“My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27–28, NRSV)
“Thinking of the fullness and duration of this wonderful life, W. B. Hinson, a great preacher of a past generation, spoke from his own experience just before he died. He said, "I remember a year ago when a doctor told me, 'You have an illness from which you won't recover.' I walked out to where I live 5 miles from Portland, Oregon, and I looked across at that mountain that I love. I looked at the river in which I rejoice, and I looked at the stately trees that are always God's own poetry to my soul. Then in the evening I looked up into the great sky where God was lighting His lamps, and I said, ' I may not see you many more times, but Mountain, I shall be alive when you are gone; and River, I shall be alive when you cease running toward the sea; and Stars, I shall be alive when you have fallen from your sockets in the great down pulling of the material universe!'” (W. B. Hinson.)
When you have a rock-solid relationship with God, no small ups and downs nor traumatic events will shake that faith. Challenges and problems, trials and tribulations will only strengthen your connection with the Almighty. The faithful have always been confident in eternal life with God. When the apostle Stephen died, he saw God watching him from Heaven in that very moment (Acts 7). Tradition tells us that Peter and Paul willingly followed Jesus though they were martyred. Even Jesus was confident on the cross that God the Father would “receive his Spirit” at the very moment of His death (Luke 23:46). Over and over, people of the Bible were absolutely certain that at the point of death, God would receive them into His Kingdom.
Some people go through life with great doubts about eternal life. They question it. They wonder if the stories are real. Modern atheistic scholars say that at death, there is only a bright light of all the neurons firing in your brain followed by nothing as your heart stops beating and brain is deprived of oxygen. However, I have read many accounts of those who died and came back to tell of dead family who came to visit, of trips to Heaven or the Pearly Gates, even to hell. For anyone who is not an atheist, death is not the end of life. For the faithful, it has always been believed that God is waiting with open arms to receive the obedient servant. For the faithful, there is no need to doubt. From stories in the Bible to stories in history, there is life after death. There is an eternal life in the Kingdom of God.
In the scripture for today, Jesus taught about eternal life to those gathered at the Temple in Jerusalem. To those “sheep” who followed Jesus, there was hope after death. Because Jesus “knew them”, the faithful would be granted eternal life (John 10:27). They would “not perish”. Jesus even went one step further, mentioning that “no one could snatch the faithful dead out of his hand” (John 10:28). If we take Jesus at His word, these verses make clear that if you follow Jesus with a true heart, and listen to Jesus’ voice, Jesus will “know” you. He will know your name. He will know when you die. You will be watched over not only in life but also in death.
Death and dying can be a frightening time for the doubters, the atheists, the lost. They do not know what comes after that last heartbeat. We know what comes after. Jesus taught about it. His resurrection even proved that God has power over death to bring life. Those without faith, those whom Jesus does not know personally, do not have such a clarity about eternal life. According to scripture, they may even end up in hell, Gehenna, or Abaddon. Nobody in their right mind would want to live in such places. However, I’ve never met a person who wouldn’t want to live in Paradise or Heaven after death. So, why is it that people refuse to garner a relationship with Jesus so that should death intrude, they have a hope of eternal life? Sadly, too many have listened to the worldly voices, the naysayers, the doubters, the worldly scholars, the socialists and communists, the soulless. Too many are lost souls on this earth who have no eternal home. But you do, don’t you?
If you have a relationship with Jesus, you are in secure hands. As Jesus makes clear, those who follow Jesus and heed His voice have hope. Because they know Jesus intimately, they will not be lost after death. Nobody can snatch them away from our faithful Lord.
One day, while doing a home visit, I noticed that the family dog sat facing the back door and would not move unless called. As I talked with Mary, I asked her why her dog wasn’t sitting by us. She responded that her husband had left for work out that door. That dog was going to wait patiently at that door all day until her husband came back home. The dog might get a drink, might eat a bit, might investigate a noise, but he was always going to come back to that door until her husband returned.
Faithful people are like Mary's dog. They know Jesus is returning for them. They may have to get things done, but they always are looking for the return of the Master. Death is like that door in Mary’s home. The dog was kept from going with the husband by that door. Death keeps us from going to be with Jesus. Someday, however, the Master of all Heaven and Earth will return. Then, we will walk through that door to eternal life, all under the watchful eyes of the Lord. It was obvious to all Mary’s family that their dog was faithful to the husband and the family. They always knew he would be faithful. At any time, the husband knew that his loyal dog would be waiting at that door upon his return. In the same way, God knows the faithful intimately. He knows you are waiting for His return. He’ll be along shortly to take you through that door.
