1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:03,860 年start. Some years ago, I came to know a man 2 00:00:03,860 –> 00:00:08,020 who had immigration from England to South 3 00:00:08,020 –> 00:00:11,200 Africa. He came from time to time to the 4 00:00:11,200 –> 00:00:14,660 church that I served in London when he was visiting 5 00:00:14,660 –> 00:00:18,760 his elderly mother who was in a nursing home in the 6 00:00:18,760 –> 00:00:22,959 area. The O Mantii had lost her memory and 7 00:00:22,959 –> 00:00:27,620 she highly knew who her son was one day this 8 00:00:27,980 –> 00:00:31,440 afternoon. The man who had told me from South 9 00:00:31,440 –> 00:00:34,759 Africa, my mother has died, he said. I wonder 10 00:00:34,759 –> 00:00:38,020 could you take the funeral? He said I’ve made so 11 00:00:38,020 –> 00:00:41,180 many trips while she was living. I really can’t 12 00:00:41,180 –> 00:00:43,820 handle the expense of coming again. If you 13 00:00:43,820 –> 00:00:48,020 could do this for me, if the church could serve 14 00:00:48,020 –> 00:00:49,720 me in this way, I would be really grateful. He 15 00:00:49,720 –> 00:00:53,119 said someone from the nursing home will come 16 00:00:53,119 –> 00:00:56,799 and perhaps you could get a few friends from the 17 00:00:56,799 –> 00:00:57,459 seminary. He said, but I have to tell you that 18 00:00:57,459 –> 00:01:00,720 I have a daughter. And she’s on the road. She’s 19 00:01:02,240 –> 00:01:04,860 working her way on a kind of tour around the 20 00:01:04,860 –> 00:01:06,300 world. The last I heard she said she was in 21 00:01:06,300 –> 00:01:10,400 Europe. If I can get word to her, might be 22 00:01:10,400 –> 00:01:12,959 possible for her to come, she’s a bit different, 23 00:01:12,959 –> 00:01:18,160 he said. You’ll see. Well, sure enough, I 24 00:01:18,300 –> 00:01:21,519 arrived a few days later at the cemetery to 25 00:01:21,519 –> 00:01:24,720 take this service. There were about half a 26 00:01:24,720 –> 00:01:26,900 dozen friends who had come from the church. 27 00:01:26,900 –> 00:01:30,099 There was indeed a lady from the Nursing 28 00:01:30,099 –> 00:01:32,239 Home. And the men’s daughter, I met at the 29 00:01:32,239 –> 00:01:35,599 gate of the cemetery for the first time, torn 30 00:01:35,599 –> 00:01:40,779 jeans, spiky hair in the style of a punk 31 00:01:40,779 –> 00:01:44,320 rocker which was kind of in vogue in those 32 00:01:44,320 –> 00:01:46,180 days, if that conveys something to you. 33 00:01:47,040 –> 00:01:49,800 Well, in this very, very large cemetery we 34 00:01:49,800 –> 00:01:53,720 had about half a mile to walk together. 35 00:01:53,720 –> 00:01:56,080 And with her being the only family 36 00:01:56,080 –> 00:01:58,580 member it was for her to walk with me 37 00:01:58,580 –> 00:02:00,879 and for me to walk with her and the few 38 00:02:00,879 –> 00:02:03,040 folks from the church and the lady from 39 00:02:03,040 –> 00:02:05,320 the Nursing Home following along behind 40 00:02:05,320 –> 00:02:08,039 as we went to the appropriate spot in 41 00:02:08,039 –> 00:02:11,500 the cemetery. Half a mile, the two of us 42 00:02:11,500 –> 00:02:14,399 walking together. Me in my dark suit. 43 00:02:14,600 –> 00:02:17,339 We must’ve looked quite an odd couple, 44 00:02:17,339 –> 00:02:19,419 I think. 45 00:02:19,419 –> 00:02:21,520 I began a conversation. I said, 46 00:02:21,520 –> 00:02:23,240 It’s really good you were able to come today. 47 00:02:24,240 –> 00:02:25,919 Well, I didn’t have much choice, 48 00:02:25,919 –> 00:02:28,679 was the rather short answer. 49 00:02:28,679 –> 00:02:31,720 Did you ever meet your grandmother before? 50 00:02:31,720 –> 00:02:33,759 Nope. 51 00:02:33,759 –> 00:02:35,539 Talking about the family was obviously 52 00:02:35,539 –> 00:02:37,440 the wrong direction. 53 00:02:37,440 –> 00:02:39,520 And, I wasn’t getting anywhere so I 54 00:02:39,520 –> 00:02:41,460 decided on asking her about our world 55 00:02:41,460 –> 00:02:42,000 tour. I mean, 56 00:02:42,000 –> 00:02:43,740 here’s a woman maybe 23, 24, 57 00:02:43,839 –> 00:02:46,220 25 years old, and she’s traveling 58 00:02:46,220 –> 00:02:47,820 around the world. Beginning in South 59 00:02:47,820 –> 00:02:49,139 Africa. And, I said to her, 60 00:02:49,139 –> 00:02:49,940 Tell me about it. 61 00:02:51,320 –> 00:02:52,600 Suddenly, our eyes brightened. 62 00:02:52,600 –> 00:02:53,880 She was interested in this. 63 00:02:53,880 –> 00:02:56,179 She told me about how she had been 64 00:02:56,179 –> 00:02:58,339 diving on the barrier reef, 65 00:02:58,339 –> 00:03:00,639 trekking in the Himalayas—and 66 00:03:00,639 –> 00:03:03,500 would you believe this?—hitchhiking 67 00:03:03,500 –> 00:03:06,139 along up the Khyber Pass? 68 00:03:06,139 –> 00:03:08,940 Unbelievable! 69 00:03:08,940 –> 00:03:10,399 She had been to places around the 70 00:03:10,399 –> 00:03:12,619 world of unusual danger. 71 00:03:12,619 –> 00:03:15,600 She had explored them alone, 72 00:03:15,600 –> 00:03:18,699 sleeping rough, and finding 73 00:03:18,699 –> 00:03:20,360 temporary work just long enough to 74 00:03:20,360 –> 00:03:21,720 pay for the next ticket, to keep 75 00:03:21,720 –> 00:03:23,080 her moving on to the next country 76 00:03:23,080 –> 00:03:24,800 or the next continent. 77 00:03:24,800 –> 00:03:25,479 Fascinating! 78 00:03:25,479 –> 00:03:28,460 When are you going to get home?, 79 00:03:28,460 –> 00:03:29,320 I asked her. 80 00:03:29,320 –> 00:03:30,259 I don’t know. 81 00:03:30,259 –> 00:03:31,800 Probably in about next year. 82 00:03:34,419 –> 00:03:37,899 What motivated you to do this? 83 00:03:37,899 –> 00:03:39,479 I wanted to see life, 84 00:03:39,479 –> 00:03:40,899 she said with great conviction. 85 00:03:42,759 –> 00:03:44,380 I said, well I guess in a way 86 00:03:44,380 –> 00:03:46,839 you’re seeing part of it today. 87 00:03:49,220 –> 00:03:50,500 I’ll never forget what happened 88 00:03:50,500 –> 00:03:52,119 when we got void in sight of 89 00:03:52,119 –> 00:03:52,699 the grave. 90 00:03:52,699 –> 00:03:54,580 She had never been to a funeral 91 00:03:54,580 –> 00:03:57,039 before, and something about it 92 00:03:57,039 –> 00:03:58,580 just seemed to make this 93 00:03:58,580 –> 00:04:00,059 courageous woman freeze. 94 00:04:01,300 –> 00:04:03,339 She grabbed my arm as if she was 95 00:04:03,339 –> 00:04:05,600 confiding in me as an old friend. 