Many people are scared of death. It is the ending of this life. I have heard it said, 'there's one sure thing about life, death'! We all will experience it, more of us will die than have children, or get married or gain a career - yet we spend far more time planning and preparing for these things than for the one certain thing that will happen to us all.
The reality is - you will die. What are you doing to prepare for it? Are you ready for your life to end? Does death scare you?
What happens when you die; is it a void? non-existence? is there anything afterwards? So many unknown can lead to people feeling frightened about dying. But, you don't need to be afraid - You can actually have hope beyond the grave, not just in leaving a legacy behind you, but a real hope and joy in what lies ahead when your days in this world finish.
The Bible says us;
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
*55*“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
*56*The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. *57*But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1 Corinthians 15:54-57)
Death doesn't have to feel like a frightening future, it has lost it's power, it has been transformed from a terrifying unknown into a victory. instead of bearing a 'sting', it brings hope.
We kind of have to read these verses in reverse to help us understand them - the victory comes because of the Son of God, Jesus. He has given us victory over death because he lived a pure life, and died a tortuous death to get rid of our sin. All that stuff you and I have done wrong deserves a punishment, it needs to be made up for, and God knew we couldn't do enough to make up for it, so His Son did it for us.
Jesus, strangely, overcame the power od death through dying! Well, that was part of it - the death sorted out the repayment for our wrongs. the fact that Jesus came back to life - that defeated death! Jesus is the Son of God, and God is immortal therefore he couldn't stay dead. Therefore, the scary, unknown mystery of death was destroyed.
For all of those who believe and trust in Jesus, death should not be a scary thing. Death doesn't even sting anymore! Death is not an inconvenience, a source of worry or fear, but a victory!
Jesus has promised that those who live for God will have a greater future after this life ends. He tells us that his followers will one day join him in heaven. Not only that, but there are eternal rewards awaiting them and a home prepared! Jesus tries to encourage us that there is something far greater than any treasure, any fame or fortune of this Earth to look forward to - the doorway to it is death.
This doesn't mean that we should all be trying to die - Jesus tells us that God knows the number of our days as well as the amount of hairs on our heads, but Jesus speaks about this to assure you and I that death is ok. He came back to show us that it doesn't all end with Earthly death - he lived after the grave, and you will too - are you preparing to live with him? Are you going to be victorious in you death knowing that you'll be with Jesus? or do you really have something to be scared of - an eternity without God?
