Title [Text: Hebrews 9:11-28] Blessed Death
Psalm 116:15 says, “Does the Lord value the death of the saints? The death of the saints means a blessed death. Death is also dealt with at the end of the text we will look at today. The world treats this death negatively, but the Bible treats it positively. We hope that we will once again consider the matter of my death and listen to the Word.
1. It is appointed for man to die once (27)
Death is an unavoidable gateway for all people, regardless of the rich or poor. Foolishly, I've seen countless people with power struggle to solve this problem with power or money, but leave the world without much help. This death is the result of the fall of man. It is death that our first parents were punished for disobeying the word of God. Genesis 3:17-19 says, “Cursed is the land because of you, because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree that I commanded you not to eat; and you shall toilet for the rest of your life, and then you will eat of its fruit; the earth will give you thorns and thistles. For your food is the vegetables of the field, and in the sweat of your face you will eat food, and eventually you will return to the dust, for in it you were taken, for you are dust, and to dust you will return. The words are written. Death is the result of sin. Because all people are born into the world as sinners, death is given equally to all. Therefore, rather than avoiding death, the wise accept it as inevitable and live a life thoroughly prepared.
2. There is judgment after death (27)
Death is not the end of life. It is the starting point for a new world. From that starting point is God's stern judgment. It is judgment for eternal life and eternal punishment. Matthew 25 is a detailed account of this judgment. Verse 34 says, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world?” Verse 41 says, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his kingdoms. "Go?" he said. It is a judgment after judgment. Just as death cannot be avoided, all human beings cannot escape the judgment after death. It is in this judgment that the fact that the saints are blessed is revealed.
① Because the blood of Christ covers all our sins and transgressions and leads us to the kingdom of eternal life.
The text testifies that all sins are forgiven by the blood of Christ. “Has his blood wrought eternal redemption? (12) “How can the blood of Christ, who offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works… (14) “According to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission.” . All Christians who believe in Jesus Christ can go straight from the judgment seat to the kingdom of eternal life because they have been forgiven by the blood of Christ. This is the greatest blessing for us. We must become believers who fully believe in Christ in this hope.
② Because we will be rewarded according to all our labor for the Lord. The devotion of the saints is for two reasons.
First, it is a reward for the grace of redemption that has already been received and sometimes from time to time. This is natural. However, many Christians forget the grace and do not reciprocate with it. Rather, there are many things that are ungrateful. We should never be such people. Second, it is for the reward you will receive in the eternal heaven. There is no check mark on your dedication and hard work for the Lord. God will surely reward you. He rewards you for your hard work with a generous reward. In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus said: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves break in. You cannot steal nor can you steal. Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Let us not think that all that we have labored and devoted for the Lord so far has been in vain. It is the most secure. Rather, God prepares to add more. How many opportunities in our lives will we have in the future to make a commitment? Let's not miss the opportunity. Don't miss the opportunity to serve and donate. Let's not be the saints who regret and mourn at the threshold of death. “From now on, I hope that we will become saints who can welcome death like Paul, who ended his life by saying, “Is the crown of righteousness reserved for me?”