96 00:04:05,600 –> 00:04:06,979 I got to tell you, she said, 97 00:04:06,979 –> 00:04:08,419 this really freaks me out. 98 00:04:10,320 –> 00:04:11,740 I never had to face anything like 99 00:04:11,740 –> 00:04:13,660 this before. 100 00:04:14,100 –> 00:04:15,740 Struck me as so surprising that 101 00:04:15,740 –> 00:04:17,059 a woman who had the courage to 102 00:04:17,059 –> 00:04:19,040 go on her own up the Kyber Pass, 103 00:04:20,320 –> 00:04:22,700 something I would never do. 104 00:04:22,700 –> 00:04:25,480 Could be so unnerved by the 105 00:04:25,480 –> 00:04:27,540 funeral of a relative she had 106 00:04:27,540 –> 00:04:28,420 never even met. 107 00:04:30,579 –> 00:04:33,540 But death has a way of making 108 00:04:34,820 –> 00:04:36,600 us lose our nerve. 109 00:04:38,339 –> 00:04:40,440 By the way, and I want to be 110 00:04:40,480 –> 00:04:42,559 very practical and very pastoral 111 00:04:43,299 –> 00:04:44,519 with the Lord’s help in what I 112 00:04:44,519 –> 00:04:45,320 say today. 113 00:04:45,339 –> 00:04:47,480 It is a very good thing to take 114 00:04:47,480 –> 00:04:49,160 your children to a funeral, 115 00:04:49,160 –> 00:04:50,640 especially a funeral of someone 116 00:04:50,640 –> 00:04:52,320 they don’t know well or may not 117 00:04:52,320 –> 00:04:53,339 even know at all. 118 00:04:53,739 –> 00:04:57,279 And then use the opportunity to 119 00:04:57,320 –> 00:04:59,079 talk to them about death. 120 00:04:59,119 –> 00:05:00,179 Do this while your kids are 121 00:05:00,179 –> 00:05:00,459 young. 122 00:05:01,859 –> 00:05:03,399 When your children are old 123 00:05:03,399 –> 00:05:05,720 enough for you to talk about sex 124 00:05:05,720 –> 00:05:08,239 to them, they are old enough for 125 00:05:08,239 –> 00:05:10,239 you to talk about death to them 126 00:05:10,260 –> 00:05:11,739 and it’s very important that you 127 00:05:11,739 –> 00:05:11,980 do. 128 00:05:11,980 –> 00:05:13,040 In fact, you should think of the 129 00:05:13,040 –> 00:05:13,640 two together. 130 00:05:15,480 –> 00:05:17,399 Your son is suddenly becoming 131 00:05:17,399 –> 00:05:20,679 aware of his strength and he’s 132 00:05:20,679 –> 00:05:22,399 beginning to want to lift weight 133 00:05:22,440 –> 00:05:24,100 because he’s interested in 134 00:05:24,100 –> 00:05:25,899 developing this body that he’s 135 00:05:25,899 –> 00:05:26,519 discovering. 136 00:05:28,839 –> 00:05:30,579 And he very much needs to know 137 00:05:30,579 –> 00:05:32,079 that one day all this strength 138 00:05:32,100 –> 00:05:35,000 will be gone and one day this 139 00:05:35,000 –> 00:05:36,279 body will lie in a grave. 140 00:05:38,640 –> 00:05:40,000 Your daughter becomes aware of 141 00:05:40,000 –> 00:05:40,640 her looks. 142 00:05:41,839 –> 00:05:43,500 She begins putting on makeup. 143 00:05:44,339 –> 00:05:45,959 She learns that way of smiling 144 00:05:45,959 –> 00:05:46,779 for a camera. 145 00:05:48,380 –> 00:05:49,820 She needs to know that one day 146 00:05:49,820 –> 00:05:52,660 these looks will be gone and her 147 00:05:52,660 –> 00:05:53,980 body will lie in a grave. 148 00:05:56,679 –> 00:05:58,179 It is the responsibility of a 149 00:05:58,179 –> 00:06:00,119 Christian parent to help your 150 00:06:00,119 –> 00:06:03,260 children in this world that is 151 00:06:03,260 –> 00:06:06,519 obsessed with the body to see 152 00:06:06,519 –> 00:06:08,420 that caring for your body is 153 00:06:08,640 –> 00:06:10,119 important but caring for your 154 00:06:10,119 –> 00:06:12,019 soul is more important by far. 155 00:06:13,760 –> 00:06:15,040 Every person should attend a 156 00:06:15,040 –> 00:06:16,399 funeral at least once a year. 157 00:06:18,100 –> 00:06:19,739 Going to a wedding reminds you 158 00:06:19,739 –> 00:06:22,059 that the marriage bond is sacred. 159 00:06:23,420 –> 00:06:25,179 Going to a funeral reminds you 160 00:06:25,179 –> 00:06:27,720 that life is very short and one 161 00:06:27,720 –> 00:06:29,239 day yours will be gone. 162 00:06:31,720 –> 00:06:32,700 Every time I hear an 163 00:06:32,700 –> 00:06:33,899 announcement in church that 164 00:06:33,899 –> 00:06:38,299 someone has died I try, along 165 00:06:38,480 –> 00:06:40,000 with thanking God for their life 166 00:06:40,000 –> 00:06:42,359 to remember that one day someone 167 00:06:42,359 –> 00:06:43,760 will make that announcement 168 00:06:43,760 –> 00:06:44,380 about me. 169 00:06:45,899 –> 00:06:47,899 I have to be jolted into living 170 00:06:48,440 –> 00:06:50,320 in the light of that reality. 171 00:06:52,220 –> 00:06:55,119 Our culture today has all kinds 172 00:06:55,119 –> 00:06:58,380 of ways from keeping us from 173 00:06:58,380 –> 00:07:00,320 seriously thinking about death. 174 00:07:02,019 –> 00:07:03,679 You know, a generation ago 175 00:07:03,679 –> 00:07:05,399 people would not have said the 176 00:07:05,399 –> 00:07:06,260 word sex. 177 00:07:06,260 –> 00:07:07,720 They would find euphemisms. 178 00:07:07,880 –> 00:07:09,320 They would say, you know, 179 00:07:09,320 –> 00:07:10,679 the birds and the bees. 180 00:07:12,760 –> 00:07:15,320 But now the s word is 181 00:07:15,320 –> 00:07:15,959 everywhere. 182 00:07:16,660 –> 00:07:17,859 If I said the birds and the 183 00:07:17,859 –> 00:07:19,019 bees, you’d say, oh, isn’t he 184 00:07:19,019 –> 00:07:19,799 quaint? 185 00:07:21,500 –> 00:07:23,239 But in our culture today, 186 00:07:23,899 –> 00:07:27,359 nobody wants to say the d word. 187 00:07:28,100 –> 00:07:29,380 In fact, even among Christians 188 00:07:29,380 –> 00:07:30,640 it’s very common in our culture 189 00:07:30,640 –> 00:07:33,299 we don’t say he died, we’re 190 00:07:33,299 –> 00:07:34,440 discombobulated by it. 191 00:07:34,440 –> 00:07:35,839 we want to say he passed away. 192 00:07:35,839 –> 00:07:36,920 Well, there’s nothing wrong with 193 00:07:36,920 –> 00:07:37,440 that. 194 00:07:38,279 –> 00:07:40,459 But I prefer to look this 195 00:07:40,459 –> 00:07:44,619 enemy in the face because Christ 196 00:07:44,619 –> 00:07:46,260 has triumphed over it. 197 00:07:48,500 –> 00:07:52,920 And to say, my grandma died, and 198 00:07:52,920 –> 00:07:55,160 she is with Christ awaiting the 199 00:07:55,160 –> 00:07:56,799 day of the resurrection. 200 00:07:58,700 –> 00:07:59,940 Now, we have to help the younger 201 00:07:59,940 –> 00:08:01,380 generation in regard to this. 202 00:08:01,399 –> 00:08:04,380 Those of us who are older have 203 00:08:04,380 –> 00:08:05,739 to learn to be candid. 204 00:08:06,720 –> 00:08:09,799 We have to learn to live in 205 00:08:09,799 –> 00:08:10,160 reality. 