00:01What happens after we die?
00:04You know, that question can sound far away until life gets close enough to scare you.
00:10It sounds different when you're sitting in a hospital room.
00:14It sounds different when the phone rings late at night.
00:18It sounds different when someone you love is gone and the house still looks the same.
00:25But nothing feels the same anymore.
00:28It sounds different when you're tired, broken, grieving, anxious, disappointed, lonely,
00:39or carrying things you do not know how to explain.
00:44And maybe it's all of the above.
00:48People ask, is there a God?
00:51But a lot of the time, what they really mean is, am I alone in this?
00:57They mean, will death take everything?
01:01They mean, will I see mercy when I leave this world?
01:06Is Jesus real enough for the pain that I'm carrying right now?
01:12I understand that question haunts people.
01:15You know, on March 4th of 1992, I was the longest clinically documented death case.
01:22And I don't say that to impress anyone.
01:26I say it because death has a way of stripping away the noise.
01:30When death gets close, pride gets quiet.
01:35Arguments get smaller.
01:37And the soul starts asking what is true.
01:42So what happens after we die?
01:44Well, I know what happened to me.
01:48But that's a conversation for another time.
01:53Jesus answers that question differently than most people expect.
01:58You see, he doesn't start with a map of heaven.
02:02He doesn't give a cold lecture about eternity.
02:05He brings the answer into himself.
02:08He says,
02:13That's one of the greatest mysteries Jesus ever gave us.
02:17And it solves more than people actually realize.
02:21He did not say,
02:23I know about resurrection.
02:25He said,
02:26I am the resurrection.
02:28And that means life after death is not just about a destination.
02:33It's about whether you belong to Jesus.
02:38You know, I think that matters.
02:40Because most people are not only afraid of dying.
02:44They're afraid of being forgotten.
02:46They're afraid that their pain did not matter.
02:50They're afraid their regrets are too big.
02:53And they're afraid God may exist, but may not want them.
02:59They look at Jesus on the cross.
03:02And they see a dying man beside him.
03:08That man had no time left to fix his life.
03:12No time to build a better reputation.
03:15No time to become religious.
03:18No time to prove anything to anybody.
03:22He simply turned toward Jesus and said,
03:25Remember me.
03:27And Jesus answered,
03:30Today you will be with me in paradise.
03:35And that was the thief on the cross.
03:38And I love that story because that story disproves many of the things we've been told by religion and by
03:46church.
03:47You know, we think, oh boy.
03:49You know, I remember I used to go to church and I'd always see,
03:51it would look like an old folks home with all the old people in there, you know.
03:55And they were probably thinking, hey, I need to go to church to atone for my life and all that.
04:01And as people get older, they start thinking about the afterlife.
04:04And so they do things that are more religious, thinking they need to do that in order to get into
04:12heaven.
04:13But I'm telling you there are multiple circumstances in the New Testament where sins were forgiven and Jesus was welcoming
04:21without any of those church rules or ladders that they tell you they have to climb.
04:26You know, God's power was never meant to be controlled by man.
04:31You do not need a priest to put his hands over you and say some magical context that forgives you
04:39or absolves you of your sins.
04:41You just need to ask God directly.
04:44God, I made a mistake here and please forgive me of my sins.
04:50And that may be a little radical for some people to consider because you get brainwashed.
04:56I mean, they bring you into church at a very young age.
04:59We go through, I went through CCD and all that and then I was confirmed.
05:04And then, you know, they bring you in and they brainwash you and you become a faithful servant, not of
05:11God, but of the church.
05:13And it's incredible.
05:14But what does this have to do with death?
05:17Well, for the one who trusts Jesus, death is not the end.
05:23Death is not darkness winning and it's not a final goodbye.
05:27Death becomes a doorway into the, into the presence of Christ.
05:34Do not miss the overlooked mystery.
05:38The man on the cross did not bring Jesus a perfect past.
05:44He brought him trust.
05:47He did not bring a clean record.
05:51He brought an honest heart.
05:54He did not have a long speech.
05:56He hadn't been forgiven of any sins by a priest.
06:00He had one desperate reach toward the only one who could save him.
06:06That does not make sin small.