Don’t let death stop you from complete faith that God watches over you. Don’t let death take away your confidence that Jesus knows your name. You concentrate on following Jesus faithfully. You make sure to listen to Jesus’ voice. God will take care of the rest. Someday, Jesus will come back for you personally. Why? He knows your name, of course!
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. (says the Lord!)” (Isaiah 49:15, ESV)
When you have a rock-solid relationship with God, no small ups and downs nor traumatic events will shake that faith. Challenges and problems, trials and tribulations will only strengthen your connection with the Almighty. The faithful have always been confident in eternal life with God. When the apostle Stephen died, he saw God watching him from Heaven in that very moment (Acts 7). Tradition tells us that Peter and Paul willingly followed Jesus though they were martyred. Even Jesus was confident on the cross that God the Father would “receive his Spirit” at the very moment of His death (Luke 23:46). Over and over, people of the Bible were absolutely certain that at the point of death, God would receive them into His Kingdom.
Some people go through life with great doubts about eternal life. They question it. They wonder if the stories are real. Modern atheistic scholars say that at death, there is only a bright light of all the neurons firing in your brain followed by nothing as your heart stops beating and brain is deprived of oxygen. However, I have read many accounts of those who died and came back to tell of dead family who came to visit, of trips to Heaven or the Pearly Gates, even to hell. For anyone who is not an atheist, death is not the end of life. For the faithful, it has always been believed that God is waiting with open arms to receive the obedient servant. For the faithful, there is no need to doubt. From stories in the Bible to stories in history, there is life after death. There is an eternal life in the Kingdom of God.
In the scripture for today, Jesus taught about eternal life to those gathered at the Temple in Jerusalem. To those “sheep” who followed Jesus, there was hope after death. Because Jesus “knew them”, the faithful would be granted eternal life (John 10:27). They would “not perish”. Jesus even went one step further, mentioning that “no one could snatch the faithful dead out of his hand” (John 10:28). If we take Jesus at His word, these verses make clear that if you follow Jesus with a true heart, and listen to Jesus’ voice, Jesus will “know” you. He will know your name. He will know when you die. You will be watched over not only in life but also in death.
Death and dying can be a frightening time for the doubters, the atheists, the lost. They do not know what comes after that last heartbeat. We know what comes after. Jesus taught about it. His resurrection even proved that God has power over death to bring life. Those without faith, those whom Jesus does not know personally, do not have such a clarity about eternal life. According to scripture, they may even end up in hell, Gehenna, or Abaddon. Nobody in their right mind would want to live in such places. However, I’ve never met a person who wouldn’t want to live in Paradise or Heaven after death. So, why is it that people refuse to garner a relationship with Jesus so that should death intrude, they have a hope of eternal life? Sadly, too many have listened to the worldly voices, the naysayers, the doubters, the worldly scholars, the socialists and communists, the soulless. Too many are lost souls on this earth who have no eternal home. But you do, don’t you?
If you have a relationship with Jesus, you are in secure hands. As Jesus makes clear, those who follow Jesus and heed His voice have hope. Because they know Jesus intimately, they will not be lost after death. Nobody can snatch them away from our faithful Lord.
One day, while doing a home visit, I noticed that the family dog sat facing the back door and would not move unless called. As I talked with Mary, I asked her why her dog wasn’t sitting by us. She responded that her husband had left for work out that door. That dog was going to wait patiently at that door all day until her husband came back home. The dog might get a drink, might eat a bit, might investigate a noise, but he was always going to come back to that door until her husband returned.
Faithful people are like Mary's dog. They know Jesus is returning for them. They may have to get things done, but they always are looking for the return of the Master. Death is like that door in Mary’s home. The dog was kept from going with the husband by that door. Death keeps us from going to be with Jesus. Someday, however, the Master of all Heaven and Earth will return. Then, we will walk through that door to eternal life, all under the watchful eyes of the Lord. It was obvious to all Mary’s family that their dog was faithful to the husband and the family. They always knew he would be faithful. At any time, the husband knew that his loyal dog would be waiting at that door upon his return. In the same way, God knows the faithful intimately. He knows you are waiting for His return. He’ll be along shortly to take you through that door.
Don’t let death stop you from complete faith that God watches over you. Don’t let death take away your confidence that Jesus knows your name. You concentrate on following Jesus faithfully. You make sure to listen to Jesus’ voice. God will take care of the rest. Someday, Jesus will come back for you personally. Why? He knows your name, of course!
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. (says the Lord!)” (Isaiah 49:15, ESV)