1 SAMUEL 20:1-3 “DEATH IS BUT A STEP AWAY”
A) David now has fled from Naioth in Ramah and found Jonathan.
* David exclaimed. “What have I done? ... Why is your father so determined
to kill me?”
B) Jonathan declared, “That’s not true David ... I’m sure he’s not planning
any such thing .......”
* “For he always tells me everything he’s going to do, even little things.”
* “And I know he wouldn’t hide something like this from me – It just isn’t so.”
C) “Of course, you don’t know about it,” David said ... “Your father knows
perfectly well about our friendship, so he has said to himself .......”
* “'I’ll not tell Jonathan, why should I hurt him?”
* “But the truth of the matter is that I am only a step away from death.”
*****************************************************************************
A) This message is not going to be pleasant, but many things
in life are unpleasant.
* The Bible is filled with many unpleasant subjects ... However, no one
should ignore reality because it is unpleasant.
B) Death is not the joyous thought that ever passed through the mind,
but it is a reality.
* Ignoring it will not cause it to go away ... Evading and dodging it will
not help ... Even denying it offers no consolation.
C) Men try desperately to hide the horrible, hideous, haunting
reality of death.
* They embalm the body to keep it from stinking for a few days.
D) They fix the hair in a most lovely manner.
* They tint those lifeless cheeks with a life-like glow to keep them from
looking so ghostly pale and dead and lifeless.
E) They dress the body in the most attractive clothing as it were
a special occasion. (Dead atheist)
* They put it in a beautiful box trimmed inside with the most expensive cloth.
F) They cover those clods of dirt back up with the grass to make it
look like it’s still growing.
* Then they put flowers over the whole affair to give the appearance of life.
* And they sing songs about living to cheer up those who weep and mourn
over the loss of a loved one.
G) What an effort to camouflage reality, yet, who wants to honestly
face this truth?
* What one of you wants to admit that in a few days, or months, or years .......
* Your body will be a mass of dead, lifeless, rotten flesh, turning back to dust,
and your lovely face will be a grinning skull?
H) So, we don’t talk about it ... We try not to think about it ... We don’t
want the preacher to preach about it ... We close our minds to it .......
* We don’t want to be reminded of it, but the truth remains ... The appointment
is fixed.
* Life in this world is a one-way road ... At the end, men must keep that
appointment with the last enemy ... Death.
(1) THE BIBLE REMINDS US OF DEATH
A) If you don’t like to be reminded that death is coming, don’t read the
Bible, you’ll be miserable.
* You can hardly read a dozen pages without stumbling over the fact of death.
B) It starts right at the beginning in the Garden of Eden,
in the Book of Genesis.
* God warned Adam not to eat of the forbidden fruit – Gen. 2:17 .......
* From that reference in Genesis through the Bible, the same song is
sung over and over again.
C) Gen. 5 is a list of the generations from Adam to Noah.
* Of each man the Bible says the same thing.
* Start with v.5, v.8, v.11, v.14, v.17, v.20, v.24, v.27, v.31, 7:21-22, 9:29.
D) The Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua – Their
report is the same ... They gave up the ghost and died.
* Following Joshua, 13 judges ruled in Israel for 300 years.
* Many of these judges made great accomplishments, yet all of them died,
and was buried.
E) The Kings: Saul, David, Solomon, they all died and slept with
their fathers.
* Multitudes died in the Bible ... The Bible tells of millions who have died.
F) In the days of Noah, the whole human race died in the flood.
* Pharaoh’s army died in the Red Sea ... Sennacherib’s army was lying in
wait against Jerusalem during the days of Hezekiah – Isa. 37 .......
* The angel of the Lord passed through and slew 185,000 in one night.
(2) DEATH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT * You find the same song sung.
A) It begins with the most bloody, heartbreaking accounts in history.
* Herod – Matt. 2:16 “Slew all the children that were in .......”
* John the Baptist – He was beheaded for preaching against sin – Matt. 14.
B) Christ preached death ... Luke 12:20 “But God said unto him,
Thou fool, this night thy .......”
* Luke 13:1, He told of the “Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled
with their sacrifices.”
* Pilate slew them at the altar and poured out their blood with the
blood of their slain offerings.
