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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the You can reach us toll-free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s first part of this two-part message will be a blessing to you and your family.

Take your Bible and turn to the book of Hebrews chapter 2. Just a few verses I want to look at that we also looked at during the Sunday school time and why Jesus took up on flesh. Because I want to speak tonight on the basic principles of a subject that you and I ought to be interested in. D-E-A-T-H. We’re going to die. Isn’t that something wonderful to talk about? You know, most people never want to talk about that. But it does change things.

You’d be surprised how you could be going along, and all of a sudden, when you’re dead, it changes things. for you and your loved ones. But here in the book of Hebrews in chapter two, look in verse nine, says, but we see Jesus who has made a little lower than the angels. Now when that verse is quoted from the book of Psalms in chapter eight, is add something in here on this verse. You see up there in verse seven, when he quotes that verse from back there in Psalms, they’ll made him a little lower than the angels.

but it didn’t say that other part. It left it out. Thou crown of Him with glory and honor, and it leaves the other part out. When it refers to man, but when it refers to the Son of Man, look down in verse nine. But we see Jesus, who has made a little lower than the angels, see that was added in. For the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, and then it added this in, that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

God has shown grace to every man, the grace of God that bring us salvation to the world and teaches us an awful lot of things about what it’s like to live by grace. And so there’s verses in the Bible that talks about why Christ did what He did for the suffering of death, that He might taste death for every man. The reason He did that is so that He could bring us into glory. See what He says in verse 10, for it became Him of whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory.

it makes a statement in Peter in chapter 3 that he was quickened by the Spirit raised from the dead you know that he might bring us to God so that he could bring us to God. So he had to die and pay for ourselves because that was what was keeping us from being able to come to God. And then you You notice what he says in verse 11, for both he that sanctifyeth and they who are sanctified are all of one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.

And the reasons, because you see, once you trust Christ to save you, you’re made pure and holy because of what he did. So he’s not ashamed of you because he has established you as his child, born into his family. And God talks about how that you were given to the son. The Father has given you to the Son. That’s why He says it. Him that comes me I don’t know why He’s cast out. Because the father gave you and I to the son.

So he saves us and gives us to the son. We are in the inheritance when you read the first Psalm. Now notice what else he says. He goes down here and he makes the statement in verse 14, 4, as much then as the children are part, takes the flesh and blood, he also himself took part of the same. That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil. In other words, if he can conquer death, then the devil has no power because the power of the devil is that he can take your life.

You’re gonna die. But Christ comes back from the dead. Therefore he has power over the devil. And that’s how you know. Now take your Bible and turn to the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians and chapter 15. There’s an interesting verse here. Because when we talk about death, you know that is so final. As far as this world is concerned, that is so final. Do you realize, and I wrote a couple of things down, it’s not on your notes, it’s on my note.

When can death happen? When can death happen? Once a year. But if you make it past that, you’re good for another year. Wouldn’t that be great? I made it another year. When can death happen? At any time, at any time. And remember this, the devil may not stop you from serving the Lord. The lust of the flesh, you may have gotten victory over and you have been faithful serving the Lord. These are those are your enemies. The lust of the flesh, that also, and haze your enemy.

The devil, that’s your enemy. The love of the world, that’s your enemy because their enemies because they’re trying to stop you from reaching your goal. And that is a servant of the Lord with all you are. And you may get victory over these things. You may have gotten victory over the temptations of the flesh. And you have been found faithful and you are done a good job. But the Bible says in verse 26 of 1 Corinthians 15, the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

Now this is the enemy that’s going to do you in. If the Lord should tear you and the rapture doesn’t take place in our lifetime, death is going to do you in. He is going to take your life. And whenever your life has been taken, if you’ve ever wondered as I run this race that has been set before me, we don’t always know where the finish line is. Is that something to run a race and you don’t know where the finish line is?

Well the finish line is when you die. When Jesus settled across it is finished. What did He do? He died. Why? It’s finished. When you’re running your race, Paul said that I may finish my course with joy. Finish my course. What do you think? Where’s the when you say, I’ve finished when you die, when you die. It’s over. You can’t run the race anymore. You don’t get to have any of those other things. The last enemy which is death just stopped you.

