Sermon Outline - Facing Death as a Christian, 2 Corinthians ch.5 vv.1-5
Date | 23/11/2003 |
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Time | 11:00 |
Preacher | Rev. Maurice Roberts, Inverness |
Sermon Title | Facing Death as a Christian |
Text | 2 Corinthians ch.5 vv.1-5 |
Sermon ID | 714 |
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Introduction
- Illustration: a friend's wife who got a job in a school.
- Rel: To help others and yourself too.
THINGS WHICH THE CHRISTIAN KNOWS
* The Christian knows many things that others do not know (from Bible, Sermons, Sabbath School, etc.) It is valuable knowledge.
- That our body is like a tent
- A tent is not so good as a house
- It is flimsy and liable to be torn
- The soul lives in this tent
- We are souls in a body.
- The soul is far more important.
- The 'tent' will one day collapse
- Illustration: a tent in rough weather.
- Ill-health affects the body.
- One day it will fall down.
- We have a replacement house
- The Christian will at once go up.
- The 'house' - what is it?
- That house will never collapse
- It is eternal - unlike the body.
- Illustration: The Greeks who saw 'the SEA'
- It is waiting for us in heaven
- "In my Father's house..."
- Christ has prepared it for us.
APPLICATION: How different the Christian is from the non-Christian! He has no such house.
- That our body is like a tent
THE WAY THIS KNOWLEDGE AFFECTS US
*Knowledge has an effect on us - e.g. (i) death of relative (ii) a birth.
So, this knowledge affects us:- In this body the Christian now "groans"
- "groan" = experience. Cp. Romans 8:26
- because of life's burdens: 4:8-10
- We look forward to heaven
- "desiring..." to be in glory
- every Christian feels it, especially those who are elderly.
- This is an intense feeling ("yearn")
- yearn = vehement desire.
- we greatly long for heaven.
- Our supreme desire is more than to die ('be found naked')
- "naked" = the state of death.
- The soul is naked till resurrection.
- Rather, it is to be "clothed". (Explain)
- The state of death -> resurrection.
- Death not so good as resurrection.
- We are now "burdened" (v.4)
- Different for each Christian.
- "Bear one another's burdens..."
- In this body the Christian now "groans"
HOW DO WE KNOW ALL THIS IS TRUE?
* Can we be sure? Is there proof?
- Yes, God has changed us (v.5)
- God has "wrought" this change.
- Conversion alters us totally.
- We have the Holy Spirit (v.5)
- Proved by our love for God.
- and by our many experiences.
- The Spirit is the "earnest" of glory
- "earnest" = first payment
- The Spirit gives us a foretaste of the coming glory, especially a sense of God's love.
- Yes, God has changed us (v.5)
APPLICATION
- We all have a fear of death.
Illustration: a child scalded by hot water bottle. - The non-Christian's approach is to shut his mind.
Illustration: "More Champagne". - The Christian has this wonderful knowledge and experience.
Application: You and I are going to need this knowledge - let us be fully assured of its truth.
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