C) Luke 13:4, He reminded them of the 18 souls upon whom the
tower of Siloam fell.
* And when He finished the illustrations, He turned to His congregation
and said, “Except ye repent .......”
D) John the Baptist – Matthew 14:1-14.
* Luke 16:22-23 “And it came to pass, that the beggar .......”
* Eccl. 3:1-2 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every .......”
E) Then the Bible closes with a description of the most bloody
day in earth’s history.
* It’s a day yet to come ... The battle of Armageddon.
* 200 million people will die ... That’s almost as many as the population
of the United States (332,352,077) They are all slain in one day.
F) Their blood forms a river 200 miles long as deep as the horses bridal.
* A river of human blood flowing for 200 miles, up to the horses bridals.
* It’s a horrible picture of death, but it’s in the Bible.
G) I don’t believe the Bible – You’ll still die.
* The Bible is a lie – You’ll still die.
* I’m an atheist, I don’t believe in God – You’ll still die.
H) And if you want some other reminders outside of the Bible, all you
have to do is open your eyes and look around you ... It’s everywhere.
* It’s in your body ... Go to the mirror for a moment ... Look at that
body ... It’s dying already.
* Go to the cemetery ... These are just silent reminders that death is a reality.
I) In the country ... Cattle grazing on the hill ... The next time you eat
a steak let that remind you death was real to them.
* Chicken, bacon, ham, sausage ... You remember death was real to them.
* In the city ... Flower shop ... Ask where do they make most of their
money ... They’ll say funerals.
J) Insurance salesman – You know how he makes a living – Selling
life insurance ... They know you’re gonna die.
* Down the street you see a funeral home ... You know what they’re there for?
* They are very confident you are going to die.
(3) DEATH BED REPENTANCE
A) “Preacher, I’m gonna get saved on my death bed ... Besides, the Bible
says you can repent in the twinkling of an eye.” – Does it?
* “But Preacher, you do believe in death bed repentance, don’t you?”
B) I believe it “may be” possible ... Notice I said, “may be.”
* It is most unlikely ... And most of the folk that you thought did, didn’t.
* And if they lived long enough you would find out they didn’t ... I’ve seen
it a lot.
C) A man in hospital thought he was dying and called for the preacher .......
* Do you think he repented? ... Honestly, do you believe he got right with God?
* You know he didn’t ... I’ll tell you what he did .......
D) He cried, “Lord, save me, forgive me, I’m gonna die ... Have mercy on
me, but if I don’t die, I take it all back and we’ll settle the matter later.”
* Nobody was ever saved like that, and you won’t be either.
E) The Bible is a good place to study about death bed repentance.
* The Bible has much to say about how men live, die and where they go at death.
* Sometime when you have nothing better to do, go through your Bible and make
a note of every man who repented on his death bed.
F) We’ve already noted that millions died in the Bible ... Out of these
millions, how many repented on their death beds?
* As far as I know, only one ... And he wasn’t exactly on a bed ... He was
a thief on a cross ... The only one out of all those millions.
* You wait for a death bed, and I’ll give you 999,999 chances to go to hell for
one chance to go to heaven ... Are you that kind of gambler?
AFTER ALL, HALF OF YOU WILL NOT DIE ON A BED
A) 50% of people die suddenly ... That includes accidental deaths,
heart attacks, and other fatal diseases that cause sudden death.
* That’s an outstanding number ... 1 out of every 2 will drop dead.
* You will die with your shoes on ... There’ll be no opportunity to repent.
* There’ll be no time to prepare ... No chance to be saved.
B) “Preacher, do you believe God has anything to do with this?”
* I’m afraid I do – Prov. 29:1 “He, that being often reproved .......”
* “Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept reproof will suddenly be
destroyed beyond recovery.”
C) However, suppose you do die on a bed ... Let’s just say you don’t die
in an accident or you don’t drop dead with a heart attack.
* You are one of those who die on a bed ... There’s not much comfort in a
bed if you are unprepared to die.
D) Suppose tonight you retire just as usual.
* You’re feeling fine, in good health ... You’re not that old, and surely
not counting on dying.
E) In the dark, silent hours of the night, some member of the family
is aroused by your restlessness.
