This sermon reflects on the reality of death and the importance of being prepared to meet God at any moment. It shares stories of individuals facing death, highlighting the peace and triumph that can come with a strong faith in Christ. The message emphasizes the need to examine one's life in light of eternity, ensuring reconciliation with God and others before it's too late.

Thank you Lord that this, that in this time of bereavement, in this hour, we can rejoice in the Lord. As we are together now, comfort each one and quicken everyone and supply our every need. Comfort, strengthen the family, all the whole family circuit, all the friends, be with us and speak to our hearts. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. I'm reminded of a girl, a beautiful girl, she was the only daughter of the family. The family was well to do, they were rich, they had everything this world could offer. She was very gifted, she had many talents, even from childhood on she was the eye of the parents and friends. When she went to school she was the chosen one, she was the first one, everyone was around her. When she got to university, when somebody was chosen for something specific or a special place, it was always her. And when the time came to choose a beauty queen, she was chosen. She phoned her parents, she got her mother and she says, I've got good news for you, I'm going to be crowned as the beauty queen on such and such a day. And the mother said, oh my child, your dad will be thrilled to hear this. As soon as he comes back I'm going to tell him, and I want you to know, we are going to buy a dress for you for that special occasion, and it won't be a cheap one. So the day came, to make a long story short, she was crowned, after a few hours they said, please excuse us, we've got to drive for a few hours, it's a long way, and we'll leave you and you can carry on with the party. When they got home, it didn't take long and the telephone rang. So the mother went to the phone, and the person on the other side said, are you the mother of so and so? She said yes. She said, a heart-breaking thing happened. After everything had been done, and the people went home, your daughter drove home to where she stays. On the way, she was involved in an accident. And I suggest to you that if you still want to see her, come as quickly as you can. They raced to the hospital, the matron was there to meet them in the car, she took them through to the girl, she had a swollen face, she lay there, many bones in her body had been broken. Her mother went on her tiptoes into the room to her bed and bent over her and said, dear child, we have come, I've come with your dead. She opened her eyes, and she says, mum, in actual fact she said mama, in spite of being in America. Mama, I want to thank you, you've taught me good manners. How to live, how to light a cigarette, how to lift a glass of wine, but mama, there's one thing you didn't teach me, how to die. Please tell me now, for I am dying. The mother couldn't speak, it was as if something had closed her throat. Then she said, mama, please be quick, I don't know how to die. And the mother didn't know what to say. And shortly after that, she closed her eyes forever. May God grant us that in this service, God will become more real to us, and that we will be prepared to meet with him at any time. Death to his saints is precious to those that are right with God, but those that are not right with God, it's something terrible. John said he'd like his funeral to be like a wedding celebration. But if a person hasn't prepared and made right with God, it's the worst thing that can happen. But even if we are Christians, it's still sore inside, and we feel it. And our tears are close by, and we're heartbroken. I remember when my father passed away. My eldest brother brought the news to me. I visited him every day in hospital. And then, in the morning, before I could be there, he passed away. My dad had a special place in my heart. If I'd be overseas, I'd count the days. So many days left, and I'd see my father. When I received the news, I was heartbroken, and I cried. The next week, I had to go to Europe on a preaching tour. I said, I can't go. My father has passed away. My heart is broken. I'm going to cancel the tour. My father had cancer. Then something happened. I had a dream. It was as if I stood on a huge plain. And I saw a car coming straight for me. And the sooner the car came, I could see the driver and the person sitting next to him. And when they were here, I realized it's my father. And I said, Dad! I thought you had gone. And he just opened his window. And he said, Son, don't keep me back. I'm busy serving the Lord up there. And he told the driver, carry on. And there I stood alone, ashamed. But those words of my father washed away my tears. And I don't think that I shed another tear. The words of my dad ringing in my heart, don't keep me back. I'm busy serving the Lord. Dear friends, death for a Christian is not fatal. Death for a child of the Lord is not final. Those who die in Christ are not dead. They are more alive than what we are right now. Jesus comforted Martha and Mary. When the brother had passed away. And Jesus spoke to Martha. And she replied. Jesus had spoken about the resurrection. Martha replied, I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? I would like to use an example. Of D.L. Moody, the American evangelist. Those words of our Lord. That the one who believes in him will live even though he dies. Reminds me of this famous American evangelist. D.L. Moody. Realizing that he would soon be gone from this world. One day Moody said to a friend. One day you will read in the papers that Moody of East Northfield is dead. And he said, don't believe a word of that. I shall be more alive than what I am now. I shall have gone up higher. That is all. Out of this clay. Old clay tenement. Into a house that is immortal. I will have a body that death cannot touch. That sin cannot taint. A body fashioned like unto his glorious body. He said I was born of the flesh in 1837. But I was born again of the spirit in 1856. And he said that which is born of the flesh may die. But that which is born of the spirit will live forever. That is what Moody said to his friend. And