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The World's Greatest Preacher
You might say that this
preacher is the most anointed of all. At least, all would have to agree
that he surely has a way with words and can get a point across to most.
His expressions are very graphic and his illustrations are countless. No
one leaves his presence without being moved in some way, shape, or
fashion. Who is this dynamic preacher? His name is Death!
"Death is the most powerful
and effective preacher the children of this world have. Though they avoid
all churches and despise all preachers of God's Word, yet one preacher -
death - they are compelled to hear. His church is the earth, his pulpit
the deathbed, the casket, the hearse, the grave, and the cemetery. With a
heart-rending voice He cries out, 'O man, it is appointed unto you to die;
you have no continuing city in this world, this earth is not your home,
this life does not finish your course; in an hour unknown to you, you will
have to leave this world with all its treasures. Oh, repent, repent!' " -
(C.F. W. Walther) - Encyclopedia Of Sermon Illustrations
Death has one basic sermon that he preaches to all. His outline looks
something like this -
1. Man, Your Days On Earth Are Short
Job 10:20 - "Are not my days few?..."
In other words, by asking this question, Job was demonstrating to all that
life on this earth is very short and hastens to a quick close.
Because life is so very short, Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on this
verse, calls us to active and conscientious duty - " 'Are...my days few?'
Then it concerns me to redeem time, to improve opportunities, what my hand
finds to do to do it with all my might, that I may be ready for the days
of eternity, which shall be many."
Psalm 39:5 - "Behold, Thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine
age is as nothing before Thee..."
Here we see David's depiction of the brevity of life. He uses the smallest
of measures - the "handbreadth" - as compared to the foot or the cubit -
to show how man's time on this earth is very short. The "handbreadth" was
a measurement using the palm or the spread hand - the breadth of four
expanded fingers.
He went on to say that his "age" or lifetime was "as nothing" before God.
In other words, he was saying that man's life on earth was so short that
it seemed vain and of no real value in comparison to the eternity of God.
2. Man, Your Life On Earth Is Vanity
Psalm 39:5 - "...verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity."
Everything about man's life is uncertain, unpredictable, and unstable.
Though he ventures out with great projects, plans, and schemes, it seems
as though he accomplishes so little because his time is very short.
It does not matter what position or status he has in society - whether he
be rich or poor, young or old, strong or weak, beautiful or unattractive,
successful or a total failure - when he leaves this world, he is taken
from the sight of men and, in most cases, easily forgotten by others.
The truth of the matter is - only that which is done for the Lord Jesus
and accomplished through His Mighty Power and Grace lasts.
3. Man, You and I Have An Appointment To Keep
-
Hebrews 9:27 - "And as it is
appointed unto men once to die..."
-
Psalm 89:48 - "What man is he
that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the
hand of the grave? Selah."
-
In Genesis 3:19, God decreed
to Adam and all mankind - "...for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou
return."
Unless raptured with all the
living saints when Jesus comes back to this earth for His Church, every
mortal man will die. His period of preparation for the next life will be
over. Time as he knows it will be no more.
Take note that all men will die "once" and that it will be a designated
appointment. In other words, there is a definite timing for it. It happens
to all. And there are no exceptions made for certain classes of people.
Romans 5:12 - Why must all men
die? Simply because of the presence of Sin - "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."
Since it is something that
will happen "once" for every man, it behooves us to pay very close
attention to the sound advice given in Barnes' Notes concerning this
concept - "...death occurs but 'once' in this world. It cannot be repeated
if we should desire to have it repeated. Whatever truths or facts pertain
to death; whatever lessons it is calculated to convey, pertain to it as an
event which is not to occur again...What is to be done but, 'once,' we
should wish to be done well. We should make all proper preparations for
it; we should regard it with singular interest. If preparation is to be
made for it, we should make all which we expect 'ever' to make. A man who
is to cross the ocean but 'once,' to go away from his home never to
return, should make the right kind of preparation. He cannot come back to
take what he has forgotten; to arrange what he has neglected; to give
counsel which he has failed to do; to ask forgiveness for offences for
which he has neglected to seek pardon. And so of death. A man who dies,
dies but once. He cannot come back again to make preparation if he has
neglected it; to repair the evils which he has caused by a wicked life; or
to implore pardon for sins which he had failed to ask forgiveness.
Whatever is 'to be done' with reference to death, is to be done 'once for
all' before he dies."
4. Man, What Follows Me is
Judgment Before The Holy God
Hebrews 9:27 - "And as it is
appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."
5. Man, Don't Presume On
Tomorrow
James 4:14 - "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow..."
No man is promised tomorrow. No man knows what a single day or an hour
will bring his way. He cannot calculate on keeping his life any longer
than determined by God. His plans must always be made in view of the
possibility that his life could be cut short at any moment of time. His
future lies in the hands of His Maker - none other than the Lord Jesus
Christ - and is determined by his personal choices made in this life.
We heard Death's general sermon for all mankind. Now, what are we going to
do about it?
As Barnes Notes' admonished us, since we all will die only "once," are we
striving to make the proper preparations for it? Are we regarding death
with a "singular interest"?
Is there anything that we have forgotten to do? Are there any arrangements
that we have neglected? Is there any counsel that we have failed to give?
Is there any forgiveness for offences of which we have neglected to seek
pardon?
In what ways are we making preparations for the next life? Are we
redeeming the time, improving our opportunities, and wholeheartedly
fulfilling our God-given obligations?
Have you made peace with your Maker by repenting of all of your sins and
surrendering your life totally and absolutely to the Lord Jesus Christ?
Are you living holily and blamelessly before God and men?
Is your conscience void of offense toward God and men?
If after reading this message, your time on this earth ended in death,
where would you spend eternity? Do you know of a surety where you will go
when you leave this world?
Now is the time to get right with God.
Now is the moment to make that phone call, write that letter or e-mail, or
make that personal visit to make things right between you and others.
Don't put it off any longer.
Give your life to Jesus.
Don't let it be said of you - "Too Late!"
"Only one life will soon be past - Only what's done for Christ will Last!"
May God Bless His Word.
Connie
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