ETERNAL HOPE

                There were two significant deaths yesterday. One made the headlines and the other will not. One was a tragic end to a turbulent life. The other was a peaceful end to a triumphant life. For the one, all people can do is look back. For the other we can look forward.

                No matter how it comes or when it comes, death is always a difficult, painful experience. When a person dies outside of faith in Christ, their death brings remorse and leaves us without hope. When a person dies in Christ, we can celebrate both their life and the hope we have that one day we will be reunited with them in heaven.

                Paul reminds us that, for the believer, death is not the end of the story. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

    Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.

                For the believer, death is the gateway to the full experience of eternal life. John 14:1-3

    "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

                For the believer, death is truly the birth process into our glorious hope in Christ. We will be transformed to be like Christ. We will no longer struggle with sin or pain. We will be truly free.

                Philip. 3:20-21

    But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 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.

                Rev. 21:1-4

    Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

                There were two significant deaths yesterday. We should grieve them both. But one leads us down the path of mourning without hope. A life story that ended with a definitive period. The other invites us to celebrate a life that will continue in the presence of Christ forever. For betty’s life on earth didn’t end with a period, but with a comma. For the story goes on.