206 00:08:10,179 –> 00:08:12,000 See, we are surrounded by 207 00:08:12,000 –> 00:08:13,799 Hollywood, sentimentalizing 208 00:08:13,799 –> 00:08:17,820 death with weepy movies, and the 209 00:08:17,820 –> 00:08:19,880 card company is following suits 210 00:08:19,880 –> 00:08:23,100 with empty slogans and poetic 211 00:08:23,420 –> 00:08:26,899 mush, and we come to the word of 212 00:08:26,899 –> 00:08:28,679 God, and it brings us into the 213 00:08:28,679 –> 00:08:30,739 world of reality that every 214 00:08:30,760 –> 00:08:32,380 human person faces. 215 00:08:33,840 –> 00:08:35,700 Oh, thank God for what it is to 216 00:08:35,700 –> 00:08:37,820 be in a position to face reality 217 00:08:37,880 –> 00:08:39,460 together today. 218 00:08:39,539 –> 00:08:41,080 Death is the great reality 219 00:08:41,080 –> 00:08:43,539 towards which all of us are 220 00:08:43,539 –> 00:08:45,719 moving, and if your pastor does 221 00:08:45,719 –> 00:08:47,260 not, once in a while, speak with 222 00:08:47,260 –> 00:08:49,059 candor from the Bible about this, 223 00:08:49,320 –> 00:08:51,000 he is neither faithful to 224 00:08:51,000 –> 00:08:53,340 scripture, nor is he helpful to 225 00:08:55,419 –> 00:08:55,940 you. 226 00:08:55,940 –> 00:08:56,900 So please open your Bible with 227 00:08:56,900 –> 00:08:58,440 me at John’s Gospel in chapter 228 00:08:58,440 –> 00:09:05,799 eight 229 00:09:05,919 –> 00:09:07,840 Some time ago I came across a 230 00:09:07,840 –> 00:09:09,940 powerful message preached by 231 00:09:10,020 –> 00:09:11,840 Martin Lopez Jones on these 232 00:09:11,840 –> 00:09:14,239 verses. 233 00:09:14,320 –> 00:09:15,940 The year of this message was 234 00:09:15,940 –> 00:09:17,320 1960, 235 00:09:19,039 –> 00:09:21,260 when the whole world was in the 236 00:09:21,260 –> 00:09:24,140 grip of fear at the prospect of 237 00:09:24,140 –> 00:09:26,340 nuclear holocaust. 238 00:09:26,539 –> 00:09:27,679 We’re talking about just before 239 00:09:27,679 –> 00:09:29,140 the Cuban missile crisis that 240 00:09:29,140 –> 00:09:32,099 some of you remember. 241 00:09:32,599 –> 00:09:34,280 And there were marches going on 242 00:09:34,280 –> 00:09:36,140 in all the major cities of the 243 00:09:36,140 –> 00:09:38,099 world in the early sixties and 244 00:09:38,099 –> 00:09:39,440 they were all around this theme 245 00:09:39,719 –> 00:09:42,719 banning the bomb. 246 00:09:42,760 –> 00:09:46,219 We can’t have thousands and 247 00:09:46,219 –> 00:09:48,260 perhaps even millions of people 248 00:09:48,260 –> 00:09:52,679 dying from such atrocious 249 00:09:52,799 –> 00:09:55,219 weapons. 250 00:09:55,460 –> 00:09:56,679 And Lloyd Jones made this 251 00:09:56,679 –> 00:09:58,900 observation. 252 00:09:59,200 –> 00:10:00,099 Here he said, there are 253 00:10:00,099 –> 00:10:02,679 thousands of people on the 254 00:10:02,679 –> 00:10:04,659 streets 255 00:10:04,900 –> 00:10:07,440 and they’re protesting about the 256 00:10:07,440 –> 00:10:10,940 danger of death coming through a 257 00:10:10,940 –> 00:10:14,440 nuclear bomb. 258 00:10:14,659 –> 00:10:16,140 They’re concerned about the mode 259 00:10:16,140 –> 00:10:17,500 of death. 260 00:10:17,739 –> 00:10:20,919 We cannot have people dying in 261 00:10:20,919 –> 00:10:24,059 their thousands with a bomb. 262 00:10:24,299 –> 00:10:25,419 And they’re making a very 263 00:10:25,640 –> 00:10:27,859 important point. 264 00:10:28,140 –> 00:10:30,659 But here’s the question. 265 00:10:30,900 –> 00:10:33,020 How many people who are rightly 266 00:10:33,020 –> 00:10:34,739 and passionately concerned about 267 00:10:34,739 –> 00:10:38,380 the mode of death 268 00:10:38,599 –> 00:10:40,419 are really thinking seriously 269 00:10:40,419 –> 00:10:42,679 about the unavoidable reality of 270 00:10:42,679 –> 00:10:45,900 death itself? 271 00:10:46,140 –> 00:10:47,080 Here are people who have 272 00:10:47,080 –> 00:10:48,599 something to say about the mode 273 00:10:48,599 –> 00:10:49,260 of death. 274 00:10:49,520 –> 00:10:50,500 It cannot come in this way. 275 00:10:50,739 –> 00:10:52,039 It cannot come through a bomb. 276 00:10:52,299 –> 00:10:55,299 We must be free from the bomb. 277 00:10:55,520 –> 00:10:57,340 But what do they have to say 278 00:10:57,599 –> 00:10:59,500 was his question. 279 00:10:59,780 –> 00:11:02,219 About the unavoidable reality 280 00:11:02,219 –> 00:11:03,539 that it is coming to all of us 281 00:11:03,539 –> 00:11:05,020 at some way in some place 282 00:11:05,020 –> 00:11:07,719 and at some time. 283 00:11:07,979 –> 00:11:10,419 People die in many ways. 284 00:11:10,659 –> 00:11:12,659 Some in war, 285 00:11:12,880 –> 00:11:14,340 some through an act of violence 286 00:11:14,340 –> 00:11:15,260 some through an illness 287 00:11:15,260 –> 00:11:18,059 a heart attack, a cancer. 288 00:11:18,320 –> 00:11:19,760 Others die through old age 289 00:11:19,780 –> 00:11:22,580 People die at different times. 290 00:11:22,960 –> 00:11:25,280 Some people die relatively young. 291 00:11:25,520 –> 00:11:27,739 Others live long into old age. 292 00:11:27,739 –> 00:11:32,380 Long beyond what God has promised. 293 00:11:32,679 –> 00:11:35,859 These things are important. 294 00:11:36,080 –> 00:11:42,340 But friends, they are not the ultimate things. 295 00:11:42,580 –> 00:11:44,719 Whether I were to die soon in an accident 296 00:11:44,719 –> 00:11:45,719 or through an illness 297 00:11:45,719 –> 00:11:49,440 or whether I were to live into old age 298 00:11:49,479 –> 00:11:55,059 the moment that I close my eyes in death 299 00:11:55,299 –> 00:11:58,440 I am ushered into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ 300 00:11:58,440 –> 00:12:00,640 and awakened into a world of light 301 00:12:00,640 –> 00:12:02,919 and love and joy and peace 302 00:12:03,119 –> 00:12:06,820 where Jesus is. 303 00:12:07,039 –> 00:12:09,840 So the timing of death 304 00:12:10,099 –> 00:12:12,799 the mode of death, is important of course 305 00:12:12,799 –> 00:12:15,619 but it is not the thing of ultimate importance. 306 00:12:15,619 –> 00:12:19,080 What is the thing of ultimate importance? 307 00:12:19,140 –> 00:12:20,760 And here it is 308 00:12:21,039 –> 00:12:23,000 whatever the mode of death 309 00:12:23,000 –> 00:12:27,940 there are ultimately only two ways in which people die. 310 00:12:27,940 –> 00:12:31,539 One is what Jesus refers to here three times. 