Are you prepared for retirement?
Statics reveal that 2 out of 3 people are unprepared for retirement. I will confess that in the sense the latest ad poseses the questions I fall in the 2 catagory. On the other hand, if the question merely meanst I am ready to quit work and start playing golf for the rest of my life, COUNT ME IN!!
But I want to look at the question from an eternal prospective. Are you prepared for retirement? It is appointed unto man once to die, and after death, the judgement. O.K. are you ready to stand before God and be judged for the way you lived HIS life? I say HIS life because it was HIS gift to you, Life, and you did with it either as He asked or as you pleased.
Hell hath enlarged its self....imagine that! God created hell for Satan and his angels, just enough room for that rebellious 1/3 of heaven, and because of mans own sin and desires Hell has had to enlarge its self to make more room. Why, because people are retiring, eteranally, unprepared.
From this point I could go in two differnet directions, but I think I shall be like Robert Frost and take the "Road Not Taken." We preachers tend to stand in front of the church and point the accusing finger at the sinners and say that they will split hell wide open. I want to point the finger at some of the churches and the christians and say, they will split hell wide open. Why would I say that? Because they are unprepared for Eternity.
There is a story told by J. Wilbur Chapman toward the end of his, "Prepare to Meet Thy God." Sermon.
Driving swiftly down the streets of one of our western cities, a man lost control of his horses. A courageous man, springing from the sidewalk, brought the horses to a standstill and saved a man’s life. By a strange coincidence the man whose life was saved was charged with murder. The trial judge was the man who had saved him. Later the trial came on. The lawyers had made their pleas. The judge had charged the jury. They had reached a verdict, and just as the judge turned to speak to him, the prisoner arose and said: "Your honour, I don’t think you know me." The judge said: "Answer my question. Have you anything to say why a sentence of death should not be passed upon you?" Stretching out his arms, the prisoner said again: "I don’t think you remember me. I am the man you saved. Don’t you remember? Have mercy! Have mercy!" The judge leaned forward with tears on his cheeks and said: "Yes, I do remember you. I have known you ever since you came before me, but then I was your saviour, now I am your judge. I must sentence you to die."
http://www.wholesomewords.org/etexts/chapman/jwcprep.html
Just like the man in this story, some churches, preachers and christians have missed the point. Jesus was and may still be their Savior, one that saves from danger or destruction, but they never made him, the Master of their life....one having authority over another. They never let Him have full control or authority of their life.
Is this correct teaching you ask? Well take a look at the words of Jesus. Matthew 7:21-23 not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
Being your Savior is one thing..but being you Master....that is being prepared for retirement.
If you have prayed the sinners prayer before let me encourage you right now, to take it one step farther. Make Jesus the Master of your life so you can hear, "Well done thy good and faithful servant, enter in....."
