HOW TO LIVE A (MOSTLY) FEARLESS LIFE

Ten Consequences of Conquering the Fear of Death

My dad died on February 25, 2017. It was unexpected. I dreaded the funeral. The moment I dreaded most was seeing him in the casket for the first time. But, I needed to be there for my Mom, so I held her hand and together we peered down at him. It was the strangest thing – He wasn’t there. His body was there. But, Dad was missing. I had an overwhelming sense that Dad was gone – that he was still alive somehow, but that he wasn’t in that room, and he certainly wasn’t in that casket.

Dad’s earthly container fell apart, but just before it collapsed, Dad slipped out and went to live somewhere else. What I thought was going to be the most stressful moment, turned out to be the most comforting.

[BRIEF SERMON CLIP – 1:32]

 

Jesus Faces Death

The night before his death, knowing what lay ahead, Jesus said –

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms … I am going there to prepare a place for you … (John 14:1-2).

 

That’s what happened to Dad. He slipped out of his earthly container and went to check in to his room. The Apostle Paul faced death numerous times and this is what he said about it —

Where O death is your victory? Where O death is your sting? (1 Cor. 15:55).

 

Paul stares death in the face and says, “Is that all you got?” His questions point to the destruction of the power of death. Death is still a reality. It still happens. My Dad experienced it and so will you and I. But death no longer has a bite. It has no power over your ultimate destiny. If you believe this – then you no longer live as if headed for death because the physical process of dying becomes nothing more than a speed bump in your existence.

Death is just a speedbump on the road to eternity.

 

Ten Consequences of the Death of Death

…by his death he [Jesus] might break the power of 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 (Heb. 2:14-15).

 

This biblical view of death has 10 powerful consequences for the way you live your life today:

  1. You no longer live for this life only.

  2. You are no longer afraid of the process of death.

  3. You are no longer afraid of those who can hurt you in this life.

  4. You begin to see eternal potential in every part of creation.

  5. You appreciate what you have now.

  6. You understand that the way your life plays out is not the end.

  7. You begin to see every decision from a perspective of eternity.

  8. You have amazing hope for this world.

  9. You know that you don’t have plenty of time – you have exactly the right amount of time.

  10. You care less what people think about you and more about what they need from you.

 

Thought Questions

Do any of these resonate with your experience?

Have you ever had an “overwhelming feeling of comfort” moment after having lost a loved one?

If you’ve ever lost a parent, spouse, or sibling – how has that experience made you stronger?