Rev. Wayne A. Lawson, M.Min
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Church
Ardmore, OK 73402
(Preached Sunday June 26, 2005)
website: http://firstbaptistok.org/
e-mail: pastor@firstbaptistok.org
Scripture: Genesis 5:27 "And all the days of Methuselah were nine
hundred sixty and nine years: and he died."
Title: What Are You Doing?
I spent last week in Shreveport, Louisiana taking courses in pursuit
of this next degree. The conference center where we were located
actually played host to several different conferences. During one
of my breaks I sat in the lobby and listened to various
conversations from individuals who were attending different business
conferences. There were many people there talking about their jobs –
corporations – status – positions. I was asked by one particular
group - as to what conference I was attending and what did I do for
a living. They were somewhat surprised that I was with a group for
the week and we were studying the Bible. After learning about one
another’s backgrounds they were also surprised when I mentioned that
I also held a Masters Degree in Management in addition to various
Religious Degrees. One individual replied, that his particular
company was in pursuit of MBA’s and managers with graduate degrees.
He went on to ask me – why I was wasting my time. Let me say that I
appreciate the question that was posed. I simply responded to these
individuals that I am able to see something that many people are
unable to see. I venture to say there are some this morning, right
here in the sanctuary that feel just as those business men/women.
Wonder why I spend the time running here and there in pursuit of
Bible learning. My brothers and sisters, I see something that most
are not able to see - "I see the Kingdom of God," it is in clear
view. Because of what I am able to see in the spiritual realm, I
can’t help but to do what I do in preparing the household of faith.
I in turn inquired if I could ask this group a question. They all
thought that it was fair since they asked of me and I was courteous
enough to respond. Do you know that you can learn so much about
people by watching and listening? The longer you listen you can
tell where they will spend eternity. You can tell what their God is
by what they are doing with their lives. And then I simply asked
them – what are you living for or better yet – What Are You Doing?
Have you realized that when you search the scriptures that God does
not commend mankind in the final hour for what they have achieved in
this life. God is not impressed with our status – degrees –
employment history - titles. Those who found favor with God did not
find favor because of their position in life.
• Enoch– Walked with God
• David – Man after God’s own Heart
• Abraham – Had Faith
• Moses – Ascended to Nebo’s peak with God at his side
• John – He whom Jesus Loved
• Job – was Upright
• Daniel – was Faithful to God
• Elijah was Courageous
• Joshua – One who with his family served the Lord
• Noah – found Grace in the Eyes of the Lord
Those who are able to get the attention of God are those who are
able to see what others can not. Achieving in life is good and it
is healthy but it is not the most important thing. It is always a
sad commentary to me when we eulogize those that have spent Six
Decades or better on this earth and you look around the sanctuary
and can’t hardly fill the pews – I can’t help but to wonder this
morning – what are you doing. Look at this text with me once again –
GENESIS 5:27 "AND ALL THE DAYS OF METHUSELAH WERE NINE HUNDRED
SIXTY AND NINE YEARS AND HE DIED." Using all that we know about
Methuselah, let’s take a moment and talk about his earthly
achievements. Not concerned right now about those things that
please God. Let’s find what he achieved to please man.
• We have no information as to where he was residing at the
time of his death
• We can not say he was the president or director of a certain
civic club, or that he ever belonged to any club
• There are no records that he carried any such memberships
• Can we say Mr. Methuselah was a good member of a certain
church?
• No, we have no record of him ever being a member of any
church.
• Did Mr. Methuselah work on his job for 900 years prior to
retirement?
• There is no record of him working a single day of his life
Here is a man who lived 969 years, and there is not enough
information about him to write a paragraph about his life. Does this
sound kind of strange? What is the problem? From every indication,
Methuselah lived longer on the earth than anyone; and yet, the Bible
records very little about this man! This means there is relatively
little to say about him, either good or bad! I lift up to you today
that the things that God is concerned about have to do with that
realm that most of us are not able to see. The things that grace
the pages of the Holy Writ are the things that assist the Household
of faith! You would think why so many years if he wasn’t in right
relationship with God. I must return to our theme – what are you
doing? If we were honest – God should not be patient with us, most
of us are in the same condition as Methuselah. Perhaps there are
some this morning who may feel sorry for Methuselah. Perhaps you
think that he was not raised in the proper home, perhaps he had a
bad upbringing therefore, he was a product of his environment.
Let’s consider his genealogy. We learn that Methuselah’s father
Enoch was well known.
• Enoch was 65 years old when his first son Methuselah was
born around the year 3288 B.C
• Those who study their Bibles are aware that Methuselah was
born into one of the most unique and spiritual families in the Bible
• Enoch, Methuselah’s father was known for walking with God
Let’s not take this fact to lightly. This reveals much about how
Methuselah was raised. We can tell much about people by what they
are known for.
• There are people who are known for their working habits
• There are people who are known for their partying
• There are people who are known for sports and agility
• There are people who are known for their Cussing
• There are people who are known for Drinking
• There are people who are known for their Intellect
• There are people who are known for the Car they Drive
• There are people who are known for what the Wear
• There are people who are known for the Company They Keep
• But Enoch was known for Walking With God!
When Methuselah passed away around 2319 B.C., I wonder if anyone
came to the funeral. I wonder if anyone thought enough to attend.
Since his son Lamech passed away five years before his death, even
he could not have been in attendance at his own father’s funeral. We
hope Mr. Methuselah left behind a very close and caring family, that
cared enough to mourn his death. I do want to call to your
attention that although Methuselah missed the mark with God there
was probably one blessed man who may have possibly attended his
funeral. This man also happened to be Mr. Methuselah’s grandson. In
fact, more people are familiar with his grandson than with him.
