Precious Death

Happy Sunday. We usually film these sermons a few days in advance. I received a call this morning about a test result from an appointment I had last week. To make a long story short, the suspicious area that was sent for a biopsy was benign.

Nothing to worry about. and I am thankful. All sorts of things go through your head, don't they? Psalm 116 was written by a thankful man.

We don't know his name. Some say David wrote it. Others think that it was King Hezekiah. We we really don't know.

Some say it was Hezekiah because of what happened in Isaiah chapter 38. What happened there? Let me read a part of it to you. Isaiah 38.

In those days, Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amos went to him and said, "This is what the Lord says, "Put your house in order because you are going to die. You will not recover." As the story goes, we're told that Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, "Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted dev devotion and have done what is good in your eyes."

And Hezekiah wept bitterly. And then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah. Another message. Go and tell Hezekiah this is what the Lord, the God of your father David says.

I've heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will add 15 years to your life. Hezekiah was a happy man. He had another 15 years to live.

Now think about it. If you were given 15 more years to live, would you be happy in one way because you had more days before you, but maybe you'd know the year of your death and that would freak you out a little bit. Would you focus on your new lease on life or would you hear the clock ticking towards the end of your de days? I mean, if you knew you were going to die in 15 years from now, 2040, how would you feel?

I suppose it depends how old you are today. If my age, I'd be 81 in 15 years. Now, that's a good run. If you were 20 and watching this, 35 would be a great disappointment.

Let's look at Psalm 116. The psalmist who wrote this was healed. These are the first four verses. The psalmist who was healed wrote, "Whoever it was, I loved the Lord for he heard my voice.

He heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. The cords of death entangled me. The anguish of the grave came over me.

I was overcome by distress and sorrow. And then I called on the name of the Lord. Lord, save me. That's how Psalm 116 begins.

If Hezekiah wrote those words, it was 2,700 years ago. If it was David, it was 3,000 years ago. What do they have in common? Well, they're both dead.

While they both experienced healing in their lives, and while they both likely prayed for more years, they're both long gone. The statistics on death are pretty impressive. One out of one will die. This has been a long introduction to the one verse I want us to look at today in Psalm 116.

It's verse 15. And you've likely heard these words before. Psalm 116:15, the psalmist wrote, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." As a Christ follower, I have to remind myself that the death of a Christian is a beautiful event.

Do you remember this teaching from Paul in Philippians chapter 1? Talking about death, Paul said, "For me to live is Christ and to die to die is gain." He had a good eternal perspective. He also said in chapter one there, "For I am hard hardpressed between the two."

He's talking about living on this world or dying. He said, "I am hardpressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better." Sermons come from all sorts of different places. This one comes from praying for people to be healed and then they die.

And it's hard to understand why some are granted extra years and some are not. It's a headscratcher. But it's not hard to understand that as a direct result of God's love that an eternal home in heaven awaits those who believe in Jesus. And so it is really true, precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

My prayer is if you're struggling with the death of someone you love, that you'll realize that it is precious with God because they're with him now. Pray with me. Father, thank you for the truth of your word. We pray that you would comfort us with these words.

And many times we pray for healing and we see you do wonderful things and many times our prayers aren't answered the way we want to. But help us realize, Father, for those in Christ that they're home. Help us to be prepared for that in our own lives. In Jesus name we pray.

Amen. God bless. Have a wonderful week ahead.