I Thought I had More Time
Hebrews 10: 27-28
Intro: I saw a book of letters that children have written to God and I want to share a couple of them with you this morning.
. Mike writes, Dear God, what is it like when someone dies? Nobody will tell me, I just want to know. I don’t want it to happen to me. Your friend Mike.
. Jane writes: Dear God, instead of letting people die and having to make new ones, why don’t you just keep the ones you got now. Love Jane
. On Wednesday of this week James Gandolfini died. He was one of the stars of the HBO series The Sopranos. I have never watched the show but I understand that he was a very good actor. He was in Italy with his son who had just finished the 8th grade and they were there for a father son trip among other things. Reports say that his son found him passed out on the floor of the bathroom of their hotel room. He was pronounced dead soon after arriving at the hospital. The reports say that he was still breathing when the ambulance arrived but died at the hospital.
. As I let this sermon percolate as I call it, I wondered what might have gone through this man’s mind as he lay on the floor of the bathroom.
. I don’t know anything about his relationship with the Lord but I can guess that at least one thing went through his mind.
. I’m only 51 years old. This shouldn’t be happening to me.
. I thought I had more time.
. My guess is that many who die thought they had or wished they had more time.
. The fact is we don’t really have much control over it do we?
. Death is something we don’t like to talk about isn’t it?
. Death is something we don’t even like to think about isn’t it?
. We are back in Hebrews this morning as we continue our journey through the book
.
. Just to review, the writer of Hebrews has spent the first eight chapters laying out the case for Jesus being the greatest being to ever live.
. Lays out the case that Jesus is not only a man but that He is God’s son and that He is superior to Moses and all the prophets.
. He is superior to the High priests and in fact He replaces all the priests past present and future.
. Jesus made the sacrifice that was necessary for the forgiveness of sin. Not through the blood of animals on an alter but through His blood on a cross.
. He talked about the old covenant that God had with Israel and that now there was a new covenant not only with Israel but with all mankind.
. Church was going to be different now.
. The way to God was going to be different now.
. Now we all had access to God through and because of Jesus.
. Here in the last two verses of chapter 9, the writer gets to the heart and the harsh reality of the matter.
. Let’s look at our scripture. Hebrews 9: 27,28
. 27And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,
28so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.
. There are three things that we see here in these two verses.
. First, Death is certain.
. The writer of Hebrews tells us that death is certain.
. We’re all gonna die.
. Now I know that some will say preacher that’s not technically right because of the rapture. You may be right but since we don’t know when that will happen, we are going on the same premise as the writer of Hebrews.
. We’re All Gonna Die Folks.
. Look at the first part of verse 27 again:
. 27And just as each person is destined to die once …
. Three friends were discussing death one day and one of the guys asked the other two what they would like people to say about them at their funeral.
. The first one said, “ I would like folks to say that I was a great humanitarian. That I cared about the downtrodden and less fortunate in the world. That I was an asset to the community.
. The one that asked the question said “ I would like for them to say that I was a great husband, a great father and an example to my children”
. They all nodded in agreement as they pondered these two answers that were so thoughtful.
. The two men looked at the other one and said what about you?
. The other man didn’t hesitate a bit. He said, “I want them to walk by my casket and gaze down and me and say hey wait a minute he’s still moving.”
. Even as Christians, we say that we are ready for death and that we all look forward to Heaven but I don’t see many that are clamoring to leave this old world.
. Nobody is in a hurry to die.
. Folks we are all on a collision course with death.
. It’s like the trains that we see bearing down on each other in the cartoons and they eventually meet head on and there is a grand explosion.
. We are on a collision like that and there is no way to stop it.
. You have heard it said that only two things are certain if life, death and taxes. With all the loop holes and other things going on in our government and IRS right now, I’m not even sure about taxes but I am sure about death.
. The writer of Hebrews writes: 27And just as each person is destined to die once …
. The writer tells us that there is another certainty in life other that death.
. The other part of verse 27 tells us that Judgment is also a certainty.
. Look at the last part of the verse again.
. 27And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,
. After death comes Judgment.
. There was an elderly lady riding on a crowded bus reading her bible and minding her own business. A distinguished looking man took the seat beside her and they rode along king of oblivious to each other.
. After a while he glanced over and noticed that she was reading the Bible. He kind of cleared his throat and when he got her attention he introduced himself.
. He said “hello my name is Professor Howard Smith and I teach philosophy at the local university. I couldn’t help but notice what you were reading. Can I ask you a question?”
. The lady said “Sure”
. The professor said, “you don’t actually believe all that stuff you are reading do you?”
. "I certainly do," the elderly lady replied. "Every word of it."
"Even that story about the Jonah," challenged the professor with a smirk.
"Of course," was the quick reply. "Can you prove to me that the story is true?" he asked next.
Knowing she wasn’t about to win any arguments with the professor, she simply said, "Well, when I get to Heaven, I will ask Jonah."
The professor smiled, "Well, what if Jonah is not in Heaven?"
The lady laid her Bible down, looked the professor square in the eye and replied, ..... “ you will both be in the same place then and you can ask him for yourself.”
. Judgment comes after death for all but all are not subject to the same judgment.
. The bible speaks of two judgments.
. The Judgment Seat of Christ and The Great White Throne Judgment.
. The Judgment seat of Christ is for believers. For Christians.
. Look at 2 Corinthians 5: 10 with me.
. 10For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
. Paul is talking to Christians here and he elaborates more on this in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15
. 10Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.
11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.
12Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw.
13But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.
14If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward.
15But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.
. These scripture are a sermon unto themselves and I don’t have time to preach them also but what Paul is telling us is that Christians will be judged by what they have done since their salvation. Not to be punished by loss of salvation; but by loss of rewards in Heaven. I don’t know what all that means but I do know that some Christians will stand before Jesus at the Judgment Seat of Christ with their coattails on fire.
. The other judgment is for non Christians. This is The Great White Throne Judgment.
. We see this described in the Revelation of John 20:11-15
. 11And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide.
12I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the.
13The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds.
14Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death.
15And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.
. Wow, first you die and then you are resurrected so you can be sent to Hell.
. I don’t know about you but I am going to do what I need to do to skip this judgment.
. Death and judgment are certain folks but verse 28 is a passage of hope and assurance.
. You see verse 28 tells us that:
. Salvation is possible.
. Look at verse 28 again.
. 28so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.
. Play video: “Ever think about dying”, www.sermonspice.com
. Folks there was one person in that video that was right.
. The young man who without hesitation said that he knows he is going to Heaven because he has accepted Jesus Christ as the sacrifice necessary for the forgiveness of his sin.
. The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus died once and for all to take away the sins of many people. Notice he didn’t say all people.
That’s because not all will accept this sacrifice.
. For those that accept the sacrifice and give their life to Christ, salvation is possible.
. If you are here this morning and do not accept Him and what He has done for you, you will one day stand before the Great White throne Judgment without excuse and will be eternally separated from God.
. The writer of Hebrews tells us that: Death is Certain, Judgment is Certain but Salvation is Possible.
. Invitation
*** To my Christian brothers and sisters, thank you for taking the time to read this sermon. I ask that you take another second and score this for me. I am always open to feedback so that I can continue to grow in the proclamation of God’s word.
May God bless you as you continue to strive to walk worthy of His calling.
Sources: The Holy Bible, NLT
What Does The Bible Say About Death, John Hamby, (sermon central)
The Answer To The 6 Foot Hole, J. Jeffrey Smead, (sermon central)
Three Truths, Matthew Smith, (sermon central)
Video, sermon spice .com
