Time's Running Out

Time’s Running Out

November 3, 2002

Introduction: Two elderly women were out driving in a large car, both could barely see over the dashboard. As they were cruising along, they came to an intersection. The stoplight was red but they just went on through. The woman in the passenger seat thought to herself, "I must be losing it, I could have

sworn we just went through a red light."

After a few more minutes, they came to another intersection. The light was red, and again they went right through. This time, the passenger was almost sure that the light had been red, but was also concerned that she might be seeing things. She was getting nervous and decided to pay very close attention.

At the next intersection, sure enough, the light was definitely red and they went right through it. She turned to the other woman and said, "Mildred! Did you know we just ran through three red lights in a row? You could have killed us!!"

Mildred turned to her and said, "Oh Goodness! Am I driving?"

-Reflections on yesterday, getting older (physical aspects)

Five Facts Of Life

1. Life Is Short

Job 14:1-2 "How frail is humanity! How short is life, and how full of trouble! 2 Like a flower, we blossom for a moment and then wither. Like the shadow of a passing cloud, we quickly disappear." (NLT)

Psalm 39:4-5 "Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away. My life is no longer than the width of my hand. An entire lifetime is just a moment to you; human existence is but a breath." (NLT)

"Time is fire in which we burn" -Star Trek

Dreams, Ambitions in youth, now gone

Ill-girl on Oprah wanting to make $1 million by age 30.

Psalm 90:10,12 "Seventy years are given to us! Some may even reach eighty. But even the best of these years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we are gone. . . Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom." (NLT)

2. Life Is A Gift Of God

Job 33:4 "For the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life." (NLT)

Job 12:10 "For the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of all humanity." (NLT)

Genesis 2:7 "And the Lord God formed a man’s body from the dust of the ground and breathed into it the breath of life. And the man became a living person." (NLT)

Each breath we take is a gift of grace; It’s easier to die than to live.

(Gift given for a reason)

3. Life Has A Purpose

Opportunity to honor the life giver

All-loving God created us to have someone to love

Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (NLT)

Ecclesiastes 12:13 "Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person."

Matthew 22:37-40 " ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."

Romans 13:8-10 "If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill all the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments against adultery and murder and stealing and coveting—and any other commandment—are all summed up in this one commandment: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no wrong to anyone, so love satisfies all of God’s requirements."

4. Life Has A Limit

Psalm 89:48 "No one can live forever; all will die. No one can escape the power of the grave."

Death is inevitable

Job 34:14-15 "If God were to take back his spirit and withdraw his breath, 15 all life would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust.’

Ecclesiastes 12:6-7 "Remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. 7 For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it."

5. Life Is A Test

Proverb 20:27 "God is in charge of human life, watching and examining us inside and out." (TM)

Ecclesiastes 12:14 "God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad."