What Happens…? 
When One Is Terminally Ill, Is It Biblical? 

The question has been asked, what happens? What happens if one is 
terminally ill? Is having a will, a living will, an Advance Directive, and 
pre-planning my funeral biblical? 

I believe the definition of terminally ill is a perception based on where one 
lives. A recent survey at the University of Michigan concluded that one
becomes terminally ill when they become sick at the Greyhound terminal.

I believe that at the moment we are born we are terminal for we can never 
breathe the breath we just breathed, relive the second we just lived. And, 
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is our example. For Jesus was born
terminal, he was born to look death in the face. 

Matthew 2:13-14

Now when the wise men had departed, behold, an angel of 
the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take 
the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there 
till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to 
destroy him.”

Matthew 17:22

As they were gathered in Galilee, Jesus said to His disciples, “The 
Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will 
kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” 

And Jesus cried again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. The 
issue is not a diagnosis of being “terminally ill,” for a diagnosis is not a 
death sentence, to ask “When am I going to die?” A diagnosis is a life 
sentence to ask, “How am I going to live my life?”

In the words of comedian Gracie Allen, “Never place a period where God 
has placed a comma.”

He is twelve years old, diagnosed with a brain tumor, weak, in pain, on 
morphine, fighting the fight of his life. His room was right across from the 
nurse’s station, as he was critically ill. As I sat in the nurses station 
charting, I heard those too familiar footsteps of his father an Air Force 
officer, who walked with confidence and pride. I couldn’t help but to watch 
as the officer walked into his sons’ room and became daddy as he gave 
his son a kiss and a hug. Then dad and son would play a game on his 
hospital TV for what seemed like hours. When his dad left I noticed the 
young man would turn off his television, hit his morphine button a few 
times and fall asleep. One afternoon I walked into the young mans’ room 
and told him that I was thinking about getting a computer game but 
needed his advise on what to get. I advised the young man that I couldn’t 
help but to notice how he loved to play the games on his TV and seemed 
to be an expert. That is why I came to him for advice. With tears in his 
eyes the young man told me, I don’t really like to play the games but it’s 
something my daddy likes. I know playing it makes him stop thinking about 
me dying…and about us living life together at that moment. As we play, 
laugh, and enjoy being together. Then when he leaves and I know I do not 
have to be happy for him, I take some morphine if I need to and rest for I 
feel so much pain.

In studying the scriptures, it is interesting to learn that Jesus knew he was 
terminally ill for numerous times Jesus told His disciples that he was going 
to die. The illness you may ask; the hatred of men that would cause Jesus’ 
death. But yet Jesus taught, was a leader and in His life, as anyone is 
capable of, made a difference in the lives of those Jesus met.

I have been blessed to take the journey with those diagnosed as terminally
Ill, which is defined by Hospice as one having approximately six months or 
less to live. Often I ignore the diagnosis of one being terminally ill, for there 
is only one great physician in charge. And I have learned over the years by 
taking the journey with another and the insurance companies that no 
insurance policy can dictate how long one is going to live. Only the great 
physician can dictate how long we have to live and when he, God, is ready 
for us to die. 

On September 20, 1975, I John Walter Mock was diagnosed with Acute
Mylogenous Leukemia and given four months to live. The date is January 
24, 1980, my diary reads, “4 years have passed and I am still here. 
Yesterday they told me ‘you have no time”, today they tell me “who knows, 
you may make 100.” In these past 4 years I count each one with a blessing. 
A blessing, for being able to wake up every morning. It gets hard to face 
people who were friends of patients I have known much too well, only to 
see them die. The swallow gets harder and dryer and the “I’m sorry” and 
tears just don’t come as easy. Neither does the smile on my face, or the 
kind thoughts in my mind. It gets harder daily to fight back the flash backs 
of friends gone by, and to hold the words inwardly when abused with 
emotional pain. Yes, they say it’s been 4 years that they thought would 
never be. To me it’s been 50 years that at times I wished never existed. In 
years they tell me I’m 24, in physical and mental feelings I tell them I’m at 
least an old dying man. Today the doctors tell me, “WHO KNOWS?” 
Today I told the doctors, “I DON’T REALLY CARE.”

So what about the question? Is having a will, a living will, an Advance 
Directive and pre-planning my funeral Biblical? YES having a will, a living 
will an Advance Directive and pre-planning our funeral is Biblical! Our Lord 
and Savior Jesus Christ is our example as he told His disciples what was 
to come, what He expected of His disciples and of His impending death, 
John 16:16-24. Then our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ gave His last will and 
testament in the Book of John Chapter 17.

