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cJ

:=
Deatb/Grief
=

:I Fear of Death

1. Death does not separate us nom God and his love.

:1
Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow
of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your
:3 staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of
his saints.
= Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor
;; any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all
creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
;; 2. Death for the believer means being in the presence of Christ.
Philippians 1:21-23 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
;; If! am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for
me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the
two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far. . .
;; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 Therefore we are always confident and know
that as long as we are at home in the body we are away nom the

;; Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and

would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

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;;
DEATH/GRIEF

3. Death for a believer means receiving a new and glorious body.

Philippians 3:21 Who, by the power that enables him to bring
everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so
that they will be like his glorious body.
1 Corinthians 15:52 In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the
last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised
imperishable, and we will be changed.
1John 3:2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what
we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when
he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

4. Jesus' death givesultimate freedom from fear.

Hebrews 2:9-15 But we seeJesus, who was made a little lower
than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he
suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death
for everyone. In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that
God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should
make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both
the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are
of the same family. SoJesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.
He says,"I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence
of the congregation I will sing your praises." And again, "I will
put my trust in him." And again he says, "Here am I, and the
children God has given me." Since the children have flesh and
blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he
might destroy him who holds the power of death-that is, the
devil-and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by
their fear of death.

5. God's strength is alwaysavailable.

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid
or terrifiedbecauseof them, for the LORDyour God goeswith you;
he will never leaveyou nor forsake you.
Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is
steadfast, because he trusts in you.
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~ DEATH/GRIEF

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed,

~ for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold
you with my righteous right hand.
Lamentations 3:21-24 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I
~ have hope: Because of the LORD'sgreat love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great
is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
~ therefore I will wait for him."

a Loss by Death

1. David expresses his grief to God.

a Psalm 31:9-10 Be merciful to me, 0 LoRD, for I am in distress;
my eyesgrow weak with sorrow,my soul and my body with grie£

; My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my

strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak.
2. God cares for and understands the broken heart.
a Psa1m 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
John 14:1 Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust
also in me.
a
3. There is hope for the future after death.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 Listen, I tell you a mystery:We will not
g
all sleep,but we will all be changed-in a flash, in the twinkling of
an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead
will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
g
4. God can restore joy.

I Isaiah 51:11 The ransomed of the LORDwill return. They will

enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will
flee away.
I

I
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