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Bible teaching
ministry of
Stephen &
Brooksyne
Weber
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Thursday,
April 18, 2024
"No
More Death"
Message
summary:
Today we
consider our
experience in
heaven when
"the old order
of things has
passed away"
and death, the
last enemy,
has been
destroyed.
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
"Man
is destined to
die" (Hebrews
9:27). "The
last enemy to
be destroyed
is death" (1
Corinthians
15:26). "He
will wipe
every tear
from their
eyes. There
will be no
more death or
mourning or
crying or
pain, for the
old order of
things has
passed away"
(Revelation
21:4).
On
Tuesday Don, a
long time
friend, called
to tell me
that Marty, a
mutual friend
had passed
away. I
attended
several prayer
meetings with
Marty, a
lifelong
farmer who had
a simple but
very earnest
faith. He was
"old and
full of years"
(Job 42:7) so
his death was
not a shock
but there will
still be a
long time of
grief for
those who
loved him.
On
the very same
day one person
was killed in
a 13-vehicle
pile-up on
Route 30
in our area.
That death was
a shock. Just
out for a
drive on a
normal
morning,
perhaps a
commute, and
life ends.
Today's message will be more sobering than most but does indeed end with a promise of hope and encouragement. Each day some 166,859 people die worldwide.* In fact we are sure that any reader old enough to realize the meaning of death likely knows someone who has died. Death is simply part of the present "order of things" which will pass away.
We are regularly reminded of death; death in wars, famines, accidents and disease. Today many in our spiritual family will die as a result of persecution. Undoubtedly some reading this are presently feeling the "sting" of the recent death of a loved one.
Death is God's appointed method of transition to the afterlife, just as conception and birth are His appointed method of transition into life as we now know it. As William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, wrote, "For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity".
Forthrightly
the writer of
Hebrews
states, "Man
is destined to
die"
(Hebrews
9:27). Of
course we are
aware of the
supernatural
departure of
Enoch and
Elijah, as
well as the
wonderful
promise of the
rapture for
those living
at that time,
however the
norm for most
is death.
In today's second text Paul calls death the "last enemy". We look for encouragement and comfort in the truths and promises of the Holy Scriptures. Death will one day be destroyed. The perishable will be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. Death will be swallowed up in victory. When the old order of things has passed away there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.
Meanwhile we continue to deal with death and grief, but not like those who have no hope, for we have hope based on the Bible's promises. Therefore, we comfort and encourage you all with these words today. When the old order (life as we now know it) passes away, there will indeed be no more death!
The important thing we must each ask ourselves is this, "Am I ready to die"? "Have I accepted the glorious gift of salvation by faith in Christ"? If you've answered "no" to the above soul-searching questions we welcome you to say this salvation prayer from your heart and begin serving Jesus, who declared, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me."
In today's second text Paul calls death the "last enemy". We look for encouragement and comfort in the truths and promises of the Holy Scriptures. Death will one day be destroyed. The perishable will be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. Death will be swallowed up in victory. When the old order of things has passed away there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.
Meanwhile we continue to deal with death and grief, but not like those who have no hope, for we have hope based on the Bible's promises. Therefore, we comfort and encourage you all with these words today. When the old order (life as we now know it) passes away, there will indeed be no more death!
The important thing we must each ask ourselves is this, "Am I ready to die"? "Have I accepted the glorious gift of salvation by faith in Christ"? If you've answered "no" to the above soul-searching questions we welcome you to say this salvation prayer from your heart and begin serving Jesus, who declared, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me."
"Lord
Jesus, I
confess that I
am a sinner
and ask You to
forgive me of
my sins. I
believe that
You came to
this earth and
died on the
cross as a
substitute for
me for my sin
penalty. I
place my faith
in You and
what You have
done for me. I
receive You
into my life
and choose
this day to
follow and
serve You.
Thank You for
hearing my
prayer. Amen."
Be
encouraged
today,
Hebrews
3:13
Stephen
&
Brooksyne
Weber
Daily prayer:
Loving Father,
some of our
readers are
grieving the
death of a
loved one. We
pray that You
speak peace to
these dear
folks and
nurture their
trust, even
helping them
to grow
spiritually in
the midst of
their grief.
May they see
You at work
even when the
answers they
seek are not
the ones they
are given. As
believers we
trust that You
are working
for our good,
even when we
don't
understand,
for we know
that all
things work
together for
good to those
who love You,
who are called
according to
Your purpose.