311 00:12:31,539 –> 00:12:37,080 He speaks about people who die in their sins. 312 00:12:37,080 –> 00:12:40,219 The other is in Revelation 14, 313 00:12:40,219 –> 00:12:43,500 which God willing we’ll look at next week 314 00:12:43,700 –> 00:12:47,979 where the Lord speaks about those who die in the Lord. 315 00:12:47,979 –> 00:12:50,799 Ultimately whether a person dies young or old 316 00:12:50,799 –> 00:12:53,500 whether they die in what we call an accident 317 00:12:53,500 –> 00:12:56,799 or through an illness whatever the mode of death 318 00:12:58,200 –> 00:13:01,979 there are actually ultimately only two ways in which a person dies. 319 00:13:01,979 –> 00:13:04,140 A person either dies in their sins 320 00:13:04,140 –> 00:13:05,440 or they die in the Lord 321 00:13:05,440 –> 00:13:08,479 and that’s the thing that ultimately matters, 322 00:13:08,479 –> 00:13:11,580 that’s the thing that you should be most concerned about, 323 00:13:11,580 –> 00:13:13,099 that is the thing that every person 324 00:13:13,099 –> 00:13:15,780 has to give serious consideration to. 325 00:13:15,780 –> 00:13:17,280 So let’s look at what Jesus says 326 00:13:17,280 –> 00:13:18,539 about the first here. 327 00:13:18,539 –> 00:13:20,880 I’m looking at verse twelve, let’s begin there. 328 00:13:21,179 –> 00:13:22,099 Jesus said, 329 00:13:22,840 –> 00:13:26,840 I am the light of the world 330 00:13:28,039 –> 00:13:29,840 I’m the light of the world. 331 00:13:30,940 –> 00:13:34,539 In other words, you have him to thank 332 00:13:34,539 –> 00:13:36,539 for everything good in your life 333 00:13:36,539 –> 00:13:38,739 and for everything good in the world. 334 00:13:38,739 –> 00:13:40,780 Anything that qualifies as light, 335 00:13:40,780 –> 00:13:42,260 anything that is good 336 00:13:42,260 –> 00:13:45,159 comes ultimately from him and without him. 337 00:13:45,979 –> 00:13:48,299 There is in this world are the next 338 00:13:48,299 –> 00:13:51,479 no light, no hope, no love, no joy, no peace 339 00:13:51,479 –> 00:13:54,479 take him away and everything is darkness. 340 00:13:54,479 –> 00:13:58,239 He says, I am the light of the world. 341 00:13:58,859 –> 00:14:01,119 Then notice what he says next, 342 00:14:01,119 –> 00:14:07,599 whoever follows me will not walk in darkness. 343 00:14:09,159 –> 00:14:10,700 Now imagine this picture with me, 344 00:14:10,700 –> 00:14:13,159 Let’s imagine that all of us in this congregation 345 00:14:13,219 –> 00:14:17,320 here today are in a long dark tunnel. 346 00:14:17,500 –> 00:14:19,859 It’s several miles long 347 00:14:19,859 –> 00:14:21,780 and you cannot see the end from the beginning. 348 00:14:21,780 –> 00:14:25,460 It’s just dark and a man comes 349 00:14:25,460 –> 00:14:30,260 towards us and he has a light and as he 350 00:14:30,260 –> 00:14:34,659 comes closer to us the light becomes 351 00:14:34,659 –> 00:14:37,880 very bright and he’s passing on his way 352 00:14:37,880 –> 00:14:39,780 through the tunnel past this place 353 00:14:39,780 –> 00:14:42,500 where we are all sitting down. 354 00:14:42,940 –> 00:14:48,440 If we follow him, we will walk in his light 355 00:14:49,159 –> 00:14:51,099 but if we stay where we are and we 356 00:14:51,099 –> 00:14:53,599 do not follow him as he comes past us 357 00:14:53,599 –> 00:14:55,880 then his light will get further and 358 00:14:55,880 –> 00:14:58,219 further and further away from us and 359 00:14:58,219 –> 00:15:00,599 eventually we will be in complete and 360 00:15:00,599 –> 00:15:03,359 total and utter darkness. 361 00:15:04,080 –> 00:15:05,340 That’s the picture. 362 00:15:06,099 –> 00:15:10,299 I am the light of the world Jesus is 363 00:15:10,299 –> 00:15:14,020 and whoever follows me will not walk in 364 00:15:14,020 –> 00:15:16,739 darkness because I’m the light he’s saying. 365 00:15:18,179 –> 00:15:21,739 Now that is true in this world and it 366 00:15:21,739 –> 00:15:24,020 becomes even more clearly true in the 367 00:15:24,020 –> 00:15:26,179 world to come because beyond this world 368 00:15:26,179 –> 00:15:30,780 there is a place where Christ is and 369 00:15:30,780 –> 00:15:33,219 because there is a place where Christ is 370 00:15:33,219 –> 00:15:36,820 that place is a place, a world of 371 00:15:36,820 –> 00:15:39,580 light and of peace and of joy and of 372 00:15:39,580 –> 00:15:43,099 love. But the Bible makes it clear that 373 00:15:43,099 –> 00:15:45,460 beyond this world there is also a place 374 00:15:45,460 –> 00:15:50,700 where Christ is not. And because Christ 375 00:15:50,700 –> 00:15:54,619 is not in that place it is a world of 376 00:15:54,619 –> 00:15:57,460 darkness and of hate and of turmoil and 377 00:15:57,460 –> 00:16:01,179 of misery. Now hear what he says again I 378 00:16:01,179 –> 00:16:04,719 am the light of the world, whoever 379 00:16:04,719 –> 00:16:07,419 follows me will not walk in darkness but 380 00:16:07,440 –> 00:16:13,080 will have the light of life. Now Jesus 381 00:16:13,080 –> 00:16:14,760 says these things and as you have the 382 00:16:14,760 –> 00:16:17,059 Bible open I hope in front of you it’s 383 00:16:17,059 –> 00:16:19,080 immediately obvious when he says this 384 00:16:19,080 –> 00:16:22,219 that the audience is not with him and so 385 00:16:22,219 –> 00:16:24,320 they begin to pick holes in what 386 00:16:24,320 –> 00:16:26,200 qualifies him to speak and so forth and 387 00:16:26,200 –> 00:16:28,440 so on. Well you are bearing witness to 388 00:16:28,440 –> 00:16:31,239 yourself they say or as folks would put 389 00:16:31,239 –> 00:16:33,039 it today that’s just your opinion but 390 00:16:33,039 –> 00:16:34,659 how do we know that it’s true and so 391 00:16:34,659 –> 00:16:37,239 forth and so on. Well this debate that 392 00:16:37,299 –> 00:16:40,020 doesn’t go anywhere as so often as the 393 00:16:40,020 –> 00:16:42,719 case runs on from verse 13 through to 394 00:16:42,719 –> 00:16:45,960 verse 20 and then Jesus cuts through all 395 00:16:45,960 –> 00:16:47,960 the theoretically talk and he says this 396 00:16:47,960 –> 00:16:49,799 it must have been an electric moment in 397 00:16:49,799 –> 00:16:52,200 the conversation he said now I am going 398 00:16:52,200 –> 00:16:57,299 away. Verse 21. And you will seek me 399 00:16:57,299 –> 00:17:03,119 and you will die in your sin for where I 400 00:17:03,400 –> 00:17:07,819 am going you cannot come. 401 00:17:07,900 –> 00:17:11,000 Now remember he’s speaking to a group of 402 00:17:11,000 –> 00:17:12,979 people who are absolutely certain that 403 00:17:12,979 –> 00:17:15,000 they’re all going to heaven just by the 404 00:17:15,000 –> 