Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/Sermons/zz20011014.htm

GOD'S GRACE AND THE BELIEVER
Part III: God's Grace And The Believer's Ultimate Sanctification
A. God's Grace And The Believer's Death And/Or Rapture
(Heb. 2:14-15; 2 Cor. 5:1-9; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Rev. 1:9, 17-19)

Introduction: (To show the need . . . )

Before going on vacation last August, I planned for our current sermon series including this message on death and the rapture. I recall then wondering if speaking on death as a FOCUS in a sermon series might be almost too insensitive a thing for me to do as a pastor.

That was before September 11, 2001 -- the terrorist attack on America changed our national focus! Now, even handling the fear of death often takes center stage in the secular MEDIA:

(1) On Monday a deranged boy stormed the cockpit of the American Airlines flight he was taking from Los Angeles to Chicago; he feared the pilot was about to fly the plane into the Sears tower. The troubled youth was subdued by passengers and the copilot, so the plane landed safely at O'Hare accompanied by two military fighter jets. These fighter jets had been called up to insure many more people on the ground didn't die by terrorist activity on the airline, so they were prepared to shoot down the airline if necessary! The thought of death by terrorists or even by friendly fire was on our minds!

(2) On Tuesday, we heard reports of a death in Florida by synthetic anthrax. Somebody had planted this laboratory-grown form of this killer disease, and so concerns were raised about terrorists.

(3) Then on Thursday, though it turned out to be a hoax, our own Connecticut capital of Hartford made the national news: one of its buildings was evacuated over the threat of anthrax contamination.

(4) One news reporter mentioned the contents of a diary by one of the terrorists who flew into a World Trade Center tower September 11th. The terrorist had recorded his own fear of death, but claimed he was looking beyond it to paradise, the reward he thought he'd gain for his suicide act! He was determined to execute his suicide plan as he believed he was not insured eternal salvation unless he died as planned, but even this terrorist found facing his planned death HARD to do!



How then do we HANDLE the ANXIETY of DEATH in an era when we are made to THINK about it more OPENLY than before? IS it POSSIBLE to ADJUST to DEATH in our POST-SEPTEMBER 11 world with PEACE and BLESSING?



(We turn to the sermon "Need" section . . . )

