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#20230611 - Facing Death - 2 Kings 20:1-3 · Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast

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Welcome to the study of God's word with pastor and author.
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Ed, Taylor recorded live at Calvary Church in Aurora,
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Colorado to learn more about the many resources available,
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through abounding Grace Media or to tune into our live stream
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Services. Visit us online at Calvary, Co
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dot church or download our free Calvary Church app.
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Now, here's Pastor Ed to take us into our study.
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Amen. Would you open your Bibles?
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Please to 2nd Kings chapter 20, second Kings, chapter 20.
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And I've entitled our Bible study today facing death.
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Facing death. We introduced here to a King by
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the name of Hezekiah. And God has used Hezekiah in
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wonderful ways. God has blessed the nation of
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Judah through his leadership, but now it's coming to the end
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of his life here and notice with me in verse 1, it says In those
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days, Hezekiah was sick and near death and Isaiah, the prophet.
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The son of a Moz went to him and said to him thus says the Lord
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set your house in order for you shall die and not live and then
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he turned his face toward the wall and prayed to the Lord
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saying, remember now. Oh Lord, I pray how I've walked
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before you and Truth with a loyal heart and have done.
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What was good in your sight. And as a kaya wept bitterly in
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between verse 3 and verse 20 years a span of 15 years as
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Hezekiah prays, for more time and God grants that to him, but
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eventually he gets to verse 20. Now, the rest of the acts of
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Hezekiah all his might and how he made a pool and a tunnel and
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brought water into the city or are they not written in the book
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of The Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
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And so Hezekiah rested with his father's and then Manasseh, his
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son reigned in his place and God is used as a client, a wonderful
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way in the lives of the nation of Judah.
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And it reminds us how we are blessed when people are brought
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into our lives and they're such an encouragement and strength to
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us. However, it is Painful when they
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leave or pass away or even die. And it reminded me of the time
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in 2013, a very difficult year for us, but part of the
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difficulty of 2013 was not merely the loss of our son,
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Eddie at the age of 27. But also Pastor Chuck Smith died
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that Year and God used him in an extremely way.
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Extremely wonderful way in the lives of so many, including you,
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even if you've never met him before he passed on, and God has
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used him greatly but the Bible teaches us that death comes to
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us all And that death is an enemy.
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That's a true statement. It's painful, it's hard.
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But death is the result of sin. At the same time death reminds
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us of hope that there is a resurrection in 1st Corinthians
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chapter 15 and verse 25. It says for he must Reign until
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he has put all enemies under his feet and The Last Enemy that
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will be destroyed is death. further on in Revelation,
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chapter 21 and verse 4, it speaks of a time where God will
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wipe away every tear from their eyes and there shall be no more
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death, no more sorrow, no more crying There should be no more
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pain for the former things have passed away.
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And so, Hezekiah comes to a time in his life where he is face to
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face with death. And I know when you're reading
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through the Bible, it's easy to read over these phrases, you
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know, maybe you're on a Bible reading plan and you just kind
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of reading through, and we can read quickly pass some phrases
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that are very important and I want you to notice in verse 1,
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it says in those days, what days are those Well, these are days
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of Victory and strength. These are days of God's
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faithfulness of God using Hezekiah and a wonderful way.
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And listen Church, even in times where God is blessing, things
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are moving forward. Great things are happening,
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Godly men and godly. Women are not immune from
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sickness. Or even sickness that brings
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death sometimes God will even use that sickness for his great
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Glory because everyone of us will face death.
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Every one of us will die of our last sickness.
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The Bible is very clear that the wages of sin is death.
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So Hezekiah notice facing death I was told to get his house in
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order. These are wise words.
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Get your house in order. We should live daily with our
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houses in order and not just wait until we get really really
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sick. As a friend, as a pastor.
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Even from personal experience, I want to encourage you to set up
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your wills and your living trust and put down in writing.
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What's important to you, especially for the time which
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hopefully won't happen to you. But none of us really know
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especially for times of what you want to be set on your behalf if
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you're incapacitated or in a coma.
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As we personally witnessed someone in a coma that had
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people speaking for him. Did not did not represent his
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heart. Art.
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Or his desires. And these are important things,
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get your house in order. And if that's all that you came
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to church for today, please take it to heart.
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I know it's hard and I know it's difficult but you want to be
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able to speak up for yourself if in the unfortunate situation?
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That you're unable to do that Hezekiah.
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Get your house in order, be prepared to die.
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And so, for our time today, I want to take you through a
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passage of scripture that will both bring comfort and
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encouragement but also prepare you Prepare you to face this
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biblical topic of life and death.
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Would you turn over to 1st Thessalonians?
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Chapter 4. This is all the way over in the
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New Testament. First Thessalonians chapter 4.
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Why are we talking such a tough topic?
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Today will for a variety of reasons, but in the broad sense
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we know that death is inevitable.
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And we know the Bible has much to say about life and death.
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And while we spent a lot of our time and attention on life,
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Ecclesiastes chapter 3 and verse 1 says to everything, there is a
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season, a time for every purpose under Heaven, a time to be born,
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and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to
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pluck. What was planted in Acts chapter
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17 and verse 26. It says, and he has made from
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one blood every nation of men, too.
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Dwell on all the face of the Earth and has determined their
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pre appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation.
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And it's interesting if you study different websites apps of
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pastors that teach the Bible or teach from the Bible that we
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find. A lot of Bible studies about
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life. And so much teaching about
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Christian Living but there's not much teaching on Christian dying
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but like the Believers in this city of thessalonica we to now
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need to be reminded and taught on Christian dying.
