What Happens When We Die

Dr. Tony talks about why most of what we think about the afterlife is upside down in the land of the living wage of the land. The land of the dying. On the way to the land celebrating faithfulness. This is the alternative Dr. Tony Evans, author, speaker, senior pastor of Oakland Bible Fellowship Dallas, Texas, president of the urban alternative.

Some people say life's too short to be religious today. Dr. Evans explains why eternity is too long not to be as he takes a look at what happens when we die. Let's join with challenging subject to more prophecy capable subject because the subject that we will all have to deal with if Christ be not, that is the prophetic subject of death. No matter how you look at it. That's not an easy topic to talk about because it is an uncomfortable subject to discuss. Yet, to not talk about it would be to ignore a key feature in the progress of prophecy, and in our own destiny. So as best as I can today I want to explain and tie to God's prophetic program want to make it clear so that you understand can respond correctly to it and know what to do about it.

In order to avoid the discussion of deaf people have softened its impact. We call it being laid to rest. We say somebody has expired. We talk about the fact that people have passed away.

Not thinking about it, talking about it doesn't make it disappear. We will all face it and mostly everybody here has pasted in the life of somebody in your sphere of knowledge so I want to share three things about death today from Luke 16, three things. The first thing that we want to share with you today is the ability of death. In verse 22 Paul Bandai and were told the rich man also died, know how to locate you regardless of your station in life, and purple that purple was the mature garments of the day was royalty. He lived in Splenda. It was part of the lifestyles of the rich and famous, but he died. We told Lazarus, who the beggar is a candidate for welfare, but he also got.

So whether you're rich or poor line between black and white or in between whether you are a poor lower unit or in between is inevitable, as Hebrews 927 says it is appointed unto man once to die in case you didn't know this, you die by appointment date has already been written on the calendar. You may be late for a lot of things in your life you'll be on time for this. You are not in the land of the living.

On your way to the land of the dying. I tell you this, but during the land of the dying on your way to the land of the living back.

We don't know the only people marking the person the next. He didn't look old. While technically, technically, we don't know all people because you only know if you all not your birthday. See if you live to be 50 you get in, but if you want to make up the €95 no family now but since we don't know anybody that day.

You really don't know the old folks are here today. You might be a lot older than your age so uncertain, so no selling souls so inescapable. Think about the man was opened up his eyes and he found himself at the pearly gates and St. Peter St. Peter greeted him at the pearly gates and said son. Have you done any good things in your life, what why Gerard woman was get ready to be robbed of a person and I stepped in between her and the robber was that he said about 30 seconds ago because you just never know enough about it is inevitable, it is inevitable because the cultural once you forget about they tried to advertise us out of it a try this to distract us from it when it is old soul it habitable and old soul and predictable. The second thing I want to share with you is what is there.

We know it's inevitable. But what exactly is it why. In fact I didn't even exist to get rid of this thing called deaf people have conjured up speculations. One speculation is reincarnation. The belief that you will based on your life now you'll come back as something else in the hope that there is some force out there to bring me back. And even though I may only come back as a cricket or from something will allow me to this energy field to keep on going and so there is the speculation of reincarnation, there is the speculation of predatory and in between destiny that affords me at my death the opportunity to get right. I was wrong in this life.

There is the speculation of annihilation, that is, when this life is over.

We cease to exist and so this is all that there is you live you die. I am not today to tell you what everybody else thinks speculation is one thing, revelation is something else.

