What is death?
Death is the act of dying; the end of life; the total and permanent cessation of all the vital functions of an organism. It is something that sets all of us thinking, even to the point of depression.
There is something about death that we all don’t fully understand. But we are not alone. The early church also battled with the issue of death. The church at Corinth also worried about it and particularly about the fate of the dead in Christ. They needed answers.
Our faith is futile if the dead do not rise. Many people in the Greco-Roman world believed that death extinguished life completely or led to a permanent but shadowy and insubstantial existence in the underworld. The concept of physical and bodily existence after death was known mainly through fables and was considered laughable, especially by the educated.
Some people in the early church were also challenged with why some people died in the midst of prayer. But Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 deals with some of the confusion they had about the future. In his dealing with this challenge, he began with the need to hold on to the faith they had received in Christ and he ended by encouraging them to hold on to the faith so nothing would move them.
Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
Why does Paul use the conditional “if”? It is because faith comes by hearing but so does the thing that destroys faith. Paul wanted them not to pay attention to the things that were attacking their faith but to hold on to the faith. In 1 Corinthians 15:58, he admonished them not to allow anything to move their faith. That means something can move you or disturb your faith.
In our world today, people don’t understand how material bodies that are subject to sicknesses, death, and eventually decay, can live eternally. My concern this morning is not about the resurrection but how we will have to tackle the question of death itself. I want to bring to your mind that death is real and that the earlier we understood it the better.
Things we know about death
Though there are things about death that we don’t fully understand, there are certain facts about it that we do understand:
1. We shall all die
Ecclesiastes 7:2 says it is better to go to the house of morning that to go to the house of feasting because death is the destiny of everyone. This is something the living should take to heart.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 says whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
Hebrews 9:27 says all people are destined to die and to face judgment afterwards.
2. Death stings; it is painful
It is real and painful. It is painful because it is both subjective and objective. People who are close to you die and you also see evidence of it.
Read 2 Samuel 1:26.
The king of Israel was mourning the death of his friend. One painful thing about death is that you won’t see the deceased again.
Job 7:9 says those who go down to the grave do not return.
3. Death breeds fear in people
We are all afraid to die. When we see death, we often back off.
4. Death is a serious matter and it does not give room for making amends
It does not give room or space for amends. There is no opportunity to reconcile with anybody when death comes. In Luke 16, the rich man wanted to come back to become a preacher but there was no such opportunity.
5. Death is an enemy
1 Corinthians 15:26 says the last enemy to be destroyed is death. Verse 27 tells us when that is gong to happen. This will be when Christ sits on his throne and God puts everything under his feet.
Death plays a role in God’s dealings with us. When it comes around, it tries not to pick too many people at a time from one place. Death has power to destroy, to disturb, and to disengage. Since it is an enemy, it doesn’t come to your home to do you good. Death terminates contracts.
6. No one dies for himself
Death has an effect on the living, especially the close family and friends of the deceased. Romans 14:7-8 says none of us lives or dies for himself. If we live we live we live for the Lord and if we die, we die for the Lord. Thus, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
The effect of anyone’s death is on the living. Sometimes it goes to a family and picks the breadwinner. That is the painful part of it. The effect of another’s death falls on everybody.
Two things you must do
1. Try to avoid death too early in life, all else being equal
Sometimes we say death is in the hands of God but we work together with God. Ecclesiastes 9:12 says evil times sometimes fall unexpectedly on men. But there are times when you can see it coming and avoid it. Even when the people picked up stones to stone Jesus, he found a way to escape, not once but twice.
Job 28:1 says there is a mine for silver and one for gold but in verse 12 the writer wondered where wisdom could be found. Death and destruction had only heard a rumour of it. This means with wisdom you can delay death, for example by going for regular checkups and exercising often.
With wisdom you can delay death for a while. You should take some rest. God rested after he had worked so you rest after work. Thus, sleeping when you have not worked is slothfulness.
Live within your means. When you borrow too much, like a certain country, it will put too much stress on you.
2. Put your house always in order before you die
In Isaiah 38:1, the Lord told Isaiah to go tell Hezekiah that he should put his house in order because he was going to die from his illness.
In 2 Samuel 17:23, Ahitophel put his house in order before he hanged himself. Let whoever is supposed to know something know it. If it is even 100 cedis you have, show your wife where it is. That way we will depart this world in peace. When that happens, people don’t mourn that much.
Conclusion
Proverbs 16:7 says when a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. We are justified by faith and have peace with God. Thus, even when death, who is an enemy, comes, it will take us straight to the Lord. Our brother has gone to be with the Lord and God will take care of the rest. Lunatics on the streets take food that is destroyed but it keeps them going but you dare not try it. God, knowing their state breathes on that food and makes it whole. God will take care of our brother’s family. He will bing strength to his wife, children and all of us.
Read Hebrews 6:16-20.
MAIN REFERENCES: 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, 1 Corinthians 15:26, Ecclesiastes 7:2, Ecclesiastes 9:10, Hebrews 9:27, Proverbs 16:7, Hebrews 6:16-20