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Paul the Apostle, which by the way, we're just meeting for the
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first time in the book of Acts, we're meeting in these early
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stages of his life. As he's transformed, God, does a
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massive work in his life. Unbelievable.
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We don't have time to go into the depths of it.
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Although we've studied some of it so far, but by the time he
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writes to this church in thessalonica, I want you to see
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how God has cultivated in him. A pastor's heart and he writes
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like a true Shepherd. So the church and to the
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Believers in this city, they'd experienced loss, great loss and
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Paul inspired by God. Thought it was very important
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for these new Believers to understand the realities of
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death and to understand what happens after death.
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The Bible again, says, in Hebrews, 9:27 that it's
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appointed once for a Min to die, but after this the judgment and
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it's important that you understand what happens after
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death Church, Paul this pastor and Shepherd is writing to
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comfort brokenhearted, Christians who had lost some of
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their loved ones to death. They are new believers.
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They're newer in their faith. You could say that they haven't
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read through the whole Bible yet.
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And you can say I very clearly because at this point, the whole
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Bible hadn't been written their new to the faith are new in.
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This transformative work, they have heard.
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They spent three weeks as all that Paul had with them, three
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weeks, he taught them the entirety of what he knew.
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And after three weeks, he left and they continued on and in the
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time that Paul had left many of their loved ones had died, and
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they were confused. And they were uncertain.
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And as like, any death notice notification comes, it's like a
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kick in the gut where you lose your equilibrium and you start
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to consider and question. And that's where they are.
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They're concerned. They're concerned about what is
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going to happen to those that they love their concerned about
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the coming of the Lord, that they misunderstand.
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Paul, they weren't certain and so the poor church is hurting
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and rustling with hopelessness. hopelessness, you know, when you
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lose someone close to you, And someone dies that you love,
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there's a lot of questions that come up.
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These are very common, very normal questions, like why?
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And then you can add to that why?
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Now Why him? Why her you might even come to
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God with. Why me?
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Well, I have to go through this again and again.
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Are you punishing me God? And many of the why questions?
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And the what questions? And the how questions are very
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hard to answer? And yet there are answers to
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these questions that can Comfort us.
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I believe that there's no specific answer that will bring
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you complete Comfort because death is a enemy.
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And it's Max us around at times, reminding us to place our full
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faith and trust in God, you'll see right away.
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If you want to draw with me, in verse 13, I draw your attention
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in chapter 4 of first Thessalonians chapter 13.
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Paul says, I don't want you to be ignorant, Brethren
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concerning, those who have fallen asleep.
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Lest you sorrow as others? Who have no hope.
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For the believer in Jesus Christ, the born-again man and
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woman, you have hope in Jesus Christ.
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It is not a hopeless, experience to lose, someone to death.
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You have a hope, you don't sorrow like those who have no
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hope, but you sorrow. Nonetheless, We refer to that
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often as grieving and mourning as well.
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See some of the ingredients of grieving in just a moment.
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But your sorrow is different because it's rooted in the hope
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of the resurrection of being reunited with those who have
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died in Christ before you. And here, the church in
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thessalonica were all mixed up because of noticed that word in
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verse 13, they were ignorant. It's really unfortunate in the
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day in which we live. The word.
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Ignorant is used as a pejorative term to put someone down and to
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make fun of someone. But it in its own definition in
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a very simple place and certainly Paul is not using it
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this way. The word just simply means, you
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don't know You lock knowledge. It's not an insult.
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It's shouldn't be used that way. It just means, you don't know.
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You don't understand. And it was because of their lack
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of knowledge that made things harder than they were.
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They didn't know what was going to happen after death.
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They listen to the Bible studies but really didn't pay attention
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until it happened and then they're like, I don't remember,
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I don't know. And so Paul just says I don't
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want you to be ignorant. I'm going to remind you of some
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things. I'm going to teach you a few
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things that will bring back a foundation by which you can
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handle this hurt and this Pain, and this difficulty.
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It says, in verse 14, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose
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again, even so God will bring with him.
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Those who sleep in Jesus, for this, we say to you by the word
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of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the
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coming of the Lord will, by no means precede those.
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Who are asleep? I love this again.
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You reading through the Bible very quickly, you may miss that
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phrase in verse 15. He says, for this, we say to
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you, by the word of the Lord, it is the word of the Lord, that
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gives you a strong basis for Faith and a foundation on which
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to build your life. Paul's answer in times of
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difficulty, Paul's answer in this sudden, departure of loved
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ones was based upon the word of God, that's where your hope is.
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And your strength is In church, you hear it week after week and
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month after month and year. After year the importance for
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you to base your life upon the word of God for you to read the
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Bible and pray everyday. Because there are those times
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where you just don't know what you need when you need until you
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need. And certainly sudden death is
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one of those times. It always feels sudden, doesn't
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it? Even if it's a long period of
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illness, we always refer to death as untimely.
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It's always untimely it just hits the wrong way.
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It's so Bittersweet where there's a part of us where we're
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relieved and we're happy if someone was suffering or going
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through something at the same time we're grieving and mourning
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for our own loss, but it's always untimely.
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But understand this, it's not untimely, in the eyes of God in
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Psalm 139, it speaks of the Days of Our Lives being already
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written in fashion for us. And while we experience it so
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sudden and so difficult, it's not anything that's taken God by
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surprise. How do we know that by the word
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of the Lord? It's the word of the Lord, that
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will give you the comfort in the strength.
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And those times when you have no Comfort or strength, we don't
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need to worry or to wonder about death, or life after death.
