Well, good morning, everyone. Welcome to St Paul's. My name's Steve. I know I met you before. I'm a senior pastor here at St Paul's.
! Let me just add my welcome to that of Nick, whether you're here in the building or online, but also want to welcome specifically Craig Farmer into our building this morning.
Craig, for those of you who are not aware, Parish Council has engaged Craig to help us as a church family to discern where God is leading us into the next phase of our life and ministry together
as we see Chatswood and beyond to treasure Jesus for their joy. And so Craig is here and he is going to start today with some focus groups that you've been invited into to hear from you.
We want to hear from you about that process. So welcome, Craig, as part of today and thank you for your contribution to our church life beyond this day.
If you are just joined in amongst us as well, as we have just heard from Nick, we are in 1 Thessalonians.
If you've got a Bible, I'd be grateful for you to open it. If you don't, there are versions available around here for you.
But what I'm going to be saying will be on the screen or in a printout in front of you.
Where we're up to in 1 Thessalonians is the Apostle Paul is now encouraging people, the Thessalonians,
to live lives worthy of God, that is to live lives pleasing God.
And the foundation of that is what he has already said in the first couple of chapters of 1 Thessalonians,
and that is that you, in the gospel of the Lord Jesus, have the pleasure of God already imparted to you,
which is why you can live to please God, because you've already received the pleasure of God in Jesus.
And so last week, we started that process of what it means to live pleasing to God.
And Paul picked up on, he's really focusing in chapter 4 on three major areas that are a major preoccupation for all of humanity,
and that is sex, work, vocation, if you like, and number three, death.
And I said, the first two are the ones that you want me to spend more time on.
I'm going to be really brief with those.
I'm going to focus more time on today.
And death, the thing you don't want me to talk about.
So we're going to spend our time talking about death.
Let's pray.
Gracious God, we are thankful for the hope of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ,
that he who died and rose again, that we who believe in him might have his life imparted to us,
so that death has no more sting.
It has no more mastery over us.
We pray that this hope would fill our hearts today,
and it would be a hope that would overflow into this city.
And we ask it for your glory.
Amen.
Mark Ashton was a minister in Cambridge in England.
At the age of 62, he was diagnosed with inoperable gallbladder cancer.
He wrote a book about his journey towards Jesus.
Oh, sorry, his journey with Jesus in the final 15 months of his life.
His joy in Jesus, in fact, in those 15 months were profound.
He showed an enormous deal of confidence
and even anticipation of his impending death in those months,
despite a keen recognition of the grief and the sadness
of not just his church family, but his family and friends and so on and so forth.
A very keen recognition of that grief,
accompanied with a deep sense of joy and contentment at the same time.
So over those last 15 months of his life,
he talked with virtually everyone he met about his coming death,
with ease, with elegance, and with a great deal of poise.
And this unnerved so many people.
He found not only...
People found not only his attitude,
but even his presence difficult to take.
For instance, he tells the story in the book,
one day getting his hair cut.
And he was asked by the young lady who regularly cut his hair,
you know, how he was.
And he replied,
well, actually, I've only got a few more months to live.
And he said,
in that moment,
the ordinary pleasantness of the salon
just stopped.
The friendliness, the chatting just stopped.
Not just with him,
but everyone else in the room at the same time.
And he said,
no matter how much he tried to talk to the hairdresser,
not about death,
but about anything,
he could not get another word out of her
for the rest of the haircut.
At all.
And yet,
as he said,
the great irony of it all is,
it's...
Death's not something that any of us can avoid
in any way.
It's been said that all the wars,
all the plagues
have never actually raised the death toll.
It's still one for one ratio.
Death makes a claim
on each and every one of us,
and it pursues us relentlessly
throughout all of our days.
And yet,
we,
this generation,
this modern generation,
seems to be far less prepared
for it
than our ancestors were.
not even able to talk about it
in our society.
You see,
we know intellectually and rationally
that we can't beat the statistics.
But deep down,
we sort of repress it.
And we kind of act day by day
as if somehow we can
or that we will.
And rather than accept it
and prepare for the inevitable,
we only avert it.
We deny it.
And so,
in our modern society,
death has replaced sex
as the unmentionable topic
in polite company.
So,
three points today.
They're on the St. Paul's app
if you've got that,
if you want to take notes along the way.
But fearing death,
death to death,
and living with death.
So,
verse 13,
fear of death.
