Facing the Giant of Death
Are you prepared to die?
it is appointed for people to die once?and after this, judgment? Heb 9:27
I. Jesus conquered death on our behalf
He will destroy death forever.
The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face and remove His people's disgrace from the whole earth, for the Lord has spoken.
Isaiah 25:8
We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed,
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.
53 Because this corruptible must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal must be clothed with immortality.
54 Now when this corruptible is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: Death has been swallowed up in victory.
55 O Death, where is your victory?O Death, where is your sting?
56 Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
1 Cor 15:51-57
II. Are you prepared to die? Luke 23:35-43
I was testing the children in my Sunday school class to see if they understood the concept of getting to heaven. I asked them, "If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my money to the church, Would that get me into Heaven?"
"NO!" the children answered.
"If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would that get me into Heaven?"
Again, the answer was, "NO!"
By now I was starting to smile. Hey, this was fun! "Well, then, if I was kind to animals and gave candy to all the children, and loved my husband, would that get me into Heaven?" I asked them again.
Again, they all answered, "NO!"
I was just bursting with pride for them. "Well," I continued, "then how can I get into Heaven?" A five-year-old boy shouted out, "YOU GOTTA BE DEAD."
A. Do you realize what you do with Jesus is a serious thing, regardless of what others may do?
1. Some may mock and scoff.
35 The people stood watching, and even the leaders kept scoffing: "He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is God's Messiah, the Chosen One!" 36 The soldiers also mocked Him. They came offering Him sour wine 37 and said, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!"
2. Some might even blame God for their problems.
39 Then one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at Him: "Aren't You the Messiah? Save Yourself and us!"
3. It is very serious what you do with Jesus
"Don't you even fear God, since you are undergoing the same punishment?"
a) How can you say you have a holy fear of God when you only show up at church once a year?
B. Do you realize the condemnation for your personal sins?
41 We are punished justly, because we're getting back what we deserve for the things we did,
C. Do you realize the righteousness of God's Kingdom?
"but this man has done nothing wrong."
D. Do you realize your need for Jesus?.
42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!"
1. Like Mike Wade who needs a kidney to live, you need forgiveness from Jesus to enter His Kingdom
2. You cannot earn heaven, and you certainly don't deserve it.
"For by grace are you saved by faith, and not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." Eph 2:8
III. You may not be blown up by a bomb or eaten away by cancer, or die in a wreck - but you are going to die
Duct Tape or Nails
A man dies and goes to heaven. Of course, St. Peter meets him at the Pearly Gates.
St. Peter says, "Here's how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you've done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in."
"Okay," the man says, "I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart". "That's wonderful," says St.Peter, "that's worth three points!"
"Three points?" he says. "Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithe and service." "Terrific!" says St.Peter. "That's certainly worth a point."
"One point!?!!"
"I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for homeless veterans." "Fantastic, that's good for two more points," he says.
"Two points!?!! "Exasperated, the man cries. "At this rate the only way I'll get into heaven is by the grace of God." "Bingo, 100 points! Come on in!"
We often try to fix problems with WD-40 and duct tape. God did it with nails
IV. Jesus paid the penalty of your sin and purchased a place in heaven which He offers as a free gift
A. Will you face a judgment of grace and mercy?
B. Or will you face a judgment of the second death?
C. What joy to hear the words of Jesus Christ saying.
" I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise."
Luke 23:43
