Four Absolutes (Funeral Sermon For A Christian Man Or Woman That Had A Long Serious Illness)

But we also see changes in other places, for example:

• The FASHION WORLD is constantly changing.

• The CAR DESIGNS are constantly changing.

• The BANKING INDUSTRY is constantly changing.

• The COMMUNICATION in this country is almost changing daily. For example:

(1) The telephone is being replaced by the Internet

(2) The US mail is being replaced by E-mail

• The WARS we fight are changing from hand to hand combat to airpower wars.

Our forefathers would be shocked to come back and see the many changes that have taken place since they lived here on earth.

But there are some changes that God has made to teach us valuable lessons, such as:

• The seasons, SUMMER, FALL, WINTER, SPRING are constantly changing to remind us that we have fewer days to live on this earth.

• The FAST GROWTH OF OUR GRANDCHILDREN is constantly reminding us that we are getting older.

• The WRINKLES in the face remind us that our body is constantly changing and time is running out on us.

• The GRAY HAIRS are a constant reminder that our days are running out.

• The ACHES AND PAINS in our bodies are constant reminders that our time on this earth is coming to a close.

These changes that we see constantly, are teaching us what Psalm 90:12 teaches us, and that is, “So teach us to number our days…”

We live in a changing world, and many of these changes are trying to teach us something. But there are four absolutes that have never changed. NEVER!

We can always depend on -

I. DEATH

Death has always been around since the beginning of time. As long as man has been on the face of the earth, man has had to deal with death.

Death will invade every one of our lives one day.

• There is no city that you can move to and avoid death

• There is no family that you can belong to and avoid death

Death is no respector of persons.

Death generally comes in two ways:

(1) SOMETIMES IT IS SUDDEN

1 Samuel 20:3 “…But truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.”

Many will wake up one day and they will take a step in this life, but their next step will be in eternity.

Death is SUDDEN for some, but -

(2) SOMETIMES IT IS GRADUAL

This was the case with _______________.

____________________, knew this day was coming in his life for years. With the help of good doctors he fought it off for years, but he knew eventually that Death would win the battle.

He knew he had put up a good fight, but he was about to lose this fight with death

In Heb. 9:27 we read, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

• Methuselah lived 969 years, but eventually his day arrived and he died like everyone else

• Houdini escaped death thousands of times, but one day he faced it and he did not walk away from it

• Elvis Presley and Howard Hughes had millions of dollars, but when their time came, they were no better off than the poorest of the poor. They could not buy one second with their millions

• Folks die in the best hospitals that are available to them, the same way they die in bad hospitals

• Some have the best doctors to care for them, but eventually the doctor has to say, “I have done all that I can do!”

• Some have the best medicine available, but eventually that medicine will no longer help them

One thing is certain; we can all depend on DEATH. Death is one of the CERTAINTIES of life.

But then the Bible says that after death, there is something else we can depend on and that is -

II. JUDGMENT

In Hebrews 9:27 we read, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, BUT AFTER THIS THE JUDGMENT.”

Illus: There are books today that you can purchase where you find people claiming to have all kinds of after death experiences.

Do not put a lot of confidence in such books, because the Bible says after this life is THE JUDGMENT. God is going to Judge every one of us.

Look at Romans 14:12, it says, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”

While the Bible teaches that God is going to judge us, God commands us not to judge one another.

In Matthew 7: 1-2, we read, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”