And now you can’t serve a Lord here in this world, in this life because death is an enemy of ours. But we don’t have to be afraid of this last enemy. So you see, when he makes the statement there in Hebrews in chapter 2, it says, because of this enemy that we have, we have and we live our whole life in fear of this last enemy. But you see, if you can die and come back again, then you don’t have to fear dying because you can live again, never to die again.

So we don’t have to be afraid of this last enemy, but we should understand the value of the life that God’s given us to live. Knowing that one of these days there’s a finish line. Death is going to come to us all. If God should dare, we are going to die. And I think that’s important to remember. And that death can happen at any time. Now I want you to look at the first thing here.

And the book of Psalm. So just go ahead and open up the Psalm. We won’t comment too much on the 23rd Psalm, but there’s a few things in there that I think would be important. And some of this I have looked at before and commented on, but we’re going to take a look at it from a different point of view. When he makes a statement, there in verse 1, the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makeeth me to lie down in green pastures.

He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restored my soul. He leadeth me in the path of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yay, though I walk to the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest the table before me in the presence of my enemies. Thou unknownest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Now look at number one, something that you need to accept. And that is facts that you cannot change. You can’t alter this. Death is a decided fact. Hebrews 9, when it makes the statement, it is appointed under every man wants to die and then after this to judge it. I’ll put it and the every man wants to die. Now if the rapture takes place that will be an appointment we don’t have to keep.

But chances are, there’s a lot of people before us that was looking forward for the rapture, but it didn’t happen in their lifetime. The reason that Hank’s not the pastor here anymore is because he died. The reason Ray is not doing anything anymore because he’s dead. And how many others that I know that I’ve known for over the years, they’ve died. So they can’t do anymore. All they’re so winning, they’re not doing anymore here. I mean, all their dreams and hopes and whatever they want to do, it’s gone.

You see, we are fortunate that we have opportunities while we live. There was a man in the Old Testament that was going to die and he went to the Lord and he begged the Lord to let him live. So Lord, if I die, how can I praise you? How can I do anything for you? How can I honor you if I’m dead? God gave him high many more years. I gave you a thing. Huh? You’re a gay. 15 more years.

He would probably be better off if he just went ahead and died. But look at this statement. Yay, though I walk. It is a nay. Yay! Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Like, I’ve had God give me victory over the temptations and over the devil and over, you know, the lust of the flesh and all those things and the love of the world. And I’ve had victory in all these areas, but this last one I can’t have victory over.

Well, if you die, and the moment you die, you live. There’s no difference in there. never really have died. The moment you take your last breath, absent from the body, present with the Lord. And He said, I’ll never leave you and never forsake you. So you’ll never be forsaken. You’re only leaving the body. But you need to remember this. Yay, though I walk through the valley. And then I put this in here. Attitude is very important. Don’t think attitude is very important by how you face things.

One of these days it won’t matter how we talk about how brave we’re going to be until the day comes. There’s a song that Dr. Curtis Hudson heard when he came to our church being better he got up and we sung a song called New Grace. In other words, Grace, I’ve never needed before. We got Grace to live and have victorious Christian lives in so many ways. But when I die, God will give me new grace to fight that last battle.

And that I don’t have to worry. When Dr. Hudson was dying of cancer, he says, I want that song sung at my funeral. And so his daughters got the song from us and they got and they sung that song at his funeral. Look at letter A there. Death is a stubborn fact. Now you may not know this. Now these are some great statistics. One out of everyone will die.

Ten out of ten will die. What does that look like? A hundred percent? It looks almost like a hundred percent, don’t it? That means every person in this room. Whether we like it or whether we don’t. This is why we trust Christ as our Savior because death is on its way. We are going to die. And this is why we usually open a question with a lost man. Do you know where you’re going when you die? And most people don’t…

Oh, I don’t want to talk about death, but I’ve bet most people in this room have some kind of life insurance. Why? Because you’re going to die and you prepare a little bit for it. Some of you just can’t wait to die so you can get all that insurance money. Only problem is it’s the other person that gets it. Well, 10 out of 10 will die. One exception is if the raptor takes place. Look at the next statement, death is an uncertain fact in timing.

What do I mean by that? Death is a step away, just one step between me and death. Not if but when. It’s a Lord should carry. It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when will I die? And the thing is that you and I ought to be ready for that day by making sure that we’re right with the Lord. Now you may have trusted Christ as your Savior and you say, well I’m ready to go, but you do not want to be ashamed before Him at His coming or when you’re going.

