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The Soul Train
Luke 16:22(NLT) “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried,

Introduction: You are welcome to speaking Scriptures for this week.
We all have at one time or the other received call on demise of loved ones.

Sometimes in 2020, I received a call from my sister that one of my brother-in-law fell down and died. It was shocking because he was hale and hearty according to reports, he just came back from USA and even distributed items brought from USA to owners.

The parable of Soul Train came to my heart overnight in that year and I am sharing this parable with you.

Soul consists of mind, character and emotions inside the  body of each individual. It continues to exist after the body made of dust expired or is dead and buried.
Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Train is a car with many carriages attached carrying passengers to a destination with some getting down at different stations.

Therefore, the Soul Train carries all that is born of a woman and All stations are named after a Year.

In the parable of the Soul Train, all souls enter  the train when born into this world and get down at the station when they die at appointed time.
I then figured it out in my mind after hearing this news in 2020 that this man entered the Soul train at “1956 station”  and dropped at “2020 station“.
I remembered this article written in 2020 when I received a call again on August 16, 2024 that our neighbour who was hale and hearty slumped and died on August 15, 2024. He entered the Soul Train at “1957 Station” and dropped at “2024 Station”.

For example, I entered at “1960 station”  and I am still in the “Soul Train” and only God knows the station I will drop.
We are all in the Soul train that  we entered when we were born and must get down when we die at appointed time.
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

The truth is we must all get down at different times as “Soul Train” gets to stations.
I remember during 2009 RCCG convention in August, we received a call that another of my brother-in-law who entered Soul Train at “1962 station” got down at “2009 Station“. It was another inevitable and unpleasant news.

Hear the Scriptures in Ecclesiastes 8:8(NLT) None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation, that dark battle. And in the face of death, wickedness will certainly not rescue the wicked.

Many people do not talk about death because of fear. The wisest man wrote in the Scriptures indicating that the day of death is better than the day of birth. But men will not lay it to heart. We celebrate when we give birth and mourn when we loose loved ones. What an Irony of life.
Ecclesiastes 7:1(NLT) A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume. And the day you die is better than the day you are born.

Going by this Scriptural verse, we are supposed to cry on the day we are born and rejoice on the day we die but opposite is the case worldwide.
All babies cry as they are born into this world but we along with relatives rejoice. But the day anyone dies, we along with relatives cry and Scriptures speak that the day of death is better than the day of birth. How can we reconcile this?

If the one who dies is carried like Lazarus, then he/she rejoices over there while relatives cry here on earth.
But if he/she dies like the Rich man, then he/she cries over there in torment forever this time around and relatives also cry for a while here on earth . Double jeopardy.

The wisest man also told us why we should discuss more about death than merriment so as not to be like a drunkard who enjoyed wine, forgot his sorrow and slept in the gutter.
Ecclesiastes 7:2(NLT) Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies—so the living should take this to heart.

Everyone under the fear of death is surely under bondage of the Devil as Scriptures speak.
Hebrews 2:14-15(NLT) Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.

❓Are you afraid of dying as a Christian who has been set free by Jesus Christ? Devil will keep you in bondage as long as you are fearful and make you to worship him. No wonder God excludes the Fearful from His Kingdom.
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Jesus has taken away the sting of death, therefore no fear in death due to the power of Christ in us.
1 Corinthians 15:55-57(NLT) O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The more we know God, the more we think about eternal life with Christ and be well prepared without fear of death.
Hear apostle Paul from prison in Philippians 1:20-21
For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.

Any Christian that is afraid of death is either too attached to this world or has no understanding of where he/she is going after death.
Apostle Paul declared in Philippians 1:23-24(NLT)
I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.

❓How many of our Christian leaders desire  to live for the sake of brethren? Many pastors desire to live because of wealth acquired in ministry and the paraphernalia of office.

You will observe from our text that Angels came to carry Lazarus to Abraham’s bosom while the rich man was buried at the station. Since we enter the Soul train with nothing, then when we shall drop at the station, it will be with nothing.
Job 1:21(NLT) He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave…

Imagine someone without relatives finds himself/herself at the airport or station in a country he/she has left for a long time with nothing at hand, and there was no communication after leaving that country,  then he/she will be stranded without help.
Hebrews 11:13-15 spoke about men of faith who considered themselves as foreigners on Earth and look forward to a city promised by God in heavenly places.
Jesus told His Disciples in John 14:3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

❓Are you attracted to this world and break fellowship with Jesus as His disciple? Jesus is the only one who can send Angels to come and carry faithful disciple from the Station where the Dead are buried like the Rich man pending the day of Final Judgment

The rich man was buried among the dead at the  Station while Lazarus was carried from  the Station to be among the living as the Resurrection and the Life sent Angelic “UBER” to carry Lazarus from the station.

If you have a strong tie with God, He will send heavenly “UBER” to come and carry you at the Station to a place of rest and everlasting joy.

Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

As we carry on activities in this world, let us be mindful of the fact that we are strangers and let our treasures be  laid up towards Heaven our permanent place of abode.
Matthew 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

How do we lay up for ourselves treasures in Heaven?
Hear what the Scripture says in Luke 12:34(NLT)
Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Don’t be deceived by pastors who care-less for your soul but care for your pocket. Your treasure is not primarily your money. Treasures include your Time and Talent. These 3 Tees occupy desires of the heart.

❓ Can God take over the management of your Treasure, Time and Talent? As we acquire Treasure, as we use our Time and Talent, all what God requires from us is to Fear Him, Love Him, Obey Him, Please Him and Serve Him. (FLOPS)
Deuteronomy 10:12-13(NLT) .“And now, Israel, what does the lord your God require of you? He requires only that you Fear the lord your God, and live in a way that Pleases him, and Love him and Serve him with all your heart and soul.  And you must always Obey the lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good.

✍ Finally brethren, hear the Scriptures from 
Romans 12:1-2  And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

While we are still in the Train, let’s have constant and consistent fellowship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ without copying the customs of this world  so that by our appointed time, when we come down at the Station, Angels will come to carry us to our eternal enjoyment like Lazarus.

✋ Maranatha.