Although the Bible says much about his grandsons occupation of being
a shipbuilder; that is not what gained the attention of God. I am
sure you guessed it by now, Methuselah’s grandson’s name was –
Noah.
I don’t believe that we can add anything to this summation of the
time Mr. Methuselah spent on this earth? Here he lived 969 years and
the record only states that he was born – lived - died. Think about
that for a moment. It breaks my heart whenever a man or woman lives
a mere 60, 70, or even 80 years, and all the neighbors can say about
him or her is, "Well, I heard they died last night" But to think of
someone living for 969 years and there is nothing more to say about
him than, he was born – lived - died.
I heard a preacher once say that If Mr. Methuselah would have sailed
with Christopher Columbus at the time when he arrived on the shores
of America, Mr. Methuselah would still have about half of his best
years ahead of him.
• If Methuselah had sat at his table to eat his meals three
times a day, the number of times he would have dined would have been
almost one million times
• If he had brushed his teeth regularly, and changed his
toothbrush every month, as some recommend, he would have used 11,628
toothbrushes during his lifetime!
• If an English class chose to study his life’s biography for
a semester, the class would last only about 30 seconds
• It would be over in the short amount of time necessary to
turn to Genesis in the Bible and read verse twenty-seven, chapter
five
• The teacher would then have to dismiss the class. Why?
• There is literally nothing to study about the life of
Methuselah
• There were no seminars held in Shreveport. LA last week
about his life
• There are no Bible College or Seminary subjects devoted to
his life
His father Enoch left a testimony that by faith he walked with God.
Thousands of years later we are still studying and learning as to
what we need to do to have this kind of testimony from God. His
grandson Noah was a proclaimer of righteousness -- just and
perfect in his generation. We yet study continuously about
righteousness and our Horizontal and Vertical Relationships. But
Methuselah, as far as we know, never did anything worthy of the
slightest mention in the Holy Scriptures. I can’t help but to
wonder this morning – what are you doing! The Bible does give us a
hint as to what some of the cloud of witnesses did outside of their
faith walk. Others were faithless and we can read about their
errors as well. The sacred Scriptures records that:
• Cain was a farmer
• Abel was a shepherd
• Nimrod was a mighty hunter
• Jonathan was a Prince
• Peter was a Fisherman
• Mordecai was a Foster Parent
The blessed pages of the Bible always mentioned whenever a man was
known for something; and yet, the sad truth is -- the man who lived
the longest was known for - nothing! I wonder today – what are you
doing? Do you realize that right now there are two records being
kept on your life?
• The most obvious one is your earthly record.
• You probably have a birth certificate
• Social security number
• Did you receive report cards while you were in school?
• Do you have a driver’s license?
• A high school diploma?
• A degree from a university or college?
• A marriage license?
• Any credit cards?
• Do you receive forms to fill out every year from the IRS?
• More is known about you by our Government than you realize
• Ever Scan a Discount Card at Homeland?
Sometimes we are featured in the local paper for special events in
our life. Documentaries are made of the rich and famous. Ever look
at the tabloids, we learn more about the famous than we really want
to know. All these earthly records attest to the fact of our
earthly existence. These records say that we were – born – lived or
we have died. Yes, when all is "said and done," and all our earthly
feats are added together to complete our earthly record, none of our
earthly accomplishments will have generated enough eternal news to
be worthy of the smallest mention in the other record book being
kept on each one of us.
The Bible records in REVELATION 20:12-13 "AND I SAW THE DEAD, SMALL
AND GREAT, STAND BEFORE GOD; AND THE BOOKS WERE OPENED: AND ANOTHER
BOOK WAS OPENED, WHICH IS THE BOOK OF LIFE: AND THE DEAD WERE JUDGED
OUT OF THOSE THINGS WHICH WERE WRITTEN IN THE BOOKS, ACCORDING TO
THEIR WORKS. AND THE SEA GAVE UP THE DEAD WHICH WERE IN IT; AND
DEATH AND HELL DELIVERED UP THE DEAD WHICH WERE IN THEM: AND THEY
WERE JUDGED EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS." VS. 15 "AND
WHOSOEVER WAS NOT FOUND WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE WAS CAST INTO
THE LAKE OF FIRE."
It’s quite clear from the Bible that heaven’s records are quite
different from the records maintained on us during our short stay
here on earth. In heaven, instead of our natural birthday being
recorded, we find the record of significance is our new birth. I
wonder this morning what are you doing? Perhaps you are productive
in temporal things -- but void in eternal things! You may be a
good moral person, but in either case, the truth is, if you do not
know What You Are Doing, you need to understand this morning what
are you doing?.
-- What are you doing? – right now make a decision to follow Jesus
-- What are you doing? – make a conscience decision to focus upon
heavens roll
-- What are you doing? – Things of this life are Temporal
-- What are you doing? – God will either say "Not Good Enough"
or "Well Done"
-- What are you doing? – Ensure that Jesus has the #1 position in
your life
-- What are you doing? – Here is someone that was insignificant in
accomplishing anything for God
-- Only Sixteen (16) words devoted to almost 10 Centuries of life
-- We learn Life’s Profound lessons from Methuselah
-- After 969 years I can imagine God finally spoke to Methuselah
-- Well… What is it Rev. that you believe God finally said?
-- Well Come here Manhattan’s help me close this thing, because I
think they said it best
-- IF YOU DON’T KNOW ME BY NOW, YOU WILL NEVER, NEVER, NEVER KNOW
ME….
-- What are you doing?
(Close)
