Dates Of Destiny

DATES OF DESTINY

Appointments Every Man Must Keep

INTRODUCTION:

1. It has become quite popular to keep some sort of schedule keeper today

a. Some have them in their pockets at all times

b. Mine is a great big desk mat with a calendar on it

c. Some are on personal computers

d. Some are even on pocket computers with alarms and beeps when certain appointments come up

2. We are possessed by schedules and awareness of time

3. God has a certain schedule for our lives that we follow even if we do not like it and are not ready. (And there is not always an alarm or buzzer warning us when we are going to meet an appointment)

4. But we have five definite appointments that each person who lives will meet during their life.

5. Now the schedule may vary and we can change dates according to our life choices from time to time, but each of these dates will be met by each one who walks the earth.

6. We need to know about them so that we can handle them when we face them and so that we can prepare others who do not realize these lessons to have a better understanding.

7. In other words, they present us with the importance of evangelism.

TRANSITION: The first appointment everyone faces is:

I. Birth

A. Everyone who lives on the earth is born here.

1. We are not animals who hatch from eggs.

2. God placed a man, Adam, and a woman, Eve, in the garden and through them set in motion the means of procreation.

a. A man and woman come together as a couple

b. A child is produced

3. There is no way other then the way God made

a. I know what you are thinking, "What about artificial insemination and in-vitro fertilization?"

b. These are scientific means of doing what God set forth.

c. Regardless of the means of uniting the male and female components, unless that uniting occurs new life does not yet spring forth.

B. At birth the new person receives a spirit

1. That spirit is given by God

2. Ecclesiastes 12:7, "Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it."

3. See, it is the spirit that truly gives life to man

a. Without it we would be like useless lumps of dust

b. No different than our animal friends who have no moral drive or ability to love truly

c. God gave us a spirit and that is the greatest blessing because we can now receive and give love.

C. But the first event on God’s calendar for man is to be born.

TRANSITION: Next man has an appointment with

II. The gospel

A. Some may say that we skipped talking, crawling, and walking and all these steps

1. But we did not skip them

2. We are dealing with all men

3. And some never enjoy these blessings as most others do

B. The appointment with the gospel is the only step in which there is an option

1. We can accept it

a. Hebrews 5:9, "And having been made perfect, he became to all those who obey him the source of eternal salvation."

b. Through that option we receive eternal salvation

2. Or we can reject it

a. According to 2 Thessalonians 1:8 Jesus will return to deal out retribution to those who do not know God and do not obey his gospel

b. Rejection brings retribution

c. Not an appealing option

d. Accept and be accepted, reject and bring retribution

e. Those are the options involved in the appointment with the gospel

C. According to Paul we must preach that gospel

1. Just as he was under compulsion to preach the gospel so are we (1 Cor. 9:16)

2. Compulsion means that there is an overwhelming drive or an irresistible drive to perform the act

3. As Christians who receive the gift of a spirit from God that gives them the ability to love we are irresistibly driven to share the love of that gift with others

4. Because without the gospel our brother humans receive retribution and not salvation

5. And the love that accompanies that spirit will not allow that

TRANSITION: The third appointment is:

III. Death

A. This is a requirement even if you do not believe it

1. Some people deny their mortality

Marla Drieling does not believe that she will soon die even though the doctors say that there is nothing more they can do for her.

2. No matter how much we deny it, we will all die

B. Even the apostles died

1. None of them are here with us are they?

2. Some thought John the apostle would not die