Dig Deeper - Sunday 3rd August 2025
Sermon Reflection Questions - Exploring Life's Biggest Questions Through the Lens of Faith: Have You Ever Wondered What Happens When You Die?
John 14:1-6
Dig Deeper notes from Sunday 3rd August service:
Have you ever wondered what happens when you die?
It’s one of life’s deepest, most personal questions. Whether we voice it or not, we all think
about it. The good news is—we don’t have to guess. The Bible gives us real answers: not
vague comfort, but solid hope.
1. Jesus Prepares a Place (John 14:1–6)
On the night before His death, Jesus spoke directly to His disciples’ fears:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. My Father’s house has many rooms… I am going there to
prepare a place for you.”
He offers something far greater than a vague afterlife—He promises a home. Then He says:
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Jesus isn’t just a guide—He is the way. He’s not just offering truth—He is truth. He’s not merely
talking about life—He is life. Heaven is not about what we do; it’s about who we trust.
2. Death Is Swallowed Up in Victory (1 Corinthians 15:50–58)
The apostle Paul pulls back the curtain on what happens next:
“The perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable… then the saying that is written will
come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’’
This is the promise of resurrection. Not a floaty, disembodied existence, but real, restored,
glorious bodies—like Jesus after the resurrection. Death is not the end of the story. It’s been
defeated.
Paul finishes with a cry of triumph:
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
Because of Jesus, the sting is gone.
3. A Thief Finds Paradise (Luke 23:39–43)
Perhaps the most moving moment in Scripture comes at Jesus’ crucifixion. Two criminals are
dying next to Him. One mocks. But the other, aware of his guilt, simply says:
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
He had nothing to offer. No good deeds, no church attendance, no time to make amends. Just
a desperate, honest plea for mercy.
And Jesus responds:
“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Let that sink in:
• Today – Not someday. Not eventually. But immediately.
• With me – The real joy of heaven is being with Jesus.
• In paradise – A place of peace, beauty, and healing.
That exchange turns religion upside down. Salvation is not about earning; it’s about receiving.
It’s about grace. If the thief on the cross can receive eternal life, so can anyone.
So… What Happens When We Die?
If we’ve trusted Jesus, we go to be with Him. Not in some abstract way, but truly, fully,
eternally. And when Jesus returns, our bodies will be raised, and we’ll live in a new creation
where death, pain, and tears are no more.
That reality changes everything:
• We live with peace – because death has lost its sting.
• We live with purpose – because nothing done for Christ is wasted.
• We live with urgency – because eternity is real, and people need Jesus.
Discussion Questions to reflect on:
1. What stood out to you most from Jesus’ words in John 14:1–6?
How does His promise of preparing a place bring comfort in the face of death or loss?
2. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:58 that our “labour in the Lord is not in vain.”
What does it look like to live with that eternal perspective in your everyday life?
3. Why do you think Luke included the story of the thief on the cross?
What does it teach you about grace, forgiveness, and the heart of Jesus?
4. How might you share the hope of eternal life with someone who is afraid of death
or uncertain about faith?
What’s one step you could take this week?
5. C.S. Lewis once said, “Aim at heaven and you’ll get earth thrown in. Aim at earth
and you’ll get neither.”
What are you aiming your life toward? How might this quote help you rethink your
priorities?
6. Have you ever personally said to Jesus, “Remember me”?
What might it look like to entrust your life—and your eternity—to Him today?
A prayer to close.
Lord Jesus, thank You that we don’t have to guess what happens when we die. Thank You for
preparing a place for us, for conquering death, and for offering eternal life. Help me live today in
light of forever—with peace, purpose, and courage. And may others see Your hope through me.
Amen.
