I.        DEATH: A MORBID SUBJECT?

A.      Death is not a favorite topic of most people.  Some fear of even talking about death.

B.      Yet Scripture and experience tell us that death is common to all people.

                                                             1.      We are mortal beings, which by definition means that we are subject to death.

                                                             2.       “What man can live and not see death?  Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?” (Psa. 89:48)

                                                             3.      “There is an appointed time for everything.  And there is a time for every event under heaven – a time to give birth and a time to die…” (Eccl. 3:1-2)

C.      Therefore, rather than living in fear, it is better to have understanding about death, which is an experience that is as much a part of life as birth.

II.      WHAT IS DEATH?

A.      Physically, death is the failure of the body to sustain life.

                                                             1.      Regardless of how much we try to sustain our bodies, eventually they will fail “like the beasts that perish” (Psa. 49:6-12).

                                                             2.      Death is the final proof that physical life is futile, for a man must leave everything that he has accomplished in the body.  As the saying goes, “You can’t take it with you.”

a.       The world is filled with relics of the works of men who have long since died.  Even the greatest of men cannot preserve their lives, and they are soon forgotten.

b.       “For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same.  As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.” (Eccl. 3:19-20)

c.        “As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years, yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; for soon it is gone and we fly away.” (Psa. 90:10)

                                                             3.      Death is the final step in this world.  It cannot be reversed, and there is no second chance.

a.       When David’s child died, he said, “But now he has died; why should I fast?  Can I bring him back again?  I will go to him, but he will not return to me” (2Sam. 12:23).

b.       Solomon wrote, “I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot.  For who will bring him to see what will occur after him?” (Eccl. 3:22)

                                                             4.      When viewed only with a physical vantage, death is a fearful and dreadful end of everything that we have ever experienced.

a.       When a person dies, he ceases to exist in this world.  His body is still, his tongue is silent, and his life is gone.

b.       Those who are left behind grieve over the separation, knowing that their loved one cannot be revived and that he will not be seen walking this earth again.

B.      Spiritually, death of the body is the door to recompense for life’s labors.

                                                             1.      From a spiritual vantage, we understand that death does not mean the end of a person.

a.       Physical death is only the separation of body and spirit, the seen and the unseen.

b.       While the visible part of man remains and decays on the earth, the invisible part goes back to God.

i.         “Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.” (Eccl. 12:7)

ii.        “Now He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; for all live to Him.” (Luke 20:38)

                                                             2.      Death is a necessary step for every soul to approach Christ and receive judgment.

a.       “…it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment…” (Heb. 9:27)

b.       “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (2 Cor. 5:10)

                                                             3.      For the faithful, death is a time of reward and comfort.

a.       Paul honestly considered that his death would be beneficial to him (Phil. 1:21-24; 2Cor. 5:6-8).  He said it “is very much better.”

b.       Near the time of his death, Paul was comforted as he looked forward to his reward (2Tim. 4:6-8).

                                                             4.      For the wicked, death is a time of loss and torment.

a.       Consider the example of the merciless rich man, who suffered torment following his death (Luke 16:23-25).

b.       It is not God’s will that the wicked should suffer, but that they would repent and be spared from torment (Ezek. 33:11; 2Pet. 3:9).  However, justice requires atonement for sin, and those who are outside of Christ have no Savior to atone for them.

                                                             5.      Those who trust in God should learn not to fear death, but to see it as a blessing.

a.       We should see the death of a godly person as precious, for this is how God sees it (Psa. 116:15).

b.       For those who are righteous in God, death takes them away from evil of this world and gives them peace and rest (Isa. 57:1-2).

III.   NOW IS THE TIME TO PREPARE

A.      Because death is the final step in this life, there is no second chance to make this life right.

                                                             1.      The rich man was not permitted to go back and warn his brothers (Luke 16:27-31), and neither will we be allowed to come back to this world to do what we should have done.

                                                             2.      Death marks the end of opportunity.  The Lord said, “Night is coming, when no man can work” (John 9:4).

                                                             3.      When the resurrection occurs, it will be for the final judgment (John 5:28-29), not for a second chance at life.

B.      Death comes too soon and life is too uncertain to be wasted.

                                                             1.      Death is never far from any of us.  David said, “There is hardly a step between me and death” (1Sam. 20:3).  So it is for us as well.

                                                             2.       The duration of life is too uncertain to delay faithful obedience to God.

a.       “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”(Jas. 4:14)

b.       “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” (Prov. 27:1).

C.      Therefore, get ready to meet the Lord.

                                                             1.      The only persons who will be spared from physical death are the faithful in Christ who are alive at His coming (1Thess. 4:13-18).  Whether it is for death or for the coming of Christ, we must be prepared just the same.

                                                             2.      The only reason to fear death is if you are unprepared for it.  Why not prepare yourself now and stop living in fear?

                                                             3.      When you are prepared through the Lord Christ, then death will not be able to hold you in its bonds.

“But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.  O death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting?’  The sting of death is sin, and the power of death is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Cor. 15:54-57)