The Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity Sunday – November 10, 2024
The Twenty-sixth Sunday of the Pentecost Season
“Seven Popular Heresies and False Teachings Taught in Churches Today”
The False teaching of “Soul Sleep” compared to what the Bible actually teaches
“Soul Sleep,” also known as the doctrine of “Conditional Immortality,” is primarily taught by Jehovah’s Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists. However, it is finding its way into more and more “mainline” Christian churches today…..particularly into non-denominational/independent/ intra-denominational churches where , generally, most doctrine is arbitrary and up to the individual. In such a setting, “anything goes” as far as what a person can believe…..including the lie of “soul sleep.”
Getting back, for a moment, to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, what they teach is actually “soul annihilation.” That’s the belief that when a person dies his/her soul ceases to exist. When the resurrection comes, Jehovah’s Witnesses maintain that the souls of the redeemed will be recreated (while the souls of unbelievers are “annihilated” at the moment of their deaths).
When Seventh-day Adventists teach about “soul sleep,” they mean that after death believers are no longer conscious of anything, but their souls become completely inert until the time of the final resurrection of the dead. As a contributing part of this belief, Advents teach that the soul cannot exist apart from the body. During this interim period of “soul sleep,” so they say, the soul exists only in “the memory” of God.
In making their case adherents of “soul sleep” lean heavily on Ecclesiastes chapter nine, verse 5, which says: “At least the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, because all memory of them is forgotten.” This passage, however, as well as every other part of Scripture, must be interpreted in both its specific context and well as in light of what God’s Word teaches elsewhere (Scripture interpreting Scripture…..not passages “ripped out of context” – as too often occurs in connection with false teaching).
Soul sleep represents a departure from orthodox Christianity. And while it is especially advocated by the Witnesses and Adventists, it is also either taught or tolerated in an increasing number of Christian churches today, particularly those of the interdenominational/non-denominational/ independent persuasion.
What orthodox (correct-teaching) Christians believe, on the basis of God’s clear Word, is that at the moment of death, the believer’s soul goes immediately to be with the LORD in heaven. In that moment the soul is immediately glorified (perfected/purged of all sin). There in heaven it enjoys a continuous, conscious, personal, and perfect existence while it waits for the resurrection of the body on the Last Day. This is precisely what Jesus promised the believing thief on the cross when He said, “today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). By the way, when the Apostles’ Creed speaks about the “resurrection of the body,” it is not referring to the resurrection of Christ’s human body (which is already affirmed earlier in the Creed) but instead to the resurrection of our own bodies on the Last Day. (Soul sleep advocates, combining the soul and body into one unit, say that the Apostles Creed teaches that the soul and body are jointly revived on the Last Day….Of course, it doesn’t!)
The state of the believer after death is both amazingly different and infinitely better than what we experience in this life. Nevertheless it is not as different and as blessed as it will be once the final resurrection occurs. However, during what some have called “the intermediate state” (between death and the resurrection) our souls will experience a continuous, personal existence in the presence of Christ. Consequently, for the believer, death results in our immediate emancipation from the conflict and turmoil of this sinful life, at which point by God’s grace, our souls are permitted to enter into a state of perfection and blessedness in God’s presence forever Some of the many verses of the Bible that refute the false teaching of “soul sleep” include: Genesis 35:18; Ecclesiastes 12:7; Luke 16:19-31; Luke 23:43; John 11:25-26; Acts 7:59-60; Philippians 1:20-23; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; 1 Peter 3:18-19; and Revelation 6:9-10
The New Testament unambiguously makes it clear that the soul continues to have awareness and exists in God’s presence, even though the body has died and is buried. In our Sermon Text for today, Luke 16, Jesus relates to us the story of a rich man and a beggar who both physically die, but who both experience conscious awareness in the “intermediate state”—a fact that is difficult to deny insofar as that the rich man’s brothers are still living, while the final judgment obviously has not yet occurred.
In the lead up to one of today’s Scripture lessons, John 11, Jesus provides us with one of the clearest of examples of the soul living on after the body dies. In verses 11-4 our Savior tells His disciples, ““Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up.” Then the disciples said, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will get well.” Jesus had been speaking about his death, but they thought he was merely talking about ordinary sleep. So Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.” Here, as well as in many other examples, the Bible speaks about the dead body being asleep in connection with its death. However, the Bible never speaks of the soul going to “sleep” at the point of death.