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Because we have the relation revelation of God, in his word,
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we have the word of the Lord in 2nd Corinthians, chapter 5 and
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verse 1. It says for, we know that if our
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Earthly house this tent is destroyed, we have a building
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from God a house not made with hands.
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Eternal in the heavens for in this weak groan earnestly.
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Desiring to be clothed with our habitation, which is from
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heaven. We have an absolute certainty
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with the revelation of God, that we will be with him for
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eternity. That's a long time.
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That your life is swallowed up in Christ, and he promises you
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eternal life. But unfortunately, people take
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advantage of the vulnerability that death brings into a
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person's life and they write these books with Vain
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speculations, and they've seen the light and they've returned
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and they come back with all these fanciful weird and false
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stories. I'm amazed to see so many people
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listen to the words of those who say they died and came back to
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came back to tell us about it but at the same time they reject
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the words of Jesus Christ, they are false teachers indeed.
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If you want comfort and encouragement in your time of
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loss and grieving and bereavement, it's found in a
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personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
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He declares that he alone is the resurrection and the life, he
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who believes in me, he says, though he may die.
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He shall live and whoever lives and Believes In Me, shall never
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die. And then he looks.
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And he says, do you believe this everything hinges in your life
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on whether you believe that Jesus Christ is the resurrection
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and the life? Jesus is alive today, calling
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many people to himself. Why would you settle for empty
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religion? Why would you settle for
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dabbling in religious things and saying you're real?
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If you need the real thing Church you need a real repentant
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heart turning away from your sins and receiving the Lord
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Jesus, as your personal savior. You need it.
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You don't know the day of your death.
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You don't know how fast things can change.
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Notice. Notice with me.
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I got a little passionate about that, didn't I?
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I felt I was pity my Bible. That's like, pounding the
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pulpit, you know, I think I got passionate about it because I am
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passionate about it. This is, this is reality.
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I may not get to share the gospel with you again and you
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need to know this God. So loved you that he sent his
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only begotten. Son, that whosoever that would
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be you. He so loved you that he sent his
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only son for you. That if you will believe in him,
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you will not perish, but have everlasting life.
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That is the Message, you need to hear today that you would turn
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away from your sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
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I mean it with all my heart. That's the only thing you need.
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You don't need your problem solved.
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You don't need your loved ones back.
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You need a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
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You need to at firm your creator in him.
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I want you to notice Paul, he describes death as sleep.
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Did you notice that? He used that twice.
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He says in verse 13, those who have fallen asleep and then
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verse 14, those who sleep in Jesus.
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That's how the Bible describes death and it's an appropriate
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description. Looking at someone who's died at
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their body. It's like they're asleep.
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And the idea here is the body, not the The sole.
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So, please don't allow someone to take you here and teach you
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some false thing about Soul sleep like that.
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After you die, you go into some kind of limbo and you cease to
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exist and then you exist, you don't.
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Your soul doesn't go to sleep. This is a reference and a
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description of the body. It's a common phrase.
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Remember the New Testament is written in the Greek language.
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It's a common phrase to describe death.
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Fallen asleep. It's actually a phrase that
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Jesus himself uses if you'd like to turn with me, go over to John
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chapter 11, Jesus Christ uses the same, exact phrase, to
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describe a man who physically died.
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It's a euphemism or an idiomatic phrase, or a metaphor.
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It's a picture that describes. Death and here Jesus uses the
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same phrase in verse 11 of John chapter 11 when he says these
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things, he said and after that, he said to them our friend
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Lazarus sleeps. But I go that I might wake him
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up Lazarus was dead, and he was about to be brought back to
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life, but as Jesus describes it, he uses the word sleep, even in
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the Old Testament similar. Roses are used to describe debt,
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we read of the death of King David.
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In First Kings, chapter 2, verse 10, where it says, David rested
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with his father's and was buried in the city of David, or in the
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Old King James, it says, David slept with his father's and was
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buried in the city of David. As Christians, we use the term
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for death, this term sleep or asleep because it reminds us
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that it's only temporary. Death is not the end.
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But the beginning our last breath on Earth is our first
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breath in eternity. The body rests until the
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resurrection in Daniel chapter 12 and verse 2.
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It says many of those who sleep in the dust of the Earth shall
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awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and
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everlasting contempt those who are wise So shine like the
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brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to
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righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
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And it's interesting, you know the term sleep or asleep to
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refer to death as almost like the body takes a nap, it's going
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to sleep and it will wake up soon as it's reunited with the
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soul in the spirit and I was thinking you know as far as when
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we were younger as kids you know we just fought taking naps like
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you wouldn't believe like they're over.
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There is no way we didn't like them, we weren't interested in
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stopping and resting we wouldn't want to stop playing but now
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that we got a few years on us, I'll take a nap Anytime I can
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possibly get it. How about you?
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It's like, I'll take as much sleep as I possibly can.
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Hey look, a Christian doesn't have to fear death or taking a
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nap, any more than fearing the Christian is not to take, excuse
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me, a Christian doesn't have to fear death anymore than taking a
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nap because you will wake up, your will wake up.
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Sleepy is this sleep as a reference to the soul and not
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the body. Paul.
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Or makes it clear that, when a Believer dies, his soul goes to
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be with the Lord. Second Corinthians chapter 5, we
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were always confident knowing that, while we are at home in
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the body, we are absent from the Lord.
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Jesus told, the thief on the cross, next to him.
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Remember, Jesus said, assuredly, I say to you today.
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You will be with me in paradise and it's true.
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The body remains on this Earth but the real person is with the
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Lord because you are not your body, the real you Who is
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something outside of that show? Which is good news.
