You Can’t Stop Death
What is the one thing you can’t stop no matter how hard you try? No matter how much you wish or hope for it to go away, it won’t. No amount of exercise and eating right will stop it. You can’t cheat it and you really can’t even prolong the inevitable. What is the enemy that is unstoppable to all of mankind? It’s death. You can’t stop death. No matter how much you fear it or dread it, you can’t stop it.
Death comes to all of us. We are all born to die. It is the ultimate statistic – 10 out of 10 people die. It is the great equalizer. Death comes to us all whether rich or poor and no matter what our skin tone is. We are all going to die one day. There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it (Ecclesiastes 8:8).
Days Are Full Of Trouble
Job 14:1-5 states: Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. And doth thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.
And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit (Luke 12:25)? Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah (Psalm 39:4-5).
Life Is Short
Psalm 89:47-48 says: Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you (Peter 1:24-25).
Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away (James 4:14-15). Our lives a fleeting. We are here today and gone tomorrow. You and I were born to die and you can’t stop death.
The Great Equalizer
Death is the great equalizer. Millionaires and Billionaires have died and what did all that wealth gain them? What were they able to take with them that the rest of us can’t take? Absolutely nothing. Sadly, Eddie Van Halen died this week. Even though he was a very famous guitar player, he couldn’t cheat death. His talent and wealth couldn’t keep him alive. In 100 years will the rich and famous be remembered? In 1,000 years? Thankfully, God doesn’t look at what we’ve earned in this life. Material things matter not to Him. He already owns the cattle on a thousand hills. God needs nothing from us and we take nothing with us when we die.
So you can’t stop death and you can’t take anything with you after you die. What then, is the point of life? Why are we here? What’s the purpose? Ecclessiastes 12:13 says: Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Fear God and keep His commandments. And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding (Job 28:28). The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever (Psalm 111:10).
Do You Fear The Lord?
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7). Fear God and keep his commandments. Why fear God? Because God is Holy, righteous and just and none of us are these things outside of Jesus Christ. Jesus said “Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him (Luke 12:4-5).
Fear God who has the power to cast you into Hell. Again, God is righteous, us mere humans are not. We have all sinned against God and fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:23). There is not a righteous person on earth. Ecclessiastes 7:20 states: Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. If Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, then God does not see you as righteous. You should fear the One that can cast you into Hell.
Fear God And Keep His Commandments
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. But Ecclessiastes 12:13 also says that we are to keep His commandments. But wait a minute, none of us are righteous. None of us have kept the 10 Commandments. You and I have lied, stolen, lusted and coveted. None of us have always honored our moms and dads. So how do we keep the commandments when we can’t keep them? God commands all people everywhere to repent.
Acts 17:30-31 says: And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. God commands you to repent. Unrepentant sinners don’t want to hear this. But it’s the truth. God commands you to repent. He doesn’t request you repent or suggest you repent. God is not wringing His hands in Heaven wondering if you are going to repent or not. No, God commands you to repent.
Repentance And Faith
Acts 20:21 states that we are to have repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is not found in repentance alone. You are to repent and trust Jesus. Trust His finished work on the cross. You and I did not and could not keep the 10 Commandments. But Jesus did. He never sinned. Not one time. He always did the will of God the Father. Jesus was obedient unto death, even death on the cross. The Lord suffered, bled and died in the place of guilty sinners who repent and trust Him.
The penalty for sin has to be paid one way or the other and it will. Either Jesus took the punishment you deserve while He bore God’s wrath on the cross or the guilt of your sin remains upon you. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him (John 3;36).
Do Not Die In Your Sins
Oh do not foolishly reject such a great salvation and die in your sins. Don’t die outside of Christ and go to Hell. Don’t do you. You can’t stop death and you can’t stop the second death. The second death is eternal damnation, everlasting punishment. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death (Revelation 21:8).
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). Oh, you cannot cheat death. You can’t slow it down and you can’t stop it. One day you will breath your last. Will you go to Heaven or Hell?
What Happens To Those Who Die Outside Of Christ?
Those who die outside of Christ will be avenged with flaming fire and unbelievers will be punished with everlasting destruction. Folks, this is not a game. Your eternal soul will spend eternity with Jesus in Heaven or your will be punished forever in the lake of fire and brimstone. There is no purgatory and there are no third options. Jesus is the only way of salvation. Come to Jesus and be saved.
Recognize that you are a sinner. Cry out for God to save you Repent of your sins and surrender your life to Jesus. Bow your knee and confess with your tongue that Jesus Christ is Lord. Oh, be saved. Receive everlasting life. Then when you die, you die in Christ Jesus, not outside of Him. Then God sees you through the righteousness of Jesus and not the sinful creature that you are. Does this mean Christians have a license to sin? Absolutely not. Jesus said if you love Me, keep My commandments.
One Day You Will Die
You will die one day and that’s why the Psalmist said teach us to number our days. The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom (Psalm 90:10-12).
Teach us to number our days. The Bible says our lives are but vapors. We are here today and gone tomorrow. That’s why God has put eternity in your heart. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end (Ecclessiastes 3:11).
You know God is real. You also know that you will spend eternity in Heaven or Hell. Will you continue rebelling against God and die your sins or will your repent and submit your life to King Jesus? You can’t stop death. Where will you go after you die? Where will you spend eternity? Oh, turn to Christ and live before it’s too late.
(This message was proclaimed in downtown Springfield, MO on October 9, 2020)
