Final Breath...Then What?

Great Questions: What Happens When We Die?

Main Text: Luke 16:19–31 (The Rich Man and Lazarus) Supporting Texts: John 14:1–6; 2 Corinthians 5:6–10; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 21:1–4

Introduction

There’s an old saying that goes like this:

There are two things in life that are certain: death and taxes...

...but at least with taxes you might get a refund.

We laugh because we know it’s true. Death is that one appointment none of us can cancel, delay, or reschedule.

Some people avoid this subject like the plague-no pun intended. They change the subject anytime it gets serious. We do not like to think about cemeteries, caskets, or funeral homes.

But the reality is that whether you are 18 or 88, the question eventually comes knocking.

What happens when we die?

We continue in our series called “The Great Questions” and one of the great questions that always perplexes people-when I take my last breath, what then? What happens?

Is the Bible true?

Why does God allow suffering?

Is there a God?

Oh listen church family and guests I would love to be able to say to you that if you take enough vitamins, or you walk the 10,000 steps a day and record those on your apple watch, or you eat organic that you could escape death, but the reality is none of us are getting out of here alive. (Unless the Lord comes back first.)

And....the older we get, the more funerals we attend, the more aches and pains we feel, and the more empty chairs we see around the holidays...and empty seats we see around the church...the more personal that question becomes.

What happens when we die?

And...if we are real honest, it’s not even the subject of death that make people uneasy...it’s the unknown.

This morning you can be assured that God’s Word does not scurry around or step over the subject. The Bible meets that curiosity head on. In fact our very Lord and Savior, Jesus shares with us today with total clarity as He told a story that pulls back the curtain on eternity. It’s found in Luke 16:19-31.

Please turn there in your Bibles -place page # 1205 for pew Bible ) or look with me on the screen as I read Luke 16:91-31. Let’s stand for the reading of God’s word this morning.

Luke 16:19-31

Luke 16:19–31 NKJV

19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ 27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”

Prayer

Father, as we consider this deeply personal and eternal question today — give us ears to hear, hearts to receive, and courage to respond. Speak, Lord, for Your servants are listening. In Jesus’ name, amen. Message

1. The Certainty of Death

We’ve read Jesus’ words this morning not as a parable to entertain us but to gaze into the window of eternity that Jesus’ tells us about. And the first truth we can’t ignore is this: Death is not just a possibility. It’s a certainty.

In classic Winston Churchill wit, He made this statement:

I am prepared to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the big ordeal of meeting me is another matter. Every one of us at one point or another will meet our Maker and be confronted with death.

This exposes a real question: Are you prepared to meet your Maker?

Oh my goodness, we are planners aren’t we. We plan for birthdays, we plan for vacation, we plan for weddings, we plan for retirement, but do you prepare for your own passing?

Now let me tell you what I’m not talking about this morning even though these matters are something we might all want to consider.

I’m not talking about succession or estate planning. I’m not discussing the possibility of buying life insurance to leave your loved ones financially secure. I’m not asking have you prepared your will or if you are going to leave a nice endowment to the church.

I am asking are you spiritually prepared for death?

Hebrews 9:27 “27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,”

How many of you had numerous appointments this week? We make dental appointments, doctor’s appointments or with your hairdresser, but the fact is there are times we cancel or reschedule. But listen...there is one appointment no one in here this morning will cancel, skip or delay: death.

Our time is set, it’s fixed. It’s unavoidable.

The question I ask are you spiritually prepared for death? Do you have your spiritual affairs in order?

The Bible does not hide this reality:

Psalm 90:10 “10 The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”

Let that sink in for a moment: “soon gone.”

God’s word describes life as a vapor. Listen:

James 4:14 “14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”

Brother Luke, you have made this point very clear. And it is clear...but I don’t know if its concrete with us. We live as if we are invincible and that reality is true for everyone else in this room...and we live as if we are going to escape that reality.

And listen, I believe that our common sense understands the fact that death is certain, we might not like it, but we sure understand that reality. But there is also a certainty as to what comes next.

Oh listen Ladies and Gentlemen, we don’t stop existing. We do not just fade into obscurity. We stand before our Creator.

Death is The Great Equalizer

Go to any cemetery — the headstones tell you stories. Some are small. Some are grand. Some say “Beloved Mother.” Others say “Faithful Soldier.” Some were infants. Others lived to 99. But they all share one thing in common: They died.

Whether we live in a palace or as Chris Farley used to say “in a van down by the river”, drive a new car or ride the bus, wear a Rolex or a Timex — death makes us all equal.

Can I offer you exciting news, eternal news? We don’t have to fear death — if we’re ready for what comes after.

D.L. Moody once said:

“Someday you will read in the papers that D.L. Moody is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I’ve ever been.

Listen to this interesting cemetery inscription:

And from a cemetery in Indiana, a sobering inscription:

“As you are now, so once was I. As I am now, so you will be. Prepare for death and follow me.”

Someone had scratched underneath:

“To follow you I’m not content — until I know which way you went.”

That’s a haunting but honest line. Because where we go — after we die — is the real question. And that’s what brings us to our second point.

2. The Continuation of the Soul

So we’ve seen this first sobering truth: death is certain. But what comes next?

The Bible doesn’t teach that we just die—-it teaches that we continue.

That you are more than a physical body, you are more than skin and bones, more than blood pressure and brain waves. You are not just a body that has a soul, you are a soul that has a body.

And when your heart stops beating—-your soul does not stop living.

Let’s look at the Biblical evidence that you are an eternal being:

In the parable that Jesus told in Luke 16 Jesus plainly shares that both the rich man and Lazarus died. Both men entered into a new state.

