Hebrews 2: 14 & 15: No Fear
14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.
We have always been told there are 2 sure things in this world – Death and Taxes but the truth is many people have found a way to avoid taxes, whether it is legal or illegal. When my wife and I filed our tax return this year it was rejected because someone else had claimed one of our children on their tax return.
But no one has managed to avoid death.
In the last 10 days I have dealt with death 11 different times, with 4 funerals, a memorial service, another funeral planned for Saturday of this week, and pastoral counseling with those who have experienced the death of a family member of close friend. There is no safe place to hide from death. Death is like a rude visitor. It sometimes arrives unannounced. Other times, we see it coming. It does not care about our feelings. It takes no concern for the inconvenience it brings. It wants only to be served and to be answered. It takes who it wants and all we can do is sit helplessly by as it stomps through our lives making a mess of our emotions, wreaking havoc with those who are left to pick up the pieces. Death brings discomfort and inconvenience. It injures our hearts, robs us of joy, and takes from us our loved ones.
Here are some things the Bible has to say about death.
Believers can face death without fear.
Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (NIV)
1 Corinthians 15:54-57
Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?” For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. (NLT)
Believers enter the Lord’s presence at death.
In essence, the moment we die, our spirit and soul go to be with the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. (NLT)
Philippians 1:22-23 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. (NLT)
Believers will be with, live with God forever.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-1813 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
Jesus has been preparing a special place for believers in heaven and He has been working on it for the past 2000 years. John 14:1-3 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (NIV)
Here are some words I have shared in recent funerals: Death is an over rated event for the Christian. It is not an enemy but a friend. You see, death delivers the key that lets the Christian out of the sufferings of this life into the presence of the living Savior and into a land where there is no sorrow, no more separation, no sighing. To that place not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Where eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of mankind the things which God has prepared for those that love Him. It is the fulfilling of our hopes and dreams. It is only the beginning.
Calvin Miller says,“Death is not the terror that we suppose. Jesus, dying in the most excruciating way, was not dead for long. In the chronicles of God, no death has ever lasted long. We fall asleep on this cruel planet and wake up a world away. It is amazing just how often the New Testament speaks of death as sleep. John Chrysostom in the fourth century said, What is death at most? It is a journey for a season: A sleep longer than usual, If thou fearest death, Thou shouldst also fear sleep. Death is not only sleep; it is a sleep of transformation. Paul said, “We will not all sleep (or die), but we will al be changed” We all look forward to sleeping, the wonderful sleep of transformation”.Death is simply the doorway by which most of us will enter into our eternal state of life with God.
Finally, John 11: 25 says, 25 Jesus said , “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even though they die.
Death really isn’t the terror we have believed, for the Christian it is when we begin Eternal Life. Jesus death on the cross took away the power of death as well as our need to fear.
Ronnie G Collins