A Stroll Through The First Cemetery

INTRODUCTION:

Ø Cemeteries intrigue me.

o I lived by a cemetery when I was a boy.

o My wife grew up next to a cemetery.

o Not long ago we drove through the cemetery here.

Ø The epitaphs tell the history of a community.

o They often illustrate the depth of Christian faith.

o They sometimes reveal the visitations of past plagues.

o They might bring tears to tenderhearted people who notice the numbers of early deaths.

Ø One thing that cemeteries remind us of is that death is an appointment that we all must keep. (Hebrews 9:27)

Ø Truths from a text about life and death.

BODY:

I. THE SURETY OF DEATH—5,8,11,14,17,20,27,31 “And He Died”

A. Death had been promised for taking of the forbidden fruit--Genesis 2:17

i. Satan cast doubt on this in the first temptation--Genesis 3:4

ii. Death entered with the first sin and has reigned ever since--Romans 5:12

B. Abel was the first person to die at the hand of another--Genesis 4:8

C. Adam was the first person to die a natural death—at the young age of 930--V. 5

D. The length of life recorded on these Biblical tombstones is revealing.

i. We don’t know why such longevity was the rule

ii. God still determines the life span of us all.

iii. Death may be long in coming for some, but it will arrive for all off us, if Christ tarries His coming

E. Death’s sure march calls for preparation for eternity.

F. No one is prepared to live until he is prepared to die.

II. THE SHORTNESS OF PHYSICAL LIFE

A. Note the ages at death: 777(Lamech)—969(Methuselah)

i. Do you think of death as only for the old?

ii. Ecclesiastes 12:1

iii. The first person to die was a young man (Abel).

B. Life is as uncertain as the withering of grass--1 Peter 1:24

C. Life is as uncertain as a vapor that appears and vanishes--James 4:14

D. The old must die; the young may die.

E. Remember the rich fool who expected to live for many years.

i. He thought that he could retire and take it easy.

ii. He died the day he boasted of a lifetime of plenty--Luke 12:20

III. THE SECURITY OF ETERNAL LIFE—21-24

A. Enoch walked with God and never died.

i. He is a beacon of light in a dark chapter.

ii. He is an example of life in a chapter of death.

B. We walk with God by faith--2 Corinthians 5:7

C. Faith brings salvation and eternal life--Ephesians 2:8

D. Enoch pictures believers who will be raptured when Christ returns.

E. Death has no power over those who know Christ.

Thanks to Roger Campbell for permission to use this outline with my own additions and illustrations.