1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
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 of mankind, who have no hope.
For 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.
According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
Memorial Allan Fleet.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Memorial Allan Fleet.
Man’s perspective on death.
Man’s perspective on death.
Ecclesiastes 2:17-21.
So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labour under the sun. For a person may labour with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.
Paul’s perspective on death.
Paul’s perspective on death.
Philippians 1:20-26.
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me.
Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.
2 Corinthians 5:1-4.
2 Corinthians 5:1-4.
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.
For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
Paul’s perspective on death.
Christians should not be afraid of death.
Hebrews 4:14-15.
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death that is, the devil and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
In fact the Christian walk starts with a burial.
Colossians 2:12.
Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
We are all faced with death.
None of us can say that we will be alive tomorrow.
James 4:13-16.
Now listen, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that. As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.
Hebrews 9:27.
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.
What will you say at your appointment?
Will you say “I’ve lived a good life”? Luke 18:9-14.
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: God, I thank you that I am not like other people robbers, evildoers, adulterers or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get. But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, God, have mercy on me, a sinner. I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
What will you say at your appointment?
2. Will you say “I never knew”?
Romans 1:18-20.
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
What will you say at your appointment?
3. Will you say “I have my own religion”?
Galatians 2:21.
I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!
If we could be righteous through any other religion, Jesus died for nothing.
We do not reach Christ through righteousness, we reach righteousness through Christ!
What will you say at your appointment?
Will you say “I believed in God”?
James 2:18-20.
But someone will say, You have faith;
I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
You believe that there is one God.
Good! Even the demons believe that and shudder.
You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless
Good and evil.
The big difference between Religion and Christianity.
Religion is man in his goodness trying to reach God.
Christianity is God in His Goodness reaching out to man.
Mark 10:17.
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. Good teacher, he asked, what must I do to inherit eternal life?
Why do you call me good? Jesus answered.
No one is good, except God alone.
Jesus was wanting to know on what basis this man was calling him good.
We live in a world today in which things are called good that God’s Word says are evil
How can we enter God’s Kingdom?
Luke 23:39-43.
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?
41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
God can’t help people who think they are good.
Four vital things that took place in this man’s life as he hung on the cross next to Jesus.
1. He realised that he was a sinner.
Mark 2:15-17. (NLT) Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, Why does he eat with such scum? When Jesus heard this, he told them, Healthy people don’t need a doctor, sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.
God can’t help people who think they are good.
Matthew 5:20.
But I warn you unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
Matthew 21:28-32.
..“I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.
For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.
2. He took responsibility for his sin.
Often people blame someone else for their actions.
Luke 23:41. We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.
Genesis 3:13,14. And he said, Who told you that you were naked?
Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from? The man said, The woman you put here with me she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.
Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?
The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.
Blaming others.
Adam blamed Eve and indirectly blamed God.
Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat? It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit!
Eve blamed the serpent. Then the Lord God asked the woman,
What have you done?
The serpent deceived me!
Blaming Satan.
People blame the Devil for their own lusts.
Galatians 5:19-21.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Who are you blaming for your sin?
“I’m only human”
“it’s Adam’s fault”
“it’s my wife”
“it’s my husband”
Accepting responsibility for your sin is vital.
Peter.
Luke 5:4-8.
Simon answered, Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets. When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signalled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!
Accepting responsibility for your sin is vital.
The Prodigal son. Luke 16:20-24.
But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
3. He acknowledged Jesus as King.
Luke 39:42.
Then he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus isn't a way, He is the way.
Acts 5:12.
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.
Galatians 2:21.
I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!
4. He confessed Jesus openly.
John 12:42-43.
Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God.
Matthew 10:32-33.
Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.
But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
4 Vital things.
Do you realize that you are a sinner?
Do you take responsibility for your sin?
Do you realize who Jesus is?
Do you confess your faith in Him openly?
God’s perspective on death.
Psalm 116:15.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants
Isaiah 57:1.
The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil..
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