What is Death

This past weekend I went to a walk through Reality Theater which was designed for teen to show then what could happen to them it they made wrong choices. I must say it was very impressive and it dealt with death from car wrecks to suicides and drug use how young lives are wrecked. So what is death any ways? Aristotle called death the thing to be feared most because it appears to be the end of everything. That is sad depressing language! If death is nothing more than the end of everything what is the possibility of dying bravely? Suppose death is different less a curse and more a passageway, not a crisis to be avoided but a corner to be turned? So if death is the end of everything what in the world was Jesus talking about when He said these words.

John 14:1
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so,
I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

John 14:3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am,
there ye may be also.
You are going to do what Jesus did; return from the dead and recue your followers. Not only did Jesus promise an afterlife, but a better life. I remember my friend he was a hard man he had almost killed a man in a fight. His health was failing him and when I went by his home it was to invite him to Church. He was kind but said no thanks. That day I made up in my mind that I was going to reach this man for Christ. So I began going by his home often and we talked about everything but Christ and Church. We soon became friends over a period of time and after a long time he came to Church and then one day he walked forward and asked the Lord to forgive him of sins. I saw an immediate change in him and we became even closer friends. I liked him for we were good enough friends that even when he was mad at me he was over it in about 5 no more than 10 minutes. He went to the doctor and the doctor told him he was going to have to have another open heart surgery. I remembered the morning he was to operated on I was at the hospital at 5:30 AM he arrived about 6:00 AM. I will never forget those hours we spent before they took him for his operation. We laughed and joked and then it was time; I walked with him as far as I could. He then looked me in the eyes and with a big smile on his face he said see you in a few hours. I then said are you not fearful? He said about what? If things go wrong I'll be better off, just remember all is in God's hands. I then bent over and kissed him on the check and told him I loved him. He made it through the operation just fine and he lived a good many more years in great health. Then one day he went to the bathroom and shut the door and went home to be with the Lord. He was not fearful of facing death. I went by his grave the other day he has been gone 5 years now and I can still hear his laugh and his concern for others that they might have the joy that he was experiencing. I spent much time with him and we never went anywhere that he did share his faith with whoever would listen. Didn't matter who or where he told everyone. He taught me much and when it came to death there was no fear he knew in who he had believed. I would have missed out had I given up on him; it just goes to show God can and is willing to forgive anyone who comes to him. So if you have been forgiven don't be fearful of death for you are headed to a far better place. Jesus said so!