Sherwood Forrest Church Evangelizing Part 2

The Sherwood Forest Church has initiated a door-to-door ministry to reach out to the community and break down barriers related to spiritualism. They conducted a survey on the topic of the state of the dead and found that many people had different beliefs. They clarified that when a person dies, their body goes to the grave and their breath returns to God. Souls do not live on after death and good people do not go to heaven immediately. The dead know nothing and cannot communicate with the living. The church emphasized the importance of living for God now and making the right choices in life. I am now here with the first elder of the Sheerwood Forest Church, Elder Hilton. Now, Elder Hilton, tell us what initiated this door-to-door today, and why do you choose today? I heard the church has been in training for the past few months, learning intently on the topic, the state of the dead. Now, what initiated this? As Elder Twain has been going through a study with us within Bible class, and we know that we are living in a time where people believe in spiritualism, and we need to break down that barrier within the community. So, as Elder Twain, as the personal director, has come up that we must go out, we do what we have just done, a survey in the community to get people different feedback, and from that arising out of the survey, we shall conduct a Bible class this year, this evening, in the square, that people can get more information and equipped for what it's about. And it is a breakthrough that we start here, and we take it step-by-step, because we need to reach the community as best as possible. Amen. Now, I understand, Elder, that the church has planned to do this every other month. So, one month will be taken doing studies on a specific topic, and then to the other month to go out in the community for the rest of the year. Tell us more about that. Yes, we have to do this, because oftentimes it's always been said that it's only time when we are doing a campaign, we are felt in the community. So, we have to change that atmosphere and break down that barrier. So, we have planned that we will go out, and as often as we can, to present the word on different topics, as we shall continue studying the church, and when we study and we are equipped, we'll be going on the street to present it to others. Amen. All right. Thank you very much, Elder Hilton. Okay, thanks. Now, I'm also here with Ms. Patsy. Ms. Patsy is from the Port Antonio SDA Church, but she came up today because she heard of what Sherwood Forest Church is doing, and like the apostles who sent for help, Ms. Patsy and Ms. Daris have joined the Sherwood Forest Church today to help in the community, to implement the door-to-door ministry of going around and doing surveys, asking questions on the state of the dead. Tell us, Ms. Patsy, how was it for you today? For me today, it was surprising to go there, because you know why? I get to understand that a lot of people, when they're thinking about the state of the dead, some say that when somebody died, they can come back, and some say they don't understand. Some say when the person died, they cannot do nothing, you know? And we asked people if they would like a Bible study, and some of them accepted, you know? And now we get some phone numbers so we can go and visit those persons, and not just the state of the dead, but to tell them a lot of things that they didn't know, even about the Sabbath and the commandment. Amen, amen. Now, Ms. Patsy, you're not from this church, but you came all the way here today to join the Sherwood Forest Church in doing door-to-door. What prompted this? Well, what prompted me, I should call it, I love to do witness for the lost. I love to do the door-to-door. You know, I enjoy doing it. And it is for us as a Christian to do, because when we do this, then we hasten the coming of the Lord. And this is our duty as a people now, not to sit in the church, but to go door-to-door and to tell people about God, because He's coming to visit us at the door. Amen, amen. And Ms. Doris is along here with Ms. Patsy, and she's going to tell her experience on the road today, how it was for her. Ms. Doris. Okay. It was very good. We went and it was very good. We get some good results. We saw some gentlemen and a sheer city on the roadside, and all of them passed this day, so it was a blessing for us. Amen, amen. Thank you, Ms. Doris. Well, friends, there you have it. The Heroes Forest Church is doing door-to-door, and they are going to continue this as a result today. It was even amazing. Our last interview will be done by the person who initiated this, Brother Elder Twain Harrison, the personal ministry director. We are going to get the last word from him, friends, but we pray that you will continue to remain with us until we are finished here, friends. And stay tuned, because now we are going right into the Bible study, to do the Bible study in the square of the community, and this is where everyone is located who can hear the message. All those who participated in the survey will be able to hear the question answered directly from the Bible. So, friends, stay tuned for that. It's about to be an amazing, amazing blessing that the Lord is going to pour out this evening on this here Sabbath