Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.
At the end of the movie Star Wars, the heroes walk through a standing ovation to receive their rewards as thousands cheer. But that isn't close to what it will be like when a Christian enters Heaven. Truly, I have not seen what lies ahead for believers. From the Moody Church in Chicago, this is Running to Win with Dr. Erwin Lutzer, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line.
Pastor Lutzer, last time we came to grips with the descent into gloom. Today, you'll tell us more about one minute after you die as you talk about the ascent into glory. And you know Dave, I want to emphasize that there are only two places where people are going to spend eternity. Sometimes you think to yourself, there should be a middle place, a place where there are people who are too good to go to Hell, but not quite good enough for Heaven.
But there is no such place. There are those who receive Christ as Savior, and that of course is what we're going to be talking about, even as we speak about the ascent into glory. And then there are those who are going to experience the gloom that we emphasized last time. And if you as a listener are blessed as a result of the ministry of Running to Win and instructed, would you consider becoming an endurance partner? That's someone who stands with us regularly with their prayers and their gifts.
And at the end of this broadcast, I'm going to be giving you some contact info. I want you to listen carefully because God may be calling you to help us as we continue to get messages like this around the world. Today my message is entitled, The Ascent Into Glory. We will not be speaking specifically about what it is going to be like to arrive in Heaven. That we are reserving for the next message.
But today we want to look at death from a biblical point of view to see how God sees it and why we should not fear that ascent into Heaven. But first of all, before I begin the message, I do need to make a clarification. I hope it will be a clarification. After last week's message, many of you came up to me and you asked me questions because apparently I was unclear.
Well, you know that I don't like to be like that politician who left a political rally here in Chicago the other day and whispered to one of his aides, I hope that in the excitement I didn't happen to make myself clear about anything. So let me try to be clear. In the Old Testament you have Sheol, the righteous and the wicked both descend into Sheol. There is a lower region in Sheol, which the rabbis interpreted to mean that this was the place of the wicked, but Sheol also had another region which was the place of the righteous. We come into the New Testament, Luke chapter 16, which was the passage that we spent most of our time on last week, and it is in that passage that Jesus talks about two regions. One is Hades and in the New Testament wherever the word Sheol occurs, as it is quoting the Old Testament, it always uses the word Hades.
Sheol is the Hebrew word, Hades is the Greek word. However, in the New Testament it is interesting that Hades is never a positive place. It is never looked at as the region of the righteous dead per se, but nevertheless you do have those two compartments as we discussed the rich man and Lazarus.
They have this conversation even though a gulf is between them and they cannot cross over from one side to the other. Now all that I can tell you is that in the New Testament, after the ascension of Jesus Christ, there does not seem to be any talk about two compartments or two regions. After the ascension, everyone who dies in the Lord goes directly to heaven, which I interpret to be the same as paradise and which we would look at from the standpoint of the Old Testament as Abraham's bosom. It is my personal belief, though some people would disagree, that when Jesus ascended into heaven, he took all those who were in what we call Abraham's bosom or paradise and he took them with him so that they are now in heaven. In the Old Testament, Sheol, you always think of it as the region beneath. New Testament, it is the region above. Stephen, as we shall see in a moment, sees the heavens open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God the Father.
And that's where Stephen went. So you and I, when we die, we will go directly into heaven as we will seek to prove today through the text of scripture. What do we make of death? What do we make of it? Seems to be our greatest enemy.
We do everything we possibly can to avoid it, to get away from it, to stave it off as long as we possibly can, to eke out one last week of existence. Yet the Bible presents a very different story. Remember in the Old Testament, Genesis chapter 3, when Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree? You remember that God drove them out of the garden.
Why did he drive them out? Because he said that the moment you eat and disobey, you will die. And they began to die physically, they began to die spiritually, and they would have died eternally had God not provided salvation for them. But when he sent them out of the garden, the text says that he put some cherry of them there, a flaming sword to protect the tree of life. They ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but God wanted to keep them from the tree of life.
