1 Corinthians 15, Luke 16 – Don’t Fear Death
foreign [Music] one day we're all going to be dead period I will be dead too everybody has a time I don't care what science is coming up with in fact I'm a firm believer that if the world keeps going the way it's going some of the Fulfillment of the Book of Revelation sang a third of the earth Earth's population has to die maybe even started already I don't know if that's part of it or not I can't say I don't want to speculate just saying so somebody who doesn't want to talk about death and I've met people like oh God I can't talk about that it means the resurrected life and understanding of the resurrected life has not penetrated into your soul what do you mean I'm saying exactly what I mean here go back to the disciples their beloved master who foretold of his death multiple times over and of course while he was alive no no no be it far from me no no this can't happen right they didn't understand but how is it that after he died Rose and ascended they were able to go out and talk about his death they talked about his death in light of the Resurrection the Ascension and his return and the scriptures abundantly clear Jesus was the first goer the first of his kind which means anyone who calls himself a Christian following Christ will follow in his footsteps which means when we read death has no more sting over the believer that's what it means it doesn't mean that losing a loved one is not going to hurt it will that's the flesh part and trust me I know there are a lot of widowers in the sound of my voice it does not take away the sting it does not take away the absence or the void it does not but what it does do is it lets you look at the reality that person devoted to Christ Christ is not a liar if Christ said basically I am the first goer and you're following him you too shall follow as he did that means you too will enjoy the resurrected life now somebody who has not got the mindset I don't care what you think there isn't some playing tiddlywinks when the end comes let me show you something I know I haven't opened up the scripture very much but let me show you something that has an impact for me in Luke 16 the passage about the rich man and Lazarus and and if you read this with the eyes I'm speaking about it'll really make sense to you a certain rich man clothed in purple fine linen fared sumptuously every day and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate full of sores Desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table moreover the dogs came and licked his sores it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom the rich man also died and was buried and in hell he lifted up his eyes being in torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom cried saying Father Abraham have mercy on me send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue frame and torment in this flame but Abraham said Son remember that thou in thy lifetime receiveth thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things just for a little footnote Lazarus received evil things what does that mean it means probably that he suffered he probably didn't have money he probably grappled with a lot of things that we grapple with that's evil things whatever that is but now he is comforted and thou art tormented in other words you spent your time here on Earth pleasuring yourself with the pleasures of this Good Earth but not paying attention to God and what comes next is what I want you to focus on and besides all this between us and you there is a great Gulf fixed so they so that they which would pass from hence you cannot neither can they pass from us basically if you understand this and all the other things that are said about heaven and hell there is a Great Divide there is a chasm the resurrected mindset fixed on Christ understanding we too shall rise that there are sometimes we'll call them mild or light afflictions which Paul talked about which are only for a Time don't think because Something's Happened to you that God isn't with you actually it usually might be a sign that God is with you that he's letting certain things buff at you just like he did to many of the people in the book but it drives home the point there is a Great Divide between those who have a changed mindset towards death dying in the resurrection versus those who may have heard it but are indifferent don't care couldn't be bothered by it Great Gulf fix so you know you might say well that's pretty terrible but if you think about it and if you believe the proofs Jesus is the tangible proof and so many times in the book it says to him that overcometh death so you know I'm thinking to myself there is something to be said there in our understanding you are either fearful of that it brings about fear it brings about the shiverings that's the flesh the spirit says when is my time I'm going to go be with the Lord I don't exactly know 100 what exactly that's going to look like but that's what I'm told multiple times over that makes for good doctrine that makes me stand on that rock to say that's that [Music] [Music] said goodbye coming to this house
