Precious In The Sight Of The Lord Is The Death Of His Saints

The death of a Christian is precious not only because it causes us to reflect on the impact that person had on our lives but …

Secondly, The death of a Christian is precious because it releases us from the suffering and pain of this life. There is much in this life to mar our happiness. For ______________ it was a life of battle with the disease that finally took her life. ______________ faced each day a renewed battle with physical pain which she met with quiet courage. It is true that life in the here and now can be filled with trouble but God promises in Revelation 21:4, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (NKJV).

The second President of the United States, John Quincy Adams had a great grasp of our earthly situation. When he was eighty years old he was met by a friend who shook his trembling hand and said, “Good Morning, How is John Quincy Adams today?” The retired chief executive looked at him for a moment and then said, “John Quincy Adams himself is quite well, sir, quite well. But the house in which he lives at present is becoming dilapidated. It is tottering upon its foundations. Time and the seasons have almost destroyed it. Its roof is pretty worn out. Its walls are much shattered, and it crumbles with every wind. The old tenement is becoming uninhabitable, and I think that John Quincy Adams will have to move out soon. But he himself is well, sir, quite well.” It was not long afterward that he had his second and final stroke and John Quincy Adams moved from his shaky tabernacle as he called it, to his home not made with hands. On ________________, ___________ moved out of this body that had become intolerable and moved into her new home in Heaven.

The death of a Christian is precious not only because it releases us from the suffering and pain of this life but …

Third, The death of a Christian is precious because it is provides entrance into Heaven. For the person that has given their heart and life to Jesus Christ death is but a transition from earth to glory. And I think that we all realize today that what was best for ____________ was to leave behind this body of pain and suffering and find rest and peace in the presence of the Lord. Paul says that he was willing, “So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord...(8) We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Cor. 5:6, 8)(NKJV)

You see death is not death if you know the Lord. It is merely a change of place, a change of state, a transfer from one realm to another.

Death is not death, if it kills no part of us, except that which hindered us from perfect life.

Death is not death, if it raises us in moment from darkness to light, from weakness to strength, from sinfulness to holiness.

Death is not death, if it perfects our faith by sight, and let’s us behold Him in whom we have believed.