Sunday, September 19, 2010

September 19, 2010

“HAPPILY EVER AFTER?”

Week One – “Dead Certain” Hebrews 9:27-28

Well all love fairy tales. We enjoyed them growing up. We tell them to our children. All fairy tales end the same way – “and they all lived happily ever after”.

Is there a real life “happily ever after”?

If so, how does that happen?

Have you ever heard these humorous epitaphs?
1. “Here lies Anne Mann. Who lived an old maid, but died an old Mann.”
2. “Beneath this sod, a lump of clay lays Arabella Young; who on the 21st of May began to hold her tongue.”
3. “The children of Israel wanted bread, the Lord sent them Manna. Old Clark Wallace wanted a wife, the devil sent him Anna.”
4. Here lies Johnny Yeast- ‘Forgive me for not rising.’
5. “Here lies Butch, we planted him raw. He was quick on the trigger but slow on the draw.”
6. “Under the sod and under the trees, lies the body of Jonathan Peas. He’s not there, there’s only the pod. Peas shelled out and went to God.”These are all pretty funny but when we think about it seriously, what will your tombstone say?



I. DEATH IS A CERTAINTY, V. 27a
“It is appointed unto man once to die……”

Woody Allen’s once stated, "I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work," he said. "I want to achieve immortality by not dying."

Country Music Super-Star, Tim McGraw discovered at age 11 that his real father was the star major league pitcher, Tug McGraw, when he happened to get a glimpse of his birth certificate…..
He said I was in my early forties with a lot of life before me when a moment came that stopped me on a dime and I spent most of the next days looking at the x-rays Talking bout the options and talking bout sweet time I asked him when it sank in that this might really be the real end how's it hit you when you get that kinda news man what'd you do
I went sky diving - I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named FuManchuand then I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter –
and I watched an eagle as it was flying –

He said I was finally the husband that most the time I wasn't and I became a friend a friend would like to have and all the sudden going fishin wasn't such an imposition and I went three times that year I lost my dad well I finally read the good book and I took a good long hard look at what I'd do if I could do it all again

I went sky diving - I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named FuManchuand then I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter –
and I watched an eagle as it was flying –

Like tomorrow was a gift and you got eternity to think about what'd you do with it what did you do with it what did I do with it what would I do with it' -

I went sky diving - I went Rocky Mountain climbing
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named FuManchuand then I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter –
and I watched an eagle as it was flying –
and he said someday I hope you get the chance - to live like you were dying.- To live like you were dying - To live like you were dying- To live like you were dying - To live like you were dying

There are some very healthy and amazing things that can happen when you begin ordering your life in view of your morality. I think Jesus would agree with Tim McGraw – “LIVE LIKE YOUR ARE DYING” because you are – and you will.

II. DEATH IS A REALITY, V. 27
“…..and after that to face judgment…..”

Some nine year old children were asked what they thought of death and dying. Jim said, “When you die, they bury you in the ground and your souls goes to heaven, but your body can’t go to heaven because it’s too crowded up there already.” Judy said, “Only the good people go to heaven. The other people go where it’s hot all the time like in Florida.” John said, “Maybe I’ll die someday, but I hope I don’t die on my birthday because it’s no fun to celebrate your birthday if you’re dead.” Marsha commented, “When you die, you don’t have to do homework in heaven, unless your teacher is there too.”

A doctor called one of his patients into his office to deliver some very important news. "I have received the results of your tests and I have some bad news and some good news", said the doctor. The patient was quiet for a moment, sensing the severity of the announcement. "Let me have the good news first, doc", said the patient. The doctor took a deep breath and said, "You only have 24 hours to live." "Oh my goodness", shouted the patient, "If that’s the good news what could the bad news possibly be?" The doctor replied, "I was supposed to tell you yesterday."

FOUR IDEAS ABOUT DEATH:

1) Annihilation
2) Reincarnation
3) Soul Sleep
4) The Truth

The fact that there is a judgment that each of us must prepare for is a major game-changer. Since God is keeping a “permanent record” everything we do in life takes on more significance! Everything we do in life echoes in eternity!

