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Asleep in Jesus Music Ministry
(Funeral Singing with a Message of Hope)
I sing for funeral gatherings in large part because so many people worry
about what has become of their loved ones in death. And if you are one
of those, I would like to help ease that concern right now. Then you can
miss them, without worrying about them.
Have you ever heard the saying “rest in peace”, in reference to a person
who has died? Well, this is not just a consoling platitude or cute
analogy…it happens to be biblical truth! However, most of us have been
taught differently.
The Hebrew/Christian Bible declares simply that when a person dies
he/she is sound asleep until Jesus Christ returns to establish the
Kingdom of God here on earth. At that time he will wake up all his
faithful followers and change them into human beings with glorified and
immortal bodies. Later there will be a second resurrection when the rest
of the dead will be awakened also. This will most likely be the time
when all who did not have the opportunity to adequately understand and
respond to God’s gospel, will be given the opportunity to do so. Those
who do will be with God as He ushers in a new heaven and a new
earth. This is the wonderful picture of our Father’s wise and merciful
judgment, and His awesome plan for us.
Rest assured, our loved ones are currently neither in heaven nor in some
place of eternal punishing. This idea is a Greek and Egyptian myth which
unfortunately made its way into Christian teachings over 1500 years ago.
Rather, those who are no longer with us are at peace in restful sleep
until they are raised from their graves at a time yet future.
If as a result of what I have said here you would like me to sing at
the funeral of a loved one, I would be pleased to do so! Just email me
at
robinsings4u@comcast.net, or call me at (360) 701-9219 here in
Olympia/Lacey, Washington.
Here are just a few
of the many comforting scriptures to support the biblical truth of
restful sleep in death, and the future resurrection to life in the
Kingdom of God soon coming to restore this beautiful earth:
John 3:13—No one has gone up
to heaven.
Acts 2:20—For David did not
go up into heaven.
Ecclesiastes 9:10—For there is no
work, nor reason, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave where you are
going.
Ecclesiastes 9:5—For the living know
they will die; but the dead do not know anything…
Psalm 115:17—It
is not the dead who praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into
silence.
Daniel 12:2—Many of those who
sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some shall
live forever, others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace.
1 Corinthians
15:20—But now is Christ
risen from the dead…the firstfruits of them that slept.
1 Corinthians
15:22-23—For
as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But
each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are
Christ’s at his coming.
John 6:40—everyone
who beholds the son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I
myself will raise him up on the last day.
Revelation 20:6—Blessed
and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection...they
will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a
thousand years.
Revelation 20:5—The
rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years
were completed.
Matthew 5:5—The meek…shall
inherit the earth. |