Hebrews 9:27 How to Overcome Your Fear of Death June 4, 2006

A prominent modern psychologist tells of his childhood growing up in a foster home with a Mr. and Mrs. Simon. At seven years of age, as he sat on the front porch of the house after school, Mrs. Simon came out the door with two bananas in her hands and tears flowing down her face. She sat down and said, “Mr. Simon died this morning.” He did not really understand but could tell she was upset. Wanting to say something to help, he asked, “When is he coming back?” And she said one word that he says has stuck in his memory for sixty years. “Never.”

All of us have those childhood memories when death became real for us. For me, it was probably when my mother's dad passed away. We all come to realize at a fairly young age that everyone dies. And yet, in another very real sense, we all pretend that it will not happen to me. Sigmund Freud said that death was such an overwhelming, incomprehensible fact that we simply dismiss it and live our lives as if it is not real. And yet, there it hangs over us. Can we overcome this fear of death? Jesus Christ says that we can. We can face our eternal destiny with a new sense of assurance, and when we have eternal assurance, then we can live today with a new sense of joy. Joseph Campbell, the renowned philosopher said it very well, “Eternity is not the hereafter…This is it now. If you do not get it here, you won't get it anywhere.”

So how do I get it? How do I so fully grasp eternity that I no longer fear death? I want to ask you to humor me for a moment and join me in a little exercise. Close your eyes. Now say softly to yourself---“I am not from here.” Say that three times. Now open your eyes. What does that mean? Jesus said that we are in this world but not of this world. Yes, we are physical bodies made of molecules, bones, muscle, oxygen and nitrogen. We are physically in this world. But this is not all we are. We are made of other stuff. We are from God. The love of God has created each of us for His own good purposes and God's loving purposes are for eternity.

Walk outside on a clear night and look up at the stars. Contemplate the infinity of space. Light travels at the incredible speed of 186,000 miles per second and yet the light of some stars which we see tonight has been traveling for thousands of years to be seen by our eyes. But our eyes cannot even begin to see all the vastness of space. If you hold a quarter up against the night sky, the small area of the sky covered by the quarter will be covering millions of stars which you cannot even see. Can you even imagine the infinity of the universe? Now think for a moment: if life is infinite, then this world is not real life. This existence here begins and ends in dust, but the true life that comes from the love of God is infinite. If you wish to overcome the fear of death, then each day in prayer, say the words, “God's love is eternal. I live in God's love and I will live forever. I will not be afraid because God's love is forever.” Grasping the eternity of God's love for you can radically change our thinking. We are in this limited world, but we are from a far larger infinite universe. We are born of the love of God.

Once we begin to grasp the eternity of God's love, what next can we do? Death can still be a fearful thing hanging over us. We know it is out there somewhere waiting for us. The Bible tells us—It is appointed for a person to die once and then there is the judgment. We have an appointment with eternity. It is there. So what can we do? Well, we have two choices. The first option is how most people live. They know they are in a body that will someday die but they choose to act as if it will not happen. They try to ignore eternity and the infinite. However, the reality of the appointment never fully goes away. And so, deep within they are afraid.

However, we have a second option concerning our appointment with the judgment of eternity. We can meet it now. This is so important, let me say that again. We can choose to have our appointment with eternity right now. You already know that you have an appointment with infinity. You already know that you are required to leave this world behind. You can decide to do so sooner rather than later. You can have your appointment with eternity today and get it over with once and for all.

What do I mean? How can you do this? In prayer with God, simply say to yourself, “I will no longer be just this body. I am eternal in God's love. This is how I choose to view myself from now on.” The problem is that most people fight and struggle in fear all their lives to escape their appointment. But it is a loosing battle. The victors are those who decide to meet the appointment now. They realize that this body is lost but that they have eternal life in God. Saint Paul wrote in Galatians, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.” In his former life, when he lived in fear and hatred and death, his name was Saul. But you see, this man named Saul had already kept his appointment. On the road to Damascus , Saul died. And he was born again into eternity. He even changed his name to Paul. Right now today, you can choose to go ahead and die. Let go of the belief that this body is all you are. Let go of the idea that this world is all there is. Let it all go and be born again into eternity. Pray to God and say, “Lord, I am tired of living in fear, hanging onto my old life. Lord, make me a new eternal person.” Then every day, remind yourself—I am no longer this body. I am more. I am an eternal child of God.

If you seek God for this assurance, then God's grace will grow in you until you come to have peace. You may not feel that full assurance right now, but when the time comes, God will give you that gift. You will not be afraid.

I have found it interesting to hear the final words of famous people who were not afraid as they face their physical death. Saint Teresa of Avila said, “The hour I have long wished for is now come.” Robert Louis Stevenson said, “If this be death, it is easier than life.” Thomas Edison said, “It is very beautiful over there.” John Wesley said, “The best of all is that God is with us.” What would be your final words? Here is an idea. Go ahead and write your final words today. Why wait? Stop living, acting and thinking like a finite, limited, physical creature. Instead, go ahead and make the transition to become an infinite eternal person. While still in your physical body, go ahead and ask God to make you a new creation. Then day by day, remind yourself—I am an infinite, eternal child of God. I will live forever. I am not this body. I am a new creation in the love of God.

Day by day, you can grow into this infinite consciousness. The fear of death will leave you. You can have an assurance. God's grace will grow in you until when your time comes to leave this world; you will have a full peace and calmness. No fear. The final gift of grace will be yours. Amen.