What happens after I die?

1. What happens after I die? May 5, 12, 19, 26 9:15-10:15 am

2. Intro / Discussion Questions • Have you ever thought about what would happen to you, or your friends and family after death? • Have you had to wrestle with this question with others, especially when a loved one is facing death? • What are some common ideas that people have about what happens after death?

3. Outline • Week 1: Death • Week 2: Intermediate destiny • Week 3: Resurrection and Judgment • Week 4: Final destiny

4. Week 1

5. What is death? • Death is certain (like taxes) • Death is often seen as something to dread • The body stops working; it begins to decay • Death can be painful • It represents the end of a person’s life • Taking life is treated as crime (in most cases) • Leading causes of death • Heart disease 23% • Cancer 22% • Accidents 6%

6. 3 kinds of death described • Spiritual Death • Physical Death • Eternal Death

7. 3 kinds of death • Spiritual Death • Alienation from God as a result of Adam’s sin • Rom 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned • Eph 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins • Spiritual death means that they are blind to the things of God • 1 Cor 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. • 2 Cor 4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. • John :12:39-40 Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them." • Man is without help in his spiritual blindness; only those that God calls can hear and understand and be saved.

8. 3 kinds of death • Physical Death • When we die, our body beings to decay • Gen 3:19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return • Once we die, will have no more chances to repent • Heb 9:27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, • Once the body dies, the soul or spirit lives on, but is separated from the body. • Therefore, physical death is not some state of non-existence, • Life continues….just separated from the body • Finally, physical death seems unnatural to us

9. 3 kinds of death • Eternal • Eternal death is unending separation from God’s blessing presence • 2 Thess 1:9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, • Instead, they will face the unending the wrath of God (Rev 14:10) in the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:14) • Rev 14:10 he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. • Rev 20:15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. • Those who die physically while spiritually dead, will face eternal death. John 3:16-18 • v18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God • The default state of everyone is that they are already condemned.

10. Upcoming • Week 1: Death • Week 2: Immediate destiny • Week 3: Judgment, Resurrection • Week 4: Ultimate destiny

11. Week 2 Intermediate Destiny

12. Follow-up Questions • If people born in sin are condemned already for their unbelief (John 3:18), what happens to infants and those mentally incapable of believing? • People who are old enough to be able to obey God’s command to believe in Him are saved through the work of Christ • Those who do not obey the command to believe in God stand condemned not because of their sin nature but because of their disobedience (John 3:18, Rev 20:11-15) • Infants and those mentally unable to believe are not condemned because they are not guilty of something they cannot obey; they know neither good or evil • See also 2 Cor 5:10 (judgement according to deeds) • Read “Safe in the Arms of God” for more detailed treatment

13. Follow-up Questions • God is omnipresent and rules over all places and times including hell • Hell is not the absence of God; it is a real place in time where God’s blessing presence is withheld and his wrath is measured out with holy justice • Who judges and executes justice? God does. • Who is the consuming fire? God is (Hebrews 12:29) • Who is the only able to give the second death in hell? God is. (Matthew 10:28) • Who presides over the Lake of Fire and throws Satan, Death, Hades, the demons, and sinners? Rev 14:10 he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

14. Intermediate Destiny • This week we will discuss what happens after people physically die but before the resurrection of the body.

15. Believer’s Intermediate Destiny • Believers should have no fear of death (discuss) • Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. • Romans 8:38-39 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. • John 11:25 …“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live • Rev 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

16. Believer’s Intermediate Destiny Believers will go to be with God. While God is everywhere, he manifests himself particularly in heaven (Theophany) • 2 Cor 5:8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord • Phil 1:23b My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better • Luke 23:42 Jesus told the thief he would be with him in Paradise To be with God is better than this life (discuss)

17. Believer’s Intermediate Destiny It is a conscious experience, with memory of the past and of the current times; the souls seem discontent and long for the final judgment (discuss) Rev 6:9-109 … I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

18. Believer’s Intermediate Destiny This intermediate destiny is not the final destiny… • While being with Christ is far better, the spirit is incomplete without a body • The receiving of a glorified body is what Paul most longed for (more on this in week 3)

19. Non-Believer’s Intermediate Destiny • The non-believer’s spirit goes to Hades, a place for the wicked before their final judgement in the lake of fire • Luke 16:19-31 is a parable that gives us the most insight into what Hades is like (read and discuss this parable)

20. Non-Believer’s Intermediate Destiny • 19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’

21. Non-Believer’s Intermediate Destiny • 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’

22. Summary of the Intermediate Destiny • Believer’s Destiny • Heaven; real place where there is time and space; temporary destination • Spirit without a body • Conscious, aware of current times, recalls the past • With the resurrected Jesus • Non-Believer’s Destiny • Hades; real place where there is time and space; temporary destination • Spirit without a body • Conscious, aware of current times, recalls the past • Are you ready to die?

