Sermons Based on the Lectionary of the Syrian Orthodox Church

Aneede Sunday / Sunday of Departed Faithful

Sermon / Homily on Luke 12:32-48

Death is a Reality That Christians Can be Hopeful About.

by Rev. Fr. Jose Daniel Paitel, Philadelphia

1) What is death?

Almighty God Himself uses the word death after the creation of Adam. Gen. 2:17. As a creation of His own image, and likeness, Adam had the free will to do whatever he liked. However, he never realized the consequence of death. Only after he had been cheated by Satan, he realized the sharpness of the term death. He was unable to face God. He was scared to come before God. Because of the sin he has committed, he was ousted from the grace of God. He lost his eligibility to appear before God. Since then (fall of Adam and Eve), man was unable to see the divine Glory of God.

Exodus 33:20 No man shall see me and live.
Jud.13:22. We shall surely die because we have seen God.

Therefore, death means the inability to see God.

2) What is happening after death?

Anything can happen according to a person's destiny. The free will of a man plays a vital role in our death. Enoch walked with God and he did not die, for God took him. Gen.5:24. How?

2Kings. 2: 11 "That suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them".
Luke 16:22. So it was the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.
Jude 1:9 "Yet Michael the archangel in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses…"

An angel will take away the soul of the faithful to the bosom of Abraham (the paradise of hope.) after the death of a Christian.

God makes elaborate plans to receive faithfuls after their death. A great reception is arranged.

There are several other examples we can find in the scriptures about death. For example: Luke 16:22. The rich man also died and was buried.

3) Where they would be carried away.

Zechariah 3:1-5:

And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.
And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?
Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.

Joshua, the high priest, had been before God, and Satan was there to oppose him. There are some offenses, that Satan can testify from the life of Joshua and he can be judged and punished.

Ezra. 10:18. And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.

Marrying outcast ladies is a sin according to the law of Moses.

4) What will be the judgment if you are eligible for an excuse.

Rest of the story can be read from the previous reference.

Deuteronomy 34:6 - And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.

He buried him in a valley …. and no one knows his grave to this day. His answer for the prayer referred in book of Exodus 33: 20 ( And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.) had been answered very late. Because God is the God of promise. At last God became visible or appeared before Moses in His heavenly majesty. As Moses wished to see the glory of God Almighty, God showed him his Glory at the end of his mission. Joshua had been Unctioned as the successor to Moses, and allowed to see him the entire land of Canaan. Nobody seen Moses after that incident, as per God commanded him about his death.

Even though the meeting of God and Moses had been kept as a mystery in the of Book of Deuteronomy, we can understand that Moses had an opportunity to see God's glory. Therefore, the funeral and tomb of Moses had been still kept as a mystery before the World, because as in the previous incidents of Enoch and Elijah, they were taken from the visibility of their successors. The scripture narrates it, as both of them were never had been visible in their human body to anybody here in this world.

Therefore, death means the meeting of man and God, and is the last chance to see any of our fellow human being and vice versa. Even though Satan pointed out the wedding of Moses to an outcast woman, God pardoned Moses and ignored that as an offense or violation. God, thus, allowed him to stay in heaven for ever and ever.

See Also:

Embracing the Future: Sermon on Luke 12:32 - 40
by Prof. Dr. David Zersen
A Gospel for Hard Times
by Dr. John Killinger

Be Alert and Ready for Action
by Edward F. Markquart

Looking for the Center of Life: A Sermon on Luke 12: 35-40
by Prof. Dr. David Zersen

Sermon for Aneede Sunday – Sunday For all the Departed Faithful
by Rev. Fr. V. V. Paulose

Sermons, Bible Commentaries and Bible Analyses for Aneede Sunday

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