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It's good to know. We won't have to live in this
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body forever. The real, you will have a
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different body forever and ever, that is the promise of the Lord,
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you will be given a new body. This body will finish its
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function and the need for it as we live on this Earth and then
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you and I are promised a new body, no more aches, no more
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pains, no more snap crackle and pop as you walk down the stairs,
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no more. Cancer, no, more sickness, no
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more covid, no more nothing. You'll be delivered, from it,
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all in the presence of the Lord. Do we look at a person and say
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that he or she died? It's more accurate to say that
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he or she moved that in Christ. They were promoted.
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And Paul says here, don't sorrow as those who have no hope
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because there is hope, wonderful, hope in the Lord.
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Now, remember, in the first century, it was a very hopeless
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existence paganism, which was rampid, which was the religion
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of the day paganism, you would understand paganism.
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You know, if you try to understand it today, it would be
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very similar what's happening today, anything but Jesus
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Christ, anything. But the one true God, but
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paganism had a sense of worshipping.
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The Earth worshipping idolatry worshipping possessions in
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Anything but surrendering your life to Jesus.
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You know the Greeks had deified just about everything by the
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time Paul gets to Athens. Remember he was looking around.
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He says look I see you guys. You have a God, you have gods
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for just about everything in anything, but I want to, you
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also notice you had this one Idol.
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You had this one Idol. That was dedicated to the
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unknown. God, let me explain that.
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Unknown. God to you, and he began to
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share with them the truth of the one true God.
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In the face of death, the Pagan World stood, in despair.
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It's not very different today. As I quote to you some of the
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Philosopher's listen to how they approached death.
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One philosopher wrote, once a man dies, there's no
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Resurrection. There's no hope in that.
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Another philosopher rights in the first century there is hope
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for those who are alive, but those who have died or without
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hope, no, they readily admit that they live without hope.
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Another philosopher wrote, When wants our brief light sets there
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is one Perpetual night through which we must sleep.
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And on their tombstones in the first century, Grim epithet as
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were carved. I was not, I became, I am not,
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and I care. Not, we have our modern-day
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philosophers today, I don't know if you noticed in the news, just
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in the last couple days in the hopelessness of all that's going
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on in our culture globally. Economically politically we have
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the modern-day philosopher. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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He decides for some reason to speak up on the topic of life
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and death and I didn't pull up the quote.
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I forgot to do it in between services but his quote generally
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said, don't tell me there's any afterlife and laces it with
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explicit explicit expletives and every like, don't you tell me
27:20
there's any afterlife. Well, thank you, Arnold
27:23
Schwarzenegger. That's a lot of Hope.
27:28
What have you done with your life, play act the whole time?
27:32
You're just an actor, you don't even live in reality so that
27:37
when you're forced to live in reality You.
27:40
What do you have to offer hopelessness?
27:44
Let me just say today to anyone listening, you won't be able to
27:49
play act your way out of death. And neither, will you be able to
27:53
play act your way out of standing before God and give me
27:56
an account for the life that he gave to you.
28:00
So be careful Church who you listen to, we don't have to be
28:03
in the first century to live in a hopeless existence it's all
28:06
around us. When Paul says to be careful of
28:11
Sorrow, he's not saying that death won't bring sorrow and
28:14
grief, it will and it does, but it's a different kind of Sorrow
28:19
because we have Hope Church. There is an afterlife, you will
28:26
give account for your life. The Bible speaks of the great
28:29
white Throne judgment, where the books will be open and your life
28:34
will be judged. By the singular work.
28:39
Of what have you done with his son?
28:41
Jesus Christ. For the believer, we have a
28:44
different judgment, our life will be examined, not at the
28:48
great white Throne judgment. But at the bema seat judgment,
28:51
where are the motives? And the intents of our hearts
28:54
will be measured before God for what we have done in his name.
28:59
And the you know the surprising thing about the bema seat
29:02
judgment is that many things that we have done well actually
29:05
be rewarded. Like we did it for the right
29:08
reasons. We did it with the right
29:10
motives. I'm sure will be surprised.
29:13
And many times, we didn't have the right motives and you know
29:15
what God used us. Nonetheless, you have hope you
29:19
will not stand before the great white, Throne judgment.
29:22
Because Jesus Christ took the guilt and the shame in the pain.
29:25
In the penalty, he took the wrath of God upon himself, as he
29:29
died on that cross for you and anyone that will place their
29:33
faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible again says that there
29:38
is a time to weep and there is a time to laugh, a time to mourn
29:41
and a time to dance and Jesus put to rest.
29:45
The thought that grown men don't cry.
29:50
You know, the time that Jesus is described in John's gospel
29:55
again, chapter 11 at the same place, he talked about Lazarus
29:59
being asleep as he refers to him having died.
30:04
The Bible has Jesus recorded as weeping uncontrollably.
30:11
At this scene, of Lazarus, death, and the mourners, and the
30:14
criers, and the horrible scene around death.
30:19
He was touched by human emotion but also grieving at the effects
30:23
of death. And the effects of sin.
30:28
What it does to us in our core. But even so in the depth of pain
30:33
we have hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.
30:37
We have hope that God will get us through today.
30:41
And if you get us through today, then you'll get us through
30:43
tomorrow. If grief is a big part of your
30:47
life, I want to encourage you email me this week.
30:52
Email me today. I'll check it later today.
30:56
And ask for the information. I've collected over the last 10
30:59
years. On this topic of grief, it'll be
31:01
a great help to you and all it won't take me very long.
31:05
So don't worry about me being busy or anything.
31:07
I will respond and I'll send you all the links things that you
31:11
can read and print out. After my son Eddie passed away.
