Going Out In Style

Intro: Pope’s funeral the largest religious gathering in history. Across this globe people have viewed John Paul’s body lying in state. Someone might say, he is going out in style, like the Texas millionaire who was buried in his Rolls Royce. But the size of your funeral gathering is not what is so important, but what awaits you on the other side of tomorrow. Today let’s examine the Word of God for people who went out in style.

GOING OUT IN STYLE

I. Enoch—the man who went out, walking with God. Genesis 5:24, Hebrews 11:5. We have very little information on Enoch in the Bible, but these two verses are key to his life. If you want to go out in style, then follow the example of Enoch.

· Spent his life walking with God—it seems from scripture that Enoch spent time with God. It seems that he had a special relationship with God even in an evil generation. Today, if you want to have a glorious exit into the next life, walk with God, spend time with God in prayer, and you will have a glorious entrance into eternity.

· His life pleased God—this was the testimony about Enoch, that God was pleased with him. So many times we spend our lives trying to please everyone in our life. But the most important thing is to have a life that pleases God.

· For God took him—Genesis 5:24—this is an amazing story, one day while he was walking with God, God took him home. It is wonderful when a life starts with God, but it is even better when a life ends with God.

II. Elijah- the man who went out in a blaze of glory—2 Kings 2:11—along with Enoch, Elijah is the only other person never to taste death, he simply went out in a blaze of glory. To me, that is going out in style.

· He didn’t burn out for God, he went out in a blaze of glory. You see so many start out strong, but over the years lose their fire for God. I want to follow in the example of Elijah, the end of the thing is better than the beginning.

· The last people who see you, see God’s glory in your life. Elisha saw Elijah leave in a blaze of glory. There is no greater witness than to see someone who is about to exit this life, with the power of God still glowing on them.

· Leaving a mantle behind—ill) Brother U.S. Hurst at Warrior did estate planning for the churches of Alabama. Helping people get their estate in order. But the greatest thing you will leave behind isn’t a physical inheritance but a spiritual inheritance. If you want to go out in style, leave the mantle of God to rest on your children, and their children, and to them that are afar off.

III. Elisha- the man with fire in his bones—2 Kings 13:21—touched the bones of Elijah, he revived and stood up on his feet. Here is one of the great stories in the Bible. They put a man in the same tomb that Elisha’s bones were resting, and when the dead man touch the bones of Elisha, he revived.

· An ever increasing anointing—Elisha had a fire in his bones that wouldn’t burn out. What a powerful example of what God has for us, not that we diminish over the years, but we gain in power.

· Double potency—Ill) big Mama at Warrior—took a sleeping bill that was a 20 year old prescription, she slept for 36 hours straight. It was told by the doctor that those pills probably had doubled in strength every 5 years.

· Being dead yet speaketh—our lives should speak long after we are gone.

IV. Hebrews wall of faith—11:13-16 this is a wonderful chapter of people who went out in style. As we read these verses we see how someone can have a glorious exit out of this life, and a glorious entrance in God’s kingdom.

· They died in faith—they didn’t die as skeptics, they didn’t die as unbelievers, they didn’t die having thrown in the towel on serving God, they died in faith.

· They called themselves strangers and pilgrims passing through-these people of God plainly said, this world is not our home, we look for a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

· God is not ashamed of them—because they kept the faith, because they never quit, because they believed God and it was counted unto them as righteousness—they went out in style.

Close: today, how can we leave this life in style, by walking with God, by going in a blaze of glory, by keeping a fire in our bones and by keeping the faith.