Sunday, March 13, 2011
(Holding up my bible) I believe this to be the Word of God, Holy Spirit inspired, infallible and without error. Amen?
And I am thankful today that it does not say; do not grieve, or do not mourn.
Let’s hear what 1 Thess. 4:13 does say;
“Brothers and Sisters, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.”
“Fall asleep” here refers to believers who have died and whose souls are in heaven. Paul says simply that we are not to grieve like those who have no hope. He doesn’t say, “don’t grieve.”
And that’s a blessing to me, how about to you?
We all loose loved ones, friends, neighbors, co-workers or classmates. And as Christians we are allowed to grieve that loss.
When you think of mourning, what bible verses do you think of? Let’s see how many I have listed you can come up with.
Rev. 21:4 – 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.
Isa. 61:2-3 – To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
Jer. 31:13 – Then maidens will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.
Ecc. 3:4 – A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.
Matt. 5:4 – Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Rom. 12:9-16 – Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
In Genesis, chapter 50, we read – When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people. Joseph threw himself upon his father and wept over him and kissed him.
In the Old Testament the term “gathered to his people” signifies more than mere burial; it refers to life with one’s people after death.
I don’t know about you, but that’s how I think about heaven. I sometime think of the loved ones already there and how good it will be to see them again.
Joseph’s grief was sincere; he wept and entered a long period of mourning, consisting of seventy days and then several more weeks as he carried Jacob’s remains back to Canaan for the burial.
It is not abnormal or wrong to grieve weeks or even months over the death of someone very close to us.
Now let’s talk about hope. In whom is your hope? Yes, Jesus.
And what do you hope for?
What are some hope scriptures you can think of?
1 Cor. 13:13 – And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of theses is love.
Col. 1:12 – To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Heb. 10:23 – Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Heb. 11:1 – Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
1 Tim. 4-9-10 – This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.
1 Tim. 6:17 – Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
Titus 1:1-3 – Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior.
Psalms 42:5 – Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
Psalms 147:11 – The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.
Isa. 40:31 – But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Jer. 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Lamentations 3:21-24 – Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”
Rom. 5:4-5 – We rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Rom. 8:24-25 – For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
Rom. 12:12 – Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (There is a whole sermon right there, that verse cries out to me to be preached!)
1 Thess. 1:2-3 – We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thess. 5:8-11 – But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Wrap-up with Titus 2:11-14 – For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
But you, man of God, but you, woman of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen! 1 Tim. 6:11-16
Close with – 1 Cor. 15:50-58
I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Dale read Life Application Topic of Hope from page 848 –
“Several years ago, the southern half of Yellowstone National Park was consumed by a forest fire; thousands of acres of virgin forest burned to the ground. The resulting devastation looked like a moonscape where nothing could live. Some feared that the disaster would have irreversible ecological impact. However, the first shots of green started with the very first rain, days after the fire. As the years have passed, there has been an incredible rebirth from the ashes and devastation. New life in dead places—isn’t that what God does in, to, and for us?
Prayer – May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 15:13)
Resources: The Full Life Study Bible & The Wesley Study Bible.