Lazarus is carried by angels to Abraham’s side-a picture of comfort and peace.

The rich man is in torment-aware, conscious, remembering his life and even his brothers who are still alive.

In God’s word we read of none of the thoughts about “soul sleep”, reincarnation or floating in the clouds.

For the believer:

2 Corinthians 5:8 “8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”

Luke 23:43 “43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.””

The soul continues. The question we must all ask is where?

And you know where I’m going next.

There are two destinations, heaven or hades. There are two eternal realities for everyone of us after death. No other options. You will either spend eternity in heaven in presence of the Lord or you will be in conscious torment separated from God.

One of comfort in the presence of God.

One of conscious torment, separated from God.

There is no third option. No waiting room. No purgatory. And notice: there is a great chasm fixed — one that cannot be crossed after death.

Luke 16:26 “26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’”

Oh listen to me this morning. I know that everyone in this room clearly understands that death is certain even before you came to church this morning. But I also know that in a room this size there are some here that do not want to face the reality, fearful yes, but are you fearful because you are not prepared for death?

You want to listen very closely from this point onward because what I say can change your life for eternity.

Do you know why this life we are living matters so much? Because what you do before you die determines where you will go after you die.

For the believer, when someone dies, it’s not as if they disappear-they change addresses. Listen to how Paul describes it in 2 Corinthians 5:1:

2 Corinthians 5:1 “1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

He describes our bodies as a tent and we move into a permanent eternal home. Oh listen dearly beloved, death is not the end-its a change to an eternal home with God.

I believe Paul used the word tent because I assume in his travels he spent time in tents in his missionary journeys. Tents take a beating in the elements. They fade, they thin, they tear.

My father that lived to the ripe old age of 99 years said that “getting old is not for sissies.”

We have two destinations:

Pleasant beyond comprehension

Painful beyond comprehension

For you see dear brother or sister. You are not ready to live until you are ready to die.

So let me ask you this morning:

If you were to die today—-where would you be?

If you breathed your last breath-would you be in the presence of the Lord—or separated from Him for all eternity?

Listen, you are not totally ready to live until you are ready to die.

3. The Choice of Destiny

John 14:6 “6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Death is certain. The soul continues. But here is the good news, the gospel news—and the most urgent truth you’ll hear today:

You get to choose your eternal destiny.

Oh dearly beloved, God made a way. You do not have to wonder, you do not have to guess. You do not have to live in fear.

Listen to Jesus’ Words in John 14:1-6:

John 14:1–6 NKJV

1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Jesus did not say “a way”, He said “the way.”

Back in Luke 16, the rich man in torment begs for just a drop of water. How sad. How tragic. He goes further, he begs that someone would warn his five brothers—so they would not end up in the place he is in.

Think about this for a moment. Would you agree the rich man was cognizant in hell? Yes or no? Would you also agree that he had memories of family and brothers who needed to hear the truth to be saved from the clinches of hell? Yes or no?

Was Lazarus able to look across the chasm and see the beggar from afar off?

Have you ever stopped to consider that there might be something in hell worse than the flame...it may be the memory....it may be the times he had chances to receive Jesus in faith and trust in God...and but chose not to.

Consider this torment. You look across and you see your husband or your wife and you can’t go see them. You son or daughter, your mom or dad, your cousins, your friends and coworkers. You can see them but have no association with them. How tormenting and agonizing that would be.

He remembered his past

he remembered his missed opportunities

he remembered those he loved....and wished he could go back and do some things differently.

But he couldn’t. That’s the sobering reality—after death, the decision is sealed.

As I close, think in terms of us going out to Dannelly field after church and we are going to board a plane. Once that hatch closes—there is no changing your destination. There is no change of direction.

Your eternal destiny is like getting on that plane. The time to decide where you are going is before you ever get on the plane-not after.

Right now, today-you have an opportunity to choose your eternal destination.

The choice you make is not based on:

How good you’ve been.

How many church services you’ve attended.

Whether or not you have avoided the “big sins.”

It’s based on what you’ve done with Jesus.

Listen to how Scripture calls us: Choose Christ this morning.

John 3:36 “36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.””

Romans 10:13 “13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.””

John 11:25 “25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”

With all eyes closed and all heads bowed as Rick comes to lead us I ask you this question—Joe play very softly (instrumental).

Let’s assume you were getting on the plane of your eternal destination-heaven-in the presence of God or, eternal separation from God in a place called hell that is constant torment. How is your ticket stamped as of this moment? The hatch is closing and the destination is already determined.

Raise of hands if you know that you know that you know-if you died right now-you have made peace with God. You have asked Jesus to come into your life and your destiny is secure—with all eyes closed and all heads bowed, no one looking-raise your hands if you know that you have asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and he made you new?

If you were called to board the plane and if you were called to get on that plane right this moment-by the lack of decisions you have made to this point-you are heading on a one way ticket to hades-eternal separation from God—raise your hands.

If you just raised your hands on that second destination-I simply ask you do you want to change your flight schedule? Before that day comes and you have no choice?

Pray with me this prayer. “Lord, I thank you that you spoke to me today and made me aware of where I am going. Lord, I want to choose a different journey. Lord, I want to change the total direction my life that I’m going. I want you to help me. I want to surrender my life over to you. I want you to forgive me of my wrongdoing, my sin and I want to know you in a fresh new way. Lord I want you to save my soul.”

If you prayed that prayer and you went to the ticket counter of the Lord and asked him to save you and you secured your destiny in Christ this morning, you asked him to come into your heart-raise your hands. Let’s pray.