Brothers and sisters,
we don't want you
to be uninformed
about those who sleep in death
so that you do not grieve
like the rest of mankind
who have no hope.
Death,
as I've said,
it's that universal problem.
Everybody struggles with it.
And there are traditionally two ways
that we struggle
with the fear of death.
There's the Stoic way,
which the Stoic way
acknowledges death
as something that's terrible,
something that is awful.
There's a normal reaction
of anger and grief with death.
death.
But the way to handle that
is to acknowledge it,
but then shut it down.
Shut down the emotions
associated with it.
Even talking to someone recently
about their banter
with someone about death,
talked about not going to be here
much longer.
And you can't talk like that.
You shouldn't talk like that
at all.
The number of times
as a pastor,
I've sat with people
who are dying
or visiting them in hospital,
and one of the questions
I've always asked is,
have you talked about
your impending death
with your loved ones?
The vast majority say no.
No.
Don't know how to do that.
That's the stoic way.
Acknowledge it's awful.
Suppress it.
Don't give in to the emotions.
Be strong.
Because nothing good
will come out of grief.
That's the assumption
behind it all.
The more recent approach
in our modern world
is to handle
the inevitability of death,
particularly in the secular age,
is to deny anything
about death
that is in fact
terrible,
horrible.
So one acknowledges grief
and it's awful,
just don't
deal with the emotions
associated with it,
don't grieve it.
Over here
is the other one
that says
there's nothing really
that bad about it.
and this approach
sees that death
is just simply
the natural process
of the cycle of life.
It's just the next,
it's just the next step.
You can go into funeral homes
!
And grab the material
off their shelf
as to how do we
understand death?
It's just natural.
It's just the next phase
of life.
It's part of the life cycle
where you will simply
slip into a state
of non-being.
It's natural,
nothing to fear.
And in your death
you help others live
by becoming worm food
as Shakespeare said
in Hamlet.
I think,
sorry for the Shakespearean people,
out there,
it sounded impressive
though,
didn't it?
You just become worm food
and so you're helping
the flowers grow.
Secularism says
there's no God,
there's no soul,
there's nothing
of the supernatural.
Life is constrained
to this early life
and so instead
of fearing death,
which you can't control,
ensure that the life
that you do have,
you live it
to your fullest
because there's nothing
beyond it.
So you do whatever
it takes to live now.
Discover whatever it is
that gives you meaning,
purpose,
and go for it.
Just don't think about death.
And the problem with that philosophy
of life
is that everything
that you think
will give you meaning,
everything that will give you
hope and joy
and happiness
in this life,
death takes it all away.
It removes it all.
It's all gone.
Whatever we build
our lives on
in this short
season of life,
death destroys it all,
makes a mockery
of it all.
If the greatest joy
in your life
is relationships,
loving relationships,
then death
strips you
away of all of that.
Bit by bit,
death will strip you
of all of your loved ones
and eventually
will strip your loved ones
of you.
It destroys everything
meaningful in life.
The great irony
of the secularist
who says,
I do not fear death.
The irony of that statement
is that if you really
understand what you've just said,
you've just said,
I do not love life.
I do not love
what I have in life
right now.
The other reason
we should fear death
is because we don't know
what happens after death.
You see,
it is an enormous
leap of faith
to say that we just
slip into a
non-conscious state.
That's an enormous
leap of faith.
No one knows
that to be true.
There hasn't been
a culture in history
that has approached
death
so
shallowly
and given its people
so little tools
to handle
the inevitability
of death
as our modern
secular age.
to say death
is just natural,
is to harden
and perhaps
even to kill
a part
of the heart's
hope
that makes
us human.
No animal
thinks about death.
death.
We know
deep down
that we are
not just
trees
or grass.
We know
something
deep down
that says
that we were
created to last.
We don't
ever want
to be just
fleeting
to be
inconsequential.
and the
deepest
desire
of our
hearts
is for
a love
that
actually
lasts.
And
death
is not
the way
it ought
to be.
It's
abnormal.
Death
is not
natural.
It is not
a friend.
It is not
right.
And so
Paul says
here
grieve
cry
but with
hope.
And I
would say
that these
verses here
that we have
in front of us
this morning
and the
Christian hope
that sits
in these
verses
we have
in the
Christian
faith
the resource
that all
of humanity
needs
to face
death
and therefore
how to live
well.
this is
if you
like
the
greatest
contribution
that we
can make
to Chatswood
to our
neighbours.