day. We ask that you can give us your undivided attention as we shall go. As we are about to begin our service, we invite you to join with us and sing along as we sing praises unto the Most High. I invite you to bow your head as we are about to pray to begin our song service. Let us pray. Almighty God, we are truly blessed with your Spirit in our lives. Lord, as we come this afternoon, O God, to lift up you in songs of praise, O God, we invite your presence in our midst. We pray that you may surround this place. Lord, we pray that you may touch every individual that shall hear your beautiful songs sing unto thee, O God. Be with us. In your holy name I pray. Amen. We are now here with Elder William Harrison, who has initiated the door-to-door in the church along with the other elders. Now, tell us, Elder Harrison, what caused this initiation of the door-to-door experience today? Well, from last year, as we were looking at evangelism, we were looking at the LGBT community and based on how we were going about the training, the survey plan came up and we started our adventure this year in Church First Church. And we were planning on doing it in a physical way as it relates to doing a survey regarding the different doctrines of the church and would have taken the first one to the state of the dead. And it would have been one of the best experiences for me thus far as it relates to going out to hear what the person thinks regarding the state of the dead and their responses. And so, we give God thanks for that. And we give God thanks that this initiative can start in this area. And by and large, we pray that it will go far and wide to reach those persons who need the message of salvation. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Elder Harrison. And now, friends, we are going to join Elder Harrison along with Elder Simpson and Elder Jackson as they present now in the square the Bible study in regards to the survey, the state of the dead. How are you going to go about doing that, Elder Harrison? Alright, we are doing this as a Bible study discussion. I'm going to ask the questions and the press is going to answer. So, we're going to talk a lot as it relates to that doctrine. And as we are doing the survey, we are going to answer the question of the survey in the panel discussion. Okay, so it will be done by a panel discussion. And, friends, we are going to join them as we will rise in to that panel discussion now. The state of the dead. And it is a very important topic because it is a topic where a lot of persons already understand the biblical principle. The biblical principle of this day. So, what does the Bible talk about when a person dies? What happens afterwards? So, we are going to go into that this evening as we have our panel discussion. And you can just listen attentively for those who can hear so that you can learn the word of God as it relates to the doctrine or this topic about death. Alright, we are going to ask Sister Macpherson and Sister Harrison to partake along with all of you as well as we will discuss this topic. Alright? Where are we going to sit now? A person dies. What happens when a person dies? Does that person, does the soul go, as we normally know it, wandering around? Does something happen when the person dies? What really happens? We want to find out what the Bible says when a person dies because there are many places that when they die they always say that he is in a better place. We want to know what does the Bible say regarding that or if the person is around the throne as we normally say, somewhere around the throne. So, we are going to look in the Bible in Ecclesiastes 12 and verse 7. And I am going to read in your hearing. The Bible says the dust will return to the earth as it was and the spirit will return who gave it. So in other words, we know the body turns to dust again because it comes from the earth. Right? And also the spirit goes back to God who gave it. The spirit of every person who dies, whether saved or unsaved, or those who are not living a Christian life, right, returns to God at death. So when you die, the soul goes back in the grave. The breath, as we normally call it, or the soul, sorry, the breath of the spirit goes back to God. Alright, so I am going to ask Sister Harrison and Sister McPherson to also come in as it relates to that. You can share your point as it relates to what we just covered. As emphasized, the spirit returns to God whether you are unsaved or not. The spirit in the Bible means breath. So it is used interchangeably. Spirit is breath and breath is entry. And that returns to God according to Ephesians 12 verse 7. The question is, the spirit that returns to God at death is the breath of life. And it says that nowhere in all of God's book does the spirit have any life, wisdom, or feeling after a person dies. It is the breath of life and nothing more. Amen. Sister Harrison, do you want to emphasize this particular passage regarding what it means to return to God? As mentioned before, Ecclesiastes tells us that the spirit returns to God. And in Job 27 verse 3, it says the spirit of God is in my nostrils. And from there we get the understanding that the spirit emphasizes this place on the spirit because it is the breath that is given from God. And it goes directly back to