As the leader and pastor of this church it is my duty to teach you how to live a victorious life.
However I believe that teaching about this life is not my most important task, instead my main duty is to get you ready for eternal life. I know that it may not be such an attractive topic for some, and many do not like to even think about death, but this is my great challenge: To get you ready to face Eternity.
Today’s message: Get ready for your appointment (part 1)
As a pastor, one of the most difficult times is when we have to hold a funeral service and say goodbye to a loved one, someone who was once part of our community.
This is a reality that all of you who are listening to me will have to face: one day we will depart this earthly reality into eternity. How can you be sure you will see this day? You need to live today by investing in eternal life.
Whatever we do now is going to determine our eternity.
The decisions you make today determine where and how you will spend eternity.
We are eternal, we need to make our life count! How many of you want to make your life count? I don’t want to make my life count temporarily, but forever.
Today I want to show you through the Word of God that: Your eternity is determined by your lifestyle in these few years on earth! One day we will all have to face death and we will be accountable to God for how we have lived here! And after death there will be no second chances!
“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.
Hebrews 9:27
You have an appointment with death. Every one of us is destined to die once and after that, we are going to face God and the judgment. One day every one of us will face death! Everyone has one chance at life! No one will have second chances! After death there will be no time to repent. Repentance must happen right now, in this life!
I have come to the conclusion that God’s intention is for us to spend most of our time here getting ready for there!
Everything you do in this earth, will bring you either reward or regret.
Everything you do on this earth, how you have lived, will determine the reward that you are going to receive or the big regret you’re going to have for wasting the time and opportunities that God has given you! The Bible says you are eternal! You will never end, you will stay a few short years on Earth, and then Eternity somewhere else;
Life is short !
“Some of you say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to some city. We will stay there a year, do business, and make money.” Listen, think about this: You don’t know what will happen tomorrow. Your life is like a fog. You can see it for a short time, but then it goes away. So you should say, “If the Lord wants, we will live and do this or that.”” James 4:13-15
The bible says: Your life is a vapour ! It will soon pass away!
If today was the last day of your life, how would you feel standing before the Lord Jesus? He knows everything about my life! He knows all about your life!
As you know, life here is short, and many people are departing to eternity every day! Children, youth, young couples, die every day! Dying is not the problem! But, are you prepared to stand before Jesus after death ?
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”Genesis 2:7 NKJV
“Remember your Creator while you are young, before the bad times come—before the years come when you say, “I have wasted my life.”” Ecclesiastes 12:1
Many will have regrets: it is up to you how you’ll choose to spend your time! Many are wasting their time , they don’t have time for praying , reading the bible , coming to the meetings, to visit people in need, to talk about Jesus or to have time with God.
We are accountable for how we live and how we use our time.
When God asks you, How did you use your time on earth?
I watched all the seasons of Star Trek, Game of thrones , The walking dead, Dr. house, Arrow, Friends, Breaking Bad …… I played a lot of video games : CrossFire , Candy Crush Saga , Fortnight, Etc. I made a lot of money, I bought 2 houses, and I worked a lot.
What’s all of that going to bring you on that day? Nothing but Regret : I wasted my time!
“Your body came from the earth. And when you die, it will return to the earth. But your spirit came from God, and when you die, it will return to him.”Ecclesiastes 12:7
Man was created from the dust of the ground and one day his body will return to the ground. But your Soul and your Spirit will live forever.
God is saying to you: don’t try to fix your life only after you get old, because maybe you won’t have time! Remember your creator while you are young, for one day you may regret it: I have wasted my life. So, in light of this fact, the Bible says that we need to live not for us but for our Creator.
“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” I Corinthians 10:31 NKJV
We are meant to bring glory to our Creator. You didn’t do anything to bring yourself into existence, so why should your life be all about you?
There is a reason and a purpose as to why we exist. Why do you exist? What is the purpose of your existence? What is your life’s ultimate goal?