Verse 13
again
Paul writes
so that
you do
not
grieve
like the
rest of
mankind
who have
no hope.
It's a
double
negative
which
basically
what he's
saying
quite
literally
to grieve
hopefully
he doesn't
say
instead of
grieving
I want
you to
have
hope
nor does
he say
there's
no real
hope
so just
grieve
he says
Christians
can and
must
both
grieve
profoundly
and fully
because
death
is wrong
it is
unnatural
and yet
do it
with
such
hope
because
grief
while
good
unfortunately
can
turn
into
bitterness
it can
darken
your life
it can
stifle
your joy
if grief
takes over
without
hope
now
let me
just
jump
back
in the
New
Testament
to
John
chapter
11
we have
the
greatest
example
of
how to
grieve
hopefully
and it's
in
Jesus
when he
goes
to
his
mate
Lazarus
who's
just
died
in
John
11
notice
in
there
you won't
notice it
because
you haven't
got you
to read
it
but
in
John
chapter
11
Jesus
does
not
come
up
to
Lazarus
sisters
Mary
and
Martha
his
bereaved
sisters
who
were
grieving
and
he
doesn't
say
to
them
they're
there
stiff
upper
lip
chin
up
be
strong
he
didn't
do
any
of
that
at
all
he
did
bring
words
of
comfort
to
them
he
did
speak
to
them
he
did
bring
words
of
comfort
that
I
am
the
resurrection
and
the
life
it was
something
they
looked
forward
to
he
reminded
them
that
Lazarus
will
rise
again
but
that's
not
all
that
happened
here
we
are
told
in
the
shortest
verse
in
the
Bible
in
verse
35
John
Jesus
wept
he
was
deeply
grieved
deeply
grieved
!
as he
sees the
grief of
the people
weeping
over
Lazarus
and the
fact that
he lost
one of
his
mates
so
think
about
this
think
about
here
is
Jesus
the
son
of
God
who
knew
quite
well
in
that
moment
when
he
weeps
that
he
is
about
to
do
a
great
miracle
and
raise
Lazarus
from
the
dead
and
he
weeps
would
he
not
have
come
in
to
Mary
and
Martha
and
gone
chin
up
just
follow
me
I'll
show
you
something
there's
good
news
here
no
need
to
grieve
I
know
it's
sad
but
just
wait
hang
on
something
big's
about
to
happen
he
weeps
and
he
calls
the
Thessalonians
and
us
to
grieve
likewise
but
to
do
it
hopefully
and
that's
the
next
bit
in
verse
the
death
to
death
the
key
to
all
of
this
is
in
verse
14
we
believe
that
Jesus
died
and
rose
again
that's
the
key
benefit
of
the
Christian
faith
if
I
could
be
so
bold
is
that
Jesus
defeated
death
that
is
if
death
is
our
greatest
fear
so
much
so
that
we
can't
even
handle
talking
about
it
and
we
spend
our
lives
avoiding
it
then
the
gospel
of
Jesus
Christ
is
what
we
hold
out
to
a
community
as
we
treasure
Jesus
together
and
we
do
it
for
their
joy
this
is
the
greatest
thing
that we
have
to
offer
them
one of
the
interesting
things
about
the
John
11
passage
is
that
Jesus
didn't
go
home
if
you've
not
had
the
experience
of
a
funeral
nowadays
so
many
funeral
services
nowadays
never
get
done
in the
presence
of a
coffin
they're
not
actually
funeral
the
preference
nowadays
is
memorial
service
so
many
times
I
have
I
have
literally
laid
a
person
to
rest
in
the
presence
of
no
one
we've
done
the
memorial
service
and
it's
just
me
a
funeral
director
and a
coffin
to lay
that
body
to rest
because
we
cannot
cope
in
the
face
of
death
and
so
this
is
interesting
because
Jesus
arrives
he
weeps
with
Mary
and
Martha
and
then
he
does
the
unthinkable
what
does
he
do
he
heads
to
the
tomb
who
does
that
he
heads
to
the
tomb
and
as
Jesus
goes
to
the
tomb
we
are
told
twice
in
chapter
11
that
Jesus
is
deeply
moved
deeply
moved
and
when
we
read
that
we
assume
that
well
you know
the
whole
emotion
of
everything
he's
weeping
he's
grieving
and
yet
that's
not
what
that
statement
deeply
moved
means
it
doesn't
mean
that
he's
weeping
it
doesn't
mean
that
he's
grieving
quite
literally
the words
deeply
moved
there
in the
original
language
mean
he was
snorting
with
rage
as he
walked
to the
tomb
snorting
he was
roaring
towards
the tomb
with
anger
death
how
could
the
creator
of
the
world
be
angry
at
something
that
was
natural
in