Help us to
remember that
our sorrows
and
disappointments
have a larger
purpose than
simply to make
us miserable.
These often
come so others
can observe
our response,
to see if we
bear witness
to Christ's
abiding
presence in
our lives, in
the hard stuff
of life.
Remind us that
if we want to
share in Your
glory we must
also share in
Your
sufferings
(Romans 8:17).
We don't get
to choose what
sufferings we
must go
through, but
we do choose
our response;
whether it
glorifies You
or glorifies
our suffering.
Help us we
pray. Amen.* Daily deaths statistic from here.
Down
the road from
our house is
an old
cemetery
established
around 1800.
The lot we
purchased will
be our final
earthly
resting place.
If we die
before the
rapture we
have a place
ready so that
we will rise
with the
saints to meet
Jesus in the
air! Brooksyne
has often told
me when she
walks through
that cemetery
she envisions
the saints
rising from
their graves
when the
trumpet call
of God is
sounded:
"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"
(I
Thessalonians
4:16-17).
We
are blessed at
expressions of
faith on old
tombstones,
but this one
actually posts
a warning to
passersby:
Remember,
friend, as you
pass by
As you are now so once was I.
As I am now so you must be;
Prepare for death and follow me.
As you are now so once was I.
As I am now so you must be;
Prepare for death and follow me.
Brooksyne's
note (followup
from
yesterday's
message):
The first year
we moved here
in 2001 I
wanted to get
involved in
nursing home
ministry as I
have always
enjoyed that
setting and
ministering to
those who are
elderly, even
in my teen
years. One of
the doors God
opened for me
was a Senior
Day Care
Center where
approximately
30 elderly
people were
bused in for
the day.
Another home
schooling
family joined
me in this
ministry where
I played piano
and led out in
hymns for
about an
hour. We
provided large
print hymnals
and the
Seniors
selected about
half of the
hymns
themselves.
A
homeschooling
family from
our church
also got
involved and
their teenage
son played the
guitar.
The
seniors seemed
to really
enjoy our time
together over
a period of
gatherings and
then one
afternoon I
got a phone
call from Mr.
Smith* who
served on the
board of this
Senior Day
Care Center.
He informed me
that the board
had learned
that at my
monthly Hymn
Sing and I was
praying "in
the name of
Jesus". He
alerted me
that there may
possibly be a
Muslim or
other such
individuals
present and
they could be
offended. His
call really
shook me as I
couldn't
imagine
praying
publicly
without
praying in the
name of Jesus.
I informed Mr.
Smith that all
the hymns we
sing are about
Jesus so why
wouldn't I
pray in the
name of Jesus
as well. He
didn't have an
answer but
"graciously"
let me know
that for me to
have this role
I would need
to avoid
praying in the
name of Jesus.
We left it at
that though I
didn't say
that I would
stop doing so
since I could
never do that!
I
thought it
over a few
days and was
ready to
resign from
that position
but decided to
call Earl
Martin who was
a senior
himself at the
time and
former
minister.
After he
learned that I
was leading
hymns at this
particular
center he was
overjoyed. He
let me know
that many had
tried to get
into that
place for
ministry but
were turned
away. Since I
had the
opening to be
there he
counseled me
to stay and
minister. I
took his
advice and
continued to
go and within
a couple of
visits I
prayed just as
I had before
in the name of
Jesus. It was
a little
intimidating
at first as I
was sure in my
heart that one
of the aids in
attendance
must have
informed Mr.
Smith of my
praying in the
name of Jesus.
But God gave
me courage and
nothing more
was said. In
fact, I sought
to win over
this rather
cold nurse's
aid by
reaching out
to her in
kindness and
love. Over
time she
actually came
to me and
asked for
prayer. So,
one never
knows, how God
will equip and
use you if you
remain
obedient to
His leading
and don't
compromise
what you know
to be the
right thing to
do. I stayed
on there about
three years
before I went
on staff at
another
nursing home
doing to the
same thing and
could no
longer work it
in my
schedule.
*Not
his real name
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental
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Weber
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Stephen and
Brooksyne
Weber -
700001-237376
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Encouragement
is our
endorsed
special
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you,
Stephen & Brooksyne
Stephen & Brooksyne
2024
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version and a variety of other versions.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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