OUR ETERNAL DESTINY!
Hebrew 9:27
“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”
For Filipinos ALL SAINTS/SOULS DAY is a very important day. Most of the people are gathering together in the cemeteries just to visit their loved ones who have gone before them. We can watch through the television how the people are crowding in every cemetery just to give one day of celebration with them.
Now, the message that God wanted us to know today is not for the souls who have gone before us. The God’s message today is for us who are still living but someday will surely be with them.
This morning I would like to discuss to you three important things:
1. The Certainty of Death
2. The Reality of Judgment
3. The Possibility of Eternal Life
I. THE CERTAINTY OF DEATH (v.1a)
“Just as man is destined to die once…”
Death is a certainty. In Ecclesiastes 7:2 the Word of God tells us that, “Death is the destiny of every man.”
A Christian surgery admitted that the most of the operation he did without hesitation is the “Facelifts.” He said, “I get paid to make people look young again, I believe that most of them think as long as they look young they’ll never die.” Many people think like that. (SermonCentral.com)
Listen, death is no respecter of persons. It marches into the home of the rich just as it invades the streets of the homeless. Death calls the young man ready to graduate and run life’s race just as it takes the old man laying on his deathbed.
It doesn’t matter how well you feel or how in shape you might be. No one can escape the certainty of death. That’s why it’s so important that we live each day to the fullest. We need to live each day as if it’s our last.
Illustration: Watch to calculate the life span of a person.
How are you living out your life? Are you living each day as if it could be your last or are you taking this life for granted? My friend, I hope you take advantage of everyday God gives you and that you use each day to make an eternal difference in someone’s life.
Song: Only one life so soon it will past....
II. THE REALITY OF JUDGMENT (v.1b)
“…and after that to face judgment.”
2 Corinthians 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
The Word of God tells us that after death each of us will certainly face judgment. God’s Word speaks of two different types of Judgment.
First, there’s the Judgment Seat of Christ which we read of in 2 Corinthians 5:10. It’s important that you understand that this Judgment is for Christians. Here we read, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
Speaking of the Judgment Seat of Christ, look at what Paul said beginning in 1 Corinthians 3:13-14 concerning the Judgment Seat of Christ. The Word of God says, “Our work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.”
Paul is saying that we will be judged according to the work we do for Christ, not for self or for others, He will determine the reward we shall receive.
Second, there’s the Great White Throne Judgment and we read about in Revelation 20:11-15. As you turn there, please, understand that this judgment is for those who never committed their lives to Christ. If you die without Christ, you will stand before God at the Great White Throne Judgment.
In Revelation 20:11 we read these words, “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
What a terrible day that will be for those who stand before God at the Great White Throne Judgment. You see, on that day it will be too late to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
Matthew 25:41 tells us that if you stand before God on that day you will hear the words, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
And you will hear the crying of those who are not saved to God. God, I believe—I believe in you—please save me from this eternal damnation. But it will be too late. The time to make a decision for Christ is now. And the longer people wait the harder their hearts become.
Knowing that each of us will stand before God and give an account of the way we lived our lives ought to make a difference in the way we live.
III. THE POSSIBILITY OF ETERNAL LIFE (v.28)
”…so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”
Did you notice that God’s Word says, “Christ was sacrificed once (that He died once) to take away the sins of many?”
Underline that word many. You see Christ’s death doesn’t take away the sins of all. Not everyone receives salvation through Christ’s death because not everyone believes in Him. That’s why eternal salvation is only a possibility.
If I could receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior for you I would, but the reality of the matter is that each person must decide for themselves to either accept Christ or reject Him.
Listen, no one needs to face the Great White Throne Judgment because God through His Son, Jesus Christ has made a way for you to receive eternal salvation and the promise of heaven when you die.
In Romans 10:9 the Word of God says, “That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him form the dead, you will be saved.” Not you might be but that you will be saved!
“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people."
"He who provides for this life, but does not take care for eternity, is wise for a moment, but a fool forever." --John Tillotson
CONCLUSION
The invitation today is two-fold.
First of all, if you are here and you don’t know Jesus as your Savior, then take your common sense look at reality. One of these days it is going to be burned up. It will be useless. It doesn’t make sense to invest all of your time and energy in this world. Now is the time to get ready for eternity if you’re not ready.
Secondly, If you’re a Christian and you are robbing from God by not being a good steward and not serving Him, then heed the warning of scripture that you’re building with wood, hay, and straw and it won’t last. It’ll be burned up and may lose your reward. So get ready for eternity filled with gold, silver and precious stones, something that will last for all eternity.
We extend the invitation of the Lord this morning as we stand and sing “ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER.”
God bless!
*****************SERMON***STRUCTURE********************
OUR ETERNAL DESTINY!
Hebrew 9:27
This morning I would like to discuss to you three important things:
1. The Certainty of Death
2. The Reality of Judgment
3. The Possibility of Eternal Life
I. THE CERTAINTY OF DEATH (v.1a)
“Just as man is destined to die once…”
Illustration: Watch to calculate the life span of a person.
Song: Only one life so soon it will past....
II. THE REALITY OF JUDGMENT (v.1b)
“…and after that to face judgment.”
2 Corinthians 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
First, there’s the Judgment Seat of Christ which we read of in 2 Corinthians 5:10.
Second, there’s the Great White Throne Judgment and we read about in Revelation 20:11-15.
III. THE POSSIBILITY OF ETERNAL LIFE (v.28)
"…so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him."
"He who provides for this life, but does not take care for eternity, is wise for a moment, but a fool forever." --John Tillotson
CONCLUSION
