READ | SERMON NOTES
Summary l A recent study done in Singapore shows that only five in 10 Singaporeans are prepared to talk about death. People plan for birth and marriage much more than they plan for death. People put off planning for death till they are ill or retired, most begin to think about end of life matters after 50.
People are reluctant or afraid to talk about death for various reasons: superstition, fear of the unknown and burden on family members, process of dying, etc.
With low birth rates and aging population, Singapore is expected to reach super aged status in two years’ time and citizen deaths will exceed citizen births in the first half of 2030. A similar trend is noted in Wesley Methodist Church. Therefore, it is increasingly difficult to postpone conversations about end-of-life matters with our loved ones.
Although death is a taboo subject generally in society, the Bible mentions death more than 900 times. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints (Ps 116:15).
For believers,
- Death is but a shadow (Ps 23:4)
We no longer fear death as it is a momentary obscuring of the light. - Death is an enemy but Jesus overcame it by his resurrection (1 Cor:54-57)
Jesus promised eternal life to those who believe in him (Jn 11:25) - Death is not the end of everything but a transition into God’s eternal presence (Lk 23:43)
Death is like waking up in your own room in the morning.
As a pastor in Glowing Years Ministry and Pastoral Care Ministry, Pastor Chin Nam was with some of the family members immediately after their loved ones die. He remembered vividly the look on the faces of the deceased – the look of perfect rest that Jesus promises.
Life means Christ to me, as I more fully know and love and serve him day by day, death means Christ to me when I finally possess and eternally enjoy him (J.A. Motyer, Philippians, The Bible Speaks Today).
What does it mean by Christ being our life and death?
If Christ is our life and death…
1) we strive to know him more fully
We aim to emulate Paul who yearns to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death… (Phil 3:10).
2) we are compelled to love him more fully
His unconditional love moves us to love him more and show his love to others (Mt 25:40-45).
3) we must serve him more fully
We develop a servant’s heart to serve with humility and meekness like Jesus.
4) At death, we gain immediately:
a. perfect freedom from sin
b. complete release from pain (Rev 21:3,4)
c. full communion with Jesus
Death brings us into God’s presence, into perfect eternal life to worship and serve God perfectly in fellowship with angels and the saints who have gone before us.
May we trust God at his word. Death may be painful but is a blessed passage that brings us face to face with the Lord. Life has its difficulties but we live courageously “for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain (Phil 1:21)”.
A Blessing for a Peaceful Death
I pray that you will have the blessing of being consoled and sure about your own death.
May you know in your soul that there is no need to be afraid. When your time comes, may you be given every blessing and shelter that you need.
May there be a beautiful welcome for you in the home where you are going. You are not going somewhere strange. You are going back to the home you never left.
May you have a wonderful urgency to live your life to the full.
May you live compassionately to transfigure everything that is negative within and about you. When you come to die, may it be after a long life.
May you be peaceful and happy in the presence of those who care for you.
May your going be sheltered and your welcome assured.
May your soul smile in the embrace of your [spiritual companion].
(The American Book of Living and Dying, p. 30)
(Sermon notes by Woo Choi Yin)
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Can we wait for death as for a friend who wants to welcome us home? Why? How?
- Why are people reluctant to talk about death? What are your reasons? How would you address them?
- How does Singapore becoming “super-aged” encourage you to initiate conversations with your loved ones about end-of-life matters? What would you talk to them about?
- Death is but a shadow, an enemy overcame by Jesus’ resurrection, and a transition into God’s eternal presence.
- How do these truths help you anticipate your own death ?
- If Christ is our life and death, we strive to know, love, and serve Him more fully daily.
- How is this true for you?
- What are you doing to grow in these areas?
- If Christ is our life and death, we immediately gain at death, perfect freedom, complete release from pain and full communion with Jesus.
- How do these truths prepare you for your own death?
- How would they motivate you to share Jesus especially with the older people and those who have yet to know Jesus?
