Trustworhty Words and Warnings

Why Should I Fear Death?

Richard Sibbes once asked a rhetorical question,

“Why should we then fear death?”

Richard Sibbes was a well known Puritan in the early 1600’s. He lived in a time when death surrounded his family and friends. Average life expectancy at birth for English people in the late 16th and early 17th centuries was just under 40 years old. I would imagine that knowing you’ve likely lived half you life at 20 years old would have been sobering to many of hearers. Furthermore, death is more than an inconvenience in this world. It is painful to those who are left to mourn the loss of life, as many of you are doing to today. No enjoys the sting of death. How could Richard Sibbes ask what seems to be such a absurd question?

Sibbes could ask that question with confidence because he knew that death was but a doorway to a unimaginable glory that God as awaiting for his people. He also knew that that death would one day be destroyed and that God’s people would live with him forever in a new heavens and a new earth. Richard Sibbes believed the promises God gives to us in Revelation 21:1-6

Revelation 21:1–6 ESV

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.

God offers his people 5 promises that help sustain you when faced with death.

God promises to make everything new.

Right now, all of creation groans under the curse of sin. The world is riddled with disease and death. Chaos and disorder run rampant, either through floods and storms, or by social catastrophe.

In the new heavens and earth, God promises to reverse the curse and restore all of creation to what it was supposed to be. The prophet Isaiah describes the new heavens and earth as something very familiar to us, but better. He says,

Isaiah 65:20–25 ESV

No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed. They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord, and their descendants with them. Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,” says the Lord.

There will be a city with extravagant buildings and wonders. There are streets of gold filled with people and artistry and culture. There will be gates for people to walk in and out as they please as all of creation will be able to be explored freely. There will be an abundance of life, good life, satisfied life.

God promises that his people will be beautiful and glorified in his sight.

Jesus promised his followers resurrection from the dead. He says,

John 5:25 ESV

“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

John 5:28–29 ESV

Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

John 6:39–40 ESV

And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

For all who trust in Jesus as their Savior will be raised in the last day. Furthermore, God promises you will be given a new glorified body.

Paul says,

Philippians 3:20–21 ESV

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

What was his glorious body like?

First, it was a real body. When Jesus came back from the grave, he exhorted his disciples to touch him so that they would know he was not a ghost (Luke 24:39). He walked with two feet and hugged them with two hands and arms. He used all five senses. He ate breakfast with Peter. You will not live for eternity as a disembodied spirt floating on a cloud playing a harp. You will have real body with real hands, feet, and opposable thumbs.

Second, his body was mysteriously spiritual. Although eh could be touched, he could also appear in locked rooms. He could travel from one space to another in a moment.

Finally, Christ glorified body still felt emotion. He loved his disciples. He encouraged them and instructed them to continue the mission. There was continuity between his relationships on earth and his relationships after his resurrection.

God promises He will live with his people forever and his people will experience his intimate and infinite joy.

God’s desire has always been to dwell with his people. In the new heavens and earth, God will fulfill that desire once and for all. There will be unhindered access to the Father. There will be confidence, strength, blessedness, righteousness, power, and peace. You will never fear his condemnation or withdraw, only his lavishing love and care as your good father.

God promises He will remove all the effects of sin; grief will no longer exist.

When he wipes away every tear, he wipes away all grief. There is no disease, no fear, no death in the new heavens and earth. All pain and sorrow are abolished because sin is abolished. There are no wheel chairs in heaven. There are no icu units. There is such thing as cancer and no need for a funeral home. Your death is the last funeral you will ever attend. God promises to those who dwell with him,

Psalm 16:10–11 ESV

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

God promises He will satisfy your longing for rest. (Rev 21:6).

What all of us long for is rest. Death is overbearing and exhausting. The threat of death looms over you everyday life. You long for peace from your greatest enemy. God promises the throw death into the lake of fire in the second death.

Revelation 20:14 ESV

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

Once death is destroyed, it can never taunt you or accuse you or have the fear of victory over you again. You will be completely at rest, and Jesus will be your all in all.

For those who are in Christ Jesus, these five promises are your to cling to when death invades your life. Jesus’ death and resurrection and your faith in Him secures these five promises. To ensure they are yours, you must understand the gospel.

Roman Road

Romans 3:23 ESV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 ESV

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8 ESV

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 10:9–10 ESV

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

You will be saved from the second death; which is God’s final judgement.

John speaks of this in our text

Revelation 21:8 ESV

But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

God condemnation remains on all who reject Jesus as their Savior. The promise for you is his eternal wrath. You must receive his gift of salvation. Until you do, you will fear death.

Call upon him today. Receive Jesus and his promsie of salvation and eternal life. Allow him to remove the sting of death and open your eyes to see what Richard Sibbes believed about death.

Sibbes answers his rhetorical question,

“Why should I fear death, which is but a passage to Christ? It is but a grim sergeant that lets us into a glorious palace, that strikes off our bolts, that takes off our rags, that we may be clothed with better robes, that ends all our misery, and is the beginning of all our happiness. Why should we therefore be afraid of death? It is but a departure to a better condition. It is but as Jordan to the children of Israel, by which they passed to Canaan. It is but as the Red Sea by which they were going that way. Therefore we have no reason to fear death. “Richard Sibbes”