APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH

Hebrews 9:27-28

  1. Intro.
    1. there are some things that man does not like to face, and therefore tries to avoid – death
    2. there is one thing that is absolutely certain – death
    3. death is the result of sin – Eze. 18:4, Romans 6:23
  2. the Bible is full of warnings about death
    1. no matter how men feel about it, God’s Word deals with it honestly
      1. the Bible says more about death than nearly anything else
      2. in the Garden of Eden, before sin and death occurred, God gave a warning about death – Gen. 2:17
      3. Adam and Eve did eat, and they did die
        1. they died spiritually at that moment
        2. their bodies immediately began the process of decay and death
    2. the genealogy of Adam to Noah is full of the reminder of death – Gen. 5:5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 24, 27, 31
    3. when reading of the kings of Judah and Israel we are reminded of death [and he slept with his fathers]
    4. God warned Moses that he was going to die – Deut. 31:14
    5. when Christ preached, He often spoke of death
      1. Lazarus and the rich man (one in heaven, and one in hell)
      2. the poor rich fool – Luke 12:20 [Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee]
      3. Jesus warned the Pharisees about dying in their sins – John 8:24
    6. we can read of many dying at one time
      1. the flood
      2. Pharaoh’s army
      3. the rebellious Jews in the wilderness
      4. Sennacherib’s army (185,00)
    7. we can read of the death of many great people in the Bible (Abraham, David, Solomon, John the Baptist)
    8. death is the result of sin, and we will all die (man has an appointment with death)
  3. the reality of death is all around us
    1. cemeteries, hospitals, nursing homes
    2. young and old, rich and poor, famous and not so famous
    3. wars claim many peoples lives at once
  4. what happens at death [the judgment]
    1. the Christian death
      1. Lazarus was carried by angels into Abraham’s bosom (heaven)
      2. Jesus told the thief "today shalt thou be with me in paradise"
      3. death for save people means to be instantly in heaven with conscious and eternal joy
      4. death should have no terror for those who have been born again
      5. at death, the child of God must stand before God and be judged for his works – Romans 14:10-12
        1. the soul of a Christian will never be in jeopardy
        2. it is a judgment to determine the rewards that will be given – I Cor. 3:8
        3. some will receive a reward and some won’t – I Cor. 3:14-15
      6. death for many Christians will be the end of a wasted life
      7. death will mean that the time of soul winning is ended
        1. are we ready to die and leave a family member unsaved
        2. are we ready to die and leave a neighbor of friend unsaved
        3. if there is anyone that needs to be saved, we should do it soon
      8. we Christians need to prepare to die, for we are appoint to die
    2. the sinners death
      1. the unrepentant sinner will experience immediate, literal, conscious torment in hell
      2. after death there is no chance to repent and be saved
      3. after death comes only judgment and no mercy
      4. mercy and grace are offered on this side of the grave
      5. today Jesus is pleading for every sinner to accept His mercy and forgiveness – Isaiah 1:18
      6. Jesus wants to forgive and forget – Hebrews 8:12
      7. the door of mercy is closed at death, then the lost sinner will fall into hell without any hope
  5. the danger of sudden death
    1. more than half of the death in America are sudden deaths (accidents, murder, heart attack, stroke)
    2. sudden death means no time to pray, and no time to repent
    3. sudden death is often an unprepared death
    4. sudden death is the haunting monster of the unrepentant, Christ rejecting sinners – Proverbs 29:1
  6. good news for all sinners, Christ is the conqueror of death, hell, and the grave
    1. all must die once, but none need to die twice – Revelation 21:7-8
      1. the second death is the lake of fire
      2. the second death comes only to the unbeliever
    2. we are overcomers by faith in Jesus Christ – I John 5:4-5
    3. Jesus has born our sin so that we do not have to die twice – Hebrews 9:27-28
      1. He paid our penalty
      2. He suffered our hell
    4. today we can have victory over death through Jesus Christ our Lord
  7. ARE YOU PREPARED TO DIE?