Why? Because if they had eaten that, they would have been immortalized in their sinful state. They'd have lived as sinners forever. They would not have died, but what a miserable existence it would have been. But God protected them from that.
You know why? Because he wanted to give us what we could call today the gift of death, the gift of death. Because death is the doorway by which God invites us to something that is far better, far better, and that is personal fellowship with him in heaven. What I'd like to do today is to look at five images of the New Testament in the New Testament on death. Normally, as you know, I take a passage of scripture and expound it, but this time we are going to have to speak topically because these images exist in different parts of the Bible. And so in some cases, I'll have you turn to the text at other times.
I will simply quote it, and if you are taking notes you can write down the references and you can check them later. We can begin with Luke chapter 9. Luke chapter 9 verse 31. Jesus is on the mount of transfiguration, and the first image is that death is a departure. Luke chapter 9 verse 31. What an experience the disciples had, the three disciples. And of course, Moses and Elijah also came for a visit on top of the mountain. But it says in verse 31, Moses and Elijah were there who appearing in glory were speaking of his departure. That's the word that I want because the Greek word there is Exodus. You know, of course, that we have the second book of the Bible is known as the Exodus, the leaving, the departure of the children of Israel from Egypt en route to the promised land.
Look at almost every building. You can look around in it and you can see an exit sign. That's the same word, the departure.
When you exit, you leave to go somewhere else. And notice it's talking about the death of Jesus Christ, and it is called a departure. They were talking about the exodus of Christ.
Now think this through. Moses led the people out of slavery. He crossed the Red Sea, and after crossing the Red Sea, he led them in the desert. The intention, of course, was to bring them into the land, and eventually they did enter into that land. Crossing the Red Sea should not have been a fearful experience if they were following a qualified leader, namely Moses.
They could have had confidence that they will eventually get there, and even though their hearts trembled on occasion, there was no question about God's ability to lead them over the sea. Now in the very same way, should we fear death? Death has a lot of mystery, but the Scripture says that Jesus died that he might take away the fear of death, and to deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Death is our departure.
It is God taking us. It is leaving this world, and we need not fear what lies on the other side as long as we have trusted a qualified Savior, as long as we have trusted Christ and we know that we are en route to the Father who is in heaven. And that's why when someone dies as a believer in Christ, we say that he has departed. He's departed. It's not that he is annihilated.
It is not that he is extinct. He has just departed to go somewhere else. You've heard me tell the story of that little girl who was seen walking through a cemetery and someone said, are you not afraid of going through a cemetery?
And she said, no, because my home is on the other side. Death is the means by which God takes us home. It's a departure. Let me give you a second figure of speech I should say, and that is that death is sleep. Now there are so many passages about this that I scarcely need to quote them all, but I want to remind you that in John 11, verse 11, Jesus said regarding Lazarus, our friend Lazarus sleeps, and I go that I may wake him out of sleep. And the disciples think that he's taking a nap. And Jesus said, no, Lazarus is dead. Do you remember 1 Corinthians 1551?
The Apostle Paul says, behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed. What Paul means is this, that there is a whole generation of believers that is going to be living at the return of Jesus Christ when he comes at what we call the rapture. So he says, not all of us are going to die, but Christ is going to come and we will be immediately transformed. And the dead in Christ shall rise first, but we shall join them if we are living during that wonderful occasion.
And you and I might experience that in our lifetime. But notice he says, we shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed. This has led many people to embrace the idea of what is known as soul sleep. Soul sleep says that when a person dies today, he is unconscious until the day of resurrection. When his body is raised, it is at that time that his spirit also will be rejuvenated and then he will become conscious in the presence of Christ.
I need to say that people who hold that write me many letters. Many of them are very fine people, but I want to respectfully and strongly disagree with soul sleep. I believe that the Bible teaches the continual consciousness of the soul. The body goes into the grave.
That's right. And it is to be raised most assuredly. And we'll talk about that in future messages. We will discuss the resurrection body. But the reason that sleep is used as a figure of speech for death is not because the soul sleeps, but because the body sleeps until the day of resurrection. Notice this, Moses was not sleeping until the day of resurrection. He appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration. Now some people think that he already had his resurrected body. I don't think so.
