Introduction
· Illustration: Hibbard lists famous people, good and bad, and notes that they all have on thing in common: death.
· Our real enemy is not death itself, but refusing to face the reality of death.
· Illustration: Hibbard recounts going to the funeral home to pick out a casket for his unborn daughter that he was told would die before birth.
· Illustration: Hibbard tells the long story of the death of Todd Beamer on September 11, 2001 and how his widow, Lisa, and his children grieved but with hope of heaven.
· How will we survive the death of a loved one?
- 1 Thessalonians 4:13; John 14:1-31
We can deal with death by believing in God's way.
· God is the ultimate control of everything that goes on.
· He is also has an ultimate purpose for our lives.
- John 14:1a; Psalm 46; Isaiah 55:8-9; Romans 8:32
· God's ways are not our ways
- Isaiah 58:8–9; John 3:16
We can deal with death by trusting our life to God's son, Jesus Christ.
· John 14:1–11; 10:28
· Jesus was the incarnation of God on Earth.
· Surviving eternal death is granted only through Jesus Christ.
- John 10:28; Hebrews 13:5
· Illustration: At Todd Beamer's funeral, the truth of eternal life through Christ came out over and over.
· Peace in the midst of death only comes through the Holy Spirit.
John 14: 25–27
We can deal with death by resting in the presence of God through the Holy Spirit.
· 1 Corinthians 6:6–8
· The best part of being in a personal relationship with God is to understand that God is always there.
- Illustration: When Lisa Beamer is sad, she looks up and remembers that Todd is with God, God is with her, and she can get through another day.
· When death comes to invade your life, will you know peace or will you know turmoil?
Conclusion
· Death is going to come.
· Big Idea: The only way to survive death's invasion is to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. | 
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