What happens to you when you die?  Where do you go?  What is heaven like?  What is hell like?  Are ghosts real?  Do we become angels?  This week, we look at these questions and more as we continue to talk about the after life. 

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OPENING ILLUSTRATION:

Did any of you grow up going to haunted houses?  I went almost every year growing up.  There was something about standing in line to get the tar scared out of you.  To come face to with some of your nightmares is incredibly scary.Today, we are going to talk about the afterlifeSpecifically,What happens to us when we die?  Where do we go?  What do we know about the afterlife?The biggest thing I want you to know, is that if you are in Christ, nothing we talk about today, should scare you:1 John 4:4You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.At the end of the day, even if what we walk through today, some of it may feel like a horror house, for those of you who are in Christ – you are safe – because he who is in you is greater than the one in the world.So, I want to give you some ground rules1. I will point out where the bible is clear and specific2. I will point out when the bible is not clear and leaves room for interpretation3. I will tell you when something is my opinionSo, let’s jump into it:What happens to a Christian when you die? -do you become a naked baby that’s interested in archery?-are you singing on a cloud with a harp?-do you become an angel?Most Christians believe their eternal resting place will be in heaven (a spiritual reality) – but this is not what the scriptures say:Revelation 21:1 & 3Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.Our final resting place will be a physical reality – similar to our current reality. It will not be this dry boring place – when you read the descriptions it of eternity – the things that we consider precious on earth are used as paving stones…So, when is this new heaven and earth established?there will be a great war – armageddon-all the peoples of earth will gather to war against God-and the battle is just over…After it, Rev says this…Revelation 20:11-1512 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.ILLUSTRATION:Recently there was the tragic shooting Botham Jean that’s been in the news – most of you have probably seen the footage of Brant Jean, the victims brother, going up to Amber Gyger, the woman who killed his brother and as he did it, he did something valiant – he told her he forgave her and that she should turn to Christ.This is a beautiful scene – we’ve all seen people on trial and they just get sentenced.  And Amber even got sentencedBut in the case of God – in Rev 20-the offended is God Himself and when He opens the book of life, all He sees is your name with Jesus’ blood cov

We all will experience a lot of death in our lifetimes. If death is so natural, then why does it feel so very unnatural? This week we look at our origins and what it means in relation to our own death. Click. Watch.

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NOTES:

OPENING ILLUSTRATION:I was in Bible college at Manhattan Christian College, we had chapel service once a week in the evening.  It was fall, and I was struggling with what I was supposed to do with my life – the angst of young adult hood.  I ended up walking out of the service – I was standing out in the parking lot of the campus and just yelling at God in my head.  I kept thinking, “God, you revealed yourself to Abraham, why not me?  Why not just come and answer my question…”  I’m looking up and telling God, I just want Him to show Himself and when I look down, about 50 yards away there is this guy with a hoodie pulled up walking right for me.  The parking lot had been completely empty a few seconds before.  I just watch as this guy keeps walking right for me.  All I can think is, what if God answered my prayer.  He’s getting closer, 15 ft, 10 ft, 5 ft.  I literally start to get sick to my stomach – making myself so nervous.  The guy walks right up to me, like within arms reach, he looks right at me and says, “hey” and then walks off…  Ha, I’m sure God was rolling on that one. But let me ask you, haven’t you been in that same place?-“God, I don’t know if I should take this job or not?”-“God, why am I going through this?”-“God, do you even love me?”My guess is, more than just me in this room has been in a position where you’ve felt like you needed God to speak…What do you do with that?Is something wrong with you?Does God just not speak to people?Does God even exist?The reality is, this is an incredibly serious issue – if you don’t figure it out, it WILL affect your walk with God.So, the first question on this journey, is does God talk to us?One time, Jesus was telling this parable – he was talking about Himself as a good shepherd, and he says this as He talks about Himself and His sheep…Let me just read a few passages…John 10:4-54 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”John 10:1616 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. John 10:27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.The expectation of Jesus was that you and I would know His voice and follow Him…That brings up the second question?  So, why don’t we hear Him?1 Corinthians 2:13-1613 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for,“Who has known the mind of the Lord    so as to instruct him?”[d]But we have the mind of Christ.Paul is intimating two types of hearing-we can hear things with our physical sense of hearing-and we can hear things through the spiritThis is really key to understanding why some people don’t hear from God…ILLUSTRATION:My family doesn’t pay f

Does God really still speak to people? There are a lot of ways God speaks, but how do you and I hear Him. This message really matters to the quality of your faith. Watch and listen today!Need prayer? Visit: my.oswegochristian.com/to get connected with people who will pray for you.

The reality is, walking with God requires something of us. This week, Kent gives us three examples of modern-day people who have given it all for the cause of Christ. If this sermon doesn’t challenge your commitment to Jesus, then you probably weren’t paying attention.

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Every one of us sits in one of 3 chairs in life.  Listen today to see which one you sit in as Dr. Don Wilson challenge us and then Kent wraps up with some practical challenges.

What do you hope people would say about you after you are gone?  In my experience, most of us aren’t living life in a way that measures up to the real desire of our hearts, we are being pulled and pushed in a million different directions than the one we truly want to be going.  This week, I want to help you get a grip and find the right starting place that will get you on a path to purpose!

 

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I am amazed how many people have a distorted view of God – if you don’t learn who He really is, there is no hope of actually walking with Him.  You’ll never even get there.  This week, I want to help set the record straight and show you just exactly who God is and dispel some of the wrong thoughts we have about Him.

 

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One of the biggest ways we can get caught up in a counterfeit life is to buy into the trap of fixing yourself.  There are a million self-help tips out there that we believe if we can just get “these” 8 things right, we can finally be happy and fulfilled.  The problem is, it’s like playing a game of operation – and most of us are “buzzing” more than we are capable surgeons.  This week, I want to share a secret to finding true freedom and peace in your life.  I hope you’ll join in listening to find out how to get this secret in your life.

 

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There is something you are doing, without even realizing it, that is keeping you from growing in Christ.  This week I will uncover what this unintentional habit is and hopefully help you find some key ways to find some true victory in it (instead of counterfeit) and start doing it right!

 

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What if there was a way to find joy even in the midst of the most severe trials.  Most of us are seeking a counterfeit version of joy – being happy.  We try to produce this counterfeit by getting more stuff, or finding physical experience that evoke an emotion, we sell ourselves for a moment and lose longterm.  There has to be a better way.  Take a listen today to learn how you can find true joy that lasts a lifetime!  

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