That is coming or when you’re going. Have you ever heard people say I’m looking for the upper taker, not the undertaker, well because they don’t want to be taken under, they want to be taken up. And that’s the reason. But it’s uncertain how much time you have. Every one of us are to run our race. And run in our race, as he says in 1 Corinthians in chapter 9, we all do run. But we don’t know where the finish line is.

So in the book of Hebrews in chapter 12, it also talks about as you run the race, lay aside every weight that does so easily be said as that we may run the race that is set before us. And Paul says that I may finish my course with joy, the race that God has set before him. Because when Paul got to the place where he was going to die, he made the statement. He says, I have kept the faith.

I have fought a good fight. I have finished my court. He finished the race. If he finishes the race, then what does he mean? To finish the race. Now he’s going to retire for the next 15 years. Is that what is? No, he’s going to die. And he knew he was going to die. God had already told Peter that he was going to die, and he was going to be carried where he didn’t want to go. He was going to be crucified.

And history says he was crucified upside down. I don’t know. I wasn’t there. But I don’t care if history was right or wrong. He died. And that’s the thing. Look at the next statement. Death is just a step away. Old men, young men, children and babies, they’re all dying. They just had another bombing. I don’t forget how many people just died and how many just got wounded, 159 I think wounded, and I don’t know if 780 or so people got killed over in Afghanistan.

And you never know when somebody’s gonna do something. You don’t know how you’re gonna go, or when you’re gonna go. But sooner or later you know you’re going. So the best thing to do is prepare ahead of time, stay close to the Lord. So when the time comes, you can say, I have fought a good fight. That time is now upon me. And I know that I’m gonna be seeing Jesus pretty soon because it will happen. Look at the next statement.

Death is a personal fact. Yay though, I, I, that’s me, that’s you. We know that everybody else in the world is gonna die, but we’re not planning on it ourselves, right? We know the rapture could take place in a moment. And so it’s not gonna happen. I’m not gonna die. I’m gonna be alive when the Raptor comes. Why? Because I said so. That ought to have some weight, right? I don’t think so. Yeah, though, it’s a personal thing. And when you die, nobody can do this in your play.

You’re going to die. You can’t get a substitute. Hey, I’m fishing to die. Warren, would you take my place? You ready? I’m ready. I’ll see you in a little while. I’ll see you. Bye, beautiful day. Bye. Bye, panda. This is her, we’re in the first meeting. You’re not gonna be here. I know that we’re here, but it’s very special.

Right. So as you can see, the first time you have that baby. Though they have cut off the baby’s hair. We’ve had a baby. So, just go ahead. Come on. Okay. We’re just gonna be here. Wouldn’t it be neat? I would go through each one in here and let y’all die in my place so I’m going to go Lord. I don’t want to go right now. Would you take Tom? Tom, take Tom. I don’t think it’s going to be like that.

Look at number two, acknowledge death as a defeated foe. In other words, if it was a boxed in canyon, then you could fear death. means there’s no way out. By the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead means that death is not a boxed in canyon where there’s no way out. His resurrection means that’s not the end of it. It’s just the beginning of a new life on the other side of this world in which we live. Yet though I walk through the the valley of the shadow of death.

I will fear no evil for thou art with me. We must accept what we cannot change. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Christ defeated death and that he was able to come back from the dead. Death had no hold upon him and he had the power to come back from it. And that power that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead is the same power, the Holy Spirit, that lives within each and every one of us.

And we are going to be redeemed from this earth physically by our body. It’s going to be changed in a moment of the twinkling of an eye. And you’re indw up by the Holy Spirit of God, sealed until the day of redemption of this physical body. The next thing underneath this, there can be no Valley without a mountain. Now you’ve heard me before talk about Psalms 22, Psalms 23, Psalms 24. I’ve done it for communion services. When we talk about Psalms 22, we talk about the good shepherd.

We talk about Psalms 23, we talk about the great shepherd. We talk about Psalms 24, we talk about the chief shepherd. And in every one of these he is the shepherd. And the shepherd came in chapter 22 and gave his life for the sheep. And when he’s coming back to the earth and power and great glory in chapter 24 that’s Mount Zion. So you got Mount Talry on one side and you’ve got Mount Zion on the other side. So the only one and the only way you can get the Son of God who died on Mount Calvary to come back on Mount Zion is that he had to come back from the dead.