Finally, if the soul does not continue to exist in a conscious state after the body dies, then it is inappropriate and incorrect for the apostle Paul to say that he desires to be away from the body in order to be at home with the Lord. And that is exactly what Paul says in today’s Children’s Lesson from Philippians 1:21-24: “Yes, for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to go on living in the flesh, that will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet which should I prefer? I do not know. I am pulled in two directions, because I have the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far. But, it is more necessary for your sake that I remain in the flesh. “ How could death be “better by far” than further fruitful ministry here on earth, if unconscious and unproductive “soul sleep” was all that was head for Paul? By the way, Paul reiterates the same point in this morning’s Epistle Lesson, from 2 Corinthians 5:6-10: “Therefore we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. But we are confident and would much prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. And for this reason we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home or away. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he did while in the body, whether good or bad.”
In the Words of God that will serve as our Scripture lessons for today, as well as elsewhere in the Bible, it’s clear that God hasn’t prepared our souls for “sleep”(unconsciousness) between our physical deaths and our resurrection, but for “soul satisfaction” in His presence in heaven. That’s why Solomon, in his concluding chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes writes, “the dust goes back into the ground—just as it was before, and the spirit [soul] goes back to God Who gave it.” (Eccl. 12:7).
In short, the doctrine of “soul sleep” is not supported by Scripture, and those who say it is have to twist and distort God’s Word to fabricate a justification for their false teaching. What the Bible makes clear in passage after passage is that the soul continues on in consciousness in God’s presence, after it is separated from its body at death. Whenever the Bible uses the terms “sleep” and “asleep” in connect with a person dying, that is simply a Biblical metaphor for the actual, physical death of the body. Consequently, the conscious existence of our souls in the presence of the Lord following the death our bodies is something to which, by God’s grace, you and I can look forward in faith, with eager anticipation and confidence.
The portions of God’s Word used in this worship flyer have been taken from The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version Copyright 2019, The Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission Music and lyrics, as needed, are used with permission via OneLicense.net #A712831
Pre-Service Prayer Heavenly Father, please guide me in wisdom and truth through Your Holy Spirit, as I spend this hour meditating on Your Word and rejoicing in Your limitless love for me. Assist me in being attentive in heart and mind to Your Word, as well as to the hymns of praise, the various petitions, and the prayers of thanksgiving my voice directs toward You. Use this worship service, O Lord, to deepen my love for You, to strengthen my trust in You, and to renew my commitment to You. All this I ask for the sake of and in the name of Your One and only Son, Jesus Christ, my Savior. Amen.
Pre-service prayer
Pre-worship music
Let Us Praise The Lord
The Greeting and Introduction to Worship
At the Pastor’s invitation, the Congregation will rise for
The Invocation
Pastor We begin this service in the name of the Father
Congregation Who gave us our lives through His almighty power.
P: And of the Son
C: Who redeemed our lives with His precious blood.
P: And of the Holy Spirit
C: Who gave us eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus.
P: Amen.
The Call to Worship and Opening Psalm Psalm 23
P: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want;
C: He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;
P: He leadeth me beside still waters;
C: He restoreth my soul;
P: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake;
C: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;
P: For Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me;
C: Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;
P: Thou anointest my head with oil;
C: My cup runneth over;
P: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
C: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
after which the Congregation may be seated for
The Opening Hymn Hymn 152 “I Know That My Redeemer Lives”
1 I know that my Redeemer lives; What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead; He lives, my ever-living Head!
2 He lives triumphant from the grave; He lives eternally to save.
He lives all-glorious in the sky; He lives exalted there on high.
3 He lives to bless me with his love; He lives to plead for me above.
He lives, my hungry soul to feed; He lives to help in time of need.
4 He lives to grant me rich supply; He lives to guide me with his eye.
He lives to comfort me when faint; He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.
5 He lives to silence all my fears; He lives to wipe away my tears.
He lives to calm my troubled heart; He lives all blessings to impart.
6 He lives, my kind, wise, heav’nly friend; He lives and loves me to the end.
He lives, and while he lives I’ll sing; He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.
7 He lives and grants me daily breath; He lives, and I shall conquer death.
He lives my mansion to prepare; He lives to bring my safely there.
8 He lives, all glory to his name! He lives, my Jesus, still the same.
Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives: “I know that my Redeemer lives!”
following which the Congregation will rise as
We Make Confession Of Our Sins To God
Pastor Brothers and sisters in Christ: the Word of God urges us to confess to our Lord all our sins of thought, word, and action. This is something that ought to be daily part of our spiritual lives, and should come forth from every heart that is humble and penitent. But we should especially do this when we meet together in His house to thank God for all that He has done for us, to praise Him, and to hear His life-giving Word. Therefore, come with me now, to our Heavenly Father’s throne of grace, and let us confess our sins together.