this is how Moody lived. He lived expecting the return of the Lord at any moment. He said that always when he was to preach he told himself. Dwight, before you end the sermon, the trumpet may sound. Always when he preached he reminded himself. That Jesus might have returned. Before he ended the service. Now I would like to tell you how Moody lived. How he went home. Jesus didn't return with the sound of a trumpet to him. In 1899 when Moody was 62 years old. He went on a preaching trip. And when he got to a certain town he didn't feel well. After preaching his last sermon he was very ill. It got worse till he realized that he wouldn't be able to finish the tour. So he went home. That evening as the sun set. He decided to go upstairs to dress for supper. As he was climbing the stairs he struggled but dragged himself along. And decided not to go to supper but rather lie down on his bed. As he was lying on his bed his son Will came and sat next to him. And then Moody said the earth is receding and heaven is drawing nigh. His son said, dad are you dying? Or are you dreaming? He said, no I am not dreaming. It is the truth which I am saying. But he said if death is like this it is wonderful. It is beautiful. It is sweet. There is no valley, no difficulty. If death is like this it is glorious. And then his last words were, this is my triumph. This is my coronation day. I have been looking forward to it for years. This old world has long since lost its charms for him. And for a long time he had been homesick for heaven. And for a long time he had been homesick for death. And for a long time he had been homesick for heaven. He continued to say, I have been in the gates. I saw the shining faces of the children. He died about 7 a.m. this morning. On December 22, 1899. With a note of victory. He reported to have said such things as, heaven is getting closer. God is calling me. This is my triumph. This is my coronation day. It is glorious. God is calling and I must go. No pain, no valley, it's bliss. That is how God took him and he passed away. He was expecting the trumpet. But Jesus came to him in a different way. He came to fetch him, not with a second coming. But through sickness and death. He can come with the trumpet. But he can come through death as well. Then death is the trumpet. Mordy changed his preaching to her he had arranged. But the Lord cut through all his plans. He said, if death is like this, it is wonderful. I have said that death for a Christian is not fatal. I have said that death for a Christian is not fatal. It is gain. Because Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Those who die in Christ are not dead. They are more alive than what we are. This is true of all those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. Who have been changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life in heaven. Those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life in heaven. Dear friends, it would be good if each one of us here today would check our own lives in the light of eternity and ask. Am I ready to die even if God should come to me unexpectedly? Am I one of those whom it is said that death is not fatal? It is said that death is gain to them. No loss. Have I prepared myself? Have I put everything in my life and in my past in order? With God and my fellow men. That no stone has been left unturned. Dear friends, let us not leave this place without being absolutely sure of this. This is one thing which none of us can afford. And that is not to be right with God. He can come to any one of us any moment unexpectedly like a thief in the night. I have mentioned how marvellous it is for a Christian to leave this world having made right his life with God. And that, dear friends, is something every one of us has got to reckon with. The Bible says as it is appointed unto men once to die but after that the judgment. It is appointed unto men. God has appointed that day for you. The day will come when every one of us will have to die if the Lord hasn't returned before that. Don't forget that. Appointed once to die but after that the judgment. It is appointed. Appointed. God has appointed that a man must die once and after that the judgment. You might think it is still far away. But then it is today. Sometimes very unexpectedly. I remember an American man who said that he had the cure for death. He spoke on TV. Saying he has a diet which will cause you to become 140 years. He spoke about it and about the food that one should eat. Then something amazing happened. When he had finished his broadcast of the diet which would cause you to live to 140, he fell down and died. The word appointed is a very interesting word. It means to fix a point or to arrange a time. God has arranged the time, dear friend. We don't know who will be the first one among us to leave us. That's why David said, teach us God to number our days. That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. In closing, I would like to remind you of the Samaritan woman asking for that living water. And Jesus said, go and call your husband. She says, I haven't got a husband. Jesus said that she was right. She had had five husbands and the one she had at that time was not hers. She went out and told people that Jesus had told her everything that she had ever done. As Jesus told you what you have done in your life already, have you met with the dear Lord Jesus? Don't tell me that you have met with Jesus and he didn't tell you everything that you have done up to now. Do you know what it means to meet with Jesus? The day you meet with Jesus, he will tell you everything that you have done in your life. And if he doesn't, you haven't met with him yet. I would like to tell you now in closing, pray that God will show you what you have done already in your life, so that you can confess and forsake it. For it is appointed unto men once to die, but after that the judgment. Are you prepared for that day, today and right now? That is the question which you need to answer. So death to the saints is something wonderful, but those that haven't made peace with God, it's a terrible time, because you will find hell with a mouth wide open to swallow you forever and ever. May God bless you all, and may he grant us ears to hear. Thank you.