END-TIME MESSAGES FROM JESUS – Sabbath Morning Evangelism Volume 2

18. LIFE AFTER LIFE? HOPE BEYOND THE GRAVE

1 END-TIME MESSAGES FROM JESUS
"Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you;
and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew
28:20)

2 Sabbath Morning Evangelism

3 LIFE AFTER LIFE? HOPE BEYOND THE GRAVE

4 There is an explosion of interest in the supernatural. Spiritism,

occultism, Satanism, and witchcraft. Go to any large bookstore and
you will find up to 200 such titles. Some are best sellers!

5 NBC TV not too long ago ran a program interviewing people who
claimed to have had contact with their dead loved ones. They say
their loved ones live in the spirit world.

6 What happens to a person when they die?

7 Muslims believe you either go to heaven, a paradise, or to hell—a

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fiery and horrible place.

8 Buddhists believe there’s several levels of existence and a series of

heavens and a series of hells!

9 Hindus believe in reincarnation and Nirvana. Those who attain

Nirvana become part of the cosmos.

10 African religions believe the soul travels to distant places and the
souls of the dead enter an invisible spirit world.

11 Christians believe all go to heaven or hell, or sleep in the grave

until the resurrection day.

12 How can we know the real truth about death?

13 Bishop Pike was greatly troubled after his son committed suicide.

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His son had shot himself to death in New York City in 1966.
Two weeks after his death the Bishop noticed that all the clocks in
his son’s apartment had stopped at precisely 8:19 p.m.—the exact
time of his son’s suicide. Bishop Pike concluded that his son was
trying to contact him. He sought out a spiritualistic medium who he
claims put him in touch with his son!

14 Pike asked his son what life was like on the other side. He is
supposed to have said, “Life is wonderful here. “ What about
Jesus,” the father asked. “Oh, Jesus is here, but he is just a good
man. Just one of the prophets, not divine, but human.” From that
moment on the Bishop was committed to spiritualism and psychic
phenomena. He had failed to let the Bible be his ultimate authority.
So, there was nothing to keep him from believing
these supernatural manifestations. He leaned on feeling, and trusted
his unreliable senses of sight and sound.

15 How sad that Bishop Pike ignored the words of Isaiah.

16 And when they say to you, seek those who are mediums and
wizards, who whisper and mutter,…

17 …should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the
dead on behalf of the living? Isaiah 8:19.

18 In other words, God says, we need to trust in Him and His Word
for information about the unknown, for the next verse tells us:

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19 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according

to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Isaiah 8:20.

20 Death, like the chill of the arctic night, is an unwelcomed,

depressing fact of life.
No sooner are we born than we begin to die. Whether we like it or
not, sooner or later death is an uninvited, unwanted guest that
inevitably knocks at everyone’s door.
But, where does man go at death? If anywhere! Isn’t it a little
frightening to take a journey, not knowing what the destination may
be, or whether we will ever come back?

21 When Henry Ward Beecher was dying, he said. “Now comes the
mystery”.

22 And, as Socrates prepared to drink a cup of hemlock poison, he

exclaimed:

23 “Farewell, I go the way of all flesh, but whether to life or

oblivion, I know not.”

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24 What a sad, uncertain way to end one’s life! Possibly the most
frightening thing about death is the unknown. The uncertainty
about what lies beyond.

25 An epitaph on a tombstone in Richmond, Virginia, reads:

26 Stop, my friend, as you go by

As you are now, so once was I

27 As I am now, you soon shall be

So, prepare yourself to follow me

28 After reading the inscription, a schoolboy took a crayon and added

these lines:

29 To follow you I’m not content

Until I know just where you went

30 That is pretty good thinking, wouldn’t you say? Where does a man

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go when he dies? Heaven? Hell? Purgatory? Oblivion? Is death a
great new adventure, or just endless silence? Are our goodbyes the
final act, or is death just a pause between two eternities? Where are
our beloved dead?
Centuries ago, Job asked the question that every person asks
himself or herself at sometime in his or her life:

31 If a man dies, shall he live again? Job 14:14.

32 Isn’t that the most important question to be answered about death?

Let us turn to our only dependable source of information for the
answer. The Bible’s teaching on death is consistent, not confusing.
There may be some surprises, but its answers are both reasonable
and satisfying and best of all, comforting!
The Prophet Isaiah wrote:

33 Your dead shall live; together with my dead body they shall
arise… And the earth shall cast out the dead. Isaiah 26:19.

34 Yes, there is a life beyond death! Our beloved dead will live again!
But when? At the moment of death, or some later time? What
happens when a man dies?
One of the most quoted passages of Scriptures concerning the dead
is found in Ecclesiastes 12, which describes what happens to a man
when he dies:

35 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit
will return to God who gave it. Ecclesiastes 12:7.

