Blessed in Death

Have your Bibles with you day turn with me if you would to Revelation chapter 14 were looking at only one verse today. Verse 13 and I heard a voice from heaven saying right this Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on blessed indeed, says the spirit if they may rest from their labors for their deeds follow them spray heavenly father, we thank you and praise you for your goodness and love. We thank you Lord for the privilege of being able to worship you here today, we thank you Lord for the glorious truth that we have in this one little verse in the middle of the book of Revelation that says blessed are those who die in the Lord. Heavenly father, I thank you and praise you that you brought Eugene and Bruce back to us after a glorious trip in Africa. A very productive ministry time. They are weak. Thank you Lord that prayers were answered and that they are safely back with us. We father. We do continue to pray for Linda and the Catherine as she is still struggling and is still very, very weak.

We pray heavenly father that you might put your healing hand on her and help her Lord to strengthen that they might be able to do this operation and that she might be able to be made whale or again, we ask that you help me and my preaching today that that which I'll share from this pulpit will be blessing to this congregation that there will be conviction where there needs to be conviction comfort where there needs to be comfort and exultation of Christ and everything that said Lord we love you.

Thank you and praise you for your goodness and love to us, we assess pray in Jesus name, amen. You may be seated.

Hebrews 927 says there is appointed under me and wants to die and after that the judgment, the death rate in every generation is exactly the same. It's 100% everyone dies. Everyone in Mark Martin Luther's generation is dead everyone and Jonathan Edwards generation is dead. Everyone in Charles Spurgeon's generation is dead and if the Lord delays is coming, then the day will come when everyone in our generation will be dead.

No one slips by death. Now what you think about something. If that is true, and it most certainly is true then why is that a truth that is so ignored in our society today what we have television preachers that are telling us that our best life is now. Why is it that we have funeral homes today that are deemphasizing the reality and the seriousness of death and telling us just to celebrate the life of the deceased with ice cream and sodas and funny stories in the average gospel presentation today.

There is no mention of sin and death or hail they are just promises of personal happiness of emotional blessing and financial wealth and so many people today are hearing that message and that totally reject an essay on I don't need that. I've got all that already, so I can live without Christ lukewarmness flourishes in our world today in the church and the reason for that is because professing believers have not abandoned the deceitfulness of the temporary in order that they might embrace the joy of the eternal folks there should be a profound difference between believers and unbelievers in this life. The believer is at war with the devil and sin and is at peace with God. The unbeliever is at peace with the devil and sin is at war with God at death, the divide gets even greater for verse 11 of this same chapter tells us about the death of the unbeliever and it says this the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest day or night. Revelation 1413 says for the believer.

Christians are blessed in death and they rest from their labors.

I think of the story that Jesus told of the rich man and Lazarus.

The rich man was a believer. He had extravagant wealth.

He lived in a mansion he ate the most fancy and most nutritious in the Best Foods anywhere around. He had more material possessions that he knew what to do with but he had no thought of God.

He had no compassion on the poor. And then there was Lazarus who was poverty-stricken believer who laid out at the at the gate of the rich man and just beg for scraps from his table. Scripture tells us that the rich man and Lazarus both died in Jesus said this in Luke 1622 through 26 the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his side and he called out father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue Fryman anguish in this flame.

But Abraham said child.

Remember that you and your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner, bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.

Besides all this, between us and you are a great chasm that has been fixed in order that those would pass from here to you may not be able and none may cross them there to us then you remember bailing the prophet who had the king of Moab come to him and offer him great financial remuneration all kinds of money if he would just curse Israel but Baylon wanted to do that for he wanted the money but he could not curse Israel God would not allow him to do that in Numbers 22 in verse 12 God said, you shall not curse my people, for they are blessed by them was a scoundrel, but he need that God put a difference between the people of God and the people of the world.

When Ben was getting ready to die.

He acknowledged that for all that you listen to what he said very interesting numbers chapter 23 verse 10 he said let me die the death of the righteous, and made my final in be like the years when he came to facing death. He knew he was not right with God and then you that the people of God had something of blessing that he knew not of so this is the focus of Revelation chapter 14 that this death is. It is like this. Life is like a vapor. It's like a puff of steam it's here then before you realize it it's gone. Death is certain but death is not the end for death is the doorway into eternity. And if you are a believer.

If you are a child of God, then eternity for you is a eternity of peace and of joy unspeakable for us to live is Christ and to die is gain. We are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us.

The Christian can say oh death where is staying a grave wears a victory for the sting of sin is death and the strength in sales the law.

But thanks be in the God who gives us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.

It was Jesus who said, be faithful in the death and I will give you the crown of life.

