Valley of Death Finding Life’s Purpose in Death

Valley of Death

Finding Life’s Purpose in Death

Flowers bloom in the valley

When you walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death

Be at peace the Lord is your Shepherd

And you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever

So

Stand firm

Let nothing move you

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord

Even if the only work you can do is smile

Finding Life’s Purpose in Death

There is nothing more depressing

than not having a purpose.

Living without meaning.

That is what Paul the Apostle was

addressing to the church in Corinth.

There were those in the church that did

not believe there was life after death.

People who were looking at this life as all there is.

If this life is all there is, we should eat

drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.

Paul lays out a strong argument for life after death.

First Paul lays out the strong evidence

that Jesus Christ died, was buried and

rose again according to the scriptures.

Paul agrees that if there is no resurrection

from the dead, believers in Christ who live

sinless dedicated lives to Christ, die in vain.

Paul describes his own life of fighting

wild animals and the dangers he

faced every day for the work of Christ.

Paul goes on to give warning about those who

do not believe the dead are raised, who want

to live a life of eat, drink for tomorrow you die… 

They are bad company and will ruin good morals.

  

 Come back to your senses as you ought,

and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God

 — I say this to your shame.

 1 Corinthians 15:34

If there is nothing after this life

why worry about sin, do whatever

you want to make yourself happy.

Paul not only proved there is a resurrection of the

dead but describes in detail how the dead

are raised and what type of body they will have.

Paul says the sting of death is sin, but thanks be to

God because He gives us victory through Jesus Christ.

The last verse of 1 Corinthians 15

starts with the word “Therefore”.

Because there is life after death…

Because sin does matter…

We should live a life of purpose.

And in verse 58 of 1 Corinthians 15

Paul describes the life of purpose…

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm.

Let nothing move you.

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,

 because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Stand firm

Let nothing move you

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord

This may sound too simple.

But it is the simple faithfulness of the believer

that opens the door for God to do miracles.

The essence of life is to…

Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength

And to love your neighbor as yourself.

This is the work we are to give our self, too.

Many of us think of our purpose as some complicated task.

When our purpose should be like breathing or walking.

These are things we generally do without thinking.

If our purpose is to love the Lord and love

others, we should be able to do this without thinking.

It should be natural.

Because of selfishness the purpose can be hard.

But as we open our hearts and mind to love

God and others, our purpose becomes natural.

I have seen people on their death bed

questioning God to why they were still alive,

they felt they had no purpose.

   But when family and friends came to

encourage them they left encouraged

because the dying person had peace.

The dying person had a smile on their face.

The dying person was standing firm in their faith in God.

When you walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death…

Be at peace the Lord is your Shepherd.

And you will dwell in the

house of the Lord forever.

So…

Stand firm

Let nothing move you

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord

Even if the only work you can do is smile.

Scripture Reading

1 Corinthians 15:50-58 NRSV

50 What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:

"Death has been swallowed up in victory."

55 "Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?"

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.