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36 In other words, when a man dies, his body, made up of elements of

the earth, returns to dust, and his spirit returns to God.
Of course, to fully understand what the “spirit” is, we need to look
at creation and discover how God made man in the beginning.

37 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a
living being. Genesis 2:7.

38 God took the elements of the earth: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen,

nitrogen, calcium, iron, phosphorous, sodium and so forth, and
formed the body. Adam had a brain: but he was not thinking. He
had a heart in his chest: but it was not beating. He had blood in his
arteries and veins, but it was not circulating. He was ready to live,
but he was not living. Then God breathed into his nostrils the
breath of life, or spark of life, and man became a living soul. Or as
one version puts it, “Man became a living being.”

39 As long as my breath is in me, and the breath of God in my

nostrils. Job 27:3.

40 The “spirit” or breath is what keeps the body alive. James says,

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41 …the body without the spirit is dead... James 2:26.

42 You see, we might illustrate it this way:

DUST + SPIRIT = A LIVING SOUL

43 Or, more simply.

THE ELEMENTS OF EARTH + BREATH = A LIVING
BEING

44 Then, what happens at death? Just the reverse:

DUST - SPIRIT = A CORPSE

45 Or, more simply:

ELEMENTS OF EARTH - BREATH = A CORPSE

46 We can best understand this truth by the following illustration:

Connect a light bulb to electricity. What happens? We get light! No
one puts the light in the bulb, the light comes on by uniting the two
components: bulb + electricity.

47 When you disconnect the electricity, the light goes out. Just so at

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death. When the breath, or spark of life, goes back to the Creator,
man dies. All that is left is the body, composed of the elements of
Earth, which returns to dust. The living soul, or living being,
simply ceases to exist. It surrenders its consciousness at death.
The Bible states:

48 Do not put your trust in princes, or in a son of man, in whom

there is no help.

49 His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; in that very day his
plans perish. Psalm 146:3, 4.

50 But, where do the dead spend their time between death and their
resurrection? Job tells us:

51 I wait for the grave as my house… Job 17:13.

52 According to the Bible, when a man dies, he does not go to

Heaven. He does not go to hell. He does not go to purgatory. In
fact, he does not live at all anywhere! Death is a cessation of life
until the resurrection morning when body and breath are united
again.

53 For the living know that they will die; but the dead know

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nothing. Ecclesiastes 9:5.

54 However comforting it may have been to Bishop Pike, to think he

was talking with his loved one, or however convincing the
information given in the seances, God says, “The dead know
nothing.” Nothing! Nothing!

55 Evidently the dead do not even know what the living are doing, for
the Bible says of the man who has died.

56 His sons come to honor, and he does not know it; they are
brought low, and he does not perceive it. Job 14:21.

57 And isn’t that the best way after all? Think for a moment. Just
suppose a young mother died and went to heaven, leaving her
husband with several small children; and she was able to see all
that was happening to him on earth. In time her husband remarries
and a stepmother comes into that home who neglects those small
children. Imagine, day after day seeing what is going on and being
helpless to do anything about it. Would that be heaven or hell for
that young mother?

58 You see, one of the most comforting truths in God’s Word is that
when a man dies, he rests quietly, undisturbed by the problems of
life or concern for his loved ones until the call of the Lifegiver. Is it
any wonder that the Bible likens death to a sleep?

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59 The Prophet Nathan told King David, When your days are
fulfilled… you rest with your fathers… 2 Samuel 7:12.

60 In fact, Jesus himself called death a “sleep.” He told His disciples:

61 Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.
John 11:11.

62 The disciples were confused by this statement.

They knew Lazarus had been ill for some time, so they replied:

63 “Then His disciples said, Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.

However, Jesus spoke of his death,…

64 …but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in

sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, Lazarus is dead. John
11:12-14.

65 As Jesus and the disciples made their way to Bethany, Martha, the
sister of Lazarus, rushed out to meet Christ and cried:

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66 Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
John 11:21.

67 No doubt she was right!

Confidently, Jesus answered Martha: Your brother will rise
again. John 11:23.

68 Now, notice carefully Martha’s response: I know that he will rise

again in the resurrection at the last day. John 11:24.

69 Martha was a close friend and follower of Jesus. She thought he

was speaking of the resurrection at the end of the world.
Often she had listened to Jesus teach. In fact, she may have been in
the crowd when Jesus said:

70 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who
are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth... John
5:28, 29.

71 Jesus had been speaking about His second coming, and Martha
assured Jesus that she did expect to see Lazarus in the resurrection
at the end of the world. However, Jesus was about to give a

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dramatic preview of that event.
Coming to the cave where Lazarus’ tomb was, Jesus asked that the
stone sealing the entrance be taken away. Concerned by such a
request, Martha objected:

72 Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four
days. John 11:39.