And here in this verse. Jesus says blessed are those who die in the Lord five point someone to share with you from this one verse today Five Points the first one is dying in the Lord. Verse 13 a and I heard a voice from heaven saying right this Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord of the last few weeks we been studying some pretty tough stuff. We have been looking at the Satanic Trinity and their attack on the Christian world how the Dragon who is Satan is coming after the world with everything RR the Christian with everything that he has getting them took to be persecuted and trying to bring them to a fall and then there was the beast was a picture of the secular political system was carried out of the devil's agenda, who is trying to get Christians to follow after him, and to destroy them and persecute them and then there's the false prophet who is a false religious system combines itself together with the secular political system in order that they might carry out Satan's agenda answer to destroy God's people and bring great persecution upon them, but then we get to verse 13 and finally there's a breath of fresh air.

We are told what we are told, the message is don't quit. Persevere to the end. Don't let up, endure suffering, and you will be blessed even in death, the summa said, this verse has had is just applicable to the martyrs, but I want you know that's not so. This verse has to do with every true Christian. Every believer who dies in the Lord Richard Phillips has some great insight here and he asked some questions as he looks at this verse 13 some questions for us that I think we probably need to look at and then these are the questions.

Are these blessings in Revelation 1413 directed to you as you believe God's word, especially its gospel message about Jesus as God's son and our Savior have you trusted in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. Have you been born again to a living faith.

Though you are far from a perfect Christian, are you looking ahead to Christ coming and you seek to live for him now if these descriptions characterize your life then you are in the Lord and he now speaks to you with words of blessing, even in death folks. The only way to die in the Lord is to live in the Lord.

I mentioned Baylon a minute ago and Baylon in in numbers chapter 23 verse 10 he cries out nieces let me die, though the death of the righteous, for he knew that God had a special blessing for them, but he was not going to die the death of the righteous because he was not living the life of the righteous. There's been no repentance in his life. There'd been no turning to the Lord. There'd been nothing but just unbelief and rebellion.

So when Baylon died he died, not under Christ. Blessings. But under God's wrath folks the way to die in the Lord is to come to Jesus now to come to Jesus nail Paul said now is the time a decision today is the day of salvation.

Hey, if you haven't come to Christ. Now let me ask you something, why not, what are you waiting on why I'm not you you're not promise to tomorrow.

So what you do you run to Christ in faith, for Jesus said he who comes to me I will in no wise cast out my .2 is a believer's life after death. Once again, verse 13. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. So what were dealing with here is the time period between a believer's death and the second coming of Christ in the final resurrection. So let me share three points with you about this number one at death the soul is separated from the body at death the soul is separated from the body ministry for believers and unbelievers. The body is just the container that holds the real us in the real you is your soul what your mind will and emotion.

So when a believer dies his body goes, it just decays here on this earth goes back to the dust, but his soul goes immediately to heaven when unbeliever dies, his body decays goes back to the dust. His soul immediately goes into hail the sum of asked this question while in this time period between death and the second coming in that time. It was called by the theologians, the intermediate state they say in this time. What will we be like it. Will you be going to be with the Lord in our soul. So what does that mean does that mean we're like un-embodied spirits that were like phantoms or ghosting were unrecognizable under that until the final resurrection I don't think so. I would point you back to the story that I told a moment ago about the rich man and Lazarus. Now, I don't believe that the parable I believe that's a true story of Jesus did not use names when he told parables that I think because he did use names that we have a true story here username of Abraham username of Lazarus in the Scripture tells us they are that Lazarus and the rich man died and when they died, their bodies just decay begin to decay in and they would finally go back to dust with. They went immediately into eternity is very interesting when you read that story we read about body parts, fingers and eyes into a tongue so and also the people recognizable.

Abraham was recognized and and the rich man was recognized and Lazarus was recognized, so it was not just a unembodied spirit, so also when when Moses and Elijah came back to this earth and they came back and they met with Jesus and Peter and James and John saw them and there was a great rejoicing over that they came back and they were recognizable. I saw them in some type of body I believe that when the Christian dies, he will leave his old earthly body here on earth to decay, but he will be closed in a spiritual body.

Not a permanent body but a recognizable body. The permanent body we will receive a glorified resurrected body at the resurrection.

