Are You Sure That’s What It Says?:  Dying Is Just a Part of Life

Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his favored ones. (Ps 116:15)

  1. Dying is _______ a natural part of life.

3 God said, “Let there be …” and there was … 5 There was evening and there was morning—the (blank) day. (Ge 1:3, 5)
God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness …” (Ge 1:26a)
The Lord God … breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Ge 2:7)
God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning—the sixth day. (Ge 1:31)
13a The Lord God said … 19b For you are dust, and to dust you shall return. (Ge 3:13a, 19b)

Death is a ___________________ of God’s created order. It is something that makes us _________ than the fully ____________ creatures God intends us to be.

For the wages of sin is death. (Ro 6:23a)
15a The Lord God [said] … “17 but you shall not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, for on the day that you eat from it, you will certainly die.” (Ge 2:15a, 17)
28b Martha went back to call her sister Mary. She whispered, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet gone into the village, but was still where Martha met him. 31 The Jews who were with Mary in the house consoling her saw that she got up quickly and left. So they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and troubled. (Jn 11:28b–33)
34 He asked, “Where have you laid him?” They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. (Jn 11:34–35)

  1. The _________ of the ___________.

The Lord God will help me, so I will not be disgraced. Therefore I have made my face hard like flint. I know that I will not be put to shame. (Is 50:7)
When the days were approaching for him to be taken up, Jesus was determined to go to Jerusalem. (Lk 9:51)
For as in Adam they all die … (1 Co 15:22a)
… so also in Christ they all will be made alive. (1 Co 15:22b)
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. … 23 But each in his own order: Christ as the firstfruits and then Christ’s people, at his coming. (1 Co 15:20, 23)
34 Then the King [Jesus] will say to those on his right [believers], ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. … 41 “Then he will say to those on his left [unbelievers], ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire, which is prepared for the Devil and his angels. (Mt 25:24, 41)
12b That day will cause the heavens to be set on fire and destroyed, and the elements to melt as they burn with great heat. 13 But according to his promise we look forward to new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. (2 Pe 3:12b–13)

The Biblical definition of hope is the confident ________________ for the things God has __________________.

  1. Let’s talk about ______________________.

Points to Ponder

  1. What is one thing that stood out to you from this week's message?

  2. Look closely at this statement; To say that someone has died is one of the most profound things you can say about them. Do you agree or disagree with this statement. Defend your position.

  3. Look closely at this statement and evaluate it; Our hope is the resurrection of the dead, the undoing of death itself. That is why the psalmist can say in hope, "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints" (Psalm 116:15). It is not because death is good in itself. Rather, it is because death, for the saints of God, is temporary.

Homework: Romans 8