God has not been silent about death, about what is what happens when you partake of it. So let me help us understand the word in the Bible. Death means separation not cessation, not stopping something, it means the separating of something so get that synonym in your head that is separation. God told Adam and Eve on the day you eat of this fruit. You shall surely die. But on the day they ate of the fruit. They did not die but was still walking and talking in living and raising kids and all that God said in the daily you shall surely die because God was talking about the first kind of death and spiritual death, which means separation fellowship with God. They were removed from the God that happened that day even though they were physically alive. They were spiritually separated and God called to one type of separation, or death and spiritual death. Separation fellowship with God, but also because of their sin into the second definition of death physical physical that is where the soul is separated from the body, you also give you you are you so you are not your body. Your body is really a house tank holding place for the resident who lives there and the resident who lives in the body is you your soul your mind, your emotions, you will in your consciousness that makes up your soul. That's why when the Bible speaks about your life. Throughout the Scripture will talk about the words so the soul that shall surely die. Some of the life the person I know they want the focus in our world to be on your body how good you look where you may want to drive all the stuff that is external but not ask you present you look good until you start didn't know they may have a beautiful body but afflicted so as you that life is your soul leaves the body. It separates picture sticker. It comes out and all you are left with is Michelle all the skin on the blue because that which David life, let it fly let it rise has been extricated from it, because it's been punctured and the life principle of the blue has been removed so the Blu-rays when you leave this world. The skin is still here. The shell is still here but like principle has escaped and the soul leaves the body. Separation at your funeral. The only personal will resume because the Salomé's shall remain to deteriorate and disintegrate until the new bodies given so there is a separation so there is the spiritual separation due to sin that has separated us in the fellowship of God, resulting in a little separation from the immaterial part of us are so when the soul leaves the body.

There is 1/3 kind of death and eternal death, which is eternal separation from God. My point is I want you to understand that not mean the end of life.

It means a separation has occurred at all. Please, so it is incorrect to say about a person is not there might their life has just begun. But what will that life be like that's what Dr. Evans will tell us about when he continues her message a few moments.

The first, as we take time to celebrate 40 years of God's faithfulness through the work of the alternative doctrine ensures a little of how the local church grew into what would become a worldwide ministry friend of mine in Crawford Moritz came down and begin the church with me during those early days. You know both of us were preaching was mainly evangelist so he was traveling a lot so the bulk of the loan following me because I was local. Most of the time my wife Lois was involved with music. My sister-in-law Elizabeth was handling the kids soon so we just kept plowing along and people would invite people we were meeting in a house we grew out of the house. We went to a clubhouse in an apartment complex. Then we went to a little fellowship hall in the church that they let us use and we outgrew that and then we bought a little A-frame building in 1980 that held a few hundred people, and we went up to four services and that we went to a high school then we go to family life Center next to the A-frame building that we get older thousand 10 and then that led to the building of the sanctuary, which shows 3300 that led to the building of the education center so we went from 10 people to close to 10,000 people over those years and out of the church group social service ministry to meet the social, as well as spiritual needs of the community, and out of that out about church grew the urban alternative where a Lois work with me to get cassette tapes back then.

Of the people who wanted to hear messages and that would ultimately lead to radio the growth and impact God has blessed this ministry with is nothing short of a miracle. None of it would be possible without the faithful contributions of people like you and that's why I want to let you know about a special package we put together is her way of saying thank you, when you make a donation to help keep this outreach going. It starts with our current two volume 12 message audio collection prophecy in our world and also includes a copy of Tony's popular book prayers for victory in spiritual warfare. Together, this powerful package will help you better understand what's in store for our future and give you the tools to help overcome spiritual attacks as you walk through is unfolding plan, we like you to have a copy of prophecy in our world and prayers for victory in spiritual warfare is our gift when you make a donation to help support the work of the alternative. But don't wait.

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That's 1-800-800-3222. Right now Tony's back was part two of today's lesson is inescapable. Separation not annihilation or cessation of existence that makes it the third thing about it lets you stay time and enter into one or two eternal destinies you choose, but you only have two choices. There is no third choice. So I now must tell you about these two destinies set will enter one or the other. Your choice. When told that the rich man died and the poor man died in verse 22.

The poor man was buried told of the rich man was very little of the poor man was taken away by the angels into Abraham's bosom and in Hades, he lifted up his eyes, tall man enters into Abraham's bosom were told when to see her mother holding a child against her breast against her bosom.

It is a place of provision and when somebody raises their hand on the bosom of another person as a position of rest. Abraham was the father of the faith says Lazarus was escorted noticed the Angels took it. Why because Hebrews 114 says every believer has an angel assigned of them and one of the jobs of your angels when you die is to escort you also look into paradise.

