Do Not Fear Death
Believers, your dying-day is your best day, as it brings freedom from sin and a more full enjoyment of God.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes that death for a believer is not to be feared but embraced as a transition to a greater joy and freedom from sin. He encourages believers to view death as the end of their struggles and the beginning of a fuller communion with God. Brooks reminds us that Jesus has conquered death, rendering it powerless and transforming it into a moment of ultimate gain for the faithful. He urges believers to celebrate their dying day as their best day, free from the burdens of life. Ultimately, death is portrayed as a disarmed foe, inviting believers to face it with confidence and hope.
Text
("A Believer's Last Day, His Best Day")
Death is not such as some would paint it.
Never mourn immoderately at the death of any believer.
Death is not the death of the man--but the death of his
sin. Death is to them the greatest gain.
Remember this--death does that in a moment, which no
graces or duties could do for a man all his lifetime! Death
frees a man from those diseases, corruptions, temptations,
etc., which no duties or graces could do.
Do not fear death. Do not say of death, what that wicked
prince said to the prophet, "Have you found me, O my enemy?"
But rather long for death, not to be rid of troubles--but that your
soul may be taken up to a more clear and full enjoyment of God.
In life, we often find . . .
our comforts to be rare,
our crosses to be frequent,
our pleasures to be momentary,
our pains to be permanent.
Believers, your dying-day is your best
day. Oh, then, be not afraid of death!
The Lord Jesus has, as it were, disarmed death, and
triumphed over death. He has taken away its sting, so
that it cannot sting us! We may play with it, and put
it into our bosoms, as we may a snake whose sting is
pulled out. Paul, upon this consideration, challenges
death, and out-braves death, and bids death do his
worst, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death,
is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of
sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 15:55-57
Sermon Outline
- Death is Not the End
- Do Not Fear Death
- The Lord Jesus Has Disarmed Death
- He has taken away death's sting
- We may play with death, as with a snake whose sting is pulled out
Key Quotes
“Death is not the death of the man--but the death of his sin.” — Thomas Brooks
“Do not fear death. Do not say of death, what that wicked prince said to the prophet, 'Have you found me, O my enemy?'” — Thomas Brooks
“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- You should view death as an opportunity to be taken up to a more clear and full enjoyment of God.
- You should not fear death, but rather rejoice in the freedom it brings from sin and its consequences.
- You should long for death, not to be rid of troubles, but to enjoy God more fully.