00:17:17,160 way as most Americans are quite certain 405 00:17:17,160 –> 00:17:18,520 that they’re going to heaven in our 406 00:17:18,520 –> 00:17:21,520 culture today the vast majority and so 407 00:17:21,520 –> 00:17:24,680 they say in effect well now this is how 408 00:17:24,680 –> 00:17:26,880 they reason Jesus says well now where I’m 409 00:17:26,880 –> 00:17:28,599 going you cannot come well we know we’re 410 00:17:28,599 –> 00:17:31,599 going to heaven so if we can’t come 411 00:17:31,660 –> 00:17:34,119 where he’s going or must be he’s going 412 00:17:34,119 –> 00:17:35,680 to the other place and so they say well 413 00:17:35,680 –> 00:17:39,520 maybe he’s gonna kill himself then so 414 00:17:39,520 –> 00:17:46,280 Jesus says verse 23 you are from below I 415 00:17:46,280 –> 00:17:52,680 am from above you are off this world I 416 00:17:52,680 –> 00:17:55,780 am not of this world you see what he’s 417 00:17:55,780 –> 00:18:00,099 saying look earth is your home 418 00:18:00,180 –> 00:18:05,140 you don’t belong in heaven heaven is my 419 00:18:05,140 –> 00:18:11,300 home I don’t belong on Earth there’s all 420 00:18:11,300 –> 00:18:12,819 the difference in the world you see 421 00:18:12,819 –> 00:18:16,380 between us and Jesus is making this 422 00:18:16,380 –> 00:18:18,099 very simple point that we need to hear 423 00:18:18,099 –> 00:18:20,119 today that the vast majority of people 424 00:18:20,119 –> 00:18:22,160 in our culture who are very very sure 425 00:18:22,160 –> 00:18:23,219 that they’re going to heaven 426 00:18:23,219 –> 00:18:25,479 desperately needs to hear today and 427 00:18:25,479 –> 00:18:27,500 it’s simply this heaven does not belong 428 00:18:27,660 –> 00:18:32,099 to us being born free does not give us a 429 00:18:32,099 –> 00:18:36,300 right to heaven heaven is the home of 430 00:18:36,300 –> 00:18:41,020 Jesus Christ you’re from below I’m from 431 00:18:41,020 –> 00:18:47,040 above the picture this with me suppose 432 00:18:47,040 –> 00:18:48,699 someone knocks on the door of your house 433 00:18:48,699 –> 00:18:52,900 and you open the door and a stranger is 434 00:18:52,900 –> 00:18:54,119 there someone you’ve never seen before 435 00:18:54,119 –> 00:18:57,260 in your life and you’re just about to 436 00:18:57,500 –> 00:19:00,479 something but this guy immediately pushes 437 00:19:00,479 –> 00:19:03,060 the door open brushes you aside walk 438 00:19:03,060 –> 00:19:05,119 straight up the stairs and start 439 00:19:05,119 –> 00:19:07,400 unpacking a suitcase in one of your 440 00:19:07,400 –> 00:19:10,959 bedrooms and you follow him up the 441 00:19:10,959 –> 00:19:16,560 stairs and you see excuse me what in the 442 00:19:16,560 –> 00:19:19,540 world do you think you’re doing when he 443 00:19:19,540 –> 00:19:20,880 says well this is a rather nice house 444 00:19:20,880 –> 00:19:24,319 I’ve decided to make it my home and you 445 00:19:24,319 –> 00:19:25,719 say you pack your bag and you get a 446 00:19:25,739 –> 00:19:27,739 writer here right now before I call the 447 00:19:27,739 –> 00:19:31,500 police this is my home you have no right 448 00:19:31,500 –> 00:19:36,180 to walk in here if you invite me to your 449 00:19:36,180 –> 00:19:39,900 house I could come and stay there as 450 00:19:39,900 –> 00:19:43,540 your guest but that’s up to you not up 451 00:19:43,540 –> 00:19:47,560 to me I have no right to stay in your 452 00:19:47,560 –> 00:19:51,760 house it is entirely a matter of your 453 00:19:51,760 –> 00:19:54,020 invitation you’re under absolutely no 454 00:19:54,199 –> 00:19:55,819 obligation to invite me to stay in your 455 00:19:55,819 –> 00:19:57,719 home or to invite anyone else to stay in 456 00:19:57,719 –> 00:19:59,680 your home if I stay in your home it is 457 00:19:59,680 –> 00:20:01,160 entirely at your invitation it is 458 00:20:01,160 –> 00:20:06,199 entirely at your pleasure no right 459 00:20:06,199 –> 00:20:08,319 oh you see what jesus is saying heaven 460 00:20:08,319 –> 00:20:12,880 is Christ’s home we have no right to it 461 00:20:12,880 –> 00:20:19,119 we’re from below we don’t belong there 462 00:20:19,739 –> 00:20:24,599 so Jesus says verse 24 I told you that 463 00:20:24,599 –> 00:20:28,540 you would die in your sins for unless 464 00:20:28,540 –> 00:20:33,420 you believe that I am he you will die in 465 00:20:33,420 –> 00:20:35,180 your sins which must have completely 466 00:20:35,180 –> 00:20:37,420 shocked them with their absolute 467 00:20:37,420 –> 00:20:39,500 certainty that all of them were headed 468 00:20:39,500 –> 00:20:44,660 for heaven really ultimately only two 469 00:20:44,660 –> 00:20:46,319 ways in which any human being dies 470 00:20:46,319 –> 00:20:50,880 we either die in our sins or we die in 471 00:20:50,880 –> 00:20:54,439 the Lord now we really need to 472 00:20:54,439 –> 00:20:55,839 understand what these two things are 473 00:20:55,839 –> 00:20:59,160 about right this is this is too big to 474 00:20:59,160 –> 00:21:02,640 kind of gloss over so let’s ask this 475 00:21:02,640 –> 00:21:06,640 honest question today what does it mean 476 00:21:06,640 –> 00:21:13,040 to die in your sins what is that and let 477 00:21:13,040 –> 00:21:15,280 me simply describe it this way to die in 478 00:21:15,380 –> 00:21:19,680 your sins means to carry your sins into 479 00:21:19,680 –> 00:21:21,979 your death with you that’s what it means 480 00:21:21,979 –> 00:21:26,180 to die in your sins means to carry your 481 00:21:26,180 –> 00:21:29,300 sins into your death with you it is a 482 00:21:29,300 –> 00:21:32,119 terrible thing and I’ll tell you in a 483 00:21:32,119 –> 00:21:33,180 few moments how you’re going to be 484 00:21:33,180 –> 00:21:34,939 absolutely sure it will not happen for 485 00:21:34,939 –> 00:21:38,900 you Lloyd Jones gave a compelling 486 00:21:38,900 –> 00:21:41,260 description of this in the message that 487 00:21:41,260 –> 00:21:44,739 I referred to a few moments ago and I 488 00:21:44,739 –> 00:21:46,540 want to read an extended quote I don’t 489 00:21:46,540 –> 00:21:49,099 often do that but I I do this with great 490 00:21:49,099 –> 00:21:52,500 sense of purpose here today I want you 491 00:21:52,500 –> 00:21:56,619 to picture then a person and there at 492 00:21:56,619 –> 00:21:59,739 the end point of life and they’re moving 493 00:21:59,739 –> 00:22:02,319 into death and this person has not 494 00:22:02,319 –> 00:22:04,660 followed Christ and does not believe in 495 00:22:04,660 –> 00:22:08,079 