And we'll have to talk about that. But here is Moses who is quite conscious long before the time when the dead are raised. But let me give you some other references and I will invite you only to jot down the passage. Acts chapter 7 verse 59. Stephen is being stoned. And as those rocks are coming in his direction, long before he falls over in death, the scripture says that he saw heavens open and he saw Jesus Christ standing on the right hand of God the Father. And you've heard me say many times it's the only instance in the New Testament where Jesus is seen standing at the right hand of God the Father.
Almost always, in fact, in the other instances Christ is seen as seated. It's almost as if he's saying, Stephen, just be faithful because soon we are going to be together. But notice this, did Stephen actually expect that his soul was going to be in extinction until the day of resurrection? No, because a few verses later he said, into thy hands I commit my spirit, receive my spirit. Clearly Stephen expected to be with Jesus Christ immediately.
And I believe that he was there immediately. Now write down this reference, Luke 23 43. Jesus is dying on the cross and he says to the one thief, today you shall be with me in paradise. Now how do our friends who believe in soul sleep interpret that?
Well here's the answer. They say that what Jesus meant is this, or rather what the text meant is, behold I say to you today, you shall be with me in paradise. In other words Jesus is giving the time in which he's making the promise and is saying nothing as to when and where they shall meet.
Now I need to say that most people who study Greek grammar point out that it is really nonsensical to make the text say that. Obviously Jesus was saying it that day. Was he saying it the previous day? Was he saying it tomorrow?
Impossible. What Jesus meant was this, today you shall be with me in paradise. And you know that Jesus died before the thief did. You remember the soldiers were surprised that Jesus died so soon and that he was dead when they got to him. What that means is that Jesus was already there in paradise waiting for the thief and he was probably the very first one to greet him and they met that day in paradise. You say well did Jesus descend into Hades?
I don't think so but we're ahead of the story. We'll pick that up in another message. Notice that the Apostle Paul certainly was not expecting to sleep in the earth so far as his consciousness was concerned until the day of resurrection. He said in Philippians chapter 1 that I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better. He says I want to die. I am itching to get on with my glorification. My bags are packed. I'm ready to go but he says to abide in the flesh is more needful for you and therefore God has not yet given me the privilege of death. That will come a little later. What an optimistic view about death.
Now I want you to think this through logically. Do you mean to tell me that one of the reasons that Paul was so anxious to die is that he could hardly wait until he got into the grave so that he could sleep until the day of resurrection? If that were the case why indeed dying at that time rather than a few years later he would not see Jesus more quickly because he was going to his soul would just be sleeping anyway according to some of our friends. Now listen the reason that the Apostle Paul was so excited to die is he was saying I can hardly wait until I see Jesus and it is so exciting to me. I wish I could go today but God wants me to live for your benefit and he was expecting to see Christ at death.
And what does the scripture say also in 2 Corinthians chapter 5? To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Now why is sleep used then as an image of death?
Because as I mentioned the body sleeps and just as you go to sleep at night and you are raised and rejuvenated in the very same way the body goes to sleep it will be raised it will be created incorruptible you will look like you do today only much better and you'll have a different molecular structure your body is going to be like that of Jesus Christ for we shall see him as he is and we shall be like him. And you know I don't know about you but I'm not afraid to go to sleep. In fact I look forward to it when I'm tired. Now when you're not tired you don't want to go to sleep and you know when you're young and vigorous and you can still play tennis like some of us do you don't really look forward to death. Notice I said some of us you don't look forward to death. You remember the man who was preaching on heaven and he said how many of you want to go to heaven and everyone raised his hand except someone in the front row and he said don't you want to go to heaven the guy said yeah I do but I thought you were getting a crowd to go right now.
