in your life today?

Day 5: God's Preparation for Death

God has been preparing believers for the moment of death, from eternity through the work of Christ and by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This preparation gives them the courage to face death, knowing that nothing can separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Understanding this preparation allows believers to live with confidence and assurance, knowing that their lives are in God's hands. It encourages them to live with a sense of purpose and hope, knowing that their future is secure in Christ. This perspective provides a profound sense of peace and assurance, knowing that they are part of God's eternal plan. [39:57]

"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39, ESV)

Reflection: How can you live with a greater sense of confidence and assurance in God's preparation for your life and future, knowing that nothing can separate you from His love?

Sermon Summary

In our journey through life, we inevitably face the reality of death, a topic that often evokes fear and uncertainty. Today, we explored three pivotal questions to gain clarity on this profound subject. First, we asked, "What is death?" According to the Bible, death is the temporary separation of the soul from the body. This separation is a dismantling of the union God created, making death a formidable enemy. Yet, it is not the end, as the resurrection promises a future reunion of body and soul.

Second, we delved into what happens immediately after death for a believer. The Bible assures us that believers are at home with the Lord, experiencing the conscious joy of heaven. This is not a state of unconsciousness or "soul sleep," but a vibrant, conscious existence in the presence of Jesus. The Holy Spirit, who indwells believers, ensures that we continue to live with consciousness and joy, even as we await the resurrection.

Third, we considered how believers can face death with confidence. The Apostle Paul speaks of being of good courage, rooted in the understanding that God has been preparing us for this very moment. From eternity, through the work of Christ on the cross, and by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, God has been preparing us for the transition from this life to the next. This preparation gives us the courage to face death, knowing that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Key Takeaways

1. Death is the temporary separation of the soul from the body, a dismantling of the union God created. This separation is why death is described as an enemy, yet it is not the end, as the resurrection promises a future reunion. [03:20]
2. After death, believers are at home with the Lord, experiencing the conscious joy of heaven. This is not a state of unconsciousness but a vibrant, conscious existence in the presence of Jesus. [16:45]
3. The Holy Spirit, who indwells believers, ensures that we continue to live with consciousness and joy, even as we await the resurrection. This conscious enjoyment of the presence of Jesus is far better than any earthly experience. [19:40]
4. Believers anticipate the resurrection, even in the presence of Christ. This anticipation is a reminder that the ultimate completion of all that God has for us awaits the day of Christ's return. [31:26]
5. God has been preparing us for the moment of death, from eternity through the work of Christ and by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This preparation gives us the courage to face death, knowing that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. [39:57]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:17] - Two Ways to Die
[00:45] - Three Questions About Death
[01:51] - What is Death?
[03:40] - Death as an Enemy
[05:16] - The Silver Cord Analogy
[08:03] - Temporary Separation
[10:28] - What Happens After Death?
[11:20] - At Home with the Lord
[17:08] - Conscious Enjoyment of Heaven
[22:22] - The Indwelling Spirit
[31:26] - Anticipating the Resurrection
[37:04] - Facing Death with Confidence
[39:57] - God's Preparation for Death
[42:28] - Closing Prayer

Sermon Clips

"Death is the temporary separating of the soul and the body that is what it is. It is the temporary separating of the soul from the body. This goes to the heart of who you are as a human person and it's very important and appropriate on this sanctity of human life we can, when God created Adam what did he do he made a corpse could be chemically analyzed what was in that corpse as your body could be chemically analyzed but then God did something else you remember Genesis 2:7 he breathed into the corpse the breath of life and Adam became the Bible says a living being." [00:02:07]

"Death then is the separating of what God has joined together in you and that is why death is such a fearful thing for us it is the undoing of our nature it is the severing of what God has tied together at the very core of your nature making you a man or a woman um it is the dismantling of the very work of God the the tearing apart of what God has joined together and that is why the Bible describes death as an enemy uh that is why Jesus wept when he saw its effect that is why he was outraged when he stared death in the face and that is why he came into the world to destroy this enemy." [00:03:16]

"After death Believers are at home with the Lord and thinking especially of 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 8 but let's begin at verse one Paul says there we know that if the this tent which is our Earthly home is destroyed we have a building from God a house not made with hands Eternal in the heavens this is fascinating because remember Paul was a Tent Maker he knew everything there was to know about tent and he uses this analogy of the body being like a tent in which you live and of course Paul knows well a tent is a very flimsy structure it's not a structure that's going to last forever." [00:11:16]

