Death

 Greetings to you all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,

     First Corinthians 15:54-67 says, “ O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?   The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

     When I became a pastor, my mentor, Rev. Flint Foster said to me, “You will be known either as a marrying pastor or a burying pastor.”  I have done two weddings and over a hundred funerals.  I have had many different experiences, sung a lot of special music, been in the cold and the heat and said a lot of prayers for the families of the deceased.  I have preached the gospel message at each funeral even though I do not know for sure the person was saved orf not.  In some cases you have known the person well enough to fairly confident of their destination.  I had one elderfly lady who would ask me every morning, “What jem do you have for me from the Bible?”  On the other had, for some, a funeral is a sad occasion as they have no belief in God or of an eternal state either in heaven or in hell.  

     There are a number of thing that are necessary to go to heaven.  First, you have to believe there is a God and that He is responsible for everything.  He is not surprised by current events and that He is actively involved in every person’s life whether they accept Him or not.  Second, you need to believe that He has given to us His Word to guide and to instruct us in how to live this life.  Third, we have to accept way of salvation which Jesus taught in John 14:1-6 amd Acts 16:31.If this is a part of your life then the passage has a great meaning for you from First Corinthians fifteen.  This is the “resurrection” chapter and one that proclaims that if Christ is raised from the dead, then we are guaranteed life in Him as He has overcome death and as He was rasied so we shall also be raised.    The victory as mentioned in the above passage was guaranteed through the Lord Jesus Christ.  Obviously the world often does not accept this.  For many, they don’t believe in Christ and for still others, they don’t believe in the Bible as being God’s Word and forf others, they don’t believe there is even a God at all.  There are many who will be populating hell and find nothing but torment for eternity.  For the believer, it will be a time of blessed hope and glory in the presence of God and to enjoy the place that the Lord Jesus Christ has prepared for believers.  Further Scriptures point out that the death of a believer will place that person, that soul, in God’s presence instantly.  I will proclaim as did Joshua, As for me and my housed, we shall serve the Lord.  Praise