31:14
I started writing on Grief in those depth of the really
31:18
difficult days. It was very helpful to me to get
31:21
it out and make it available and I can send you the links for
31:24
those as well. Because there is hope because
31:27
you might be listening to me, right now.
31:28
I'm thinking, but it just happened.
31:30
And I don't believe there's hope.
31:34
I just don't believe you what you're saying right now.
31:38
And that's because you're hurting.
31:40
And I don't judge you for feeling that way, it's hard.
31:44
It's sorrowful. If our own Savior and God in
31:48
human flesh, would we convulsively over the loss of
31:54
Lazarus and Mary and Martha. And everyone in that town.
31:57
That was affected and of course, you're going to hurt. you know,
32:02
people spend their life studying these things and providing help
32:05
and counseling in grief and they say there's predictable stages
32:11
to grief that have expanded over the years When you lose someone,
32:16
it starts with this immediate feeling of tearing away.
32:22
It's, there's a ripping that takes place and you know, you
32:26
can't push it down and ignore it.
32:28
Although I know many of you have tried, but here's the problem.
32:31
If you don't face it head-on, just Allowing God to bring you
32:34
the comfort, you need and you press it down in pressing.
32:37
It's going to come out. And the longer you wait to
32:43
acknowledge it at the very least just acknowledge it and make
32:46
yourself open to the work of the Holy Spirit.
32:49
If you push it down, it's going to explode.
32:53
It's going to do greater damage in the long term.
32:57
Instead of just facing it. Today.
33:01
They say, the first stage of grief is denial, denial.
33:06
You start thinking things like this, can't be happening.
33:09
It's all a dream. I didn't hear what I said.
33:12
I didn't read the text properly. I've read a few texts twice, you
33:18
know. And then shock settles in.
33:22
You start feeling guilt. If I only would have been there,
33:26
if I could have helped. Maybe I could have prayed more.
33:31
not been deceived or whole host of things.
33:37
And then they say the next stage is anger.
33:41
Or blame? Why didn't the doctors do this?
33:45
Why did you allow this God? I wish I could have been there
33:50
sooner. And then there Comes A Time of
33:54
depression. Your feelings are coming to the
33:58
surface and sorrow grips, your heart.
34:02
And then they say there's a time of acceptance, we finally coming
34:07
to terms with the reality. And then hope. and then
34:13
continuing, It's all very fairly I should say predictable and
34:19
very normal even though it's not necessarily in each everybody,
34:24
Grieves differently, you need to know that you can't compare your
34:28
grief for your morning with others because other situations
34:32
and difficult even in the same loss, everybody Grieves
34:35
differently. And so you have to be careful if
34:37
you're one of those if you have more of a sensitive approach,
34:40
you know, you more sensitive and softer and your personality that
34:44
you would be tending to Beat yourself up because you're not
34:47
feeling a certain way or don't. Don't make it worse for
34:50
yourself. Sometimes they happen
34:53
successively sometimes they happen on top of each other.
34:55
Sometimes that you skip a few steps.
34:58
You just trust the Lord. Grieving and mourning is real
35:02
and it's normal. When the Hebrews buried their
35:04
dead, They Mourn for over a month, the Egyptians 70 days.
35:10
Remember Jacob, we're studying this on Wednesday nights.
35:13
Jake, we're going to get there in a few weeks, but when Jacob
35:16
considers, that he might lose his son, Joseph, he tore his
35:20
clothes. It says, in Genesis 37.
35:22
He put sackcloth on his waist and mourn for his son, many
35:27
days. We David when his son Absalom
35:32
when he lost his son and Report came back to him, it says in 2nd
35:36
Samuel 18, the King was deeply moved and went up to the
35:39
chamber, over the gate, and he wept.
35:42
And as he when he said the, so my son Absalom, my son Absalom,
35:46
if only I had died in your place.
35:48
So Absalom, my son, my son. Many of you are familiar with
35:55
Martin Luther, he's considered the father of the Reformation of
36:01
protestantism. He was a good father, you know,
36:04
not much is said about this part of his life, his sturdy Spirit,
36:09
which could face an emperor at war.
36:13
Was almost broken by the death of his precious daughter
36:15
Magdalena at the age of 14. God he said was given no Bishop.
36:22
So great, a gift in a thousand years as he's given me and her.
36:27
Martin Luther prayed night and day for her recovery.
36:30
From sickness unto death. I love her very much.
36:34
He said, but dear God, if it's Thai.
36:36
Holy will to take her. I would gladly leave her gladly,
36:40
leave her with thee. And he said to her Lena dear, my
36:44
little daughter thou was love to remain here with thy father.
36:48
Art thy willing to go to thy other father Yes dear father.
36:53
Leaner answered just as God wills and when she died he wept
37:00
long and bitterly. And as she was laid in the
37:04
Earth. He spoke to her as a living
37:08
soul. He spoke a few words in German
37:12
but they were recording in English.
37:14
You will rise and shine like the stars and the Sun.
37:18
How strange it is to know that she is at peace and all is well,
37:23
and yet to be so sorrowful grief and mourning is normal and
37:29
nothing to be suppressed. Paul says, in verse 14 here in
37:36
1st Thessalonians, if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
37:41
even so God will bring with him. Those who sleep in Jesus.
37:45
This is confidence belief and Faith brings confidence in the
37:50
truths of God's word. The word.
37:52
If here, The word if or here in the new King James for.
37:58
If this phrase is so important, it is the hinge of Our Hope.
38:05
If you believe then you have hope but if not then you are in
38:12
trouble. Death is inevitable.
38:17
Every one of us will die. And along the way, the longer we
38:22
live, many of those that we love.