Christ and and he doesn’t know what’s 496 00:22:08,079 –> 00:22:10,959 happening to it he knows he’s going 497 00:22:10,959 –> 00:22:13,579 forward he feels he’s going out it’s as 498 00:22:13,579 –> 00:22:15,160 if he’s going into something that is 499 00:22:15,160 –> 00:22:17,359 strange and ahead and foreign and it 500 00:22:17,359 –> 00:22:18,880 doesn’t want to go but he can’t pull 501 00:22:18,880 –> 00:22:21,680 back it’s it’s irresistibly pulling him 502 00:22:21,680 –> 00:22:30,920 in he’s dying in his sins listen to 503 00:22:30,920 –> 00:22:34,500 these words of Lloyd-jones he has an 504 00:22:34,500 –> 00:22:37,680 awful feeling that he is guilty 505 00:22:37,680 –> 00:22:40,400 suddenly the whole of his past life 506 00:22:40,400 –> 00:22:42,359 flashes in front of him and he sees that 507 00:22:42,420 –> 00:22:46,280 it was all wrong all of his life he 508 00:22:46,280 –> 00:22:48,439 stifled his conscience he’s pressed it 509 00:22:48,439 –> 00:22:55,859 down and suddenly it asserts itself and 510 00:22:55,859 –> 00:22:59,599 he begins to feel condemned worse is the 511 00:22:59,599 –> 00:23:01,439 fact that he is condemned in the sight 512 00:23:01,439 –> 00:23:03,640 of God and and under the curse of God 513 00:23:03,640 –> 00:23:07,760 against in all of this comes to him now 514 00:23:08,760 –> 00:23:14,000 he hadn’t seen it before but it’s all 515 00:23:14,000 –> 00:23:19,319 clear now the commandments he stifled 516 00:23:19,319 –> 00:23:21,319 and kept down begin to speak to him 517 00:23:21,319 –> 00:23:23,359 thou shalt not kill thou shalt not 518 00:23:23,359 –> 00:23:25,579 steal thou shalt not commit adultery 519 00:23:25,579 –> 00:23:28,040 thou shall love the Lord thy God and 520 00:23:28,040 –> 00:23:33,660 serve him only he hasn’t done it and 521 00:23:33,660 –> 00:23:37,640 he’s dying it all comes back he’s 522 00:23:37,640 –> 00:23:40,060 dying in his sense he’s surrounded by 523 00:23:40,060 –> 00:23:42,500 them he’s in the atmosphere of them 524 00:23:42,500 –> 00:23:47,859 that’s his position glimpse is into the 525 00:23:47,859 –> 00:23:50,000 future and he sees flashes of hell and 526 00:23:50,000 –> 00:23:53,420 torment and misery it’s filled with a 527 00:23:53,420 –> 00:23:56,099 sense of remorse hates himself for the 528 00:23:56,099 –> 00:23:59,140 things he’s done feels that he’s been a 529 00:23:59,140 –> 00:24:02,859 fool he’s lived his whole life without 530 00:24:02,859 –> 00:24:07,400 thinking of this and he’s going out 531 00:24:08,400 –> 00:24:11,619 he’s going on from this present world 532 00:24:11,619 –> 00:24:14,180 and into an unknown future he doesn’t 533 00:24:14,180 –> 00:24:17,339 know where and nothing he has lived for 534 00:24:17,339 –> 00:24:21,199 can help him and I believe Lloyd-Jones 535 00:24:21,199 –> 00:24:23,479 says at this point also he is given a 536 00:24:23,479 –> 00:24:27,640 glimpse of heaven and of glory but 537 00:24:27,640 –> 00:24:31,540 realizes that he is not fit for it it’s 538 00:24:31,540 –> 00:24:34,400 clean it’s pure it’s light it’s holy and 539 00:24:34,400 –> 00:24:37,380 he knows he wouldn’t be happy there he 540 00:24:37,380 –> 00:24:38,920 hasn’t thought about these things he’s 541 00:24:38,920 –> 00:24:41,540 lived for the opposite there is God and 542 00:24:41,540 –> 00:24:43,420 all his glory and all his purity and 543 00:24:43,420 –> 00:24:45,699 there’s all this worship he sees it it’s 544 00:24:45,699 –> 00:24:48,380 wonderful it’s glorious but he’s not fit 545 00:24:48,380 –> 00:24:55,959 for it and he can’t go there friends I 546 00:24:55,959 –> 00:24:58,479 cannot imagine anything more tragic than 547 00:24:58,680 –> 00:25:09,900 this can you? To die in your sins that 548 00:25:09,900 –> 00:25:12,640 leads to the obvious question question 549 00:25:12,640 –> 00:25:16,640 every one of us must ask and that I must 550 00:25:16,640 –> 00:25:19,099 answer clearly from the Bible for you 551 00:25:19,099 –> 00:25:23,959 here today how can I be sure that that 552 00:25:23,959 –> 00:25:26,040 will not happen to me that’s the 553 00:25:26,040 –> 00:25:32,800 question I know that I will die in a 554 00:25:32,800 –> 00:25:35,520 when don’t know how but what I need to 555 00:25:35,520 –> 00:25:38,040 know is that when it happens I do not 556 00:25:38,040 –> 00:25:43,839 die in my sins because what Jesus says 557 00:25:43,839 –> 00:25:49,219 you see there in verse 21 it’s very 558 00:25:49,219 –> 00:25:55,819 distinct Jesus says you will die in your 559 00:25:55,819 –> 00:26:04,859 sin singular singular one sin what is 560 00:26:04,859 –> 00:26:09,199 it what is the one sin that jesus says 561 00:26:09,199 –> 00:26:11,839 inverse 21 people are in danger of 562 00:26:11,839 –> 00:26:15,920 dying in well he tells us that quite 563 00:26:16,000 –> 00:26:19,319 clearly inverse 24 he says I told you 564 00:26:19,319 –> 00:26:24,140 that you would die in your sins fluid 565 00:26:24,140 –> 00:26:30,619 far unless you believe that i and he you 566 00:26:30,619 –> 00:26:34,359 will die in your sense unless you 567 00:26:34,359 –> 00:26:39,880 believe that I M T in other words Jesus 568 00:26:39,880 –> 00:26:41,839 is making it very clear here that 569 00:26:41,839 –> 00:26:45,619 unbelief towards Jesus Christ is the one 570 00:26:45,699 –> 00:26:49,180 sin that leaves you taking all your 571 00:26:49,180 –> 00:26:53,819 other sins into your death with you this 572 00:26:53,819 –> 00:26:58,219 is the tragedy of unbelief if you do not 573 00:26:58,219 –> 00:27:00,280 believe Jesus says you will die in all 574 00:27:00,280 –> 00:27:03,780 your other sins unbelief is the as it 575 00:27:03,780 –> 00:27:07,400 were masters in this is the sin that 576 00:27:07,400 –> 00:27:10,140 causes a person to go into death 577 00:27:10,140 –> 00:27:12,380 carrying all other sins with them in 578 00:27:12,380 –> 00:27:16,380 them and upon them now it slipped that 579 00:27:16,380 –> 00:27:18,619 round and you get the whole of the 580 00:27:18,619 –> 00:27:24,300 gospel unbelief towards Jesus leaves you 581 00:27:24,300 –> 00:27:29,219 dying in your sins turn that around if 582 00:27:29,219 –> 00:27:31,819 you believe that Jesus is the Christ if 583 00:27:31,819 –> 00:27:34,140 you believe as Jesus says that I am he 584 00:27:34,140 –> 00:27:37,640 you will not die in your sins 585 0:27:37,640 –> 00:27:41,359 now you might say well I thought you 586 00:27:41,359 –> 00:27:43,199 might say that but I can never quite 587 