2nd Corinthians ch4 vs16 – 18, ch5 vs1 – 11.
The apostle Paul knew many discouragements in his preaching
of the Gospel, due to the blindness of unbelievers. So it is today in many
places.
The speaker wanted everyone to know just what they would be
missing out on if they did not repent of their sins and accept Jesus Christ as
their Saviour, through faith in His atoning death and resurrection on the Cross.
Those who trust Christ have an eternal home built by God.
They have God’s promise of a wonderful future –
“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into
the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” –
1st Corinthians ch2 vs9.
“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious
promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature…” – 2nd
Peter ch1 vs4.
What happens to those who have accepted Christ as their Lord and
Saviour when they die?-
1) Believers presently live in a body like a “flimsy tent”.
2) Believers
“fall asleep in Christ”.
3) Believers
have a home prepared.
4) Believers
will be with their Lord immediately.
5) Believers
will immediately be like their Lord. –
Tremendous blessings for those
who have trusted Christ!
In Paul’s day, many viewed death
with the attitude of “eat, drink and be
merry, for tomorrow we die”.
Attitudes in our present times have got even
worse, with a total lack of solemnity at funeral services. Even though they are
standing before God the next second after they die, services have now become a
celebration of their lives, and the most popular song played is “I Did It My
Way”. There is a total lack of seriousness on the subject of death, and their
thoughts are “IF...IF God exists, He will welcome everybody”.
Such arrogance and blasphemy of
our present day world, having a careless
indifference with no thought of God.
Paul knew otherwise – vs11
“knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” – he lovingly warns
all of the future before them in leaving this world. All will stand at the
judgement seat of Christ and give account of their lives.
Paul, although highly academic,
was a tent- maker by profession, and knowing how precarious life could be
living in a tent, he likens our earthly bodies to this.
A tiny almost unseen virus or
infection can so easily change a persons whole life!
We should be as the Psalmist, who said "Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom". - Psalm ch90 vs12.
Be ready, be prepared to meet
your Maker, The Lord.
The speaker told of an unbeliever
who crashed his car into a tree, and without knowing his life was about to end, in an instant met his Maker.
If there was no life to come,
Paul would have been so miserable. He had suffered much – yet he was so happy.
He had the exceeding joy of the Lord, and knew “the peace of God, which passeth
all understanding…” – Philippians ch4 vs7.
He could say “For me to live is
Christ, and to die is gain”. – Philippians ch1 vs21.
Also, “If in this life only we
have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen
from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept”. – 1st
Corinthians ch15 vs19 - 20.
If we don’t know how to face
death, we won’t know how to live life!
Why should lovers of Christ fear
death?
It is falling asleep – and we all
know how nice it is to look forward to a good nights sleep!
The speaker told of what a
privilege it was to have read the
scriptures at bedside to reassure believers, who were shortly to pass onto
Christ.
Christ says we do not face it
alone.
Paul spoke with the language of
confidence – he knew the Word of God.
Some believe that those who have passed on are floating about with wings and harps but this is nonsense! – we have a body
immediately suited to our new experience.
Do you long to be with The Lord?
Not just part of His family, but seeing Him?
Job, even so very long ago,
showed the confidence we should grasp when he said “I KNOW that my Redeemer
lives, and at the end he will stand on the earth” - Job ch19 vs25.
Be assured Heaven is a real place
- refer to:
Matthew’s Gospel ch28.
Luke’s Gospel ch22.
John’s Gospel ch6.
The Acts ch1.
“I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto
myself; that where I am, there ye may be also”. – John’s Gospel ch14 vs2-3.
Through the work of the Holy
Spirit, the truth dawned on the thief crucified next to Christ, and in his last hours of life, he called
Him Lord, and knew He had a kingdom.
Believers, when in Heaven, shall be like
The Lord –
“Behold, what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:
therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are
we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know
that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he
is” – 1st Epistle of John ch1 vs1-3.
“For our citizenship is in
heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who
shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious
body…” – Philippians ch3 vs20-21.
We will not be disembodied
floating spirits!
In Heaven, we shall be "in
timelessness" - which is beyond our human mind of grasping time and eternity.
There is no purgatory! – we are
instantly absent from the body and present with The Lord.
If you have not yet done so – put
your personal faith and trust in The Lord Jesus Christ tonight – and prepare to
meet Him!
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