And so he is coming back. So between two mountains you have a valley and yay though I walk to the valley of the shadow of death. I know that I have already accepted the one that died on Mount Calvary. I’m looking for the one who’s going to come back on Mount Zion. And in this life that we live, we’re walking through the valley of the shadow of death. And of course, the shadow can’t hurt you. Have you ever seen a shadow?

Does it hurt you? No, but it sure scares me to death. I used to see shadows, the shadow knows. Anybody ever listened to the radio years ago? The shadow knows. Anybody here ever heard that? There’s the real old folks. They used to sit there and listen to that scary, the shadow knows. And scare you to death. And you’d be so scared you couldn’t go to bed at night and we’ll just be little kids who would listen to it. But the shadow doesn’t hurt you and if there’s going to be a shadow that you see that means there has to be light somewhere that’s casting the shadow.

And so there’s light on the other side of the shadow. Now, the next statement down here, the good shepherd died for me in Psalms 22. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. The The great shepherd is living for me.” That’s Psalm 22. Now, the God of peace that brought again from the dead are Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep to the blood of the everlasting covenant. I remember Dr. Cameron would always close his prayer, quoting that verse in the book of Hebrews.

Good. The chief shepherd is coming, and when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeeth not away. So we know that yes, there’s going to be death. When Christ died on Mount Calvary, there was death, but he came back again from the dead, sent it into heaven, and he’s coming back again. You and I are not supposed to live our lives in the fear of death. when you can accept the fact that you may die in your settle with that.

You don’t have to worry about it. Okay, I’m going to die. That’s an accepted fact. Now go ahead and live your life and not fear death. Because the fear of death will keep you from doing a lot of things for the Lord that you probably wouldn’t do if you didn’t have fear. We’re afraid of failure. We’re afraid of growing old. We’re afraid of not having enough money. We’re afraid that we’re going to run out of life before we run out of money.

Having too much money left at the end of the money. You’ve heard that before, right? So there’s all kinds of fears that we have, but most of our fears come because we’re afraid to die. We’re just plain afraid to die. Accept it. You’re going to die. And I don’t mind if I have to do your funeral. I just want to live long enough to bury everybody else, and then I’ll be ready to go. I’ve often wondered if I died, who’s going to do my funeral?

I could let my wife do it. Yeah. I often wondered. I just settled it. I’ll just have to live until the rapture. If God wants, I’ll do it. Look at the top of the page. Let her be. There can be no shadows without a light. Death is just a shadow for the believer. A shadow may frighten you, but it cannot hurt you. Jesus took the sting out of death, the gloom out of the grave and the dread out of dying.

Because Jesus knew what was before him and he says for the joy that was said before him, he endured the cross because he was looking on the other side of the grave. You and I are to look beyond the grave, beyond death. We’re all in a race and we’re running our race. We’re finishing our course that God has for us and we don’t know where the finish line is. But if you’re always running with your joy that you have between you and the Lord and you know that day is coming, then you’ll face it and not have to worry about it.

Let it come. Just let it come. Now look at the next statement. There is no evil. Let her see. There is no evil without a greater good. I love this statement. I love this statement. Now this is also in Psalms 23, where it says, I will fear no evil. That’s bad. And here’s the reason why. There’s a greater good. Thou art with me. In other words, the fear of evil, there’s something better as I’ve got the presence of God.

I will fear no evil for thou art with me. David compares the evil with the greater good. Who is the thou art? That’s the Lord. That’s the Lord. Thou art with me. Therefore, I will fear no evil. So you don’t have to be afraid. Are you a new listener to Bibleline? Do you enjoy the teachings of Dr. Arnold? Well, if you’ve never contacted us before, we want to give you Dr. Arnold’s book, The Gospel Driven Man. Every day, we receive many emails from folks who have questions about repentance and salvation, about faith in works, and about how to share the gospel with friends and loved ones.

This book, The Gospel Driven Man, covers all those topics, and we want all new listeners of Bibleline to receive a free copy. There’s no obligation, no donation necessary, simply call us at 1-800-576-3771 or write to us and request your free copy of the Gospel Driven Man. Our mailing address is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Again, don’t forget to include your mailing address. And God bless you and thank you for listening to Bibleline. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline.

If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. And now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. friend one day it will happen the trumpet will sound and we will be changed hot up to meet the Lord in the air so live today and every day believe in that the Lord is coming soon just keep looking up