his
world
only
if
death
is
not
natural
it
is
an
intruder
into
his
world
death
was
not
the
original
design
of
God
for
human
life
we
see
that
right
at
the
beginning
of
the
Bible
Genesis
1
and
3
tells
us
that
we
were
never
meant
to
die
we
were
meant
to
last
we
were
meant
to
get
more
and
more
beautiful
as
time
goes
on
not
more
and
more
debilitated
we
meant
to
get
stronger
not
weakened
and
die
Romans
8
verses
18
and
23
says
that
when
we
turn
from
God
to
find
for
ourselves
our
own
meaning
our
own
ruler
to
become
our
own
rescuers
everything
in
the
God's
created
order
broke
the
natural
created
order
our
bodies
our
hearts
our
life
nothing
works
as it
was
originally
designed
by God
to be
everything
is marred
everything
is distorted
everything
is broken
death
is not
just
our
enemy
death
is our
executioner
because
it is
the
punishment
that
humanity
deserves
for
rejecting
the
author
of
life
and
Jesus
grieves
!
as he
witnesses
the
intruder
playing
havoc
with
his
people
and
he
is
angry
at
the
monstrosity
of
death
it
is
the
deepest
distortion
of
the
creation
that
he
loves
it
is
hideous
it
is
frightening
it
is
cruel
and
it
is
unusual
it
is
not
the
way
life
was
meant
to
be
and
our
grief
while
we
may
not
express
it
publicly
our
grief
that
is
there
that
we
carry
in
the
depths
of
our
being
acknowledges
death
as
just
that
and
Jesus
weeps
as he
sees
and
experiences
the
destruction
of
death
and
he
storms
with
anger
towards
Lazarus
tomb
and
Jesus
knew
in
that
moment
something
that
no one
else
knew
in
that
moment
and
yes
they did
not know
that he
was going
to raise
him
from
the
dead
they
did
not
know
that
but
there
was
something
else
that
no
one
else
could
predict
in
that
moment
as
he
went
to
the
tomb
we
get a
glimpse
of it
right at
the end
of John
chapter
11
when
Jesus
raises
his
mate
Lazarus
from
the
dead
and
people
are
rejoicing
except
not
everyone
is
the
enemies
of
Jesus
when
they
saw
Lazarus
alive
after
being
dead
for
four
days
that
was
the
signal
for
them
well
that's
it
we
now
have
to
kill
Jesus
that
was
the
signal
for
them
we
now
have
to
kill
Jesus
you
see
what
Jesus
knew
as
he
stormed
with
anger
towards
Lazarus
tomb
was
that
for
him
to
bring
joy
to
Lazarus
family
and
friends
to
bring
Lazarus
out
of
the
tomb
was
for
him
to
be
put
into
the
tomb
that's
what
he
knew
in
that
moment
the
only
way
he
could
give
Lazarus
life
was
ultimately
for
him
to
give
up
his
the
only
way
to
get
him
out
of
that
tomb
was
for
him
to
be
put
into
the
tomb
if
he
is
to
guarantee
the
resurrection
for
all
who
believe
in
him
he
must
succumb
to
the
great
enemy
and
executioner
of
humanity
and
put
himself
in
the
grave
that
is
Jesus
Christ
the
eternal
son
of
God
who
always
existed
came
into
his
broken
creation
and
he
chose
death
he
was
born
to
die
on
the
cross
he
died
as
our
substitute
for
our
sin
against
God
he
lived
the
life
that
we
should
have
lived
and
he
died
the
death
that
we
should
have
died
he
faced
our
greatest
enemy
and
executioner
and
he
was
the
victor
every
Easter
day
we
celebrate
that
he
walked
out
of
that
tomb
on
the
third
day
triumphant
over
death
triumphant
over
sin
and
Paul
is here
reminding
the
Thessalonians
that
because of
Jesus
death
and
resurrection
those
who
believe
in
him
those
who
put
their
trust
in
him
are
released
from
sin
and
death
and
they
share
in
his
resurrection
in
such
a
way
death
no
longer
has
its
sting
and
so
if
you
are
someone
who
right
at
this
point
do
not
trust
in
the
Lord
Jesus
at
all
if
you're
online
or in
the
building
I'm
not
asking
whether
you think
I'm
asking
whether
or not
you've
embraced
Jesus
as
your
life
take
the
decision
today
to
die
to
yourself
and
surrender
to
Jesus
and
put
all
of
your
hope
in
him
I'd
be
delighted
to
talk
to
you
about
that
after
service
or
in
the
coming
days
or
weeks
or
whatever
it
is
do
not
let
this
moment
if
you
felt
anything
in
your
heart
go
ping
do
not
let
this
moment
pass
do
not
be
distracted
!