At Christ's coming, so the temporary spiritual body compared to the glorified resurrected body will be like comparing a tent to a mansion on secondly the believers at death will immediately be with the Lord something will teach soul sleep and that's the idea that when a Christian dies, he remains unconscious until the final resurrection and then he'll be brought back to life but all during that time the in the intermediate state. He will be totally unconscious. I don't think the Scripture teaches that second Corinthians 5 access to the Christian to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Paul said it's written in Philippians 121 for me to live is Christ, but to die is gain to verses down in verse 23 Paul says my desire is to depart to die and to be with Christ and in Jesus spoke to the thief on the cross and in Luke chapter 23 verse 43 and he said today you will be with me in paradise. There is no soul sleep. There is no unconscious waiting. We will breathe our last breath here on this earth and we will immediately be in the presence of Christ, and we will see him face-to-face wells in my former church. We invited a a blind pastor to come in and preacher revival service for us and he was also a professor at Gardner Webb College that he was a man of God had been totally blind all his life and never seen the light of day. He preached the greatest sermon on heaven that I have ever heard in our member and looking at it us and he said to us don't feel sorry for me. He said the first thing I'll ever see is Jesus Christ all brothers and sisters. That's true that's true. We will see Jesus. First of all in heaven and we will see him face-to-face.

Thirdly, when believers die, our souls will be immediately perfected in holiness when when we die as Christians, are we going to be with the Lord our sin nature will be eradicated now. The greatest aspect of heaven will be the us that we will see Jesus face-to-face and we will worship him face-to-face. It doesn't get any better and that but the second greatest aspect of heaven will be this, we will never have to fight sin again. No more temptation no more desire to sin. In fact, we won't even be able to sin method that knocked the biscuits off your table. Nothing will. West ministers Westminster confession of faith says this, the souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness are received into the highest heavens where they behold the face of God in light and glory waiting for the full redemption of their bodies listen carefully. The Christian should never speak of sudden death. We all speak of sudden glory. I was with a family. This is back in my former church husband's. He was also a grandfather was on his deathbed he was breathing his last breast. This man was unbelievably godly man. He love the Lord he would witness my goodness I he witness a drop of a hat. He dropped the hat. I did this got you start singing in church singing a song. What we cycle a moment ago Blessed assurance or love to tell the story are all hail the power of Jesus name and tears. We just rolled down his cheek. He was in the church every time the church doors were open, we were gathered get around his bed and in his granddaughter was right there at my side.

She was about six or seven years old and as we stood there. I heard her sniffling and then all of a sudden he breathed his last breath and died.

And she just began to wail the tears begin to roll down her cheek. She looked up at me. She said this is my worst day and I reached Anna picked her up and I held her in my arms. I hugged her and appointed at her granddad and I said honey, this is his best day.

This is his best day for already. He is in the presence of Jesus.

He's probably already reached up and felt the nail prints in his hands that that the tangible evidence of Jesus dying for him on the cross.

He's already heard the words from Jesus's lips. Well done my good and faithful servant.

Enter now into the joy of the Lord said your granddaddy will never experience pain or suffering or sorrow or grief or frustration or sin or death ever again. He will never know anything else but complete and wonderful joy as I don't think about yourself right now, think about him.

Your granddaddy is with Jesus. And they'll never experience anything else but joy .3 resting from labor. Look at verse 13 again blessed indeed, says the spirit if they may rest from their labors. Listen to these words from Charles Spurgeon.

He said how the saints in heaven rest from earthly labor. They rest in the toil of labor since heaven will yield him refreshment and never calls them weariness. They rest from the whorl of labor.

Since the sorrow is a believer all in the grave. Christians resting the faults of their labor. There works no longer marred by sin.

They rest on the discouragements and the just point disappointments of labor in heaven there will be none to criticize our work or question our motives and we will no longer return from labor doubting the anything is been truly accomplished Spurgeon rights. Here we must so in tears that we shall reap in joy.

Here we labor there. We shall enjoy the fruits of toll were no blight or mildew you can endanger the harvest truly Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord today. When I read this verse I become extremely upset with the Catholic Church, the Catholic Church teaches a doctrine of purgatory. I've often wondered how does a Catholic priest give comfort to one of his members.

He's dying.

He was he telling is he telling him about purgatory tutorial pain and frustration that does he say all will when you die you going to purgatory and and you might be in there for years and years and years and it is the people on the outside are praying for you and if somebody's given enough money, you might get out of purgatory. One day at doesn't sound like much comfort to me and brothers and sisters. I'm glad that we have the Scripture to tell us that's not the way it is. The Scriptures teach us that when we die we will immediately be in the presence of Jesus and he will no longer struggle with the sin nature and there will be rest from your labors. That's not just good news that is glorious .4 rewarded for works. Look at verse 13 again, for their deeds follow them.

While you know what that says that says how you live for Jesus matters it really matters. Now, hear me out. We are saved by grace through faith plus nothing you're not saved by good works, you're not say because you're doing good things for the Lord you are saved because you have been given a gift of salvation by very gracious and glorious God. That's why you're saved. Titus chapter 3 verse five says not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us to the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 28964 by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourself.