SO HOW DO I GO ABOUT THIS? Do I need a lawyer, a PhD, or to go to 
the bookstore and buy the book: A Dummies Guide To Writing Your Own 
Will, Living Will, Advance Directive and Pre-Planning Your Funeral. The 
reality is, that anyone can write a will and it does not have to be notarized 
as long as one signs their name and dates it. For writing a last Will and 
Testament states what you want done with what you have, whether it is 
materialism, money, a pet, and any special wishes you want after your 
death.

Now listen carefully as we have learned that a will says what you want 
done with your earthly possessions or any other special wishes after 
your death. A living will is similar but different, for a living will states what 

you want done for yourself (similar) in the event you are too ill to make 
health/life care decisions for yourself (different). An Advance Directive 
states who you want to make your decisions or choices for your health 
needs. Unlike a will which the individual writing it must sign and date a 
living will needs two separate individuals to sign and date it as witnesses 
to your desires.

Unlike a will, a living will makes decisions about the most important issue 
in the world, a human life, your human life and what you want done
medically if you are unable to speak for yourself. Questions like, “Do I 
want to be put on a machine to make me breathe?” “Do I want to be fed 
through a feeding tube if I am unable to breathe on my own?” “When is 
enough ENOUGH?” An the Advance Directive names two persons who 
you trust to be contacted on your behalf if medically necessary.

It was not that long ago when a lady made international news that could 
have been avoided along with a bad split in a family. Who was she you 
ask? She was forty-one years and one hundred-eighteen days old, her 
name? Terri Schiavo and her life and death was a gift to all for there was 
a lesson to be learned and implemented in each of our lives. 

The lesson? Let those you love know what you want in the event you 
become so ill or paralyzed that you cannot speak to desires at home and 
your medical desires and put it in writing so that there are no questions.

The problem though, often lies in a simple question for the individual and 
their loved ones. The question for the individual, “Is having a living will 
admitting I will not be in control of my life? Who in their right mind would 
want to admit that let alone think about it?” 

The question for the loved one, “Am I keeping them alive for me because 
I’m afraid of getting in trouble first with God and then society?” 

OKAY, SO WHY SHOULD I PRE-PLAN MY FUNERAL? I don’t want to 
think about death, that’s morbid. Or as one person once told me, “I’m 
never going to die; I’m just not going to show up for work one day!”

I have worked as an embalmer having professionally and personally seen
death first hand from my own near death experiences from 1975 to 2000,
and I have learned something’s along the way. Jesus Christ is my Lord and 
Savior so what is there to fear in death for my body will die one day but my 
soul shall live in heaven. I have learned the Eagle Scout Motto, Be 
Prepared, means Be Prepared not just for yourself but also those you love. 
In love and with faith step out and make those important decisions about 
your life and death verbally and in writing. Make your desires be known so 
as to remove this burden from your love one.

A member of the community died last week and the eulogy in the 
newspaper spoke of how this individual was a fantastic parent, spouse, 
friend, and fellow employee, American citizen, and how tragic it is that this 
member of the community had to die. But this individual did not just leave 
a grieving spouse, family, and friends for as this member of the community 
lay dying there was no living will so that everything was permitted to sustain 
life. Which meant that no funeral plan had been made and nobody knew if 
there was a will, if there was a living will, if there were insurance papers. 
Those who were left are left with bad memories of searching to do all the 
right things for their love one in the love ones last hours of life. Searching 
for that which could have been completed by the deceased instead of 
enjoying the last moments of life with their loved one. 

As you came in to the sanctuary this morning you received two packets. 
One is about writing your own Advance Directive, living will, the other is 
about pre-planning your funeral. These forms can be used anywhere. I 
want it perfectly clear that I am not endorsing any funeral homes with this 
funeral pre-planner. I like this pre-planner, as the way it is written is easy 
to follow for both writer and reader. 

What I am addressing in this sermon is not just a diagnosis of being 
terminally ill, or writing your will, living will or pre-planning your funeral.
The reality of life is that we all will one day have a meeting with the 
undertaker whether alive or dead. The reality of life is that every cradle 
swings over an open grave.

What I am addressing in this sermon is that we need to be a good steward 
of our life. Not just on money matters and tithing to the church. A good 
steward makes decisions now in writing so that others may know your life, 
health, serious illness and death wishes. 

From the book of wisdom, the Book of Proverbs, 

Proverbs 16:9

The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps.

I don’t know about you but I only know one person who has never died His 
name is Jesus Christ. 

Complete this sentence.

If I died at this moment my love one knows that I want _____________

DO THEY REALLY?

Let us pray, 

Father God your word tells us in the Book of John 14:18: I will not leave 
you orphaned; I am coming to you. Thank you Father God, 
for these words of assurance in our lives. May we in 
turn not leave those we love, orphaned and 
wondering what to do in our 
earthly death. 
Amen







09/24/2006JWM



Return To Sermons