Fallen Asleep-Sandra Wood Funeral

Fallen Asleep

Psalm 121:1–8 KJV 1900

1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, From whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the Lord, Which made heaven and earth. 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is thy keeper: The Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. 6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, Nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul. 8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in From this time forth, and even for evermore.

Psalm 23:1–6 KJV 1900

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

INTRODUCTION:

The Bible speaks of a “rest” for the children of God. When we think of rest we think of sleep. Of the Christian it is not said they have perished, or passed into the land of death, but that “they are fallen asleep.”

I. DEATH TO THE CHRISTIAN IS SLEEP, FOR IT COMES AT THE CLOSE OF THE DAY.

A. The Bible speaking about a saint of God says:

Acts 13:36 KJV 1900

36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

B. It is the proper ending of a weary day. It is not painful, but the end of pain.

Matthew 11:28–30 KJV 1900

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

C. It is a condition by no means destructive. Sleep does not destroy existence.

2 Corinthians 5:8 KJV 1900

8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

D. Sleep does destroy the love we have for the sleeper.

I think of my grandchildren, and seeing them asleep…my heart just swells in love for them. It should be that same way with our loved ones that have fallen asleep in death....as we think of them our hearts should swell in love for them.

II. OUR LORD HIMSELF REFERRED TO DEATH AS SLEEP.

A. In speaking of Jairus’ daughter, Jesus said, “Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth” (Matthew 9:24).

B. Of Lazarus, Jesus said, “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth” (John 11:11).

III. DEATH TO THE CHRISTIAN IS SLEEP FOR IT IS THE SEPARATION OF THE SPIRIT AND SOUL FROM THE BODY

A. In sleep we dream of the congenial scenes of home.

B. Paul spoke of death as being, “absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).

C. In sleep our natural dreams must end. Heaven is an endless reality.

IV. DEATH TO THE CHRISTIAN IS SLEEP, BECAUSE IT IS FOLLOWED BY THE GLORIOUS AND EVERLASTING AWAKENING.

A. “An eternal sleep” is the expression of the heathen poets, not of the Christian writers.

B. The ancient Prophet said, “And many of them that sleep in the dust... shall awake” (Daniel 12:2).

C. Let us prepare ourselves that we may “sleep in Jesus.”