III. LIFE IS A POSSIBILITY, Vv. 27-28
“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.”

Winston Churchill arranged his own funeral. There were stately hymns in St. Paul’s Cathedral and an impressive liturgy. But at the end of the service, Churchill had an unusual event planned. When they said the benediction, a bugler high in the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral on one side played Taps, the universal signal that the day is over. There was a long pause. Then a bugler on the other side played Reveille, the military wake-up call.

When John Owen, the great Puritan, lay on his deathbed his secretary wrote (in his name) to a friend, "I am still in the land of the living." "Stop," said Owen. "Change that and say, I am yet in the land of the dying, but I hope soon to be in the land of the living."

An aged minister was lost on an unpaved, unmarked road in west Texas. He went to a farmhouse to inquire as to how he could reach his destination. A little freckle-faced boy gave the following directions: "Go right on down the big road for several miles. It is plenty sandy and rough. Sometimes you will bog down and get stuck, but keep going until you come to a graveyard. Go right through the graveyard and just on the other side you will come to a paved highway. Turn to the right and the place you are looking for is just around the corner. When you get to the paved road beyond the graveyard, your troubles will be over!"
The old minister thought as he rode along: "I am traveling down the rough road of life. Sometimes it seems that I almost bog down. After I travel life’s road for a few more miles, I will come to the graveyard, and then my troubles will be over, for God's highway and the heavenly home are just the other side of the cemetery!"



That is true because of the salvation provided by Jesus – the Son of God Who stepped out of eternity into time and put on flesh and blood. He willingly left the land of the living to come to the land of the dying and die! And though He was totally innocent and holy, He took our guilt and the penalty of our sin so we can live and so when we leave this life we can live forever with Him!

THE REASON THAT JESUS CAME – THE CENTRAL REASON FOR SALVATION, AND REDEMPTION, AND THE ATONEMENT – IS SO WE CAN HAVE A CHANCE TO CHOOSE A “HAPPY EVER AFTER”!

As believers, we take our ideas from the Bible and the Bible teaches that life begins at conception and never ends! It just changes forms………

“See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.” Deuteronomy 30:15


You have an “ever after”.

Only you can make your “ever after” a happy “ever after”

Will you?

September 18, 2010

"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." Hebrews 9:27-28
Later today I will be sitting at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, VA with 66,238 of my closest friends. We will have several things in common. All of us love the Hokies and all of us have a date with death. (Some of us live and die with the Hokies, but that is a different story) And after we each did we will each face a judgment before God.
You might be saying, "Wow! Thanks for that depressing thought!"
I am simply echoing the truth recorded here in this portion of the Scriptures written by the author of Hebrews. When you back away from these couple of verses and look at the bigger picture of what is being said, it is actually good news - no, great news!
The purpose of Hebrews is to explain the advantages of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant. In the Old Covenant, the Law was central and you atoned for violations of the Law through the shedding of the blood of the sacrifices in the Temple by the priests. But the New Covenant was established by the grace of God through the shedding of Christ's blood on the cross. So, he is essentially asking this question, "Would you rather depend on the continual offering of sacrifices or would you rather just depend on the 'once and for all' sacrifice of Christ, God's Son?"
Good answer!
Trusting the sacrifice of Christ is not only a better way to live, it is a better way to die! Since everyone of us is going to die, would you rather die hoping that you have offered the right sacrifice or would you rather die KNOWING that Christ's sacrifice is sufficient for your salvation!?
Good answer!
After death come the judgment. Let me ask you again - would you rather face the judgment trusting in the blood of goats and bulls OR would you rather face the judgment knowing that Christ was offered for your sins and that He took your judgment for you?
Good answer!
So, let me summarize. What sounds like a blunt and cold statement of depressing news, at further examination is GREAT news! Knowing that you will die and that there is a judgment means you need to do something to prepare. And the something you should do is trust Jesus as your Savior and Lord because He died and He was judged for you! His death provided the means for you to be forgiven of your sins and freed from the penalty of judgment!
When he delivers this news he is saying, "God died and God was judged (in the person of Christ) so that you can face death and the judgment without fear or dread!
Will you? Have you put your faith in Christ and trusted Him for your salvation?