FEAR OF DEATH AND THE REMEDY

People are fearful. A lockdown of this nature may never been done before, and yet
Disease and viruses are not new. For example, in 1918 from Oct to Dec 9000 people died of Spanish Flu in NZ out of a population 1.5 million people.
Fear is also not new but has been with mankind from the moment of the fall. Gen 3:8. Today people fear the virus, and ultimately it is the fear of death. ||||
1. THE FEAR OF DEATH : - The REALITY OF DEATH. Nothing in our world is more common than death. At present, 56 million people die annually worldwide. 6390 per hour. 107 per minute. 40-50 million babies die by abortion annually. 105 per day.
Death comes to every nation, tongue, family and home. Deathrate is 100%, should the Lord tarry. Job 14:1-2 says, "Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not." The Book of Common Prayer adds: he (man) fleeth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one stay. In the midst of life we are in death: ||||
- WE ARE CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. Gen 1:26-27. God does die, and DEATH is a foreign intruder in our world, for we are eternal beings created for fellowship with God. ||||
- WE ARE PROGRAMMED FOR LIFE AND NOT FOR DEATH Ecc 3:11 God has put eternity in man's heart. So Death is obnoxious to us. ||||
- WE FEAR DEATH BECAUSE WE KNOW GOD AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN - Rom 1:18,19, 32 Human beings suppress the truth by their unrighteousness. What can be known about God is plain to them. This is why people are afraid to die. They hate God because of their sin, and would worship the creature rather than the Creator. But they fear death because they know God and the consequences. ||||
2. REMEDY FOR THIS GREAT FEAR: Heb 2:14-18 The fear of death enslaves people. There is only one way to master the fear of death. And Jesus is the only Way. This way is available through faith for those who have come to terms with their sinfulness, their mortality, and that they would come under judgement and wrath of Almighty God. Jesus came to our world so that through death He may deliver men and women from eternal death and the fear of death. For the believer, death is the gateway to heaven. For me to die is gain, as Paul said. Covered with the righteousness of Christ, we can face our holy God. |||| Believers can look at death in the face and say: O death where is your sting, O grave where is your victory. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for Your rod and Your staff shall comfort me . . . Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life . . .
The glorious gospel is what will deliver people. Let us encourage our friends and family by email and texts by sharing Jesus with them. As the children's chorus tells us, we are covered over by the robe of righteousness of Jesus, so that when the Father looks at us, He sees not what we used to be, but He sees Jesus. That is why when the time comes we can close our eyes in peace.