The portion of the GraceSummit sermon I mentioned below

From March 19 Sermon
...
5. Then the fifth, commit to sharing the good news. Once you know the good news, you share it with other people. I've already shared this with my small group - but about 12 days ago (March 7) I heard that a friend of mine, Brad, was in the hospital and that the doctors had given up hope. That day, I went to visit Brad. I prayed that God would give me the right emotions to meet their needs the most. There was a sign on the door - Immediate family members only. I went to the nurses' station and said that I was really hoping to see Brad. She said that he had requested no visitors and asked if I would like to write him a note. Before actually thinking it through, I said, Sure.. Think about that a second... have you ever written a note to a dying person? It is a tough thing to do. So I stood there for a few minutes and thought. So finally I wrote about the times we had shared together - how helpful he was with my system and how I always enjoyed our talks. At the end of the note, I mentioned that my one regret was that we never had the opportunity to play golf together - because we often talked about golf. But in the middle, I wrote - My Dad was in a similar situation a few years ago, and a couple of scriptures that really helped to refresh his heart and mine -

John 5:24 - He who hears my word and believes on Him who sent me HAS eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

HAS eternal life. That is a present-tense verb - when you put your trust in Christ, you HAVE eternal life - it is not something you can lose. Because otherwise, it would not be eternal life that you have. There are other scriptures that support this more strongly.



The other verse I shared was from 1 John 5:13 - These things I have written to you who believe on the name of the Son of God that you may KNOW - and I underlined the word KNOW - that you have eternal life. And you know, those aren't necessarily preachy verses - and I don't know where Brad is coming from - whether he has been a churchgoer all his life or not - but I do know that those verses are true and give hope to a dying person. And can make him think - that if he has not put his faith in Christ, that he CAN KNOW that he could have eternal life. As it turned out, Brad's wife poked her head out the door and invited me in - as Brad was awake. I was honored to talk to him. He was very aware that his days were numbered = he even said that they were making arrangements. I mentioned something about the verses and he mentioned -something about hope = yes, there is hope for something on the other side.



As I was leaving - I told him that we would pray for him and his family. When the nurse came in, I did have the opportunity to talk to Brad's wife - and I told her a bit about Dennis and Linda - and what an inspiration Linda has been to us. We talked about how hard it is going to be - she will have two of her children with her - and for someone who is not yet 50 to be losing a husband and father like that = that is a tough thing. And again, Linda has been such an inspiration to us that I want to honor her by mentioning that. As I walked out - I said, See you on the other side = and that was my prayer for him.

My point is this - we need to be looking for opportunities to be sharing these truths. And not just in deathbed situations. What a hopeful verse = How many of your friends know for sure they are going to heaven? 1 John 5 - I write these things that you may KNOW you have eternal life. A lot of people I talk to say, Isn't that presumptuous? No, it is not - the Bible says right here - he who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son does not have the life - I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may KNOW that you have eternal life.