An Appointment That All Of Us Must Keep
Hebrews 9: 23-28
We’ve studied the book of Hebrews on many occasions here at the Calvary Baptist Church, and by doing so, we found that this particular book of the NT of the Bible is a book of, “Betters”. We know that by the constant use of the word “better” within the 13 chapters that go to make it up, it is used NLT 12 times in the book of Hebrews alone. One of those occurrences will be here in our text this morning.
Now, In the preceding verses from our text, (16-21) the writer speaks of the blood of the sacrifices that was given under the direction of the Mosaic Law. However as you’ll see as we read the following verses of the chapter this morning, there was most definitely a better blood that was shed, and that was of course the spotless sinless blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the reason that it was necessisary for Christ to shed His precious blood, can be seen in verse #27 of this chapter this morning. That’s the verse that I felt led of God to zero in on this morning. STAND>>>>>>>>>
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Let me call your attention if I may once again to verse #27 of our text, as this single verse of Scripture will be used as the key text of the message that God has laid on my heart for this mornings service. The Bible says in verse #27, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”.
I’ve made reference to this single verse of Scripture on numerous occasions, I’ve often referred to this verse before when stressing the urgency of salvation. However when so many lives went out into eternity this past Tuesday during the terrorists attacks on our nation, the Holy Spirit brought this sobering verse of Scripture back to my mind again. Again the Bible says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”.
I felt led of the Lord to preach this Lord’s Day morning on this subject, “An Appointment That Each of Us Must Keep”.
I don’t have to remind you of the cowardly attacks made on our country this past week. As I preach this message this morning, the world trade center has been destroyed, the pentagon has been bombed, and as a result of that thousands of lives here on this earth have been ended. And friend, I’m here to tell you this morning, that if there’s ever been a time when we should pray for those families that have been touched by this tragedy, and if there’s ever been a time when we should pray for our country, and our political leaders it’s now. I appreciate those of you that came by the church this past week to pray. I encourage you to continue to pray for our country in the days ahead.
But this past week our country was attacked, and lives on this earth were ended. And as I watched and listened to the news casts from all over our nation I was again reminded of the sobering truth of our key text this morning, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”
I’m sure that the people that lost their lives in this tragic event didn’t think when they woke up this past Tuesday morning that September 11 would be their last day here on this earth. As I watched the news, and the events of the week unfold I couldn’t help but wonder, how many of those people were saved by the grace of God? How many sat in a service the Sunday before, but said no to the Lord Jesus Christ? I wonder how many of them were depending upon religion, or their good deeds or their morals to get them to heaven, and found out to late that their goodness wasn’t good enough to get them there.
The sobering fact of the matter is this dear friend. Those that went out into eternity this past Tuesday, had an appointment with death. And it was an appointment, that each of them were destined to keep. And the fact of the matter is this friend. You can try to pretend that death isn’t going to happen, you can try to hide the truth from your children because you don’t want to upset them, you can try to dismiss it, as if it wasn’t so, but you can mark this down. Each of us in the building within the next 100 years ( should the Lord stay His coming ) is going to die! And God sent me here this morning to remind you of that sobering truth this morning.
The question isn’t are you going to die, the question this morning is ARE YOU PREPARED TO DIE? You know one of the most basic truths that the Bible teaches is this. Mankind as a whole is in the hands of God. The Psalmist said in the 31st Psalm and verse #15, “My times are in thy hand:”.
Today, the majority of men live in such a manner that God is in their hands. They’ll do with God as they please, when they please and how they please. Well I want you to know this morning that kind of thinking is foolishness, deception and rebellion! The Bible says in the 53rd Psalm, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” That is to say that it’s a fool that does not reckon with the reality of God, the God who is, the only true God, the God of the Bible. For it is He that is the creator of the heavens and the earth, the Judge, the Owner, and Lord of all. Why if you’re alive and well this morning, it is only by the mercy and the grace of Almighty God. Because it’s God the gives you the breath of life! It’s God that gives you health and strength. And let me remind you that you and I alike this morning are but one breath, one heartbeat away from eternity.
Because death is one appointment that you and I both will keep! Notice what God said in verse #27 of our text. He said, “And as it is APPOINTED” The word appointed in the Greek text suggest the idea of being reserved. It means to be laid up, or to await. And I know that makes some folks uncomfortable, but nevertheless the warning of death that God gives in the Word of God is there to remind us that each of us have an appointment with death, that we will keep!
Now let me ask you this and I’ll give you the few points of the message this morning, and we’ll pray. If you have an appointment at the Doctor’s office what do you do before you honor that appointment? You prepare do you not? If you have an appointment at the dentists office, I guarantee you that you’ll brush your teeth before you go, because you want to be prepared for your appointment. If you’re trying to sell your automobile, and you have an appointment to show it to a potential buyer you wouldn’t dare show your car to that potential buyer without making some preparation for your appointment. You’ll wash it vacuum the inside, clean the windows. You’re preparing for your appointment.