God when someone dies. So the breath of God goes back to him, right? So it doesn't mean that if you are a Christian or you are in the world, once you die, the breath goes back to God. Because God is what gave life, right? So based on that, we are going to go to another question or a third question. And it says, what is a soul? What is a soul? Do you want to answer that again? Alright, we can turn, for those who have their Bibles here, the brethren who have their Bibles can turn to Genesis 2 and verse 7. And for those that are listening to us in the community, what is a soul? The soul is that that is formed, that the Lord formed man from the dust of the ground. And he breathes into man's nostrils the breath of life and that's when the soul is made. So breath plus life equals soul. Or sorry, breath plus body equals soul. Amen, thank you very much. And so we know that as she said, body which is dust and breath which is spirit equal a living soul. But if you minus the breath or the spirit of God, what do you get? There is no soul. And so therefore, a soul can only be, is when you have the breath of God, which is the spirit and also the body or the dust. Right? Without one of those entities, there is no soul. So there is a notion going around that souls live on. That is not correct, based on what we see in the Bible. A soul cannot live on. Once a person dies, that's it. The breath goes back to God and the dust or the body goes into the ground. Alright. We are not a soul, we are souls. Or a soul. Alright, let us continue to verse 4. Do souls die? The question asks, do souls die? Yes, a soul can die because as mentioned before, we are soul, we are a soul. Breath plus body equals soul and yes, a soul can die. According to Ecclesiastes 6.18 verses 20, it says the soul that sinneth shall die. And we know that deaths have been proclaimed on all men when sin entered the world. And according to God's world, souls do die. We are soul and souls do die because we are man and we are not immortal, we are mortal. Alright, thank you very much. And so, we are going to go to, and just to emphasize, as it says, God alone has immortality. Right? And so, we are immortal. Alright? So, as the Bible says, he is appointed once for man to die, but after that is what? The judgment. The judgment. So, we are appointed once to die and after we die there is a judgment. And so, we know based on the Bible that God alone is immortal based on 1 Timothy 6 verses 15 and 16 respectively. Alright, question number 5. It says, do good people go to heaven when they die? All who are in the grave will, sorry, do good people go to heaven when they die? Yes. Alright, as it relates to that question, when we did the survey this evening about where do we go when we die, some persons actually believe that we go to heaven, some believe that we go to hell, and some believe that we go to the grave. And it is quite funny that a lot of them actually believe that it depends on how you live that determines where you go. So, that led me to ask the question, so at what point then do they go where they go? And they said, well, I would have to think about that. So, I asked the question also, when you go to a funeral, where do persons normally go at their burial site? And everybody naturally said they go in the grave, right? So, a lot of people have their beliefs on this, not because of what they understand about what the scripture actually says, but it is a matter of what tradition is doing to the minds of people. But we want to clarify this evening and let the Bible speak about where people go when they die. Are good people, as the question says, when they die? So, in John 5, 28 and 29, it says, all who are in the grave will hear his voice and come forth. Now, if we are going to hear Jesus' voice, if we die and come forth, because we asked the question also about the first resurrection, and only the righteous are going to come up in that first resurrection, it means that if we are going to rise with Jesus and be saved and go to heaven, all who are in the grave and hear his voice will come, right? It means simply that you did not go anywhere before. You could not have been gone to heaven before and the righteous is not going to go to hell. So, you cannot go to hell when you die and you cannot go to heaven. So, it simply means that we are going to be in the grave. And the scripture also says in Acts 2 and verses 29 and 34 that David is both dead and buried and his tomb is with us to this day. For David did not ascend into the heaven. So, when we die, we are not going to go to heaven immediately based on what the scripture is saying. Neither are we going to go to hell. Some persons die, they are righteous and they are not in the grave either because maybe something happened and they were not able to be buried. So, what is going to happen to those people, right? Good question. None of them, doesn't matter the category or the class that we fall under, we are not in heaven when we die, neither are we in the grave Wherever our final resting place is, that is where we are going to remain until Jesus comes again. Based on what the Bible teaches. Amen. Thank you very much for that. And just to also emphasize that the Bible tells us that as we have life in our bodies, we should live for God now. And while a lot of