In other words I want to go but I'm not tired yet not tired yet. But when you have lived your life and served Christ and the time comes for you to go you are ready to go because you'll be able to say like the Apostle Paul I have fought a good fight I've finished my course henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness given to all those who love his appearing not just Paul but all of us who love Christ and you're ready to go. The scripture says in Revelation chapter 14 verse 11 blessed are the dead who die in the Lord for they rest they rest from their labors. Did I tell you about the woman who was a hundred years old and she could not hear very well and someone said to her why don't you get a hearing aid and bless that woman she said I'm a hundred years old and I've heard enough I've heard enough.
I'm not nearly that old and I'm beginning to think I've heard enough too. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labors. They're tired and they've gone home and their works follow them. What a blessed verse that is that means just like a pebble that is thrown into the water that has all of the impact and you can see those waves of water that are created those semicircles in the very same way the good that we do is carried on to eternity. I know that Shakespeare said that the evil that men do lives after them and the good is interred with their bones but that's not true that's not true Shakespeare was wrong and so the scripture says we rest and even in the Old Testament David said as for me I shall behold thy face in righteousness and I will be satisfied when I awake.
Sleep is rest. There's a third image and that is a collapsing tent collapsing tent and you may now take your Bibles and turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. 2 Corinthians 5 and although we shall look at other passages I suggest that you keep your Bibles open there because we shall end there in a few moments. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 1 we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down we have a building from God a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. In another message we'll discuss what that building is that we have in the heavens but notice that if we if our earthly tent which is our house is torn down what a good image that is. You know there are enthusiasts who like to live in tents they like to go camping and I admire these folks they like to rough it but you know eventually their tent becomes tattered the wind blows and you have all of the problems of rain and everything else and eventually you know it's time to hang up the old tent time to put it aside that's the way it is in our lives. You know the older you get the more things begin to creak the more your body begins to hurt and you know how that experience is when you bend over to tie your shoes while you're down there you think is there anything else I can do now that I am down there.
Some of you are at that point. Our old tent begins to weaken it begins to deteriorate and looks very dilapidated. What a beautiful image it's a reminder the fact that this world is not our home you know we're just a passing through the whole idea of tents has to do with with how temporal life is that it's not our permanent place and when you die you set aside to that tent and you get on with your eternal home you really do. So don't be discouraged today if the tent that you have brought with you needs some repair needs some work you did the best you could this morning clearly as I look out I can see that you worked on it but don't be discouraged because you're getting something better and you're getting a permanent home and you do remember that story about the guys who are out camping and someone said to the other don't drive in the stakes so deeply because we're leaving in the morning we're leaving in the morning we are strangers and pilgrims in this world and so one illustration of death one figure of speech is that it is a collapsing tent you can keep it up for a long time but eventually it is going to come down. Yes my friend those of us who are older we well understand what it is like to have our tent become dilapidated if you're younger you might not understand but someday you will and you know the Bible says this that when our tent is well used and folded up so to speak we have a building of God eternal in the heavens. Let me ask you a question are you blessed as a result of the ministry of running to win? Well running to win is in 50 different countries in seven different languages and this series of messages especially has been a blessing to many. I'm holding in my hand a letter from someone who writes just shy of my daughter's 18th birthday she was killed in a tragic car accident after her funeral I stopped at the grocery store where I found Pastor Lutzer's book One Minute After You Die. I was truly comforted by the Lord through this book thankful that all three of my daughters had believed and they've been baptized. My friend where you spend eternity is most important and it's because of people just like you that we are able to receive these testimonies and of course the ministry of running to win goes around the world. Would you consider becoming an endurance partner?
That's someone who stands with us regularly with their prayers and their gifts. I hope that you have a pen or pencil handy. This is what you can do to find out some info. Go to rtwoffer.com that's rtwoffer.com and when you're there click on the endurance partner button or call us at 1-888-218-9337. You can write to us at Running to Win 1635 North LaSalle Boulevard Chicago Illinois 60614. Next time more comforting pictures from the Bible of what a believer can expect at the moment of death. Thanks for listening. For Pastor Erwin Lutzer this is Dave McAllister. Running to win is sponsored by the Moody Church.