Well friend God says that each of us have an appointment with death. That is, it’s unavoidable should the Lord stay His coming. It’s been appointed for you and I to die. Well if that’s true (and it is) then why in the world would we prepare for other appointments that’s not nearly as important, and fail to prepare for the most important appointment of all? Let me remind you what the Bible says in Amos 4:12, “Prepare to meet thy God,”
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. Death is an appointment that each one of us in this building will keep! Let’s notice just a few things that I trust that the Lord will use to stress the importance of preparing to meet the Lord when we die.
1. THE WHY OF DEATH.
There may be those this morning that would say, Death isn’t fair! Why would so many people have to die this past Tuesday? Why do mothers die? Why do Fathers die? Why do young men, old men and women, why do innocent children die? Well let me put it in a nutshell this morning. Physical death is the consequence for sin!
Let me remind you when God created the garden of Eden, and placed Adam in the garden to dress and to keep it, God created a perfect environment. There was no sin, no pain, no sorrow, and no death. It was perfect, just like God created it. But man sinned against God. Man rebelled against the Word of God, and the Bible says in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; Romans 5:12, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Therefore because we are Adam’s offspring, mankind as a whole are sinners. And because of that truth we too, just like our father Adam must die. That’s why it’s been appointed unto men to die, because death is the wages of sin!
2. THE WHO OF DEATH.
Who does death affect. Well our text verse can answer that question. The Bible says, “And as it is appointed unto MEN.” And the word as it us used in verse #27 isn’t just referring to the male gender. The word men in verse #27 is referring to mankind as a whole!
Who was it that had an appointment with death this past Tuesday? Well first of all it was all nationalities. This past Tuesday white men, black men, brown men went out into eternity with or without God.
It was not only all nationalities, but it was also all classes of people. There were not only poor people, but there was rich people. Middle class people, just trying to make ends meet just like all of us are trying to do. There isn’t a certain class of people that reaches a certain level, that causes them to be dismissed from their appointment. The Bible teaches that it is appointed unto MEN once to die. Not only all nationalities, but all classes of people as well.
It is not only an appointment that all nationalities will keep and all classes, but all ages as well. You need to realize this morning that old folks isn’t the only people that die! You know that from reading the obituary column of the Statesville, Record and Landmark. Teenagers die! Middle Age People die. Senior Citizens die. Infants die. All ages both young and old alike go out into eternity everyday, and the majority of them never prepare for their appointment with death! I can guarantee you that there’s people here this very morning and you’re thinking, “I’m just a young man, young lady, I’ve got plenty of time” Well you may, but then again you may not! And even if you had another 100 years that NOTHING compared to eternity!!!
Proverbs 27:1 says, “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
The WHY of death. Sin. The WHO of death, each and every one of us in this building providing that the Lord doesn’t come in the next 100 years. It’s not a question of will you die, It’s a question this morning of will you be ready when you do! It’s possible to be saved and not be ready!
Are you busy about the business of the Lord child of God? Can you be counted on in the service of the Lord? Are you faithful? Have you already made plans NOT to be in the service tonight or Wednesday night? It’s possible to be saved and not be ready to meet the Lord.
Well there’s the why of death, there’s the who of death. Then there’s also
3. THE HOW OF DEATH.
There’s one of two ways that you’re going to die. First of all you can die slowly. God my bless you to live a long life here on this earth. He may bless you to live to be 100 years old. You may die slowly. You may have several years in front of you! But then again you may not.
Because you see there are those that die suddenly! That’s how thousands of people died this past Tuesday. Those folks didn’t wake up that morning looking to die. They weren’t planning to die that morning! They died suddenly! And you need to realize friend, before this day is through you and I both could very well be in eternity. And God sent me here to ask you, are you ready to meet God? Because you surely will!
Because you see some die slowly, some die suddenly, but all die surely!
And as it is APPOINTED unto man once to die, but after this the judgment! Look up here at me this morning, you need to hear what I’m saying. You have an appointment with death! That’s not a scare tactic this morning, that’s the truth that’s the Bible. You have an appointment with death! Some die slowly, some die suddenly, but all die surely!
There’s the WHY of death. The WHO of death. THE HOW of death. And finally this morning I want you to consider,
4. THE WHERE OF DEATH.
There are only one of two places your soul will go when it is separated from your physical body, and that’s either heaven or hell. Heaven is a place of bliss, bounty and beauty, and Hell is a place of suffering, screaming and separation from God. Luke 16:19>>>>>>>>>
Just as sure as there is a heaven to gain, there is also a hell to shun! But I’ve got good news, you don’t have to die and go to hell! A way of escape has been made in the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at our text, and let me prove it to you!>>>>>>>>>>