23. Extra: Funerals for the unbeliever • “After a non-Christian has died, it would be wrong to give any indication to others that we think that person has gone to heaven. This would simply be to give misleading information and false assurance…It is much better, as we have opportunity, to focus on the fact that the sorrow that we feel at the loss of someone whom we love causes us to reflect on our own life and destiny as well… it is often very helpful in such circumstances to speak with genuine thankfulness about the good qualities that we have noticed and been encouraged by in the life of the person who has died. A good example of that is seen in David’s reaction when King Saul died. “(Grudem. Systematic Theology)

24. Week 3 Resurrection

25. Resurrection • When the day of Judgment arrives, most of the believers will have already died…. • Where is soul of the believer? • Where is body of the believer? • Similarly, where is the soul of the wicked? • Where is the body of the wicked? • What future awaits the body of the believer? The wicked?

26. Resurrection • John 5:28-29 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. • Dan 12:1-2 At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

27. Resurrection • Both believers and non-believers will experience resurrection

28. Resurrection of life • For the believer, its a glorified body for the purpose of… • being in the blessing presence of God (Job 19:25-26)(Isaiah 26:19) • A physical existence on a new earth (Isaiah 66:22-23)(Phil 3:21)

29. Resurrection of life • Job 19:25-26 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God • Isaiah 26:19 Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.

30. Resurrection of life • Isaiah 66:22-23 For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so lshall your offspring and your name remain. From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the Lord. • Phil 3:20-21 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

31. Resurrection Body (1 Cor 15:35-49) • 35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” …42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body…48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

32. Resurrection to torment • For the wicked, they are resurrected to a physical body designed for eternal torment before the wrath of God. • Daniel 12:2 - awake to shame and everlasting contempt • Rev 20:15 - a body intended for the lake of fire • Isaiah 66:24 - worm will not die • Rev 14:10-122 - wine of God's wrath

33. Resurrection of judgment • Revelation 20:15 states, “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” • In Isaiah 66:22–24, which first describes conditions of the new earth for believers (66:22–23) and then describes conditions for the unsaved (66:24): “And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

34. Rapture • What is it?

35. Rapture - 1 Thes 4:13-18 • 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

36. Rapture - 1 Thes 4:13-18 • Jesus returns to Earth with all his saints • …but first, the bodies of the dead believers will rise from the ground to reunite with their souls • …then the living believers on earth will be caught up to meet with Christ in the air

37. What’s next? • Judgement Day • We will cover that next week, Lord willing…

38. Week 4 Final Destiny

39. Questions from last week • Are there degrees of punishment? • Matt 10:15 - Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. • Matt 11:22 - 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you 3 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.” • Luke 20:46-47 46 “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 47 who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

40. Judgment Day – Rev 20:11-15 • 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

41. Judgment Day (discuss) • Rom 14:10b For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; • Rom 14: 12 so then each of us will give an account of himself to God. • 2 Cor 5:10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. • Eccle 12:14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. • Matt 12:36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak • Luke 12:2 Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.

42. Judgment Day (believers should not fear) • Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. • John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. • Heb 8:12b I will remember their sins no more • 1 John 4:16b-18 God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

43. Judgment – Righteous receive inheritance • Matt 25:31-34 31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory…he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world • 1 Cor 4:5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.

44. Judgment – Righteous will be rewarded • 1 Cor 3:12-15 - If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. • Matt 6:20 - but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven

45. Judgment – Wicked go to the Lake of Fire • Matt 25:41 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. • Rev 20:15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

46. God is Just • 1 Peter 1:17 - God judges impartially • Rom 2:11 - God shows no partiality • Rev 19:1-12 – judgement is true and just • The saints will praise God and glorify God for his justice

47. New heaven and new earth • 2 Peter 3:10-13 • 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. 11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

48. New heaven and new earth • Rev 21:1-5a • 21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

49. New heaven and new earth • Rev 22:1-4 • 22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.