²⁷Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, ²⁸so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Since last week I have thought over and over about death.  Everyone here on earth has one thing in common:  we will all die to these physical bodies.  Last week, a good friend of mine lost his grandmother.  She was 82 years old, weak and feeble.  Also last week, someone I never met died.  Yeardley Love, a lacrosse player from UVA.  She was 22 years old, healthy and vibrant.  Though the circumstances for my friend’s grandmother and Yeardley Love’s death were very different, they have both met their appointment with death and have now faced the judgement.  Everything I have known and read about both of these individuals have indicated they were both amazing people.  Both were kindhearted and strong women who loved other people.  I pray that both of these women had a relationship with Jesus Christ for our works cannot save us when we reach the judgement seat.  Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”  I believe each of these women’s lives meant something!  I believe we can learn from both of them.  I believe both of them taught us how to live our life, and I believe both have taught us something about death.  It is my prayer that the lives these women lived touch the hearts of people everywhere and through their deaths many will come to a relationship with Jesus Christ! 

So here’s the best part about death.  Christ was sacrificed unto death, but overcame death so that we can be saved from our sins (sin is what causes us to die in the first place).  For those of us who trust in Christ to save us; we will live!  We will die to this physical body, but we will live eternally.  I think back to November when my grandmother was put to rest.  What a blessing to know for certain that she had a relationship with Jesus Christ!  It was so much easier to say goodnight to her than it would have been to say goodbye.  I know I will see my grandmother again one day.  It hurts to lay a loved one to rest and not be able to speak to them and see them everyday.  However, it’s comforting to know that they are living with Jesus!  It’s soothing to know that they are not in pain and do not struggle.  How I long for the day that the troubles of this world pass.  I know when I die, I will enter into a better place because I have a relationship with Jesus Christ!  It’s amazing to know that Jesus died so that my friend’s grandmother can live, Yeardley can live, my grandmother can live, you can live, and I can live!  The lives of each of these people have meant something!  Maybe it was to show you how to live.  Maybe it was to help you think deeper about what happens after death.  Please think about death and what happens when you die.  This life on earth is temporary.  We don’t even know when our time is up.  Although this life is temporary, when we die life becomes eternal.  Only through the grace of Jesus will we spend eternity with Him!  Where will you spend eternity and why will you spend it there?

I often wonder just how many “Christians” would be considered a double agent.  I’ve grown up in church my whole life.  I’ve seen “Christians” come to church, put on their mask, leave, and take their mask off outside the doors of the church.  I personally consider these “Christians” a double agent Christian because they are NOT loyal to Jesus Christ!  If these “Christians” were ever captured and given the choice of life by denial of Christ or death by upholding His name, they would most certainly choose life by denial of Christ!

I pray that we are not double agent Christians!  I pray that we are the type of Christians that are honest about our lives, our struggles, and our problems.  As a church, we are family!  Family should be people that you depend on to give you honest advice, lift you up, and encourage you.  Earlier I mentioned that I have grown up in church my whole life and I’ve watched the way “Christians” in the church have lived their lives.  Well, God has given me the privilage to be a part of this church plant at The Grove Church.  God’s vision for this church is for us to reach the unchurched – the lost!  All praise to God, that is exactly what we have been doing!  Through this, I’ve seen people with problems come to know Christ!  Although they have come to know Christ, they still have problems in their lives just as we all do.  The only difference between these new believers and the “Christians” I watched in church my whole life is the simple fact that these new believers are not double agent Christians!  These new believers would uphold the name of Christ if put in a situation which they must decide.  I have witnessed people come into this church, give their life to Christ, take off their mask, acknowledge their struggles, leave the church with encouragement, tell others about Christ throughout the week, and come back to church the next week to find more encouragement and hope!  This is how we should live our life!  Christianity is about living your life for Christ EVERY DAY and not just Sundays!  I pray that we are not double agent Christians!  Live your life for Christ each and every day!

¹⁶This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

I am always amazed at how much Christ loves us ALL!  I couple of years ago, I worked at a home for at-risk youth.  I honestly had no idea how much love (the correct kind of love) and discipline (the correct kind) these kids needed.  These youth came from all different backgrounds:  drug abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, neglection, and the list just goes on and on.  Through working with these youth, sometimes they would take their frustrations and anger out on me.  Let me just inform you…1 year before working with these youth, I worked as a repo man.  So I’ve been cussed and screamed at:  no big deal!  Well, when some of these youth would take their frustrations and anger out on me (for nothing I’ve done except try to love them) I heard words I didn’t hear as a repo guy felt my ear drums build so much pressure that I really thought they might just bust!  One day I was dealing with this one youth that I spent a lot of time trying to break through to him.  At one point I thought:  I think I’m making a difference in this guy’s life.  Well this particular day, this guy blew up on me like a bomb in an elevator!  I felt every muscle in my body begin to strain, my fist begin to clinch tight, and my head feel like it was going to explode when all of the sudden something made me think of Christ!  Immediately, my ears did not hear this kid anymore and my thoughts began to think of speaking to my Savior (Jesus).  I can remember saying:  “Jesus, you have to remove me from this situation before I hurt this kid.”    Well, He did just that!  He removed me from the situation by this kid getting so frustrated with me ignoring him that he ran out of the house…thankfully!!!  As the rest of the day went on, I thought about my Savior and His love.

Jesus laid down His life for me, but He also laid down His life for this youth and other people just like him.  He laid down His life for the people that were screaming in His ear, cussing Him, and telling Him they wanted no part with Him!  He still loved them enough to die for them, even though they hated Him!  I began to think about if I truly had pity on these youth as they were in need of the correct kind of love and discipline in their lives.  I asked myself, “Am I showing these kids the love that Christ shows to me and to everyone else?”  My answer was no.  At this point, I began seeking to show these kids the love Christ showed me through my actions both when they would blow up on me and when they wanted to be my friend.  I’m proud to say that even to this day:  almost 3 years later, I still talk to these kids.  Yes, they still disappoint in a lot of ways.  However, I know I still disappoint my Jesus too, but He still loves me!  Make a difference in someone’s life by  showing them the love that Christ shows us all!

Sin affects our life in the same manner the fungus affected my skin.  It enters in very subtle and begins to grow.  If sin goes undiagnosed, it can overtake your life in a short matter of time!  It begins to wrap itself all throughout your life until you are completely covered with sin to the point that you see nothing else.  Once sin enters in it only wants to stick around.  Remember, sin will ALWAYS take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you’re willing to stay, and cost you more than you’re willing to pay.  There is only one way to get rid of the sin that covers our life.  The cure is through the blood of Jesus.  By Him dying on the cross for our sin, His blood covers us if we accept His grace! 

Romans 6:22-23 (New International Version)

²²But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. ²³For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I think over and over about the kind of King that rules my life.  I have a King that refused to bow at Satan’s feet, when he offered Him the world.  I have a King that gave up a heavenly throne to come to a lowly place just so I can one day spend an eternity with Him in paradise!  I have a King that words cannot describe and thoughts cannot consume!  I have a King that gladly took my place on a cross that was mine, died so that I could have life, and did it all while carrying the burdens of my sin!  I serve an amazing King!  In fact, He is not just a King, He is THE KING!  I wish everyone knew the love of my King.  Not only did He die for me, but He died for you also.  My King Jesus died to bring life!  Let me ask:  How many Presidents, Kings, Bosses, Emperors, or ect. have given their life for you?  How many have given up everything and taken your place?  I know of one:  Jesus!

The Gospel of John in the Bible says in chapter 20 verse 31 that “everything written in this book is so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name“.