Need: "Since the September 11, 2001 events, stories on DEATH by terrorism or the war against it seem to abound, and many I know FEAR death! HOW then are WE to HANDLE this ANXIETY?"
  1. The SECULAR world and FALSE religious world views death with DEEP ANXIETY no matter how it is dressed up, Hebrews 2:14-15. We suggest NOT even LIVING this horrendous way!
  2. BETTER, one can handle death by FAITH in Christ, 2 Cor. 5:1-9:
    1. When one believes in Christ as Savior from sin, he permanently and unconditionally passes from eternal death to eternal life, John 5:24.
    2. In this state, he has some great encouragements if he must face death:
      1. He knows though his earthly body dies, he will one day be given a heavenly, eternal body, 2 Corinthians 5:1-4.
      2. He has evidence this will occur since God has sent him the indwelling Holy Spirit as an "earnest" (KJV) or "deposit" (NIV) of what awaits him in the eternal state, 2 Corinthians 5:5.
      3. He knows at death his soul goes directly to heaven, 2 Cor. 5:6-9.
  3. An even SLIGHTLY BETTER way to face death is to BELIEVE in Christ and HOPE one is RAPTURED while he is STILL ALIVE:
    1. Paul revealed even if a believer dies, surviving Christians should not grieve hopelessly, for there is a coming rapture of the Church when they will be raised from the dead, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-16.
    2. Also, surviving believers will then be translated directly into the eternal state, 2 Thessalonians 2:17-18.
    3. Thus, one can trust in Christ and hope he can escape death this way!
  4. Yet, the BEST way to HANDLE EVEN the FEAR of death is to TRUST in Christ and OBEY God in LIFE, Revelation 1:9, 17-19:
    1. When Jesus revealed Himself to John on Patmos, John has been banished for heeding Christ's call to disciple, Rev. 1:9; Matt. 28:19f.
    2. Christ THUS encouraged John specifically relative to the FEAR of DEATH he faced in his difficult circumstances, Revelation 1:17-18:
      1. Overcome with Christ's revelation coupled with his mental fatigue of banishment, John fell at Christ's feet as though dead, 1:9, 17a.
      2. Christ countered the obedient John's frailty by encouraging him:
        1. Jesus touched John with His right hand in an uplifting way, revealing His comforting encouragement for John, Rev. 1:17b.
        2. Christ noted He was God, the beginning & the end, Rev. 1:17c.
        3. Now, as that Sovereign God, Jesus stated He had gone through death and conquered it in rising; He could hence effectively empathize with the worst John faced in life's circumstances.
        4. Jesus also held the keys of death and the place of the departed dead, Hades, 1:18. Thus, Jesus Who sovereignly controlled when and how and where everyone died, and also where their souls would go after that, and who Himself knew what it was like to die wanted his committed, obedient servant, John not to FEAR especially death (in the context) in his current lot! God would ABLY, WILLINGLY help John IN ALL his future!
    3. Following this encouragement, Christ's called for John to write messages to the Churches so other believers in history could know what was God's will for them so they could obey God with similar confidence even regarding facing death, Revelation 1:19 with 1:1-3!
    4. Applied to US, we have God's directive to perform and enjoy God's resulting fellowship and ministry to us as did John (as follows):
      1. We found our era is the Laodicean Church era of Rev. 3:14-22.
      2. Christ's message to that Church was this: if we trust God's control of all others around us by God's grace, and focus on obeying God in our lives and ministries, God will bless us, implying He will keep us immortal while we do His will no matter what!
      3. If God wills we die before the rapture, we are encouraged we will gain reward after death for obeying the Lord in accord with Rev. 3:14-22, and have Christ's empathetic, supportive help [as did John] through the dying process en route to our reward!
Lesson Application: We can handle the fear of death FOUR ways with varying results: (1) One can neglect trusting in Christ for salvation and find death a DREADFUL event, Hebrews 2:14-15. (2) Much better, we can believe in Christ for salvation from sin, and be very sure we will make it to heaven and a blissful resurrection AFTER death though STILL DREADING death to SOME degree, John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:1-9. (3) A LITTLE better YET, we can believe in Christ and hope we live long enough to be raptured and not die, 2 Thess. 4:13-18. (4) By FAR the very BEST way to handle the fear of death is to BELIEVE in Christ with all the hope of life and resurrection to come AFTER death, but then to OBEY God's Rev. 3:14-22 will FULLY in EVERY area of our lives, Rev. 1:9-19. GOD then sovereignly keeps us IMMORTAL until His will for us on EARTH is DONE. THEN, IF God assigns us to go through death, we are not only assured we go to our REWARD beyond it, but HE carries us THROUGH death in His PRICELESS sovereign, empathetic, comforting, intimately uplifting way, Revelation 1:17-18. (5) The CHOICE is OURS!

Conclusion: (To illustrate the sermon lesson . . . )

 While serving as an Assistant Chaplain at a Medical Center in Dallas, Texas in the 1970s, I at times ministered to dying patients.

Two people in particular stand out in my memory:

(a) One man I went to see had about an hour to live. The critical care staff told me his heart was pumping the blood in a way that failed adequately to oxygenate his blood. The nurses told me there was absolutely no solution to his condition, and asked if I would try to minister to him and settle him down before he lost consciousness.

I entered the room and introduced myself as the Assistant Chaplain, but the man interrupted me. He claimed he could be helped if I only contacted a certain doctor in Houston. He was sure the Houston doctor could save his life. I tried to explain his condition was irreversible according to the best medical personnel, that if he could be helped through that other doctor, the staff on hand would certainly have called that other doctor by now, but the man would not believe it. I tried to talk about his need to believe in Christ, but he wouldn't hear me out. He kept interrupting, insisting I call that other doctor.

Eventually I had to leave the room after getting nowhere with this man! Memory of that event still saddens me to this day!

(b) In the same hospital, on another occasion, I visited a dear lady in her seventies who the critical care personnel told me was about to die. I introduced myself to her as the Assistant Chaplain, letting her know I knew of her status, and asked if she knew Christ as her Savior!

I will never forget her response! She slowly turned her head to look squarely into my face, and with very bright eyes, shook her head in a very deliberate "yes" nod! Her only request by hand motions was for the tubes in her nose and mouth to be taken out, presumably so she could hurry up and go home to be with her Lord!

I offered to pray with her, and she nodded affirmatively. When I finished praying, I told her I was looking forward to meeting her one day in heaven. Her face literally glowed with joy at this word!

I left that room feeling as though I'd been in the Old Testament tabernacle's Holiest of Holies where God's presence dwelt!