Congregation Miserable person that I am, + I confess and lament to You, O most holy God, + that I am a weak and sinful creature, + guilty of every sin, of unbelief, and of blasphemy. + I also confess that Your Word has not brought forth good fruit in me. + I hear it, but do not receive it earnestly. + I do not show works of love toward my neighbor. + I am full of anger, hate, and envy. + I am impatient, greedy, and bent on every evil. + Therefore my heart and conscience are heavy. + Lord, I ask You, free me from my sins, + strengthen my faith, + and comfort my weak conscience by Your divine Word, + that I may obtain Your promised grace.
Pastor Having humbly and sincerely confessed your sins before Almighty God, now be strengthened in your faith, mindful that our Lord is not willing that anyone should perish eternally, but that everyone should come to repentance, turning from their evil ways and receiving from Him everlasting life. God has commanded His ministers to declare His forgiveness of sins to all who are penitent. Therefore, rest assured that your sins have been fully covered by the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ your Savior. May the peace of God rest upon all of you. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Now, in the peace of God’s forgiveness, let us together praise our gracious and glorious Lord!
The Congregation responds with “All Glory Be To God On High”
sung to the melody of “Almighty Father, Strong To Save” (CW 517)
All glory be to God on high! We praise, we thank, we glorify,
And worship You, Who gives earth peace,
Whose love and favor never cease.
Lord God, our King, on heaven’s throne, Our Father, the Almighty One.
O Lord, the Sole-begotten One. Lord Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son,
O Lamb of God, You take away The sin of all, now hear us pray.
You rule at God’s right hand this day,
Have mercy on us, Lord, we pray.
You only are the Holy One; O’er all things You are Lord alone.
O Jesus Christ, we glorify You only as the Lord Most High,
Who with the Spirit e’er shall be One in the Father’s majesty. Amen.
after which the Congregation will be seated
We Hear God’s Word
The Old Testament Lesson Ecclesiastes 12:1-7
So remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the bad days come and the years arrive when you will say, “I have no delight in them,”
2 before the sun and the light of the moon and the stars are darkened,
before the clouds return after the rain,
3 before the day when the watchmen of the house tremble,
and the strong men are bent over,
and the women who grind grain cease because they are few,
and those watching through the windows can barely see.
4 Then the double doors to the street are shut,
as the grinding of the mill grows quiet.
A person wakes up at the sound of a bird,
but all the sounds of music are muffled.
5 Then they fear heights and terrors along the road.
The almond blossoms become white.
The grasshopper drags himself along,
and the caperberry has no effect.
Why? Because the man is heading to his eternal home.
Then the wailing mourners will go around in the street.
6 Remember your Creator
before the silver cord is snapped,
and the golden bowl is broken,
before the jar is shattered by the spring,
and the waterwheel is broken by the well,
7 and the dust goes back into the ground—just as it was before,
and the spirit goes back to God Who gave it.
The Second Lesson 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
Now we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal home in heaven, which is not made by human hands. 2 In fact, the reason we groan is that we long to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven. 3 If we do indeed put it on, we will certainly not be found naked. 4 To be sure, while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as the down payment.
6 Therefore we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 But we are confident and would much prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 And for this reason we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home or away. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he did while in the body, whether good or bad.
following which the Congregation will rise,
out of respect for the words of Christ, to hear
Today’s Third Lesson John 11:20-27
20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, while Mary was sitting in the house.
21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha replied, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the Last Day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even if he dies. 26 And whoever lives and believes in me will never perish. Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
The Gospel Lesson Luke 20:27-40
27 Some of the Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to him. 28 They asked him a question, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies leaving a wife but no children, his brother should take the wife and raise up children for his brother. 29 So there were seven brothers. The first took a wife and died childless. 30 The second took her as a wife, 31 and so did the third, and in the same way the seven died and left no children. 32 Finally the woman died too. 33 So in the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as a wife.”
34 Jesus said to them, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy to experience that age and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36 In fact, they cannot die any more, for they are like the angels. They are sons of God, because they are sons of the resurrection.
37 “Even Moses showed in the account about the burning bush that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord: ‘The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all are alive to him.”
39 Some of the experts in the law answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” 40 Then they no longer dared to ask him anything.
Afterward, the Congregation may be seated to sing
The Apostles’ Creed to the melody of “What A Friend We Have In Jesus”
(CW 411)
I believe in God the Father, Maker of the heav’ns and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, our Savior, God’s own Son, of human birth.