It's a gift of God not of works lest any man should boast. So the rewards are not salvific but they are blessings that we are going to enjoy for all of eternity. We give you a few verses outside. Revelation in Matthew chapter 25 verse 21 Jesus said, well done my good and faithful servant. Enter nail into the joy of the Lord in second Corinthians 510, Paul said we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive that which is done in his body, whether it be good or evil.

And then James chapter 1 verse 12 Blessed is the man who remain steadfast under trial for when he has stood the test, he shall receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him. Notice that verse 13 says that their deeds follow them.

Their deeds didn't go ahead of them to open up a way to heaven for them with their deeds followed after them. Now that's a good reason for us not to get too boastful when too proud of our service for Christ. We don't need to do that we need to be like Paul, who said in Galatians chapter 6 verse 14.

Far be it for me to glory in anything except in the cross of Christ Jesus. Having said that many think, too little of the works that they do for Christ and we think of great evangelists like George Whitfield that preached the gospel to thousands and thousands and thousands of people and saw so many come to Christ. We think of the great missionaries like Hudson Taylor and Adenauer and Judson we think of the great theologians like Jonathan Edwards and RC Sproul we say will never attain that will never get there. So God probably looks at the little things that we do and just totally overlooks them listen to what Jesus said about the counter works that he rewards Matthew 25, 35 to 36. Fry was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked include in you close me.

I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.

I love what Richard Phillips is here. He says, have I ever done anything worthy of Jesus prays the doubtful believer wonders when we remember that our works. Not only are empowered by God's grace, but are assessed by the house of mercy perfected by cleansing blood and received at the throne of our loving heavenly father. The answer is yes. Think I will loving earthly father posed his children's artwork on his office wall and adorns his bookcases with pictures of their achievements. In most cases arts not very good or the achievements very great.

They are precious to the father's heart because of love for his children.

This reflects the heart of God toward his children in Christ.

Everything that we have ever done with the sincere desire to honor think and glorify our Lord will follow after us is a blessing in heaven is glorious .5 faith in life blessing in death verse 13 one more time and I heard a voice from heaven say and write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on blessed indeed, says the spirit, that they may rest from their labors for their deeds follow them brothers and sisters were saved by grace, but how we live really really matters. Paul came to the end of his life. He wrote his own obituary or did he say he said from now ready to be offered in the time of my departure is at hand. Fry fought a good fight, I finished my course of The faith.

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day and not to me only when all them also who love his appearing. Paul said that we are to endure as good soldiers of Jesus Christ and send us if first Corinthians 15 verse 58 Paul said, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. The message of Revelation 413, 14, 13 is is to live with an eternal perspective. Don't buy into the best life now narrative don't buy into that plan eternal seeds plant seeds of faith. Don't be like foolish bail him who desire to die the death of of the righteous but refused to live the life of the righteous, but live the life of rebellion and unbelief.

Stephen over said it will when he said this, only one life will soon be passed in only what's done for Christ will last.

Last week I shared with you that Beto O'Rourke said that if he is elected as president of the United States that he will immediately remove the tax-exempt status for all the churches in America that refused to to perform gay weddings. After the service was over. Somebody asked me a question, said Doug what you think would happen to the budget here.

Grace if the government removed our tax-exempt status.

I said I might be wrong but I don't think so.

I said I don't think anything would change in our budget. I said I don't believe that for a minute because I know the people of Grace Church and the people he Grace Church did not give to get a tax break they give because they're in love with Jesus and they want to be obedient to his calling and to his commandments.

Folks, we are learning here in this church to abandon. To abandon the deceitfulness of the temporary in order that we might embrace the joy of the eternal Blessed are those who die in the Lord for their works follow after the spray heavenly father we come before your throne to praise you and thank you today for your great glorious God, we thank you Lord for the truth is that we see in this great verse that we looked at today trues that promise us that our works are not going to be in vain, that when we serve Jesus. There is going to be great reward for it.

And Lord, the great reward that we did not deserve is our salvation. Lord you reached down from heaven when we were yet sinners, and you regenerated hearts that had been wicked and father you turned us into people who were people he loved the Lord Jesus with all of our heart. We praise you and thank you. Help us Lord, that we might live out our lives in such a way as we would bring you glory got in the rectus now Lord in all that we do make this week. May we be reminded every day that we get up that our works follow after us and that we have a responsibility to bring glory to the Jeep to the Jesus.

He saved us, who loved us, who gave his life for us and shed his precious blood that we might have life and have it abundantly in this in Jesus name we pray