What If We Never Die?

October 5, 1997
Valley Vineyard - Reseda, CA

Dallas delivered two deeply resonant sermons at his home church, Valley Vineyard in Reseda, California,on October 5, 1997. The theme that anchored both services was a simple yet profound question: What if we never die? With warmth, wit, and theological depth, Dallas explored the reality of eternal life not just as a distant hope, but as a present truth—one that transforms how we live, think, grieve, relate, and hope.

In these sermons, Dallas doesn’t sidestep the mystery of death but reframes it. Drawing from the words of Jesus and Paul, and weaving in stories, scripture, and his characteristic philosophical clarity, he encourages us to live in light of eternity now. His aim? That we might not just believe in eternal life intellectually but internalize it deeply—so much so that it reshapes our imaginations, our families, and our very experience of living.

Resources

1: What If We Never Die? - 1st Service

What if physical death isn’t the end but merely a doorway into fuller life with God? In this powerful Dallas challenges our assumptions about death, identity, and purpose, offering a vision of life that never ends. He calls us to live now as eternal beings already held in the reality of God’s Kingdom.

2: What If We Never Die? - 2nd Service

In the second service of the morning, Dallas deepens the conversation about eternal life by asking: What does it mean to never really die? He invites us to see every person—and every moment—in light of their unceasing spiritual reality. This is a call to live wisely, love deeply, and plan for forever, starting today.

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What If We Never Die? - 1st Service

Highlights:

  • Jesus Abolished Death: Dallas unpacks 2 Timothy 1:10, declaring that Jesus “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light.” This is not a poetic idea but a historical and spiritual reality that should reorient how we see everything.
  • The Slavery of Believing Life is Over: Many people, even faithful Christians, experience despair because they think their life is over after loss or disappointment. Dallas shares the story of a disillusioned pastor and reframes “the end” as a new beginning in God's ongoing plan.
  • Death as Sleep, Not Extinction: Drawing from John 11, Dallas explores Jesus's language about Lazarus—how Jesus describes death as sleep, not an end. The shift from “he is asleep” to “he is dead” shows the limitations of human language when describing eternal truths.
  • The Misery of Grief Without Vision: Dallas offers a powerful insight into why “Jesus wept.” He wasn't mourning Lazarus, but lamenting the blindness of those who believed death was final—grief without the hope of resurrection.
  • Why You Will Never Cease to Exist: Your continued existence is not just about your soul’s durability—it’s about God’s intent. Dallas lists three reasons: God has plans for you, He has invested in you, and most of all, He loves you.
  • Eternal Life Starts Now: Dallas insists that eternity is not a future destination but a present reality. We are called to live now in the light of our unceasing existence—with vision, spiritual formation, and a reimagined way of treating others.

What If We Never Die? - 2nd Service

Highlights:

  • No One Dies Alone: Dallas returns to Luke 16 and the story of Lazarus being carried by angels. He affirms with tenderness and confidence that no disciple of Jesus dies alone—God’s care accompanies every step across the threshold.
  • What Is Your Life, Really? Life is not our bodies or our brains—it’s our conscious experience, our relationships, our loves and memories. Dallas gently but firmly challenges our modern reductionism and reminds us that our essence continues.
  • Death Isn’t the Problem—Misunderstanding Life Is: The reason death is feared is because we don’t understand what life truly is. Jesus brought “life and immortality to light,” showing us that what we call “death” isn’t the end, and may in fact be a deeper beginning.
  • Living Today as a Citizen of Eternity: We must not wait until death to participate in eternal life. Dallas calls us to develop kingdom life now, through prayer, spiritual disciplines, and the daily expectation of God's hand in our lives.
  • Treating Others in Light of Eternity: From children to strangers to enemies, we are to treat everyone as unceasing spiritual beings. Dallas quotes Thomas More to remind us that even those who wrong us may one day love us with eternal friendship.
  • What Will You Be Doing 400 Years from Now? God’s aim, Dallas says, is to make us into the kind of people who can be trusted to do what we want to do—because our “wanters” have been healed. Eternity isn’t static; it’s filled with creative goodness and divine partnership.