1. Sermon: From Dust to Dust

2. Solomon’s Observations of Injustice and Wickedness 1)In the place of justice and righteousness – wickedness was there instead. 2)God will judge the righteous and the wicked – there is a time for everything.

3. Solomon’s Observations About Death 1)Death is God’s clearest sign to humanity that He is Not like us. 2)The global comprehensiveness of death frustrates our understanding of God’s perfect justice.

4. Commonalities Among Humans and Animals 1)Both are mortal and will eventually die. 2)Both have been given breath and life from the Lord and at death this breath will be gone. 3)Both have the same destiny.

5. Solomon’s Observations About Death 1)Death is God’s clearest sign to humanity that He is Not like us. 2)The global comprehensiveness of death frustrates our understanding of God’s perfect justice. 3)Solomon reveals that he is uncertain about what happens after death

6. Solomon’s View of Injustice 1)He sees oppression and the tears of the oppressed. 2)He sees no comfort for the oppressed. 3)He sees the oppressors as having the power.

7. Solomon’s Pessimistic Conclusion  It is better not to be alive than to have lived in a world engulfed in oppression and injustice

8. The Answers to Solomon’s Questions 1)All of the injustice and oppression of the world will be fully and completely judged by Jesus Christ in the final judgement when he returns.

9. 2 Thessalonians 1 5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted, as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

10. 2 Thessalonians 1 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

11. 2 Thessalonians 1 11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good, and every work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

12. The Answers to Solomon’s Questions 2)Those who in faith believe and trust in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of their sins and follow him as their Lord and Savior will be raised to life again after death.

13. 1 Corinthians 15 12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.

14. 1 Corinthians 15 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

15. 1 Corinthians 15 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.