The place of rest and divine provision so you have a personal escort as a believer into the very presence of God. The rich man dies in Hades and he saw Abraham far off and not wait a minute. The rich man and he can see, not only can he say he can recognize because the same Abraham and he seems Lazarus and he knows he cries out for mercy. Of those 24 water to cool my tongue. Why am in my name he can fail noticed something else about rich friend. Please retain this simple nature can poke around.

You tell Lazarus what to do because he's the bed and on the rich man Abraham said to him, verse 25 child remember during your life you received good things that no Alzheimer's in those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and you live your life without coming to grips with his salvation will remember this day that you are here you are.

The good news you ignored it one more time. You will remember the time when you are satisfied with religion and abortive redemption was religious because he says father Abraham says that between us and you a great 26 says you can't, we can come to you and not be able to go to recognize the touchups never talk to know that this gap is so big it can't be crossed in either direction, so women into eternity in a conscious state and you are the same person in eternity that you are now because it's your soul that's going on there and you have been created with all that. That's not so I can see, touch and taste that got a finger is a free Hades not to go to deep right now. Hades would be attending to the county jail where a prisoner is waiting federal prison is the central location until permanency has been declared which is why at the end of the book of Revelation says Hades is cast into the lake of fire is county jail waiting for federal prison. This issue is the most important issue of your life because it has to do with your you can only make that decision in this life. You cannot make it in the next the chasm next next. This is not an issue about your neighbor, your mother, I know the song. I got about all the wedgies of the question of the share of a child coming over there, which is this is an issue that must be settled because it is the every man a man was walking one day by gravesite any red was on the gravesite and said Paul stranger when you pass me by. As you are now so once was. I as I am now so you will be so prepare for death and follow me. Man having read that took his marker out and roll beneath it to follow. You are not content until I know which way you went there initially for you lead us, you're going to die. It is inevitable and it cannot. Apart from the return of Christ be avoided immediately.

Eternity is immediately there is no gap.

There is no soul sleep gives 58 says to be from the body is to be present with the Lord. Chapter 1 2123 Paul says I don't know whether to stay here with you want to go to be with the Lord because to die is gain. There is no gate if you're stuck in a coffin in acts chapter 7 versus 54 to 60. Stephen was being stoned to death.

He looks up anything Jesus rise standing on the right hand of the father and he says them will receive my spirit. The split second that night and is the split second you interact return will delay this no soul sleep those interruptions paradise Abraham's bosom place of provision of rest. We would call it heaven talk about that or the place of eternal separation from God you choose. If you are a believer today all know that you will ever experience will be to help you get if you're not a believer today. The only happen you ever going to experience is the heaven you get this life while trying to tell you pay attention you going to die and you will not be late for your appointment but as long as you got breath in your loans so your body, you have a choice about your eternal destiny God will allow you to choose.

You can choose not the choice is yours.

You get to make what you don't know when time Dr. Tony Evans will come back in a moment with the final story about what God does for us when we make the choice to stay with us if you'd like to get the full-length version of today's message to review on your own or share with your small group family or friends is available as a part of Tony's two-volume series, prophecy, and our world. Don't forget, for only a few more days now will send you all 12 messages in this collection is her way of saying thanks when you make a contribution to help keep this program coming your way. Get the details before time runs out. When you visit Tony Evans.org and as an added bonus will also include a special keepsake addition of prayers for victory in spiritual warfare. A proven resource that's already being used by over 100,000 readers again contact us right away to make all the arrangements that Tony Evans.org or if you prefer team members can help with your resource request. When you call any time of the day or night, 1-800-800-3222 that's 1-800-800-3222.

What's in a name well everything when that name is gods and there are several of them that will be looking at next time as Dr. Evans kicks off a series titled knowing God's names right now though he's back with his final story to wrap up our time together was driving his son when he was God and his son slowly into the open window was a B. This B is flying around the call to be flying around the cry father raised his hand and grabbed at his hands is that they cannot chew it up and vanish out in the state has already done me one is doing now is Megan Jesus Christ and compensate the stain as is so the alternative, Tony celebrating 40 years of think things like