April 2005 Sermon Notes
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April 3, 2005 A Long Life
April 10, 2005 A Dignified Death
April 24, 2005 Good Grief
April 3, 2005 A Long Life
How long can I expect to live?Adam lived 930 years … Seth lived 912 years … Enosh lived 905 years … Kenan lived 910 years … Mahalalel lived 895 years … Jared lived 962 years … Enoch lived 365 years … Methuselah lived 969 years … Lamech lived 777 years
Genesis 5:5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 27
Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years." Genesis 6:3
The length of our days is seventy years — or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. Psalms 90:10
Biblical principles by which life is worth living
· We are made in the image of God so human life is sacredThen God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness… Genesis 1:26
· God is sovereign over life, death and judgmentAll the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalms 139:16
There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life Deuteronomy 32:39
Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, Hebrews 9:27
· Murder breaks God’s law
You shall not murder. Exodus 20:13
· God’s purposes lie beyond our understanding"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9
· Our bodies belong to God
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? … Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 1 Corinthians 6:15, 19
· Suffering can draw us closer to GodWe were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 2 Corinthians 1:8-9
· The eternal transcends the temporalTherefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
· We can glorify God even in deathI eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. Philippians 1:20
April 10, 2005
A Dignified Death
Biblical principles that make life worth living
· Human life is sacred Genesis 1:26
· God is sovereign over life, death and judgment
Psalms 139:16 Deuteronomy 32:39 Hebrews 9:27· Murder breaks God’s law Exodus 20:13
· God’s purposes lie beyond our understanding Isaiah 55:8-9
· Our bodies belong to God 1 Corinthians 6:15, 19
· Suffering can draw us closer to God 2 Corinthians 1:8-9
· The eternal transcends the temporal 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
· We can glorify God even in death Philippians 1:20
Average Life Span
1900 2000
Women 51 78
Men 48 74
It is wrong to refuse medical treatment?
Is it wrong to speed up my dying process or to actively end my life?
Is it wrong to refuse a feeding tube?
Our culture of death defines a dignified death as the right to determine the time and means of one’s own death, usually when facing a terminal illness and before the onset of unbearable pain and the loss of control over bodily functions.
What can be wrong with that?
I Samuel 31:1 – 6
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. Proverbs 16:25
Declarations for a Dignified DeathI will …
· … care for those in need and dependant on others
· … fully experience the end stage of life
· … face suffering with courage and God’s grace
· … resolve important issues
· … allow myself to be cared for by others
· … accept that my life on earth will end
· … make certain where I am going after this life is overSunday April 23, 2005
Good Grief
Brothers, we do not want you to … grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.1 Thessalonians 4:13
Our Approach God ’s Approach · Bury our feelings · Experience our feelings Jesus wept John 11:34 · Replace our loss · Review our loss At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."Job 1:20-21
· Grieve alone· Grieve in community Genesis 50:1 - 14 · Give the pain time · Give the pain to God Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4 · Accept our regrets · Express our regrets …as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone Romans 12:18 · Wall up · Reach out This outline is based on a sermon by Bill Hybels
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