Freedom from the Fear of Death (John 14:1-6 and Hebrews 2:14-15)

Background: Mr. Smith was an old man who had been making preparations for his own death.
After he moved to a retirement village, he asked a preacher to visit with him about conducting
his funeral service. Mr. Smith got very ill and the preacher visited him in the hospital. Mr.
smith quickly reminded the preacher that he "had a job to do." Both of them knew that "job"
was to conduct his funeral. The preacher did not wish to assume or to suggest that the time
for his "job" had come, and so he responded by saying that he would be glad to do his "job"
when the time came. Mr. Smith responded, "We don't live forever, you know.".

Mr. Smith was right. We don't live forever. He was also wise to plan for his death in advance.
Death is one of the ugly realities of life, a reality which we must all face.

Our gathering here today is to honor the memory of our beloved sister in Christ, Ethelda
Cabunoc Jamero. It is also to find comfort, not just in her death, but in the certainty of our own
death. This comfort can only be found in Jesus Christ, as revealed in the Word of God. I know
of no more comforting text than the words of our Lord Jesus, recorded in John chapter 14.
These are the words I would share with you today, as we seek to find comfort in the face of
death.

As Jesus was approaching the time of His own death, He spoke these words of comfort and
assurance to His disciples:

"Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 "In My Father's house
are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place
for you. 3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to
Myself; that where I am, {there} you may be also. 4 "And you know the way where I am
going." 5 Thomas *said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know
the way?" 6 Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the
Father, but through Me" (John 14:1-6).

There is one great fear common to all men, which is greater than all other fears. It is a fear
which paralyzes men all of their lives. It is the fear of death.

Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the
same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is,
the devil; 15 and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all
their lives (Hebrews 2:14-15).

The disciples were no different than anyone else when it came to the fear of death. Even
though they had been with Jesus, and had witnessed His power over death, the fear of death
was always with them, especially when He spoke of His own death. Every time that Jesus told
His disciples He was going to die, they were uneasy, and they sometimes even tried to
persuade Him to give up His destiny of death.

Jesus was eating the Passover with His disciples, on the night He was to be arrested, and
soon after to be crucified. He had just shaken His disciples by telling them that one of them
would betray Him, that He would be put to death, and that they would not be able to follow
Him immediately, but would follow Him later on.

Imagine for a moment how you would have felt, if you were one of the disciples, hearing from
Jesus that He was about to die, and that they would not be able to come to Him to be with
Him for some time. The words of Jesus in John 14 are spoken to comfort His troubled
followers. They are words of comfort not only for those troubled disciples, but for everyone
who has trusted in Jesus for eternal life.

Just how do the words of Jesus, spoken here, give us comfort?

The disciples are troubled because Jesus will die, and because they will be separated from
Him. They do not care about the heavenly mansions, they care about Him. They see death as
the enemy. But Jesus' words are given to His disciples to give them comfort concerning His
death.
The disciples dreaded Jesus' death because they thought that it would separate them forever.
Jesus encouraged them by assuring them that His death was the means by which they would
dwell with Him forever. The death of our Lord was not the problem, it was the solution. If
Jesus had not been separated from them by His death for their sins, they would die in their
sins and be separated from Him forever. His death, paid the price for men's sins, so that men
may live forever in the presence of our Lord.

After His resurrection from the dead the disciples preached Jesus as the One whose death
and resurrection brings eternal life to all who believe. They no longer feared His death, as
they once did. Christians down through the ages, celebrate His death. The death of our Lord
is God's way to heaven, and it is the means by which we can live forever with Christ. Death,
once our enemy, is defeated. Death does not keep us from God; Christ's death draws us to
Him.

When the disciples came to understand what Jesus meant in John 14, they no longer looked
on the death of our Lord with dread, but with joy and hope. But the death of our Lord also
changed the way that the disciples looked upon their own death, and the deaths of all who
had trusted in Jesus. They understood that death, for them, resulted in their immediate
entrance into the presence of our Lord.

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean
fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both
directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better
(Philippians 1:21-23).

To be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8).

Ethelda’s death brings us face to face with our own death. We will either face our own death
with fear or with faith. The death of Jesus has given those who put their faith in Him the
certainty of eternal life. Through His death and resurrection, He not only put us right with God
—but also took our death sentence, which carried with it eternal separation from him, and
exchanged it for life eternal with Him and with fellow believers.

Jesus died to give you life. He has effectively removed the fear of death and put peace it its
place. But like all of God’s grace-gifts, it is up to us to receive this peace.

Why did Jesus die for us? Because He loves us.

If you have not yet made Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and accepted His free gift of
eternal life, this is the day to turn to God and begin a personal relationship with God.

I pray that you will, by faith, trust in the Lord Jesus, in His death for your sin and in His
resurrection for your own. Death will no longer be your enemy, because the death of our Lord
overcame death and its terror, to all who believe in Him.

Committal Benediction
“For as much as it has pleased our Heavenly Father of His great mercy to receive the soul of
our sister here departed, Ms. Ethelda Cabunoc Jamero, we therefore commit her body to the
ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; knowing that the end of all flesh is the
grave; but that in God is our eternal hope.”

Heavenly Father, again we thank you for the life and times that Ethelda was with us. As you
now have brought her fully into your Kingdom, bring in comfort and assurance to her family;
that though we will truly miss her, we can still look forward to seeing her again upon Your
glorious return. Thank you, Lord, that You will meet also every and any remaining needs of
the family. We declare our trust and love to You, O God, forevermore.

Now may the love of God the Father,

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
Be with us all now and forever…. Amen.