from
it
at
all
so
Paul
is
encouraging
!
these
Thessalonians
how
therefore
to
live
in
the
face
of
their
impending
death
how
to
live
with
death
so
that's
my
last
point
he's
really
trying
to
encourage
these
Thessalonians
clearly
some of
their
members
of
their
church
in
such
a
short
time
have
died
they're
worried
about
them
what
does
it
mean
does
that
mean
they
miss
out
of
the
hope
that
is
in
Jesus
and
he
points
them
the
hope
of
the
gospel
and
then
he
adds
right
the
word
encourage
is
an
active
word
it
doesn't
simply
mean
to
call
them
to
take
heart
and
to
have
some
perspective
on
their
life
and
death
what
he's
written
here
is
not
to
even
to
feed
some
fascination
about
what
happens
after
death
or
any
future
plans
that
God
might
have
he
calls
the
Thessalonians
to
take
this
gospel
message
together
to
do
it
together
and
to
drill
it
down
into
their
hearts
to
the
centre
of
their
being
together
as
a
church
family
together
constantly
remind
themselves
of the
hope
that
they
have
in
such
a
way
that
they
will
live
their
daily
lives
where
they
can
face
absolutely
anything
with
poise
with
confidence
in
other
words
drill
this
truth
down
into
your
life
in
such
a
way
that
it
entirely
transforms
all
of
your
life
so
let me
just say
three
things
about
this
Christian
hope
the
hope
of
the
gospel
beyond
death
what
does
it
look
like
so
first
of
all
it's
a
personal
hope
that
is
what
the
life
that
we
have
in
Jesus
is
highly
relational
you
see
it
there
in
verses
chapter
4
verses
16
and
17
notice
that
the
future
of
those
who
die
in
Christ
is
a
world
of
infinite
love
if
you
look
down
verses
16
and
17
what
you'll
notice
there
is
all
these
references
that
we
will
be
with
one
another
together
beyond
death
you're not
just a
drop
in an
ocean
where
you get
absorbed
into
the
cosmos
where
you
lose
your
sense
of
self
as
many
religions
and
philosophies
in this
world
would
declare
it
is
highly
one
another
we
will
be
with
all
people
in
Jesus
that
we
have
lost
and
we
will
be
with
the
Lord
together
forever
these
are
words
that
mean
personal
relationships
it means
perfect
relationships
of love
that go
on
and
on
and
on
forever
the
great
Jonathan
Edwards
preached
a famous
sermon
called
heaven
is a
world
of
love
and
it
begins
by
arguing
that
the
greatest
happiness
that we
can
know
right
now
is
to be
loved
by
another
person
that's
the
greatest
happiness
that we
can know
right now
to be
loved
by another
person
however
he adds
that
even
the
very
best
relationships
in
this
world
right
now
even
the
very
best
marriages
the
very
best
friendships
!
