Welcome back to all of our listeners! I’m BJ Sipe, and you’re listening to the Set Your Mind Above podcast – where everyday ordinary events teach us extraordinary eternal truths. I’m so glad that you’ve tuned in today, I am excited to share my life and my faith with you, and I sure hope that you’ll do the same with me along the way. 

As a parent, I think one of the most difficult things to learn how to do is learning how and when to have hard conversations with your children about the realities of this life. Teaching our children involves a great amount of thought and wisdom, and it is very easy to err on one side or the other. There are your helicopter parents, who want to shelter their children from anything potentially hard or difficult, but as a result they cripple their children from ever growing how they should or becoming independent. But then there is the other extreme, the parents who are far too open or permissive and shove their children into ideas or circumstances that they are not nearly ready for yet. Both extremes are dangerous, which is why we must have balance and pray for wisdom in learning how to approach certain subjects as we raise our children. Well, this morning one of those opportunities presented itself with our daughter Ava who just turned three. Death has been a topic of conversation in our house recently for a couple of reasons. One, there was a crazy rumor around town that one of our members had passed away yesterday, and I was so relieved to learn this was not the case as I immediately called the family to check in (tune in tomorrow for a podcast on gossip & rumors). But as a result, Kylie and I were visiting about it in the kitchen within earshot of our kids and obviously Ava had picked up on it. I say that because this morning she was watching some of her Bible videos when she said something very peculiar. She was watching the story of David and Goliath (one of her favorites) when she turned to Kylie and I and said, “One day when I grow up maybe I will die too.” Kylie and I froze and looked at each other…did she really just say that? We’ve never directly talked to Ava about death all that much at this point, but obviously she knows enough to be talking about it and asking this question. I decided to take the opportunity to sit down with Ava and talk about what death is, why there is death, and what happens after death. I explained that death came into the world because of sin, and that because people make bad choices that is why everyone dies ever since Adam and Eve. I then explained that nobody knows when they will die, but that everybody one day will stop living here on this earth. I then explained that is why God sent Jesus, so that way we can live again one day with God even after we die. That people who love Jesus when they die will go to live with him, but that people who don’t love Jesus or believe in him won’t get to. I paused to retrace my steps and see how much of what I was saying she actually understood, when she said, “Well, I’m going to live with Jesus. And when I see him, I’m going to give him a biiiig hug!” I turned and looked at Kylie who had tears welling up in her eyes at this point and smiled, I turned back to Ava and said, “I bet you more than anything that Jesus would absolutely love your hugs because you give the best hugs!” I wrapped her up in a big hug myself and she went back to playing and watching her show. I finished getting ready for the day and was processing what we had just talked about. Essentially for the first time I shared the gospel with my daughter, planting the seeds of hope that she can have in Jesus is she loves & has faith in him. But what she said was true, one day she too will die just like I will die. They say that two things are certain in life: death and taxes. The expression relates a hard truth that we all must come to grips with at some point, and that is the fact that one day we’re all gonna die. 

However, death is not the only thing that we will all face. Let’s consider the text of Hebrews 9:27-28 together. “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” It is appointed for every man to die once, and that we have already established. Life on this earth is temporary, a mere moment in the grand scheme of eternity. Whether you embrace the idea or whether you fear it, death will come to us all. But for some, this will be their first and last death while others will face a second death. What do I mean when I say that? Well, look again at this text. We all will die and leave this earth, and after death will come the judgment. Paul tells the Corinthians that all of us will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account for the way in which we lived here on this earth (2 Cor. 5:10). This will take place when Christ returns in his final coming. When he does, it will not be do deal with sin as he had done during his ministry here on this earth – sin was dealt with in totality upon the cross. When he comes again, it will be to bring home all who belong to him. Those who obeyed the gospel and gave their lives to Jesus will never die again, but will live forever with him in heaven for eternity. However, for those who do not obey the gospel and do not know God, there is a second death. Let us consider two passages of scripture, the first is found in 2 Thessalonians 1:5-9, “This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” The second is found in Revelation 21:7-8, “The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” We’re all gonna die…but we don’t have to die again. Jesus has dealt with sin upon the cross, and he offers salvation to you freely. You can rest assured this very day that even if you died tonight that you would live for eternity with him, for there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. But if you do not know God, if you reject Jesus and spurn his grace, you will most certainly face a second death in hell. My friends, it does not have to end that way. God does not desire for any to perish, but for all to come to a knowledge of the truth through Jesus. He wants to save you, he wants to live with you forever in a place where there is no more pain, tears, suffering, or need. So let him save you. Obey the gospel of Jesus, repent of your sins and be buried in the waters of baptism in Jesus name through faith and you will walk in newness of life, being forgiven all of your sins and given the Holy Spirit. By the grace of God my hope is in heaven, and I want to see you there too. 

Thank you so much for listening to today’s episode. Tune in, Tuesday-Fridays, as a new podcast episode will be uploaded each day. Also, be sure to follow the Facebook page for the Set Your Mind Above podcast for future announcements and video sessions that are uploaded on Saturdays. As you have the opportunity, share these thoughts with your friends and family, and share with me what important lessons you are learning from every day, ordinary events. Until next time know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each and every day set our minds above.