things is taking place in this world, one thing is certain, death is certain. And so we have to also make our call in the election short. And I believe that God is calling each and everyone who is in this community in the area of my voice, that you need to also consider as it relates to where will your final resting place be. And so, do you want to be in heaven? Or do you want to go... Or do you... Well, or you want to be... I would not say lost, right? But the choice is yours, right? And if you follow God and hear His voice, I believe, if you are faithful and if you want to follow God, then God will make a way for you. Alright? Let us continue with your question. It says, how much does one know or comprehend after death? Well, the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 9, 5, 6 and verse 10, that the living know that they shall die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for their memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, their hatred and their envy have now perished. Nevermore will they have a share in anything under the sun. There is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you go. So friends, yes, the dead knows nothing, and Psalms 116, verse 17 tells us, the dead cannot praise the Lord. So God says that the dead knows absolutely nothing. So when someone dies, he cannot dream you, he cannot tell you anything because he knows nothing. So what do you say to a person who gets a cash flow dream? A grandmother dreams about the cash flow, so when the cash flow comes, what do you say about that? The dead knows nothing. Alright, let us go to question 7. It says, can't the dead communicate with the living? Are they aware of what is living, what the living is doing? According to our traditions and cultures, a lot of people have a lot of misunderstanding about the dead. Even when I was growing up and I did not know any better, I believed that when I see, or if I should see, somebody that resembles or looks exactly like the person that I actually knew, it is the person. And for me, that drives a lot of fear. And a lot of people today are scared of the dead because of their understanding of the dead. Though some people are of the belief that they can communicate with the dead, they are going to see their dead loved ones, and they can give them dreams and all of these things. Correct, right? Now, the Bible says in Job 14 verses 12 and 21 that a man lies down and does not rise. So the heavens are no more. They will not awake nor be aroused from their sleep. His sons come to honor and he does not know it. They are brought low and he does not perceive it. So that's why it's important whenever we want to show our appreciation to our friends and our family to make use of the opportunity when they are alive. Because sometimes if you go to a funeral, you see people do all sorts of things. They are there telling the dead all sorts of things. They come with their nice gifts. But the dead will not hear any of this. Neither can they appreciate what is being offered to them because when you die, you cease to exist. There is nothing more for you. So you can't come back and give anybody a cashback dream. You can't dream them about anything, about something that's going to happen to them in the future or something that is going to happen later on in the future. You cannot make any predictions about their life. You cannot protect them. Nothing at all because when you die, when you die, everything about you ceases to exist. And that includes communication, of course. Amen. Thank you. So now they cannot contact with the living. Now they know what the living are doing. They are dead. Their thoughts have perished according to Psalms 146 and verses 4. And that's the reason why we are emphasizing that now is the acceptable time. Now is for you to make your call in election show. God is calling you. Make good use of the opportunity where you can have that moment to repent of your sins and get to know Jesus, the Savior. Just to add to what I just said about the communication or the supposed communication of the dead with the living, one would ask a question or one would say, you can't tell me anything because I saw that person. I saw my mother last night. So how are you going to tell me that it's not my mother? What I would say about something like that is it's a spirit or a demon that's actually is it personate or impersonate? Is it personate? Impersonate. Demons that's actually impersonating that person and trying to make you believe that it's actually that person. So who is it or what is it that communicates with or persons normally see that represents or look exactly like somebody they know or their family member? It is actually demons that do these things. Because the Bible tells us in Revelation 16 verse 14 for they are the spirit of devils working miracles and these enemies are as we know them we call them fallen angels, right? They are demons and they take on the impersonation of individuals and let them think that, hey, it is your grandmother but it is the enemy working and it is telling you a lie. Alright, so let us continue. Question number 8 Jesus called the unconscious state after sleep. In John chapter 14 verses 11 to 14 how long will they sleep? Sister Harrison. The Bible tells us in Job 14 verse 12 that man