Living Beyond The Grave

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 Jesus redefines "Joy" as living in the present with a confirmed vision of the future... a future with limitless love and life...
 
That future is beyond the grave and Jesus is literally the definition of "Living Beyond the Grave”…
 
The one thing required to begin "Living Beyond The Grave" is death...
 
Quote:  A.W. Tozer
“In every Christian’s heart there is a cross and a throne, and the Christian is on the throne till he puts himself on the cross. If he refuses the cross he remains on the throne. Perhaps this is at the bottom of the backsliding and worldliness among gospel believers today. We want to be saved but we insist that Christ do all the dying. No cross for us, no dethronement, no dying. We remain king within the little kingdom of Mansoul and wear our tinsel crown with all the pride of a Caesar, but we doom ourselves to shadows and weakness and spiritual sterility.”
 
I have 2 prayers to start this series…
 
1.  Lord let us beware of a Christianity where You do all the dying…
 
2.  Lord let us also beware of a Christianity where You do all the “Living Beyond The Grave”…

"3 people walk up to a casket" and the first says "I wouldn't be caught dead in one of these"...
 
The second says "I'll get in but that’s as far as I’ll go”...
 
The third says "I see things I've never seen before on the other side of this casket so if "through" this casket is the only way to get there then so be it"...
 
1.   Those who have yet to die and think life is found before the grave
 
Matthew 26:14-25
14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?" And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. 16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him. 17 Now on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?" 18 And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples." ' "19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover. 20 When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve. 21 Now as they were eating, He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me." 22 And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, "Lord, is it I?" 23 He answered and said, "He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. 24 The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born." 25 Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, "Rabbi, is it I?" He said to him, "You have said it."
 
See Judas came right up to the casket and said “I wouldn’t be caught dead in there”…
 
He was “WITH” Christ but never “IN” Christ…
 
He took the money because he thought life could be found on this side of the casket…
 
There are still many who are close but will sell out Jesus for a few dollars…
 
Or sex with a man or woman who is not their spouse…
 
Or to hold on to lies or anger or unforgiveness…
 
Jesus offers life but it only comes through death and many will say “I wouldn’t be caught dead in there”… This is “close” enough for me thank you very much…
 
Judas eventually realizes what he had done and he knew that He did not have Jesus in his heart and look what happens…
 
Matthew 27:1-9
1 When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. 2 And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor. 3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." And they said, "What is that to us? You see to it!" 5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood." 7 And they consulted together and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced
 
He hanged himself because he wanted to die but it was too late…
 
His death didn’t lead to “Living Beyond The Grave” it lead to a place more dreadful than the desperation and depravity he was trying to escape here…
 
Everyone who lives for this side of the grave dies in misery and fear…

I hope you listen to the rest of this message and that you are encouraged to ensure you aren't a part of a Christianity where Christ does all the dying or where He does all the "Living Beyond The Grave"...