38:25
We'll die before us. You know, as you have in your
38:30
life, many men and women. Perhaps even boys and girls that
38:34
have died before you and gone to be with the Lord, you know, your
38:36
heart tends to follow them. Remember what Jesus said where
38:41
your treasure is there, your heart will also be and where
38:45
your heart will follow. And, you know, you just think of
38:47
the more men and women have gone before us to be with the Lord,
38:50
the more, our hearts are in heaven.
38:53
The more we think of heavenly things.
38:57
As Hezekiah was told to prepare. Get your house in order.
39:03
Amos told a whole nation. Prepare to meet your God o
39:07
Israel. That's my word to you today.
39:12
Be ready. Be prepared.
39:16
Be prepared. Spiritually first receive the
39:19
Lord Jesus Christ for the Forgiveness of your sins and
39:22
please I beg you be prepared. Practically.
39:25
You never want to be put in a place where Marie and I were put
39:28
ever never ever. Get your Wills in your living,
39:33
trust written down. So that in writing your voice
39:38
could be heard. And spoken on your behalf.
39:44
Prepare to meet your God, o Israel.
39:47
Dr. Donald grey, barnhouse was one of the America's greatest
39:51
preachers. His first wife died from cancer
39:55
when she was in her 30s. Left him with three children
40:00
under the age of 12 to raise barnhouse chose to preach the
40:04
funeral himself. What does a father?
40:08
Tell this motherless children at a time like this.
40:12
On his way to the service this children in the car he was
40:15
driving when a large truck passed them by on the highway
40:20
casting a deep dark shadow over the car.
40:25
And that was then where he knew what he needed to share with
40:27
this kids. He turned to his oldest daughter
40:30
who was staring out the window, unable to be consoled and asked
40:35
her tell me sweetheart, would you rather be run over by that
40:40
truck? Or its shadow.
40:43
And the little girl looked curiously at her dad and said,
40:47
well by the shadow, I guess, it can't hurt you.
40:51
And it was then that her dad said, quietly to the three
40:55
children, your mom is not been overrun by death but by the
41:00
shadow of death, and that is nothing to fear and at the
41:05
funeral dr. Bound barnhouse used the text
41:08
from the 23rd psalm, which so eloquently expresses.
41:12
This truth, would you turn there with me?
41:13
And I want to close, please. Don't leave.
41:17
As we close the service. And I share with you so I'm 23
41:21
and we'll read it together. Psalm 23, probably many of, you
41:32
know it by heart but I want to read it.
41:35
So we get it exact. It says, the Lord is my
41:38
shepherd. I shall not want He makes me to
41:42
lie down in Green Pastures and he leads me beside the Still
41:45
Waters. He restores my soul and leads me
41:51
in the paths of righteousness for his namesake yay though.
41:55
I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.
41:58
I will fear no evil for you are with me, your rod and your
42:03
staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in
42:07
the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil, my
42:11
cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall
42:15
follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the
42:19
house of the Lord. Forever.
42:27
There's a devotional titled the power of Prayer by Ian bounds.
42:33
This is the devotion for this morning.
42:38
The title of it is sufferings. In the scripture that's
42:43
referenced is Romans 8:18. I consider that our present
42:49
sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that
42:52
will reveal be revealed in us. And here is the devotional.
42:58
Paul used the word sufferings to describe the Troubles of life in
43:02
the comforting passage where each contrasted life's troubles
43:06
to final glory in heaven, which shall be the reward of all who
43:11
patiently endure until the end. Further.
43:14
He spoke of the afflictions that come to the people of God in
43:17
this world and he regarded them as nearly weightless when
43:21
compared to the weight of Glory awaiting.
43:24
All who are a submissive Patient and faithful in all their
43:29
troubles. God make me patient and faithful
43:33
servant so that your glory may be revealed in me.
43:37
Amen. This is Pastor a Vance favorite
43:41
devotional. If you ever interacted with a
43:44
vaunt you ever had the opportunity to serve with him if
43:47
you ever talk to him, if he ever shared anything with you, most
43:51
likely the conversation would end or end up somewhere talking
43:56
about ATM bounds. Avon was a man of prayer, a
44:01
passionate man of prayer. He's the very first pastor we
44:04
ever brought on our team whose sole focus on our team was to
44:09
keep our minds and attention on prayer.
44:14
Yesterday morning. No doubt.
44:15
Avon woke up and read this Devo. This was yesterday's In the
44:22
title of, the of the Devo is cleaning.
44:26
Faith woman. You have great faith.
44:29
Your request is granted. Matthew chapter 15 verse 28, the
44:34
Canaanite woman, gives a glimpse of her clean faith, and her
44:37
spiritual Insight. The master went to the sidonians
44:41
country so that this truth could be shown for all time.
44:45
There is no cry as effective as persistent prayer, and there is
44:48
no prayer to which God surrenders.
44:50
Himself so fully and so freely. The Persistence of this
44:55
distressed mother brought about her request.
44:58
Instead of being an offense to the Savior, it drew from him, a
45:01
word of Wonder, and glad surprise, and the summary was
45:05
dear Lord, please increase my faith and help me to pray
45:09
persistently. Amen.
45:14
Last night during service. It's 712.
45:18
I believed to be exact I received a text that I didn't
45:23
read right away because I was teaching at the time 712.
45:28
It was a text from Barb Ramsey, a Vance wife and I'm glad I
45:34
didn't see it in the Pulpit at the time.
