Death- Friend or Foe?

Introduction

We have gathered here today to celebrate life. We have gathered to celebrate the life and the legacy of Keith Lamont Burston. As much as we want to celebrate the life, we must be realistic to the fact that the reason we are here is because of death.

As much as I want to celebrate life, I must admit that I would prefer that Keith would not had died yet. The reason we are here is because of death. Can I be honest? I don’t like death. Death took my grandmother and grandfather. Death took my cousin and other friends and family. Death is not something that I like.

Then I look around at the world that is around us. There is hatred everywhere and everywhere you find hatred. People are mean and the world is sick. There is sickness and disease EVERYWHERE. This is what I find in life. So as I consider the text I must question and ask is death a foe, or is death a friend.

Background

Our text today is found in the 2nd known Epistle to the Church at Corinth. In this chapter he starts off by letting us know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. In the text given today Paul speaks of 2 bodies of the saints. He speaks of the present or earthly body, which is mortal, and the future or heavenly body, which is eternal. This body in which our soul is housed is mortal meaning that it is temporary, it is expiring. Everyday in which we live, we are moving closer and closer to the grave. I know that you have plans made for tomorrow, next week, and maybe even next year but I have to ask you have you made plans to leave this world. When someone who is not saved view death they view death as such a bad thing. They view death as an enemy, but when you are saved and you have your business fixed with God you understand that death is nothing more than laying one body down and taking up the other.

Body

Point #1: Death doesn’t endanger a Christian’s Interests

A. Everyone has investments in life

1. The investments of some are in this life

a. They depend on our presence here

b. Death endangers these investments

2. The investments of a Christian are in heaven—Col. 3:2

B. Death has a profitable effect for a Christian

1. Allows him to claim his interest

C. Christians have a different state of mind—2 Cor. 5:8

1. This is not a natural attitude toward death

2. This is not saying we wish to die

Death doesn’t Destroy a Christian’s Purpose

A. Every person has a purpose in life

1. This purpose gives value to life

2. Death can be a threat, depending on life’s purpose

B. Christian purpose—2 Cor. 5:9

C. The Christian purpose is not destroyed by death

Death doesn’t Prevent a Christian’s Rewards

A. Every person seeks rewards in life

1. To the worldly, the rewards are in this life

a. Death prevents them from collecting

2. Christian rewards are in the future life

a. Death expedites the collecting of rewards—1 Peter 1:3–4

B. The Christian’s rewards are in heaven