06:09It just makes Christ's power mighty.
06:14You see, somebody needs that because regret can feel like a locked room.
06:18You may look back and think you've wasted too much.
06:22You may think you've failed too badly.
06:24You may think you waited too long to take God seriously.
06:30But Jesus, he saved the dying man while he himself was suffering.
06:37That is not weak mercy.
06:40That's holy mercy.
06:42You see, another mystery is this.
06:45I always think about this.
06:47Jesus knew he had the power over death, but he still wept at the tomb of Lazarus.
06:54Think about that.
06:55He knew Lazarus would come out.
06:58He knew the grave was about to lose.
07:06Now, why would Jesus cry when he already knew the ending?
07:14Because our God is not cold just because he is powerful.
07:19And that solves something for the person who is grieving.
07:23You see, Jesus does not look at your tears and say,
07:28You should have known better.
07:30He does not shame you for hurting.
07:33He comes close enough to feel the weight with you.
07:37And faith does not mean pain disappears overnight.
07:41Faith means pain no longer has to be carried alone.
07:58Now, that's not just information about heaven.
08:02That's an invitation home.
08:04You see, there's a room with the Father.
08:07Room for the tired.
08:09Room for the broken.
08:11Room for the person who prayed and still hurts.
08:15Room for the one who believed and still felt afraid.
08:21There's room for everyone.
08:23There's room for the one who does not have polished words,
08:27but still whispers,
08:29Jesus, I need you.
08:32So, what happens after we die?
08:35Well, if we belong to Jesus, we go to be with him.
08:40Not because we earned it.
08:42Not because we understood every mystery.
08:44Not because we climbed every ladder and followed every rule.
08:49Not because we were never scared.
08:51We go because he is the resurrection and the life.
08:57We go because his cross was enough.
09:01We go because his mercy reaches farther than our failure.
09:06We go because he said,
09:10Because I live, you also will live.
09:16And that sentence, well, that sentence changes everything.
09:21Because I live, you also will live.
09:25You see, death does not get the final word.
09:28Cancer does not get the final word.
09:31A hospital bed does not get the final word.
09:35A cemetery, well, it does not get the final word either.
09:40And regret does not get the final word.
09:45Jesus does.
09:47And I know some people hear that and still feel afraid.
09:50I totally get it.
09:53You can believe and still tremble.
09:56You can love Jesus and still hate the thought of death.
10:00You can trust God and still miss the people who are gone.
10:06That's okay.
10:08Jesus is not offended by our humanity.
10:11He told the truth when he said,
10:15In this world, you will have trouble.
10:18He did not hide that from us.
10:21But then he said,
10:23Take heart.
10:24I have overcome the world.
10:28I mean, that's awesome.
10:31That means Jesus is not enough because life is easy.
10:35It means Jesus is enough because
10:38he has already walked through death
10:40and come out alive.
10:42So if you are carrying grief or fear,
10:46pressure, loneliness, disappointment,
10:50or questions that you cannot fully explain,
10:55I want you to start simple.
10:57Do not wait until you sound spiritual
11:00and do not wait until you feel strong.
11:03Do not wait until every mystery makes sense.
11:08Say his name.
11:12Jesus, I need you.
11:15And that may be the most honest prayer
11:17that you have prayed in years.
11:20And here's the hope I want to leave you with today.
11:24What happens after we die
11:27is not answered by guessing in the dark.
11:30It is answered by looking at Jesus Christ,
11:33the one who wept at a tomb,
11:37the one who welcomed a dying man,
11:40the one who promised room in the Father's house,
11:44the one who defeated the grave.
11:48Now, your life is not forgotten and your pain is not visible.
11:54And you know what?
11:56Regardless of what anybody says,
11:58any question you have for God is not going to scare him
12:03and it's not going to disqualify you.
12:06Ask away.
12:08The answers will come.
12:10And sometimes the answers may surprise you.
12:15And for the one who belongs to Jesus,
12:18death is not the end of the story.
12:21It's the moment faith becomes sight.
12:27My name is Douglas Van der Graaff
12:30and I believe in Jesus Christ.
12:34God bless every single one of you.
12:39Every single one.
12:44Bye-bye.
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