00:27:43,199 –> 00:27:45,000 figure out why is it that this 588 00:27:45,000 –> 00:27:48,020 believing is so important does she 589 00:27:48,020 –> 00:27:50,040 believe the right things no no that’s 590 00:27:50,040 –> 00:27:52,939 not it look understand this here’s why 591 00:27:52,939 –> 00:27:55,000 believing is so important everywhere in 592 00:27:55,000 –> 00:28:00,719 the Bible because faith is the bond of a 593 00:28:00,719 –> 00:28:03,719 living union that joins you to Jesus 594 00:28:03,719 –> 00:28:07,680 Christ through faith in Jesus Christ you 595 00:28:07,719 –> 00:28:12,060 become his and he becomes yours he 596 00:28:12,060 –> 00:28:14,540 becomes your Savior he becomes your 597 00:28:14,540 –> 00:28:16,839 friend he becomes your Lord he becomes 598 00:28:16,839 –> 00:28:19,680 your master and when you belong to him 599 00:28:19,680 –> 00:28:24,520 guess what his home is yours he opens it 600 00:28:24,520 –> 00:28:30,319 to you and there’s more you see Jesus 601 00:28:30,319 –> 00:28:32,619 the gospels make very clear lived a 602 00:28:32,619 –> 00:28:35,040 sinless life he is the only person who 603 00:28:35,040 –> 00:28:36,800 has ever done this he is the only person 604 00:28:36,839 –> 00:28:40,479 who ever could or ever will but Jesus 605 00:28:40,479 –> 00:28:45,780 lived and died without a single sin and 606 00:28:45,780 –> 00:28:47,920 the Bible tells us therefore that he was 607 00:28:47,920 –> 00:28:50,199 uniquely qualified and able to deal 608 00:28:50,199 –> 00:28:52,800 with the sins of others so that when he 609 00:28:52,800 –> 00:28:55,939 died on the cross the Bible tells us 610 00:28:55,939 –> 00:29:00,920 that he bore our sins in his own body on 611 00:29:00,920 –> 00:29:03,920 the tree that was what was happening at 612 00:29:03,920 –> 00:29:06,439 the cross or as Isaiah puts it the Lord 613 00:29:06,439 –> 00:29:10,920 has laid on him the iniquity of us all 614 00:29:10,920 –> 00:29:13,459 now here’s the marvelous thing when you 615 00:29:13,459 –> 00:29:17,339 are Christs and Christ is yours Christ 616 00:29:17,339 –> 00:29:21,040 carried your sins into his death so that 617 00:29:21,040 –> 00:29:22,839 you do not need to carry them into 618 00:29:22,839 –> 00:29:25,219 yours that’s the good news of the gospel 619 00:29:25,219 –> 00:29:27,800 they’ve been carried into the death of 620 00:29:27,800 –> 00:29:31,400 another Christ carried your sins into 621 00:29:31,400 –> 00:29:34,339 his death so you won’t carry them into 622 00:29:34,339 –> 00:29:37,060 yours if you are Christ and Christ is 623 00:29:37,060 –> 00:29:39,420 yours and that union is made through the 624 00:29:39,420 –> 00:29:46,040 bond of faith so I say to you and to 625 00:29:46,040 –> 00:29:47,760 everyone within the sound of this 626 00:29:47,760 –> 00:29:52,140 message today believe on the Lord Jesus 627 00:29:52,140 –> 00:29:57,760 Christ give yourself to him by faith 628 00:29:57,760 –> 00:30:00,660 make him yours receive him embrace him 629 00:30:00,839 –> 00:30:05,160 follow him and you have his words you 630 00:30:05,160 –> 00:30:08,739 will not die in your sins of Christ is 631 00:30:08,739 –> 00:30:10,739 yours because Christ has taken your 632 00:30:10,739 –> 00:30:12,859 sins into his death how there for can 633 00:30:12,859 –> 00:30:15,160 you take them into yours they’re 634 00:30:15,160 –> 00:30:18,319 separated from you that’s why we sing in 635 00:30:18,319 –> 00:30:20,380 an old old song that some of you will 636 00:30:20,380 –> 00:30:22,260 know and others may not have heard but 637 00:30:22,260 –> 00:30:23,180 it’s beautiful 638 00:30:23,180 –> 00:30:27,579 living he loved me dying he saved me 639 00:30:28,219 –> 00:30:31,819 red he carried my sins far away 640 00:30:31,819 –> 00:30:34,979 he took them away he separated them from 641 00:30:34,979 –> 00:30:39,939 me bore them he took them into his death 642 00:30:39,939 –> 00:30:42,280 so that I will not take them into mine 643 00:30:42,280 –> 00:30:44,219 that’s the good news of the Gospel for 644 00:30:44,219 –> 00:30:49,319 everyone who is in Jesus Christ you’ll 645 00:30:49,319 –> 00:30:51,239 not die in your sins if you belong to 646 00:30:51,239 –> 00:30:56,739 Jesus you will die in the Lord and we 647 00:30:56,739 –> 00:30:59,119 look at that God willing next week and 648 00:30:59,119 –> 00:31:01,819 what it means and how glorious that 649 00:31:01,819 –> 00:31:04,239 hope really is for every believer but 650 00:31:04,239 –> 00:31:06,560 the book of Revelation just says this 651 00:31:06,560 –> 00:31:12,099 blessed are they who die in the Lord all 652 00:31:12,099 –> 00:31:16,939 the difference in the world 653 00:31:16,939 –> 00:31:21,479 now let me deal with one very practical 654 00:31:21,479 –> 00:31:24,699 question by way of application before we 655 00:31:24,699 –> 00:31:32,640 conclude here today. What can you say to 656 00:31:32,640 –> 00:31:37,680 a friend or to a loved one who is not a 657 00:31:37,680 –> 00:31:41,380 Christian and is drawing near to the 658 00:31:41,380 –> 00:31:43,500 point of death? It’s a very practical 659 00:31:43,500 –> 00:31:47,540 question this is one of the most 660 00:31:47,540 –> 00:31:51,979 difficult moments for any Christian. Here 661 00:31:51,979 –> 00:31:53,699 is a person you care about deeply a 662 00:31:53,699 –> 00:31:55,660 family member a long-standing business 663 00:31:55,660 –> 00:31:59,239 colleague or a friend and you know that 664 00:31:59,239 –> 00:32:02,579 they have not believed in Christ and 665 00:32:02,579 –> 00:32:06,540 they have not been following Him you 666 00:32:06,540 –> 00:32:10,219 feel that you should say something he’s 667 00:32:10,219 –> 00:32:15,060 going to die but you really find it very 668 00:32:15,060 –> 00:32:17,339 difficult to know where to begin and 669 00:32:17,339 –> 00:32:18,699 this is the most sensitive and most 670 00:32:18,699 –> 00:32:23,660 delicate of all situations and probably 671 00:32:23,660 –> 00:32:25,500 every one of us here will face that 672 00:32:25,500 –> 00:32:27,880 situation at some point and you probably 673 00:32:27,880 –> 00:32:32,560 have already what would you say well 674 00:32:32,560 –> 00:32:35,420 we’re all dependent on The Holy Spirit 675 00:32:35,420 –> 00:32:39,160 to prompt us in times like these but 676 00:32:39,160 –> 00:32:40,699 we’re also to be guided by the 677 00:32:40,699 –> 00:32:44,119 scriptures and I want to suggest to you 678 00:32:44,119 –> 00:32:46,020 very simply that you