lies down and does not rise till the heavens are no more. So as stated before we believe that there is a resurrection that is going to take place at the second coming of Christ the resurrection of the righteous which will be the first resurrection and that will be of the righteous and then the righteous will go to heaven and after a thousand years when they come back to earth there is going to be another resurrection which will be the resurrection of the wicked. So they sleep until the resurrection and that is when Jesus put in his appearance. Amen, thank you very much. And so the dead will sleep until the great day of the Lord at the end of the world. In death, humans are totally unconscious with no activity or knowledge of anything. So question number 9 What happened to the righteous dead at the second coming of Christ? The righteous dead? What happened to the righteous dead? Those who died in Christ at the second coming of Christ. What happened? The Bible tells us in Revelation 22 verse 12 Jesus said, Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according to his worth. You see friends God is coming back to give the righteous their reward He is also coming back to give the wicked their reward and the righteous will be rewarded with eternity. The Bible tells us in Thessalonians 4 verse 16 and 17 that the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout and the dead in Christ will rise first. And thus shall we always be with the Lord forevermore. And it doesn't stop there. In 1 Corinthians 15 verse 51 and 53 it says we shall be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye and the dead will be raised incorruptibly. In other words friends this body that has scars that has bruises or afro-kinky hair everything will be changed about us. This mortal shall put on immortality will glow as if sin had never touched us before. And we are also told that we shall put on incorruption and take up immortality friends and we will be alive forevermore. And that will be the reward of the righteous. They will rise first and they will be caught up to meet the Lord in the year. There will be no purpose in our resurrection if the people are taken to heaven before the resurrection. It says if you keep His commandments and live then eternity, eternal life will be your reward. And I believe that for all of us who believe in God you want to be saved in God's eternal kingdom because this world is not a nice place. So much killing as it is ensured for us that the Creator loves me You want to be in a place where you can't tell God to wash your back because He wants to steal your stuff. You want to live in a place where you don't have to worry and God can give you that reality but you have to take time to know God whom to know is life eternal. And so as we continue Question number 10 Will the righteous people who are raised in the resurrection will they die again? Again I will go back to the Bible to answer this question in Luke 20 and verses 36 and 37 and I will share other scripture passages as well to answer this question. And Luke 20, 35-36 says Those who are counted worthy to attain that age and the resurrection from the dead nor can they die anymore. Revelation 21 and verse 4 says God will wipe away every tear from their eyes there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying there shall be no more pain for the former things have passed away. And to further answer the question it says No, no death, sorrow, crying and tragedy will never enter into God's new kingdom. When this corruptible has put on incorruption and this mortal has put on immortality then shall it be brought then, sorry, it's written death is swallowed up in victory. Amen. And so, no. And so that is a blessed hope to know that those who are going to be saved when they are resurrected they are never going to see death again. Death will be no more for them. The Bible says that death wears a thing. Right? No more. So what we fear in this life when we get over that side where God will give us eternal life and so forth death will never be a part of our life anymore. No more sickness. No more crying. No more tears. No more heartache. No more trouble in your life. As it says, no more crosses. All these things they shall put away from those who serve the Lord those who are going to be saved in God's kingdom. And finally, our final question this evening It says It says belief in reincarnation is expanding today in today's world. We know that. There are a lot of people who are talking about reincarnation. Is it a biblical teaching, Sister Arista? Not so. Well, well, almost half the people on earth believe in reincarnation. A teaching that the soul never dies but instead continually reborn in a different kind of body with which it succeeds in generation. This teaching, however, is incorrect in the scripture. The Bible tells us again in Ecclesiastes 9 verses 5 and 6 that the living know they will die but the dead know not anything. Furthermore, will they have no share in anything under the sun. So after death, a person returns to the dust. According to Psalms 104 verses 29 He knows nothing according to Ecclesiastes 9 verse 5 possesses no mental powers That's what David says in Psalms 146 verse 4 and he has nothing to do with anything on earth. Let me emphasize that. The dead has