"After death Believers consciously enjoy the life of Heaven now this is wonderful and it's very important to get hold of it after death Believers consciously enjoy the life of Heaven now let me underline um two words here the first is consciously and the second is in Joy consciously some Christians become confused here because the Bible refers often to death as falling asleep you remember that uh Paul says for example we don't want you to be uninformed Brothers about those who've fallen asleep it's a way in which the Bible speaks about death." [00:17:03]

"The soul of the believer as we're seeing here today consciously enjoys the presence of Jesus and that is huge for the Christian hope and so I want it to be very clear in your mind and in your heart to be away from the body we've just seen in 2 Corinthians is to be at home with the Lord and Paul says Philippians chapter 1 and verse 23 that that is far better far better now think about this with me I don't think that the Apostle Paul is the kind of guy who would have thought that going to sleep for 2,000 years was far better than all of The Adventures of living for Christ in this world." [00:18:38]

"The Holy Spirit gives life to your spirit and becomes bonded to you in this marvelous Union which is by faith now when you die your soul your spirit leaves your body but the holy spirit will never never never leave you how could he it is his pledge for Time and Eternity and the Holy Spirit does not take the Blood Bought children of Jesus Christ down into unconsciousness the Holy Spirit takes us into the very purpose for which he was given to bring us into the presence of our savior with great great joy he is the spirit of the Living God." [00:21:29]

"After death Believers anticipate the resurrection in other words even in the presence of Christ there is for those who are already there with great joy something that they still look forward to and I'd like to show you that um particularly from Revelation in chapter 6 you may like to turn there just for a moment it's an often overlooked little reference of scripture that I think is a of great significance Revelation in chapter 6 while you're turning there a few years ago um Val Savage who some of you will remember with great affection a member of our congregation here was diagnosed with a terminal cancer and has for the last years been with the Lord." [00:31:26]

"God is the one who has been preparing you for this very thing these are the words he uses he's been working on you he's been working in you everything he's been doing in your life has been leading up to this moment we talk about preparing for death and that's very important but here's something far more wonderful and far more important Paul says here's what will give you courage in the face of death that God has been preparing you for this very thing and he began preparing you for this very thing back in eternity before you were ever born before the creation of the world he set his love on you that was the beginning of the preparation." [00:38:29]

"When he sent his son into the world born in that first Christmas he was preparing the way for you and when Jesus hung on the cross what was all that about he was bearing your sins Christian so taking them into his death so that you would not take them into your so that you'd be prepared you wouldn't be in your sins and then he sent his spirit and he awakened your heart and he gave you a love for Christ and he began to turn you around in Repentance and then he continued to work through the joys and the Sorrows of your life what has God been doing in your life all these years here is what Paul says look Christian he is preparing you for this very thing." [00:39:57]

"When the moment of your death comes nothing will be left to chance God in Jesus Christ has prepared a place for you and Christ by his holy spirit has prepared you for the place love that phrase underline it the one who prepares you for this very thing is God and if God prepares me for this very thing that is a reason for courage that is a reason for confidence that is the whole point did he say I'll end with this it's moving to me still Pastor Steve writing to a dear friend of his as well as of mine in the letter I referred to earlier a Believer who knew she only had a very short time to live before crossing the valley of death and entering the presence of Jesus." [00:40:39]

"All that said I desire more than anything else for you simply to be assured that no one and nothing anywhere or at any time will ever be able to separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our lord he says Katherine Booth the wife of William Boo the founder of the Salvation Army as she was dying age 60 sent her final message to the Army this is what she said the waters are rising but so am I I am not going under I am going over you are not going under but over and by God's grace we shall meet on the other side where all will be well forever with loads of love my sympathy and my prayers I commit you aresh to him who has the keys of death and Hell." [00:41:56]

"Accordingly until he puts the key in the lock of the door of your Testament you will be here and when he does open the door he the Risen conquering Lord Jesus your savior will be the first one you will see let's pray together father seal into our hearts all that is ours in Christ in life and death and Eternity and for anyone who is not yet in Christ through repentance and Faith let them fly to the Savior this moment and delay no longer for jesus' sake we ask asked these things and everyone said amen." [00:42:28]

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