2021.03.14 Facing Death as a Christian
Notes
Transcript
Facing Death as a Christian
Facing Death as a Christian
Me
Everybody Loves Raymond (1999 - Season 4 - Episode 5 - “The Will”)
Making a Will = Death tomorrow!
We’re afraid to look at death because we have a pagan notion that thinking about something brings it about. – Superstition, which is a solidly pagan belief!
Used to have a great fear of death! Paralyzing fear at some points if I allowed myself to think too long about it.
As I grew in my faith, God gave me a peace about death, that I still carry today.
When I was wrestling with a call to ministry, Greg asked me to speak at a Revival he was preaching for. He asked me to give a talk he’d heard me give before about the Prodigal Son. Instead, I talked about my fear of dying and how God had given me peace.
After my ‘little talk” Greg preached, and at the end, there was one person who came to the altar for prayer. Greg and the others spent an unusual amount of time with her and she was a pool of flesh and tears. After what seemed like an eternity, Greg called me over to talk with the woman. I was terrified!
When she was a young girl, she was forced to help dig a grave for her aunt. She was traumatized by the concept of death, so digging her beloved aunt’s grave sent her over the edge. She had lived her entire life crippled with fear about dying.
God’s word spoken through me that night had delivered her from that fear. She was able to name the fear, and walk away from it because of the promise God gave her that evening.
We
Truth is … most of us have a fear of death … not a curiosity or a befuddlement … FEAR!
We are naturally curious about things we don’t know about. But, things we CAN’T know about … those insight FEAR … sometimes CRIPPLING FEAR that halts our living.
In this season of Lent, can we learn anything from Jesus’s walk to the Cross about how we should face death? Let’s see…
God
First, we see Jesus’ teaching about death:
25 “It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!
26 “Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
27 “What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.
28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.
67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?”
68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.
Most of our issues revolve around control … and death is something we don't know much about … except that we have absolutely no control over. Death is the great unknown and the utter loss of control!
So, it makes perfect sense that we would be confused and fearful about death
But Jesus holds the words of eternal life.
And he wants to give us rest.
And his perfect love drives out our fear.
So how should we who are His deal with death?
Facing Death as a Christian
Facing Death as a Christian
You
Having worked in the medical profession for over 10 years, my approach to death can sometimes be clinical.
For those who have more experience with death than me, perhaps your approach may even be jaded.
For those who have very little experience with death, perhaps your approach may be more fearful.
So how do we find rest in our varying degrees of knowledge and experience?
I believe we find rest in the one who holds all knowledge. If he holds the words of eternal life and he is the definition of perfect love then I should be able to trust him enough:
to drive out my fear
to change my lack of compassion
and to help me see the humanity in living and dying
None of us have experienced death (that I know of). But we have all experienced the one who gives us life, and hopefully we have seen enough to recognize that he is trustworthy and to know that he is faithful.
But, Pastor Chris, how can I just blindly trust like that?
We
Our trust of Jesus is not blind in any sense of the word!
We have countless experiences with Jesus in other arenas … Has Jesus Christ EVER let you down?
Has he EVER failed to work things for your best … even if you didn’t see how it was going to happen?
Partner all of those experiences with your knowledge about him. “Lord, where would we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
Partner those two with other people’s experiences with him.
Is Jesus trustworthy?
So, how then should we face death?
Facebook…posed the question, “How should Christians face death?”
“I think we should try to stay in the world as long as we possibly can, striving to tell that last possible person about Jesus. A Christian should face death as a song sung, and look forward to the encore at our Lord’s feet.” – John Barr
“I think we should look at death as one more step of this life of faith that we are living.” – Nancy Nichols
“I know it's silly but I'm kinda looking forward to it. It's like ripping off the bandage of life to reveal a healed perfect body with no pain no worries no disabilities and worshiping God! Bring it on I say!” – Jeremy Sabala
“I face death knowing I am a screw up. And, knowing God has my back anyway.” – Tom Lucas
“I think Christians should face death with hope ... the hope on which our faith is built. …very ill parents [both] offered hope that suffering is over and life eternal is better.” – LaJo Dunbar
“I sit here reading this after a long day with my mother, who is 78 and now facing the decision of radiation or hospice. With pain on her face she looks to me, her eldest son and recently ordained elder in the UMC and says, "pray that I will die tonight!" … I am not afraid to die she says to me, I answer I know mom, but now I am the one who is afraid.” – Greg Waggoner
John Wesley famously died with these last words: “The best of all is, God is with us.”
So I would suggest that the only way that we should NOT face death is with fear. We turn to Christ because he holds the keys of eternal life. To whom else COULD we turn? And Best of all … God is with us.