When Pilates asked Jesus about His life Jesus answered : “For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world” John 18:37 NKJV
Each of us was born for a prophetic purpose and destiny!
“Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalms 139:16 NIV
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”” Jeremiah 1:5 NIV
The Bible says that we are all born with a purpose. All our days were determined by God. Before you were even born, God assigned you a mission.
Many believers live for themselves, they live without knowing the purpose of their life, many live with no purpose at all! Unfortunately many have wasting their lives!
Let’s read Luke 12:15-21
“Then Jesus said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” And He told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”” Luke 12:15-21 NIV
Jesus said: You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. God is speaking: Your soul will be taken back, I will take it back. God is saying that your life is not yours, you have a creator, you have an owner and one day this owner will settle accounts.
“You’ll say:Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’” Luke 12:19 NIV
Eating, drinking, getting married and having fun is not wrong. But you cannot live just to fulfil your own desires because you were not born for yourself. If you live for yourself: working ,making money, eating, drinking, having fun and being happy, the Bible calls you fool! Fool, tonight you’re departing and what have you done for Eternity?
What’s the point of living a life that doesn’t fulfil its purpose?
“The greatest tragedy in life is not death, but a life without a purpose,”
Jesus taught his disciples to live a life here thinking about eternity! Jesus said : store up your treasures in heaven ! Matthew 6:20
If your heart is on this earth, your treasures and rewards will be here also. But if you invest in the kingdom of God, you are going to have heavenly treasures.
Invest in people — The people in your life are more important than your money and they are the only thing you can bring to heaven with you!
You need to have a radical shift in your expectation which will create a radical shift in your behaviour and transform other lives.
The greater your expectation is of eternity the better life you will have on earth. You need to have more expectations of eternity!
“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24 NKJV
Everything you do, do it with all your heart for the Lord! Everything you do, you do it not for men but for God!
Verse 24 says: Knowing that you will receive from the Lord the reward of everything you have done, for the Lord you are serving Christ!
Are you doing something at church? You are doing it not for your pastor but for God.
Are you studying at school? What are you doing at school? You are serving the Lord!
Are you in college? Be the best student, be an example of a Christian, because you are there serving the Lord.
Are you working in a company? You are there serving the Lord. Don’t just serve men. Be the best employee, work hard and show that Christians are the best employees. Don’t be lazy, don’t fight, don’t be late and show kindness and the love of Christ.
Do you work as a cleaner? You are there to serve God! Do your best, be the best at your job, for you are there to serve the Lord.
Ever since I was born again, wherever I went, studying or working I was serving God. I preached the gospel and won people to Jesus! Every school I studied, every Job that I worked, I preached the gospel and saved people.
What are people seeing in you? Can people see Jesus through you? Are you a loving person? Are you a kind person? Do you help your corkers in their work? Do people like to talk to you? Does everyone know that you are a Christian who loves God?
Are you sure that the kingdom of God is priority in your life ? Is the Church of Christ really important for you? Are you seeking first God’s kingdom or your kingdom? Do you have pleasure serving the kingdom of God? Do you enjoy coming to prayer meetings, Bible studies, 12 Hous of prayer , or to our services?
If you have no pleasure being in the presence of God, no pleasure coming to church meetings or serving the kingdom of God here, what are you going to do in heaven?
We need to repent from our lack of commitment with the kingdom of God and our lack of love for the lost and invest our time and life in the kingdom of God.
Your life has a purpose and the purpose is to serve and obey God!
My life and your life is a preparation for that day when we will stand before the Lord.
If we live in light of that day; our expectation will transform our behaviour , if we live with eternity on our mind you will live a life that pleases God. If we life in light of eternity we are not going to be afraid of death.
Eternity will give us victory! I want you to enter Heaven with joy. I want us to enter Glory with our hands raised high.
May God help us to live with an eternal perspective and get ready for your appointment.
God bless you!