nothing to do with anything on earth. He does not live nor does he wait he does not live but he only waits in the grave and he continues to wait in the grave until Christ comes. If we see a dead loved one a dead relative, a dead friend it simply means they are being impersonated by Satan himself. Satan impersonates persons by taking on their form and their characteristics and everything that they do and deceive men and women so that we can think the dead live again. We learn in question 11 and 12 that Satan invented the teaching that the dead are alive but friends that's not true. Reincarnation channeling communication with the spirit or the spirit worship or the spirit world or underlining souls all are an invention of Satan with one aim friends and that is to deceive us to deceive God's people and when we are deceived friends and we live in deception we will also live in fear. When people believe that the dead are alive the spirit of devils are working miracles and present as spirit of the dead to be able to deceive and lead many in fact thousands astray. So friends I am imploring to you today if you see a dead relative know that that's not your family member nor your friend because the Bible clearly tells us that the dead know not anything only the living know that they shall die. Amen and thank you very much for your time and I want to give thanks for also this opportunity that we could be here in this community just to share a moment with you about what happened after death. I'm going to give this to my person another time to speak if you don't mind my sister. Yes and just to add because according to our culture we do some very strange things when we have dead family members I have seen where persons went ahead and they paint their house because they said they don't want the dead to come back and find where they live. When I was growing up I would see persons wear red underwear and they would put red things on their children's hands and what are some of the other things that they do? A lot of the other things are shoes Yes and all of these traditional stuff. Right and one of the new things that is taking over the country I don't think it's just Sherwood Forest or Portland alone is this thing called the candle light. Right Right and that's a big thing that's taking over and a lot of people are doing these things and they do not know where they originate from the meaning of them or that they even have a meaning and the meaning is not good because based on my understanding of what the Bible teaches this simply means that you are calling not the supposed dead but the spirit of devils to your home because have you ever heard the saying about light a candle sing a song and find your way back home? Right Right that has to do something with the whole candle light thing so the dead is going to find their way home now if the Bible says that when you die you do not know anything you are not going to go back to where you are coming from so there is no need to be afraid some persons don't like to sleep in the house where the dead person dies they don't want to sleep in the bed Right and they throw away all the clothes and they do some strange things and it's a part of our culture and some persons find it very very what is the word that I want to use comforting when they believe in these things but when we believe if we believe I should say in these things they are correct and if we because a lot of Jamaican people will tell you that they love God and they believe in what the Bible says Where are the reapers that corner him? The sheaves of the good from the fields of sin With sickles of truth must the work be done And no one can rescue the harvest home Where are the reapers? Oh who will come? And share in the glory of the harvest home Oh who will help us to garner in The sheaves of good from the fields of sin The fields all are ripening and poor and wide The world now is waiting the harvest time But reapers are few and the work is great And much will be lost should the harvest wait Where are the reapers? Oh who will come? And share in the glory of the harvest home Oh who will help us to garner in The sheaves of good from the fields of sin So come with your sickles ye sons of men And gather together the golden grain For until the Lord of the harvest come And share his joy in the harvest home Where are the reapers? Oh who will come? And share in the glory of the harvest home Oh who will help us to garner in The sheaves of good from the fields of sin Truly blessed In fact one person said he would be at the church this coming Sabbath And we want to praise God for that friends Indeed the community have learned that the dead knows not anything And when someone dies their body goes back in the earth And the spirit which is the breath goes back to God Friends we want to thank you so much for joining us this year's Sabbath evening As we worship together with the Sherwood Forest Church We pray that you will continue to do the work of the Lord In your community going from door to door Taking the example of the Sherwood Forest Church here in Jamaica, Portland And friends we pray you will implement this ministry in your congregation So we can meet many for Christ We pray that you will continue to have a wonderful day And a wonderful Sabbath evening God bless you