TO DIE IS GAIN

LESSON ONE  
DEATH, WHERE IS THE STING? In his own death and resurrection Jesus shows that death has no finality. One who dies believing in Jesus will be raised with a wonderful new body, never to die again.

LESSON TWO
HOLY INDIFFERENCE. Nearing the end, Christians are caught between the desire to be with Christ in heaven and here on earth with our loved ones. Holy indifference allows us to accept that God in his wisdom oversees our lives and deaths in the fullness of his time. We can live each day knowing that he has ordained it and when the time comes, die unafraid.

LESSON THREE
HOLY DOGGEDNESS By the time we have lived two-thirds of life, it becomes apparent that some (or even many) of our expectations for the Christian life have not been fulfilled as we thought they might be. Just as John's generation had flawed expectations so do we. Christ calls us to remain faithful to the end even if life is not the way we thought it would be. He instructs us not to become weary or fall away.

LESSON FOUR
HOLY AWARENESS. Much of our lives are habitual. We routinely and mindlessly do things without thought. Jesus calls us to live our lives with awareness and intentionality. He will return when least expected and there will be an accounting of our lives.

LESSON FIVE
THE PROBLEM OF PAIN. We all need to be reassured of God's love and provision in the face of pain―emotional and physical. He who knew great pain on our behalf can minister to us in our pain.

LESSON SIX
THE WAITING SEASON. Waiting for death―our own or a loved one’s―can be difficult. God calls us to use the time wisely to prepare―to settle earthly accounts, and to strengthen our faith.

LESSON SEVEN
WRACKED WITH GRIEF. As Christians we must walk the line between realistically facing the immediate impact of our devastating loss and our knowledge that in Christ the loss is not the final word. It is important not to deny either one.

LESSON EIGHT
LOVING CLOSURE. Devastating loss must be addressed on a persona level as well as in community. Rituals and memorial services/funerals help to bring that closure. At the end of mourning, the bereaved must learn to live life in a new context.

LESSON NINE
THE DWELLING PLACE OF GOD. Paul states that it is vital to our faith to put our hope in Christ  not just for today, but for eternity and our new home in the “dwelling place of God.”

LESSON TEN
HOW THEN SHALL WE LIVE? How might our lives be lived in the light of eternity? We are to become strong in the Lord, mature in faith, bringing reconciliation and healing to the world, and live with inner peace, love, confidence, and hope.

Key Benefits

• Learn to talk about our apprehensions concerning death in a safe and confidential environment.
   
• Understanding in so far as we are able what life after death is like.
   
• Learning to maintain dignity and meaning in the midst of end-of-life suffering.
   
• Learning to grieve in healthy ways.
   
• Learning to move forward into new life when death turns our lives upside down.

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Copyright © 2006 AUTUMN SAINTS
Last modified: 11/21/07