Virgin born, the Lord incarnate, Whom the Spirit did conceive,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate; Our salvation to achieve.
Crucified, was dead and buried, Down to hell in victory;
From the dead He rose the third day; Up to heav’n triumphantly.
There at God’s right hand He’s ruling, By His will the world is led.
He will come to judge the nations, Both the living and the dead.
I believe in God the Spirit, In His Church, His chosen band.
They are joined in close communion, Holy in His sight they stand.
I believe in sins forgiven; That the dead will rise again;
I believe in life eternal. Amen! Amen! A – – men!
The Children’s Lesson Philippians 1:21-23
21 Yes, for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to go on living in the flesh, that will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet which should I prefer? I do not know. 23 I am pulled in two directions, because I have the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.
Christians Are Dying To Live
The Sermon Hymn Hymn 606 “For Me To Live Is Jesus”
1 For me to live is Jesus; To die is gain for me.
So, when my Savior pleases, I meet death willingly.
2 For Christ, my Lord and brother, I leave this world so dim
And gladly seek another, Where I shall be with him.
3 My woes are nearly over Though long and dark the road;
My sin his merits cover, And I have peace with God.
4 In my last hour, oh, grant me A slumber soft and still,
No doubts to vex or haunt me, Safe anchored in your will.
5 Amen! For Christ my Savior Will grant this unto me.
Your Spirit lead me ever That I fare happily.
after which the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED for
The Greeting
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ! O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise. Amen.
The Sermon Text based on Luke 16:19-31
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. 20 A beggar named Lazarus had been laid at his gate. Lazarus was covered with sores and 21 longed to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Besides this, the dogs also came and licked his sores. 22 Eventually the beggar died, and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus at his side. 24 He called out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in misery in this flame.’
25 “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, and you are in misery. 26 Besides all this, a great chasm has been set in place between us and you, so that those who want to cross from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s home, 28 because I have five brothers—to warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets. Let them listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “Abraham replied to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
What Do Christians Believe About
the Soul of Believers When Death Arrives?
after the Sermon, the Congregation will rise for the post-sermon blessing
The Blessing And now may the peace that surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and souls in Christ Jesus, now and forever. Amen.
We Offer Our Gifts to the Lord
We offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) Those in the chapel can place their offerings in the offering plates
2) You can send a check (no cash) in the mail to Grace Lutheran Church (415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
3) Or, go online to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com) and use the giving option there.
after the offerings are brought forward, the Congregation will rise as
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We Bring our Prayers Before Our Lord
Included in our prayers this morning….
A Prayer of Intercession on behalf of our brother, Tim Pfortmiller
who is awaiting surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in his body
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
We Leave With The Lord’s Blessing
The Closing Salutation
Pastor May the Lord be with you.
Congregation – And also with you.
The Doxology
Pastor Now, to Him Who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy –
Congregation to the only God, our Savior, be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
The Benediction
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face to shine upon You and be gracious unto you,
The Lord look upon you with favor, and give you His peace. Amen.
The Closing Hymn Hymn 213 “Forever With The Lord”
1 Forever with the Lord! Amen! So let it be.
Life from the dead is in that word, My immortality.
2 While time on earth is spent, Absent from him I roam,
Yet nightly pitch my moving tent A day’s march nearer home.
3 My Father’s house on high, Home of my soul, how near
At times, to faith’s foreseeing eye The golden gates appear!
4 Lord, be at my right hand, Then can I never fail.
If you uphold me, I shall stand; With you I shall prevail.
5 So when my dying breath Shall rend the veil in two,
By death I shall escape from death To endless life with you.
6 I’ll know as I am known; How shall I love that word
And oft repeat before the throne, “Forever with the Lord!”
+ + + Thank You and God Bless You + + +
Thank you for being a part of our worshiping assembly this morning.
We invite you to join those around you for some good conversation and fellowship at the conclusion of today’s announcements, in the back of our chapel. (Normally we meet for fellowship in our gymnasium/fellowship hall, but due to our Voters’ meeting today, we’ll meet in the rear of the chapel).
We also invite you to worship with us again in the future either in person, or online through our YouTube.com channel (Grace Lutheran Church, Lowell, AR). We also hope that you will participate in the future in one of our Bible studies (again, either in person, or online).
Finally, if you have any questions about membership at Grace, we would be honored to have you become a member of our church family. Please speak to our Pastor about that whenever it is convenient for you.
May the comfort of God’s love and His forgiveness through Jesus Christ be with you throughout this day and this week.
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