45:36
But I after service I noticed I had a lot of different texts
45:39
than I'd sent a text out to the staff and encouragement thing to
45:43
our whole team yesterday. So I'm getting a lot of
45:45
responses from that so I didn't really look at it until I was I
45:48
felt like at a red light Chambers and Parker when I pull
45:51
out my phone and I'm going to look at it and I received note
45:56
that event went to the hospital. It was an emergency yesterday
46:00
afternoon. He had an aortic aneurysm and
46:04
the docks were trying to stabilize him.
46:06
Now for surgery, I'll keep you informed, please pray for him.
46:11
And so, I went home. I text her before the red light
46:15
changed, they let me call me right away.
46:17
I even called her on the way and I didn't hear from her on my way
46:20
home. So, I ended up going home and
46:23
sending out a note to the pastor's.
46:25
Hey, a Vance in the hospital and everybody's going.
46:28
Should we go to the hospital? I don't know yet, but my son
46:31
took that Pastor Josh, my son took that text and he started
46:35
calling hospitals to find out where the event was and we found
46:38
the hospital and I rushed over to say, The Joe's, she's a hard
46:42
Hospital be at and I was there I Drivin by the, ER, there and I
46:48
saw it Barb and I saw her his her son's.
46:51
So, I parked all crooked and ran in before I lost him in the Maze
46:55
of that hospital and event was in surgery.
46:59
And so we spent the day there, since spent some hours Pastor
47:03
ever it showed up as well and spend some time on joking and
47:07
laughing and talking about a van and he was going to undergo a A
47:10
5-hour surgery at the minimum and she they went upstairs to
47:15
the waiting room and said, go ahead and go home.
47:18
I'll text you on after he's out of surgery and he's got surgery
47:23
and then a couple days and I see you in a couple of weeks in In
47:29
recovery and and so you know you go to bed like that and you
47:35
don't sleep at night and I told her text me you know go ahead
47:39
and text me if it's good but if it's if anything happens
47:42
emergency wise you got to call me.
47:43
So my phone will ring and it'll wake me up.
47:45
And so I've been up, you know, all night looking and looking
47:49
looking and I oh, I woke up to one of the times.
47:53
I woke up, I looked at my phone and it was a text message and I
47:57
read it. But then I had to read it a
47:59
second time and I have no other way to share this with you.
48:03
Then in person to let, you know that Pastor a vat, went home to
48:06
be with the Lord at 4:00 this morning and he didn't come out
48:10
of surgery. You know, if you we have a
48:15
picture of him if you, that's posture a van and Barb.
48:20
And now, what a gift? The ramseys are to our church
48:25
and and, You know. He's absent from the body and
48:32
he's present with the Lord and we're going to miss him.
48:36
If you ever got a chance to have them a part of your life.
48:39
And I mean, he's just one of those guys that and, you know,
48:42
Marie saw this picture and she's like, man, he was always a good
48:46
sport with things too. Ha ha ha.
48:48
He wasn't much of a cowboy but he played the part for us.
48:52
I think that was maybe a servant appreciation was on so you made
48:55
him do it. So, we were there last night
49:01
talking and just reminiscing, and I was looking through the
49:04
pictures of the event to choose some pictures that picture to
49:10
share with you. And we're talking about, you
49:13
know, Avon wasn't an angry man at all.
49:16
Never really got angry. I never really saw him super
49:18
angry myself ever, pretty close to him.
49:22
Never saw him angry, but we were talking because the boys were
49:24
there, he has to grow adult sons event jr.
49:27
And Michael. And we were talking about just
49:31
life and one of the topics came up, what that whenever a vat was
49:35
upset around the house because you know, how things are in the
49:37
house little different than in public when he was, he was
49:40
upset, he wouldn't really say it much but they knew he was set by
49:44
two different things. One is, he would start humming a
49:46
song, No song in particular because I asked what song is
49:50
all, he would just make it up along the way and they would
49:53
hear him hum and they would say, oh, I think think your dad's
49:57
upset about something. Yeah, I think he is another
50:00
thing he would do and I don't know if to what degree anger it
50:03
was but he would sing hymns around the house.
50:06
And if they just heard a bat singing, hymns out of the blue
50:09
or even sometimes Michael is sitting next to me said
50:12
sometimes he would sing a Motown hit so maybe he was really upset
50:16
and but he would sing hymns. And you know, that was a
50:21
beautiful thing, we're going to end service today singing A Hymn
50:25
in his honor. But if you know, a vat, he
50:29
loved, Jesus Christ, and he loved you, this church, he loved
50:35
this church and I mean, he was only on our team part time
50:40
because he had other things he was doing.
50:42
So he was a part-time part but you wouldn't know that by the
50:45
time that he invested here, he was here all the time.
50:49
All the time he was here. The only thing he loved you
50:53
know, only thing I miss. How can I say this right?
50:55
He loved Jesus. Yes.
50:57
And then he loved Barb and then he loved his boys, but then came
51:02
the grandkids. And when the grandkids came
51:06
notice we have, I have a picture of each time.
51:08
He just sent this to me last week, so there is one of them.
51:12
And then his next one, here, Avon and his grandkids.
51:19
We didn't see him so much around here anymore.
51:22
And we would find out. Hey, what are you doing?
51:24
What are you doing? I well, I'm with the grandkids.
51:26
It's my day for the grandkids and all of a sudden that day
51:29
became two days and sometimes three days a week, he'd be with
51:32
the grandkids. He was a gentle giant indeed.
51:36
Just such a wonderful man, a man of integrity.
51:40
And it was interesting how everything changed, you know
51:42
this morning because this statement get your house in
51:46
order. I was looking through the
51:48
pictures and I was looking. I'm like, was he at the He had
51:52
our last pastors getaway which was just a while ago.