* You’re not sleeping well; you’re tossing and turning on your bed.
F) Your father, mother, husband, wife, as the case may be, switches on
the light in the bedroom.
* Your face is flushed with fever, your body is hot, your mind is
delirious, you’re sick.
G) They check your temperature and it’s high, very high.
* And they call the ambulance that is to take you to the hospital.
* When you arrive at the ER, they rush you to the treatment room.
H) The Dr. checks your heartbeat and blood pressure.
* Then turns to the concerned family and says, “There’s no need to rush,
he’ll be dead in five minutes.”
I) The sound of those words, “Dead in 5 minutes,” strike your
mind with horror.
* You try to cry at the top of your lungs and say, “No, No, I’m not gonna
die, I’m not gonna die.”
J) But there’s no sound ... The voice is choked and silent.
* Your lips are sealed, stuck together by the cold, clammy fingers of
death, you can’t say a word.
* A loved one says, “Doc, is he dead, he’s not dead, he can’t die.”
K) You try to wave your arms, but your arms won’t move.
* You strain, you struggle, but you can’t even lift a finger.
* The blood in your veins is running as cold as ice ... It’s beginning to
congeal around your heart.
L) Your bloodshot eyes gaze in a glassy, far away stare ... Your chest
rises slowly ... Your breath is hot and hard.
* The voices of the family begin to fade farther and farther away, like they’re
going into another room ... Then it’s silent.
DEATH COMES TO YOUR ROOM
A) You toss your head to and fro on a hot pillow ... You are
delirious with fever.
* Suddenly, there comes a knock at the door ... You stare at the door
and say, “Come in.”
B) The door opens with a ghostly, hideous, hooded monster
standing at the threshold.
* Your blurred vision clears, and your heart skips a beat with fright
at the sight of him.
* “Who are you, and what are you doing here?” you ask.
C) “My name is death and I’ve come after you,” he says.
* “Well, get out of here, go away, you can’t come in here.”
* “Oh yes,” he says, “I’ve come to take you.” ... And he steps into the
room shuts the door and locks it.
D) You shrink away from him and scream in his face, “I’m not going,
I didn’t send for you, I’m not ready.”
* “Oh, folks don’t send for me,” he says, “If I waited for folks to send for
me, I’d never come, now would I?”
* “I’ve got a mortgage on your life, I’ve had it for years, I’ve come to close
the mortgage, you’ve got three minutes left.”
E) “But death, I’m not prepared, I’ve got some things I’ve got to
do first,” you argue.
* “Take my house, my farm, my bank account, the wife, she’s ready to go,
or the baby, he’s prepared, I’ve got to have more time ... Go away.”
F) “I don’t want your house,” he says, “What would I do with a house,
I live in the tombs.”
* “Your money, I can’t use your money ... Your wife, it’s not her time yet,
I’ll come for her later, it’s you I’ve come for, you have one minute left.”
* “Now don’t push me,” you cry, “Don’t crowd me.” – He laughs in your face.
G) He has you trapped, hemmed in a corner, pinned to the wall.
* There’s no escape, he stalks closer ... You scream, “Death, don’t blow
that chilly breath over my soul, it’s turning the blood to ice in my veins.”
H) He chuckles, “10 seconds ... I’ll count them – 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 .......”
* You scream again, “Please go away, go away .......” – “2, 1.”
I) Your body stiffens with a convulsive shiver and lies lifeless on the bed.
* A weeping loved one picks up the phone and calls the funeral director.
* And at that very moment, you are screaming and crying and burning in hell.
* How sad, How sad.
CLOSE
A) You don’t have to die like that ... Nobody need die like that.
* Jesus says, “Whosoever believeth in me shall never die.”
B) Christ has already met death, faced him on his own territory.
* He challenged him to a duel and defeated him.
* He broke the monster’s crown, took his scepter, plucked his sting,
came forth from the grave.
C) The keys to death, hell and the grave are in His hands.
* If you’ll trust Him, you’ll have victory over death.
* And when the time comes for you to leave this world, you’ll walk
through the valley of the shadow of death .......
D) Then wake up in that world of splendor where life never ends
and death comes no more.
* Let me ask you ... Will you trust Jesus right now?