73 But the stone was rolled away, and Jesus cried out in a loud voice:
“Lazarus, come forth!” And, Lazarus came forth! Someone has said
it was well that Jesus specified He was speaking only to Lazarus,
otherwise, every grave on earth would have opened!
Lazarus came to life, but he was still wrapped in grave clothes, just
the way he was laid in the tomb. And, although he was dead for
four days, we have no record of Lazarus recounting experiences
during death; which is in keeping with Biblical teaching that “the
dead know nothing.” Jesus had simply called him forth from the
sleep of death—a sleep that can only be broken by the call of the
Lifegiver himself!

74 This is the call that Job anticipated: You shall call, and I will
answer You. Job 14:15.

75 Martin Luther said the same thing in the 16th century: “We shall
sleep until he comes and knocks on the little grave and says.
Doctor Martin, get up!

76 Then I shall rise in a moment and be happy with Him forever.”

The Christian Hope, page 37.

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77 What a wonderful hope Christians have of a life beyond the grave!

78 In the catacombs of Rome are inscriptions on the tombs of those

who died in pagan hopelessness. Over and over again are inscribed
these words of sorrow and finality:
Goodbye for all eternity. Goodbye forever.

79 Yet, on the tombs of the Christians are found these words of hope
and courage:
Goodbye until we meet again. Goodnight until the morning. Don’t
you like that? Isn’t it comforting to have the Christian hope, to
know that our goodbyes are not final? That there is a great
resurrection morning coming after the dark night of death? That
Christ will call and our beloved dead will answer?

80 The Christian need not sorrow and grieve in utter despair like those
who have no hope of being reunited with their loved ones. This is
the message of comfort that the Apostle Paul shared with the early
Christians.

81 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning

those who have fallen asleep,…

82 …lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians

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4:13.

83 The real hope, the real comfort for sorrowing, grieving hearts, is
not in the seance chamber, or in the confused messages from the
spirit world; it is in the Lord Jesus Christ!
The message of Christianity that shook the pagan Roman Empire
was the good news of the resurrection. The pagans had lost
confidence in their religion and death seemed like a dark pit from
which there was no hope of escape. Paul and the early Christians
pointed to the resurrection as God’s answer to death—the grim
enemy of all mankind.

84 By Christ’s death on the cross, His burial in the tomb, and His
glorious resurrection, He gained victory not only over sin, but over
death itself! Jesus proclaimed triumphantly:

85 I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me,

though he may die, he shall live. John 11:25.

86 Yes, the resurrection of Christ’s followers is as certain as the

resurrection of Christ himself!

87 When will this happy occasion take place?

When will God’s sleeping children live again?

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88 The Apostle Paul gives us the answer: But now Christ is risen
from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who
have fallen asleep…

89 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made

alive… Christ the first fruits, afterward those who are Christ’s
at His coming. 1 Corinthians 15:20, 22, 23.

90 Yes, the answer is clear: at Christ’s second coming!

Later in the same passage, Paul declares:

91 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall
all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the
last trumpet.

92 For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised
incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:51,
52.

93 Then Paul tells how we will be changed:

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94 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal

must put on immorality. 1 Corinthians 15:53.

95 Our bodies will be changed when Christ returns:

96 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly

wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,…

97 …who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed

to His glorious body… Philippians 3:20, 21.

98 David said he would be satisfied when he awakes from the sleep of

death.

99 I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness. Psalm 17:15.

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100 We may not know exactly how our bodies will be changed, but
whatever the change, we shall be satisfied!
But what about the reunion with our beloved dead? The Apostle
Paul describes it beautifully:

101 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are
alive …

102 …and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means
precede those who are asleep.

103 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.
And the dead in Christ will rise first.

104 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together
with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

105 And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians

4:15-17.

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106 Could any words be more encouraging? What a glorious hope!

When Jesus bursts through the blue and looks upon the dusty
graves of His sleeping ones, His mighty voice will call out, just as
he called to Lazarus: “Come forth.” And the graves on a thousand
hillsides around the earth will burst open. The dead will hear His
voice and come forth! Families and friends will be united, never to
part again. What a day that will be! No pen can describe it!

107 This is the future that Calvary has made possible: Seeing our Lord
face to face, joining our loved ones who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
What hope this message brings to the human heart!
But the most important question of all to be answered is, how can
we be certain today that we can have victory over death and the
grave? God’s promise of eternal life is clear:

108 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of
God does not have life. 1 John 5:12.

109 Appeal and Prayer.

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