could begin with 679 00:32:46,020 –> 00:32:49,719 these words of Jesus and you could with 680 00:32:49,719 –> 00:32:52,839 great prophets say something like this 681 00:32:53,160 –> 00:32:57,060 you could say with compassion and with 682 00:32:57,060 –> 00:33:02,859 affection my friend soon you are going 683 00:33:02,859 –> 00:33:08,040 to be in another world and Jesus said I 684 00:33:08,040 –> 00:33:09,760 am the light of the world whoever 685 00:33:09,760 –> 00:33:12,479 follows me will not be in darkness but 686 00:33:12,479 –> 00:33:14,180 will have the light of life let be a 687 00:33:14,180 –> 00:33:18,000 great place to begin and you could say 688 00:33:18,000 –> 00:33:21,819 you know there is another world that is 689 00:33:21,819 –> 00:33:24,339 very dark because Christ is not there 690 00:33:24,339 –> 00:33:28,979 and you could say there is another world 691 00:33:28,979 –> 00:33:34,020 that is full of love and joy and peace 692 00:33:34,020 –> 00:33:38,880 because Christ is it’s light and you 693 00:33:38,880 –> 00:33:41,260 could say I so long and I have so long 694 00:33:41,260 –> 00:33:44,900 prayed that you would be there and you 695 00:33:44,900 –> 00:33:47,020 could say because this is a moment to be 696 00:33:47,020 –> 00:33:49,339 honest I know that you’ve not followed 697 00:33:49,760 –> 00:33:51,959 Christ in your life and you have not 698 00:33:51,959 –> 00:33:54,900 believed but I want to say to you it is 699 00:33:54,900 –> 00:34:01,020 not too late to change even now you 700 00:34:01,020 –> 00:34:05,260 could say Christ died my friend for 701 00:34:05,260 –> 00:34:11,340 sinners like us like us and 702 00:34:11,340 –> 00:34:15,219 you could ask Christ to have mercy on 703 00:34:15,219 –> 00:34:20,000 you as I ask Christ to have mercy on me 704 00:34:20,000 –> 00:34:23,719 ask him to forgive you and to cleanse 705 00:34:23,719 –> 00:34:28,159 him tell him tell him that he died for 706 00:34:28,159 –> 00:34:30,719 sinners and you’re a sinner who needs 707 00:34:30,719 –> 00:34:36,040 saving you could tell your friend Christ 708 00:34:36,040 –> 00:34:41,560 carried sins into his deaths so that you 709 00:34:41,560 –> 00:34:44,800 would not need to carry yours into 710 00:34:45,000 –> 00:34:50,199 your day you could say would you like to 711 00:34:50,199 –> 00:34:54,600 pray to Jesus Christ and to ask him to 712 00:34:54,600 –> 00:34:59,219 have mercy on your soul 713 00:34:59,219 –> 00:35:02,280 that could tell you stories about folks 714 00:35:02,280 –> 00:35:05,120 who have turned to Jesus Christ at the 715 00:35:05,120 –> 00:35:06,800 last moment of life you know a great 716 00:35:06,800 –> 00:35:08,399 one from the Bible of course with the 717 00:35:08,399 –> 00:35:13,639 thief on the cross, a comment that was 718 00:35:13,639 –> 00:35:15,280 made on that story that always stays 719 00:35:15,280 –> 00:35:16,979 with me whenever I think of it you know 720 00:35:16,979 –> 00:35:20,139 two thieves on the cross here one dies 721 00:35:20,139 –> 00:35:24,639 in his sins one dies in the Lord one was 722 00:35:24,639 –> 00:35:26,719 saved that none made a spare the other 723 00:35:26,719 –> 00:35:31,060 was lost that none may presume so my 724 00:35:31,060 –> 00:35:33,379 very last words to you here today is 725 00:35:33,379 –> 00:35:38,800 simply this do not put off closing in 726 00:35:38,800 –> 00:35:41,719 faith with Jesus Christ for another time 727 00:35:42,320 –> 00:35:46,820 if you’re young it’s so easy to say well 728 00:35:46,820 –> 00:35:48,260 you know this is stuff that’s four years 729 00:35:48,260 –> 00:35:50,979 ahead well you don’t know that and nor 730 00:35:50,979 –> 00:35:52,399 do you know that your own heart will be 731 00:35:52,399 –> 00:35:54,500 open years from now you’re under the 732 00:35:54,500 –> 00:35:56,320 sound of the Word of God now the Holy 733 00:35:56,320 –> 00:35:59,659 Spirit is at work in hearts now today if 734 00:35:59,659 –> 00:36:01,899 you hear His voice if in any sense 735 00:36:01,899 –> 00:36:03,860 you’re connecting with the things of 736 00:36:03,860 –> 00:36:06,320 eternity can you not see that the Lord 737 00:36:06,320 –> 00:36:08,699 Jesus Christ is drawing you to respond 738 00:36:09,000 –> 00:36:12,560 faith in Him today so I want to give you 739 00:36:12,560 –> 00:36:14,320 these words and closing that you could 740 00:36:14,320 –> 00:36:20,340 use right now as a prayer in which you 741 00:36:20,340 –> 00:36:23,340 close in faith with Jesus Christ some 742 00:36:23,340 –> 00:36:29,260 words to make this your own the words of 743 00:36:29,260 –> 00:36:32,479 an old him some of you will know them 744 00:36:32,479 –> 00:36:36,320 very well where Jesus is described as 745 00:36:36,919 –> 00:36:45,179 the Rock of ages rock of ages Cleft for 746 00:36:45,179 –> 00:36:53,520 me let me hide myself in thee let the 747 00:36:53,520 –> 00:36:56,340 water and the blood from thy riven side 748 00:36:56,340 –> 00:36:59,520 that float putting your faith in Jesus 749 00:36:59,520 –> 00:37:03,860 who died for you be of sin the double 750 00:37:03,879 –> 00:37:10,520 cure cleanse me from its guilt and its 751 00:37:10,520 –> 00:37:14,139 power and if you will close with Jesus 752 00:37:14,139 –> 00:37:16,360 Christ in faith today and if you will 753 00:37:16,360 –> 00:37:20,360 become his follower you give yourself to 754 00:37:20,360 –> 00:37:23,120 him and he embraces you then when the 755 00:37:23,120 –> 00:37:24,860 moment of your death comes you’ll be 756 00:37:24,860 –> 00:37:26,320 able to say these words from the same 757 00:37:26,320 –> 00:37:29,659 hymn when I draw this fleeting breath 758 00:37:30,520 –> 00:37:35,939 and when my eyelids close in death when 759 00:37:35,939 –> 00:37:38,739 I saw her to worlds unknown and I see 760 00:37:38,739 –> 00:37:44,280 you on your judgment throne then rock of 761 00:37:44,280 –> 00:37:50,020 ages cleft for me let me hide myself in 762 00:37:50,020 –> 00:37:57,459 thee let’s pray together oh God make no 763 00:37:57,459 –> 00:38:01,139 one who hears this message today die in 764 00:38:01,139 –> 00:38:05,780 their sins but in your mercy and in Your 765 00:38:05,780 –> 00:38:10,379 grace closing with Christ may we die in 766 00:38:10,379 –> 00:38:13,120 the Lord whenever that moment and 767 00:38:13,120 –> 00:38:17,139 however that circumstance comes for us 768 00:38:17,139 –> 00:38:19,620 we ask it in the Savior’s name and 769 00:38:19,620 –> 00:38:22,679 everyone together said