51:55
So I look at the picture and he wasn't in the picture and as I'm
51:58
looking at it I couldn't remember like I just couldn't
52:01
remember. I'm like hey Josh, where was a
52:03
town in Joshua reminded? Me he said well, he stayed home
52:07
And I was lucky. I remember now he told me
52:09
exactly why, you know, he stayed home from our pastors getaway,
52:12
which we only do really wants a year.
52:14
It's kind of our time to get away and have some fun and just
52:17
goof off together and he loved to have fun super competitive.
52:22
Didn't like to lose that kind of guy.
52:24
We love them. I love that he lost a lot but
52:26
that's okay. We love them.
52:28
Nonetheless. And here's why he wasn't with
52:31
us, he was at home with his wife cleaning out the house and he
52:37
told me exactly why he was cleaning out the house in the
52:40
basement and everything is because there's a lot of stuff
52:43
there and he said he didn't want to leave it for his wife and his
52:46
kids to have to go through all this stuff after he died.
52:51
And that's the kind of man. He was it wasn't a premonition.
52:54
He wasn't talking about that. He felt like he was going to die
52:56
or it was just a part of who he was.
53:00
And so Church. Sometimes we have to take a
53:04
detour. Sometimes we have to talk about
53:07
hard things from the pulpit, we have to allow the Holy Spirit to
53:10
comfort us and prepare us. And you know, there's a part of
53:15
me like almost immediately. I want to apologize for having
53:18
to, but I'm not I'm not in any way apologetic that I talk to
53:22
you today about life and death. And share just a little bit of
53:27
the life of a van and let you hear it from from us.
53:31
Personally, we're going to send an email out later and we're
53:34
going to send information but something like this.
53:36
This is the first we've never experienced this before like
53:39
this ever as a church. We've gone through a lot of
53:42
grief and a lot of heartache and a lot of difficulty.
53:44
But this is another first but the Lord is going to help us
53:47
through these things. He's going to remind us of his
53:50
hope and he's going to give us the strength that we need for
53:53
today. While infusing in a Hope for
53:55
tomorrow. So would you please stand with
53:57
me? We were able to make it through
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the first service and I think we'll be able to make it
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through. But in case we don't, if we
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aren't able to make it through the song, you just keep singing.
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The lyrics will be up there. We're going to sing the hymn How
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Great Thou Art. We're going to remember the
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great and glorious God of, which a van is in the presence of the
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Lord, as many of your loved ones are as well.
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If he It won't be the last time we experience loss on this
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Earth. It won't be the last time we'll
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be sad together. But we learn how to weep with
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those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.
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And so I commend you today to the grace of God, to his
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goodness and his faithfulness, and please be in prayer for Barb
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events wife. His son a van Junior, his son,
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Michael and forgive me. I can't remember the names of
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the girl babies, but there's a grandkids, he has two grandkids,
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and, and we'll get through this together.
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I know. It might open some wounds for
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you as well because it's always at the surface, right?
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But the best way to live your life is in reality.
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You don't want to play Act. Play-acting is going to lead you
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to all kinds of philosophical nonsense.
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That's not going to route your life in the foundation of the
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truth of God's word and his faithfulness.
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So it's okay to live in reality, and it's okay to be sad.
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It's okay. Even to be happy.
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Some of you are like, man. I'm so glad a vad.
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All he talked about was Heaven. Well, now, he's there.
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It's bittersweet. We're happy for him, and sat for
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us, but soon enough. Will be with him in glory and
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we'll be at follow our knees and we will worship the King of
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Kings and the Lord of lords. Casting our crowns down Before
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the Throne of God forever to be with him.
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So let's sing this hymn together, and that's how we're
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going to in our service. when I see the eye rolling, that's
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how through Then sings my soul. My savior God to thee.
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How Great Thou Art? How great.
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How great is my soul? My savior God to thee.
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How Great Thou Art? How great when I think.
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And when I say that God, his son, not sparing, sent him to
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die. I scarce can take it in that on
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the cross. My burden plan.
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At the very he bled and died to take away my soul.
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Sings. My soul then sings my soul.
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My savior God, How great. Now I
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have your God to thee. when Christ shall come, when Crush,
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Wish I'll surpass acclamation and take me home.
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What? Joy then I shout in Humble
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adoration and there Proclaim my God.
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How great thou art then sings my soul.
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Nice. We sing How Great Thou Art, how
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great. Wow.
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Sings. My Soul Is Mine.
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How great? And we urge you Brethren to
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recognize those who labor among you. and are over you in the
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Lord and admonish you And to esteem them.
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Very highly in love for their Works sake.
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Be at peace among yourselves. now, we exhort you Brethren,
1:00:56
warning, those who are unruly Comfort the faint-hearted,
1:01:02
uphold the weak And be patient with all.
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Pastor event Ramsey was given to us on June on September 9th 1953
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and went home to be with the Lord.
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June 11th. 2023 has been a part of our church for 19 plus years
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and we honor him and remember him We steam the example that he
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leaves for us. And I, we received this
1:01:33
exhortation to be a peace among ourselves in a comfort.
1:01:36
One another, and be strong in the Lord.
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May the Lord bless you and encourage you today.
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Thank you. We pray that you've been
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encouraged by this Bible. Study delivered live from the
1:01:50
sanctuary of Calvary Church for prayer, call us at 877, 30
1:01:56
Grace, that's eight 77304, 2:53 to listen to this message in its
1:02:03
entirety or to join us for our live stream Services.
1:02:07
Visit us online at Calvary Co dot church or download our free
1:02:12
Calvary Church app. Be blessed as you worship Jesus
1:02:15
this week. Be blessed as you worship Jesus
1:02:15
this week.