in
this
world
right
now
he
says
are
like
a
pipe
so
clogged
with
rubbish
that
only
a
little
bit
of
love
actually
gets
through
the
end
of
the
pipe
in
heaven
he
says
the
pipe
is
clear
all
blockages
are
removed
and
the
love
that
we
will
experience
will
be
infinite
it
will
be
inexpressibly
greater
than
anything
that we've
ever
had
here
in
this
world
right
now
even
in
the
best
love
relationships
we
hide
behind
facades
of
fear
for
being
rejected
and so
we
never
experience
the
transforming
power
of
being
fully
known
and
loved
at
the
same
time
we
also
love
selfishly
and
enviously
which
disrupts
and it
weakens
and it
even
ends
love
relationships
and our
love
relationships
are also
darkened
by the
fear of
losing
the
person
we
truly
love
and
unfortunately
all of
those
clogs
in
the
pipe
can
make
us
controlling
which
drives
people
away
or in
some
cases
it
becomes
fearful
of
making
any
commitments
to
people
at
all
because
we
don't
want
our
hearts
broken
all
these
things
reduce
love
in
this
world
to
a
trickle
just
a
trickle
at
the
bottom
of
a
river
bed
and
they're
all
removed
all
removed
beyond
death
in the
presence
of
God
in
heaven
love
is an
endless
deluge
and fountain
of delight
and bliss
flowing in
and out
of us
infinitely
and
internally
the
Christian
hope
is for
a
personal
future
of
infinitely
free
loving
relationships
the
second
thing
about
the
Christian
hope
is
it's
physical
notice
that
Paul
says
here
in
1
Thessalonians
4
he does
not merely
say
you go
to
heaven
he says
that
the
dead
in
Christ
will
rise
that
is
you
will
rise
like
Christ
has
risen
physically
the
climactic
end
of our
salvation
at the
end
of all
things
is a
brand
new
body
will
be
raised
like
Jesus
was
raised
when
Jesus
was
risen
from
the
dead
he
met
with
his
disciples
and
he
insisted
that
he
was
flesh
and
bones
he
insisted
that
they
touched
him
he
insisted
that
he
ate
with
them
that
he
was
not
just
a
spirit
floating
around
on
clouds
no
presence
of
harps
no
presence
of
wings
physical
no
other
really
I'm not sure
if you've
understood
this
there is
not a
single
religion
or
philosophical
structure
in the
history
of all
of humanity
that
promises
that
heaven
will be
this
world
renewed
a
renewed
heavens
and
earth
a
perfect
material
world
from which
all
suffering
all
tears
all
disease
all
evil
all
injustice
all
death
has been
eliminated
Christian
hope
is
physical
it
is
this
existence
perfected
we
are
going
to
walk
we
are
going
to
eat
hug
we
are
going
to
work
we
are
going
to
hug
we
are
going
to
be
loved
we
are
going
to
sing
and
we
will
do
it
all
in
degrees
of
joy
and
excellence
and
satisfaction
and
beauty
and
power
that
right
now
we
could
not
even
possibly
grasp
in
other
words
Christian
hope
is not
a mere
consolation
prize
where
okay
you know
you've
lost
everything
else
in this
world
but let
me
give
you
this
instead
it's
the
recapturing
of
everything
and
perfected
it's
not a
consolation
prize
it's
getting
the
love
the
body
the
mind
that
we've
been
always
long
for
there's
others
but let
me just
finish
the
Christian
hope
is a
radiant
hope
Paul does
not simply
say here
that we're
going to
be
together
with
others
in this
lovely
world
the
main
thing
in his
mind
the
biggest
emphasis
is
that
in
verse
17
we
will
be
with
the
Lord
forever
it
means
that
we'll
be
in
perfect
communion
with
our
creator
God
we
will
see
his
the
great
God
the
infinite
God
the
one
who
is
glorious
and
magnificent
face
to
face
and
when
we
look
into
the
face
of
Christ
it
will
completely
transform
us
because
as
Paul
says
we
will
be
fully
known
yet
at
the
same
time
fully
loved
we're
always
cautious
of being
fully
known
right
now
because
we
fear
if we
are
fully
known
we
won't
be
fully
loved
and
on
that
day
we
will
we
were
originally
created
to know
and to
love
God
supremely
created
to
commune
with
his
love
and
see
his
beauty
and
at
some
level
all
human
restlessness
all
of it
our
drive
for
approval
for
comfort
for
a
beautiful
experience
for
love
for
power
for
accomplishment
are
all
ways
of
trying
to do
what
Saint
Augustine
called
the
God
shaped
hole
trying to
fill
that
God
shaped
hole
in
us
