Topical Sermon Preparation | Death and Dying

Sermon Outline

When we understand the brevity of life, there are three things that death should cause to do.

Death should cause us to make things right/peace with ourselves.

Death should cause us to make things right/peace with others.

Death should cause us to make things right/peace with our CREATOR.

When you have peace with GOD there is Healing, Hope of a resurrection and the Promise of a Heavenly home to look forward to.

Body

Finding Peace within yourself

The great despair of death

- The first thing we must understand is that death causes us great despair. Death can be so devastating that it rocks the very core of our being.

- It causes us great pain

- It causes us great sorry

- it causes great anguish

In fact the Psalmist David in his lamentation and anguish says “9 Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee. 10 My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.” [Ps. 38:9-10]

(Not only does death cause despair.)

Death robs us of all the things we hold dare

Death disrupts our happiness and robs us of our peace. All of our hopes and dreams that we had for our lost love one is unexpectedly taken away without warning. Death will always be a natural part of life. We will never get accustomed to it. And the reason why we will never get accustomed to death is because we were never meant to die. God created humanity as perfect beings “....in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” [Gen.1:27]. But because of man’s disobedience sin entered and death is the result of sin.

The Bible tells us in Romans 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”

And so, because of sin we experience death.

Because of Sin man began to die in three ways

Man began to die physically

The very moment Adam partook of the forbidden fruit, he began to die physically, despite the lie of Satan that “you will not surely die”

(Gen 3:4). Physical death is the inevitable result of Adam’s sin not only for himself but for all of his natural descendants (except Christ):

Man also began to die Spiritually

Death is separation from God, and spiritual death is spiritual separation from God. Isaiah said, “Your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear” (Isa. 59:2). The instant Adam sinned, he experienced spiritual isolation from God; this is evidenced by his shame and his hiding from his Creator. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig

leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (Gen. 3:7–8) Every descendant of Adam—every person born of natural parents since the Fall—is spiritually dead as well. As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins.… [We who are saved have been] made … alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Eph. 2:1, 5)

Eternally

There is one other way in which man began to die and that is the worst way to die is the eternal death. From the moment Adam and Eve sinned man began to die eternally

Eternal death is eternal separation from God. This is known as the “second death” John wrote of this, saying, “The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name [is] not found written in the book of life, he [will be] thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:14–15).

Eternal death means, eternal loss, eternal separation from GOD.

But GOD has not left us without hope, He has made a way for us to be saved from this eternal death. He has made it possible for us to live even though we may die physically, even though we may die spiritually, GOD has made it possible for us to live eternally. And the hope of eternal life is in JESUS CHRIST, our Lord.

Jesus said, “Whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:26).

Because of JESUS we have this great hope of being saved from eternal death.

Peace In JESUS

Because of this hope in JESUS we can find peace even in despair.

In JESUS we can find peace within. John 14:12 “27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

In JESUS we can find peace with others.

In JESUS we find peace with GOD.

Open with a reflection on life's fleeting nature and its impact on our priorities and relationships.Introduce the central theme: "Peace in Jesus" and how it transforms our lives.

I. In Jesus, We Can Find Peace Within

Scriptural Reference: John 14:27 - "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."Key Points:

Jesus offers a peace that transcends worldly understanding.This peace calms our fears and anxieties.Emphasize the importance of internal peace in navigating life's difficulties.

II. In Jesus, We Can Find Peace with Others

Scriptural Reference: Ephesians 2:14 - "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility."Key Points:

Jesus breaks down barriers and reconciles differences.Through Jesus, we are empowered to forgive and seek reconciliation with others.Highlight practical steps to fostering peace in relationships based on Jesus' teachings.

III. In Jesus, We Find Peace with God

Scriptural Reference: Romans 5:1 - "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."Key Points:

Jesus' sacrifice brings us into a right relationship with God.This peace assures us of our salvation and eternal life.Discuss the hope and assurance that come from being reconciled with God through Jesus.