What happens when I die?
Notes
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Review:
Looking back at the questions so far. Domino effect - “If …then...”
We’ve referred to the revelation of God in answering these questions. We’ve asked God these questions.
Today we ask God the question:
What happens when I die?
What happens when I die?
Prayer (brief)
1) The Choice is yours:
1) The Choice is yours:
Luke 23:32-43
Luke 23:32-43
Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Without God:
Without God:
Criminal #1 railed (slander, blaspheme) at him “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
Challenged Jesus’ identity and mission
Likes the sound of the requests made by the scoffers to Jesus - takes advantage of an opportunity - selfish??
Request of reward - to be saved from the circumstance, from the punishment
No sign of remorse
No thought beyond the physical
With God:
With God:
Criminal #2 rebukes the other criminal “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.”
Reverence for God
Acknowledges the wrongs and their due penalty
Acknowledges Jesus’ innocence
Pleads to Jesus as King. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Request of grace - totally undeserved.
Request of relationship
Illustration:
DO YOU WANT THIS COOKIE? (situation with Eli and Libby)
We have to make a choice (Yes or no answer, no third option…cake, ice cream, candy)
Limit of time to choose - if you wait to long Daddy will eat it
Live with the results of that choice
Numerous choices we have to make - though many have a fill in the blank option (car, menu item, college, house, career, phone company, church, etc)
The greatest choice we will make in our lifetime is our relationship with God
DO WE WANT TO BE WITH GOD?
Unlike the other choices we make, this choice requires a yes or no answer
This choice is limited to the days you live on this earth
You will live with the results of that choice forever
Application: Understand that there is a difference to being with God and being with the blessings. Being with God requires our submission, obedience, loyalty, and love. Reaffirm this week your choice to be with God. Be intentional to be with Him even now. Read your Bible, pray, be still and know, meditate, worship.
2) Long term results of that decision
2) Long term results of that decision
With God = relationship and blessing by proximity
With God = relationship and blessing by proximity
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Revelation 21-22:5 : New Heaven and New Earth
Revelation 21-22:5 : New Heaven and New Earth
God dwells with Man
God dwells with Man
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.
Former things pass away (death, mourning, crying, pain)
Former things pass away (death, mourning, crying, pain)
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.”
Holy city Jerusalem (vv.9-27)
Holy city Jerusalem (vv.9-27)
Space /community
Space /community
Large enough for all the inhabitants (15,000 miles cube - possibly a pyramid) almost double the height of the height of the earth from pole to pole
Worship
Worship
No temple - “temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb”
Light
Light
No need for sun or moon - Glory of God gives it light
No night
Freedom to come and go
Freedom to come and go
gates never shut
Life not curse:
Life not curse:
(vv.1-5)
Return to the Garden in a perfected state
Return to the Garden in a perfected state
River of the water of life
Tree of life
No longer anything accursed
God dwells with mankind
Forever and ever
Forever and ever
Illustration:
Beauty and the Beast - curse is broken
Application - Do we anticipate our future home with God more than the things of this life. Long for a life with God more than the blessings of proximity
Without God = isolation and curse by proximity
Without God = isolation and curse by proximity
Rev. 21:8 - their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death
Rev 21:27 - But nothing unclean will ever enter it (the holy city) nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Rev 20:11-15 - Great white throne Judgment
v. 13 “they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.”
v. 15 “If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Illustration:
Effects of life on Earth if the Sun disappeared
Application: Realize the depravity of existence apart from God. If that is your current future, know that you have a chance to change it. If it is the future of your family member or friend, how does their future effect you? What does it motivate you to do this week?
So today’s question is yours to answer.
So today’s question is yours to answer.
God is asking you:
What will happen to you when you die? Will you be with God or not with Him?
What will happen to you when you die? Will you be with God or not with Him?
God has made a way for you to be with Him forever.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
You don’t decide by mental thought or word alone, but by a life of surrender. If you want God to be with you, you must allow him to be your God.
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.
Choose this day whom you will serve.
“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”