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New Castle United Methodist Church
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Weekly Sermons
Sermon for November 9, 2025
Text: Haggai 2:1, 6–9; 2 Thessalonians 2:1–5; Luke 20:29–33
Title: Living Beyond Death – The Saint’s Destiny
Introduction: A Flower in the Desert
Grace and peace to you, dear brothers and sisters in Christ. Imagine walking through a dry, endless desert. Sand, heat, wind, so nothing grows. Then suddenly, you see a single flower blooming in the middle of that barren land. Bright, alive, defying the desert. That flower is a picture of what it means to live in God. True life is not just existing, but it is miraculous, sustained by God’s Spirit even where life seems impossible. Today, as we remember the saints, Jesus invites us to discover that same miraculous life, a life that begins now and continues beyond death. The following are the essential points of today’s lesson.
First, we must see the difference between the world we live in, and the life God offers. The Sadducees asked Jesus about marriage in the resurrection. Jesus said, “Those who belong to this age marry, but those who are worthy of the resurrection neither marry nor are given in marriage.” Marriage is holy, but it belongs to this world, a world marked by birth and death. The life of God’s kingdom is completely new. It is not limited by human needs, losses, or death. Therefore, we must not confine God’s eternal kingdom to earthly limits. The life of heaven is not more of the same, but it is a new creation, sustained by God Himself.
Second, we must recognize that God’s eternal life is not only a future promise—it begins now. Jesus said, “They can no longer die; for they are like angels and are children of God.” According to His words, resurrection life is more than simply living forever; it is a transformation that starts here and now as we receive God’s immortality. Because of this, God calls us to be fully alive—to bloom like a desert flower thriving in impossible conditions. So let this be your prayer: “Creator, fill me with immortal grace!” Saints are those who live completely in Him, and His Spirit can make you flourish today, even in the midst of life’s deserts.
Third, we must awaken our hearts to true, living faith. In the Sadducees’ story, the woman was completely silent, selfless, and obedient to society’s customs. But she lived without love, without a voice, without claiming life for herself. Because of this, Jesus didn’t offer her the hope of resurrection. Her compliance alone was not enough; her faith had no life, no joy, no love. This is a sharp warning for all of us: religion without life, faith without love, obedience without heart, will not sustain us. God wants more than mere rule-following. He wants a living, breathing, and loving faith. Jesus awakened the woman, even as He warned her and He also calls us to open our eyes, to claim life in Him, to speak, to love, and to act with compassion. We are invited not just to follow rules, but to let our faith breathe life into ourselves and others to be the voice for those who are voiceless, to love where love is absent, to bring God’s resurrection life into every corner of our world.
Fourth, we must remember that God is the God of the living. Jesus said, “He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive.” Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died long before Moses, but God still called Himself their God. That means they still live in Him. Death cannot erase those who belong to God. You are invited into the same life because sainthood doesn’t start after the funeral, but it begins the moment you let God’s Spirit dwell within you. Living saints are people who carry God’s life in their hearts every day.
Conclusion: A Saint Who Lived Fully in God
Let me close with a true story. Saint Francis of Assisi, near death, was blind, weak, and in pain. Yet his heart overflowed with joy. He asked his brothers to sing praises to God for all creation. Even as his body failed, his soul was alive in God. That is what it means to live beyond death. Therefore, to live in God is to be like that flower in the desert, blooming where life seems impossible, radiant with God’s Spirit. So, it is a time for you to ask yourself: Am I truly alive in God—or merely existing? That is, am I living in God’s immortal grace or in the fear of death? Let God make your soul alive. Let His Spirit fill you with immortal joy, love, and eternal life. Because our God is not the God of the dead, but of the living and immortal. And to Him, all are alive. Amen.
November 9, 2025.
On a weekly basis Pastor KC provides a written sermon for members and visitors that can be found in the Church Bulletin. Pastor KC would now like to provide a copy of his sermon on the Church website.