in
every
set
of
arms
we
are
seeking
the
arms
of
God
in
every
loving
face
we
are
seeking
the
face
of
God
in
every
accomplishment
we
are
looking
for
the
approval
of
God
and
the
future
of
the
Christian
hope
is
the
radiant
face
of
God
the
embrace
of
God
the
approval
of
God
the
hope
of
the
Christian
gospel
eliminates
the
fear
of
death
and
it
fuels
transformation
in
life
it
fuels
what
Paul
calls
at
the
beginning
here
living
to
please
God
knowing
that
the
end
is
certain
to
live
each
day
with
increasing
joy
and
anticipation
for
that
moment
this
is
Paul's
words
to
the
church
in
Thessalonica
as
they
were
concerned
about
the
death
of
their
loved
ones
he's
hoped
for
them
that
the
reception
of
the
gospel
that
they
took
at
the
very
beginning
would
not
be
a
vanity
that
they
would
continue
to
grow
in it
in
such
a
way
that
they
grow
in
transformation
of life
and
confidence
as
they
need
their
own
death
and
this
Christian
hope
when it
was
first
declared
utterly
transformed
as I
said
last
week
the
early
Christians
in such
a way
that it
entirely
transformed
the
Roman
Empire
in the
first
three
centuries
of
the
millennium
that
millennium
the
early
Christians
had an
extraordinary
impact
on
people
in the
Roman
Empire
the
way
that they
loved
people
in
three
areas
by
not
giving
their
body
or not
using
not
seeing
sex
as a
way
to
exploit
or
to
treat
people
badly
but
as a
way
that
they
gave
the
way
that
they
served
the
way
that
they
built
up
their
loved
one
their
spouse
in
their
work
as a
way
to
serve
society
to
build
up
for
their
good
the
way
that
they
surrendered
themselves
and
loved
and
in
their
death
in
the
way
that
they
forgave
particularly
those
enemies
and
the
way
they
had
such
poise
and
confidence
as
they
walked
to
their
death
as
if
they
never
feared
it
at
all
in
fact
many
scholars
agree
that
one
of
the
major
influences
that
took
the
apostle
Paul
who
wrote
this
letter
calling
these
Christians
to
look
forward
in
their
hope
one
of the
major
influences
of the
apostle
Paul
to
turn
him
as
the
chief
enemy
of the
Christian
church
in
its
very
early
days
to
its
chief
advocate
the
one
event
they
agree
that
started
Paul
on
that
journey
was
when
he
consented
to
the
death
of
the
very
first
martyr
Stephen
and
when
he
saw
Stephen
die
it
unsettled
him
when
he
saw
Stephen
die
and
the
way
he
died
that
unsettled
Paul
he
could
not
get
it
out
of
his
heart
he
had
never
seen
someone
die
so
joyfully
so
confident
so
last
week
I
mentioned
the
German
theologian
and
outspoken
critic
of
Adolf
Hitler
and the
Nazi
party
Dietrich
Bonhoeffer
he
was
as I
said
he
was
appalled
by the
way
the
German
church
had
lost
the
gospel
capitulated
to
Hitler
out of
fear
and
Bonhoeffer
was
imprisoned
he
was
finally
executed
by the
Nazis
on the
9th
of
April
1945
three
weeks
before
the
end
of
World
War
II
he
was
on the
morning
he was
executed
at dawn
on the
9th
he was
naked
which is
what the
Nazi
party
do
want to
bring
all
sorts
of
humiliation
to
those
who
they
saw
as
their
great
enemies
he
was
stripped
naked
led
out
into
the
execution
yard
and
this
is
the
account
of
one
eyewitness
I
saw
Pastor
Bonhoeffer
praying
fervently
to God
I was
most deeply
moved by
the way
this
lovable
man
prayed
so
certain
that
God
heard
his
prayer
at
the
place
of
execution
he
again
said
a
short
prayer
then
climbed
the
few
steps
to
the
gallows
brave
and
composed
in
the
almost
50
years
that
I
worked
as
a
doctor
I
have
hardly
ever
seen
a
man
die
so
entirely
submissive
to
the
will
of
God
that's
the
words
of
the
doctor
who
had
to
confirm
his
death
was
able
death
used
to
be
able
to
crush
us
but
now
in
Christ
all
the
death
can
do
is
plant
us
in
God's
soil
and
so
that
we
become
something
extraordinary
forever
that is
the
Christian
hope
and
I
think
the
Christian
hope
is
expressed
so
eloquently
perfectly
boldly
in
the
famous
the
words
of
the
famous
19th
century
Christian
evangelist
Dwight L.
Moody
not long
before he
died
he said
soon
you will
read
in the
newspaper
that
Dwight L.
Moody
has
died
don't
you
believe
it
I'll
be
more
alive
than
I've
ever
been
that's
the
Christian
hope
embrace
it
for
your
joy