ƒ²ƒâƒßƒßƒÛƒØƒÙƒÜƒÜƒnƒ²ƒÑƒàƒäƒÙƒãƒäƒnƒ³ƒØƒåƒâƒÓƒØ
¡§Looking Death in the Eye¡¨
Hebrew 9:27
Billy T. Short, Pastor ¡V October 9, 2005
Christopher Short was 2 months old when it happened to him. Kevin Lott was 7 years old, riding a bike with his sister in the yard when it happened to him. Mike Black, 16 years old, was riding his motorcycle to see his girlfriend when it happened to him. Mark Stephens was 18 years old and on the way home from the prom when it happened to him. Mike Golden was in his early twenties, one morning while taking a shower, it happened to him. Chris Cygan, a man in his forties with a wife and two children, a promising career, and yet it happened to him. Dale Earnhardt, famous, rich, race car driver faced it in turn four of the Daytona Speedway, Princess Diana, rich, beautiful, influential, faced it and lost. Rachel Scott, Cassie Bernall, had it happen on what should have been just a normal day of school. President Ronald Reagan, Alexander the Great. Powerful men also lost the battle to it. Our own dear Earlene Flesher, went through it. Moses, David, Peter, Paul, John, they all faced it. Unless the Lord comes back to take us to be with Him, we will all become entangled it the cold, icy grip of death. Death does not care who you are, what age you are, how much you have, who you know, or what you know. The facts are in, the conclusion is unmistakable. All will die. 1 out of every 1, will die. You can get plastic surgery to hide your age. You can take vitamins until you rattle when you walk. You can exercise, run marathons, but you will never be fit enough to avoid death. We don¡¦t like to talk about it. We try to put it far from us. But with every breath we take it draws nearer. If it is sure, if it is certain, if we are constantly growing closer to that event, what must we do? This morning I want you to understand some realities about death, judgement, and the afterlife, and what you must do in light of death.
But man dies and is laid away; Indeed he breathes his last and where is he?
Job 14:10 NKJV
I. We will all face the REALITY of death.
To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die;
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 NKJV
A. It is a SETTLED issue.
¡§Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.
Ezekial 18:4 NKJV
Since Adam and Eve fell in the garden death has been a settled issue. There is no escape. While on his death bed, someone entered the room and found WC Fields thumbing through a Bible. When asked what he was doing, he responded that he was looking for loopholes. Some say the only thing that is certain is death and taxes. I say that there are loopholes that you can find that will exempt you from taxes. There are no loopholes when it comes to death.
B. It is a SET time.
You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
Psalm 139:16 NLT
The writer of Hebrews says that it is an appointment. It is one that you will keep. The Bible tells us that God has determined the number of your days. One day it will show up on your calendar. It will be on your to do list.
C. It is a SINGLE event.
A recent study has shown that 1 out of 5 Christians believe in reincarnation. This verse sweeps that idea away. There is no reincarnation, there is no second chance to get your karma right. It is a one time only deal. A once in a lifetime or should I say eternity offer.
II. We will all face the certainty of JUDGEMENT.
¡§God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.¡¨
Ecclesiastes 3:17 NKJV
What happens after we die. That is the question. This verse has the answer. We will face judgement. The Bible tells us plainly that we will not hang around in limbo as the psychics tell us. We will not wait for our toll to be paid in purgatory. We will face judgement. The saved will be ushered into the presence of the Lord. To be absent from the body is to be present with Him. The lost will open there eyes is a place of torment. ¡§And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Luke 16:23
A. There is judgement for those who are SAVED.
¡§For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.¡¨
2 Cor. 5:10 NKJV
1. This judgement involves REWARDS and LOSS.
Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13each one¡¦s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one¡¦s work, of what sort it is. 14If anyone¡¦s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15If anyone¡¦s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. I Cor. 3:12-15
B. There is judgement for those who are UNSAVED.
¡¨Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.¡¨¡K And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.¡¨
Rev. 20:11-12, 15 NKJV
1. This judgement involves only CONDEMNATION.
1¡§When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32¡§All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33¡§And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34¡§Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ¡¥Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world¡¦ 46¡§And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.¡¨
III. How can I be prepared to face death and judgement?
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
2 Cor. 6:2 NKJV
A. RECEIVE JESUS as your Lord and Savior.
There is no other way, Jesus said that I am the way the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but through me.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23 NKJV
1. Jesus faced DEATH for us.
¡§Christ died for us.¡¨
Romans 5:8 NKJV
He died for you. That is He died in your place. The punishment for sin is death. His death on the cross paid the price for your sins. You can¡¦t be good enough, religious enough, smart enough, good looking enough, nothing can pay for your sins but the blood of Jesus
2. Jesus faced JUDGEMENT for us. Isa. 53
It was Jesus who stood is as the guilty one. Our sins were place on His account. He took our punishment. Judgement for Him was our condemnation.
3. Jesus conquered DEATH for us.
¡§I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death¡¨
Rev. 1:18 NKJV
I Cor. 15 says that through Him we have the victory over the sting of sin and death. He is the champion!
B. TREASURE every day.
¡§So teach us to number our days,¡¨
Psalm 90:12 NKJV
If something is a treasure to you, you will not waste it. Don¡¦t waste your life. Treasure them, be thankful for them. Live each one as if you are to die.
C. MAKE THE MOST of every opportunity.
¡§redeeming the time, because the days are evil.¡¨
Eph. 5:16 NKJV
Someone said that only what is done for God will last. Make the most of every day by serving Him. Obeying Him. We are to make every day one that will be pleasing to the Lord.
When will it come? How will it happen? I don’t know, and you don’t either. One thing is for sure it is coming. How will you look death in the eye and win? Only by receiving Jesus. If you have never done that, I beg you this morning, please turn to Him.
