OceanSide church of Christ
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DEATH: A TIME FOR SOBER
THINKING
Victor M.
Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A.
The sentence of death
came upon all men when God convicted Adam and Eve of their sin in the Garden of
Eden (Gen. 3:19).
In the
sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return to the ground; for out
of it wast thou taken: for dust
thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
B.
In each person’s life,
he will be confronted with death numerous times. These deaths will come in many
forms.
1.
A child dies of an
illness.
2.
A teenager dies in an
accident.
3.
A loved one dies after
a lengthy illness.
4.
An old friend from the
past dies suddenly.
5.
An elderly individual
closes his eyes in death and does not wake up.
6.
A neighbor is killed
through the violent actions of another.
7.
An associate from work
commits suicide.
C.
In the last two weeks,
1.
A member of this
church has passed on.
2.
Friends of
3.
Family of members of
this church have slipped into eternity.
D.
The news of death
grips the heart of man. The hours
surrounding death become a very sobering time of life.
E.
Let’s look at some of
the things that death causes us to reflect upon.
I.
DEATH IS REAL
A.
Death is not something
the living likes to contemplate. We
can always talk about death at another time.
B.
However, when death
comes close to home, we are reminded that death is real.
1.
Ecclesiastes
3:1-2a
To every
thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to
die.
2.
Our spirits will
eventually separate from our bodies.
We will cease to have an earthly existence.
3.
We will only be a
memory for those who are our friends and love ones.
II.
LIFE IS SHORT
A.
Psalm
90:10
The days
of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be
fourscore years, yet is there strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off,
and we fly away.
B.
Seventy or eighty
years seems like a long time to a small child. Those who have reached middle age or old
age know such is not the case.
1.
Poem
When as a child, I
laughed and wept.
Time
crept.
When as a youth, I
dreamed and talked.
Time
walked.
When I became a
full-grown man,
Time
ran.
Soon I shall find in
traveling on,
Time
gone.
2.
Our live is
represented as a dash between the dates on a tomb stone.
3.
James compared it to a
vapor (James 4:14).
…For what
is your life? It is even a vapour,
that appeareth for a little while, and then vanisheth
away.
C.
We are here for a
while, then, we move on.
Question: How are you using
this brief period?
1.
Frivolously? Foolishly? Sinfully?
2.
MOTTO: “Just one life, and soon ‘tis past; only
what is done for Christ, will last.”
III.
RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT
A.
We live in a high-tech
world. We live in a world of
constant movement. We live in a
world that changes rapidly. In this
world, people become only brief contacts.
B.
Then death comes. We are reminded that relationships are
important.
1.
We long for a little
more time to talk.
2.
We wish we had spent a
little more time in visitation.
3.
We yearn for the
birthdays, the holidays, the weddings, when family was
together.
C.
The Bible gives many
admonitions about relationships.
1.
Husbands love your
wives (Eph. 5:25).
2.
Children honor your
parents (Eph. 6:2-3).
3.
Brethren, love one
another with a pure heart fervently (I Pet. 1:22).
4.
Friends should show
themselves friendly (Prov. 18:24).
5.
Estranged brethren
should seek reconciliation (Matt. 5:21-26).
D.
Why so many
instructions? Relationships are
important! We need to conduct
ourselves properly. One day, these
relationships will cease to exist here.
We should not want any regrets.
IV. LIFE FOR
THE LIVING GOES ON
A.
Death stops the living
in their tracks. All things take a
back seat to giving honor to the dead.
B.
However, the living is
still living. Life, here, must, and
does, continue to go on.
1.
After the death of
Sarah, Abraham secured a wife for Isaac and fathered a family through
Keturah.
2.
After the death of the
law-giver
3.
After the death of
David, Solomon ruled
C.
The example of David
who mourned for his sick child.
1.
This was the child
born to David due to his adultery with Bathsheba.
2.
God struck the child,
and he was very sick (I Sam. 12:15).
3.
David besought the
Lord for the child and fasted while the child was sick (I Sam.
12:16-17).
4.
After the death of the
child, David’s behavior was radically altered (I Sam.
12:20).
5.
David explained his
actions to his servants (I Sam. 12:22-23).
And he
said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God
will be gracious to me, that the child may live. But now he is dead, wherefore should I
fast? Can I bring him back
again? I shall go to him, but he
shall not return to me.
V.
PREPARE FOR THE DAY OF MY DEATH
A.
Each death is a
prophetic voice, saying: “Your day
is coming. You, too, shall
die.”
B.
The Bible often refers
to death as “going the way of all the earth” (Josh. 23:14; I Kings
2:2).
C.
When we look at what
follows death, it behooves us to prepare in the here and now (Luke
16:19-25).
There was
a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared
sumptuously every day: and there
was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table;
moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar
died, and was carried by the angels into Abra-ham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off,
and Lazarus in his bosom. And he
cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may
dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in
this flame. But Abraham said, Son
remember that thou in thy lifetime receivest thy good things, and likewise
Lazarus evil things: but now he is
comforted and thou art tormented.
D.
We will not escape
death. We will not escape the
hadean realm of either paradise or tartarus. We will not escape judgment. We will not escape either our final
reward or final condemnation.
E.
For this cause, death
urges us to listen to the words of the old hymn: “O Prepare to Meet Thy
God.”
CONCLUSION
A.
Death is not a joyful
experience for the living.
B.
But it is good for us
to pass through the valley of the shadow of death from time to time. It causes us to think soberly (Eccl.
7:2).
It is
better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting, for
that is the end of all men: and the
living will lay it to his heart.
1.
Death is
certain.
2.
Life is
short.
3.
Relationships are
important.
4.
Life goes
on.
5.
Prepare for the day of
your death.
DEATH: A TIME FOR SOBER
THINKING
Victor
M. Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A.
The
sentence of death came upon all men when God convicted Adam and Eve of their sin
(Gen. 3:19).
B.
In
each person’s life, he will be confronted with death numerous times. These deaths will come in many
forms.
1.
A child dies of an illness.
2.
A teenager dies in an accident.
3.
A loved one dies after a lengthy illness.
4.
An
old friend from the past dies suddenly.
5.
An
elderly individual closes his eyes in death and does not wake
up.
6.
A
neighbor is killed through the violent actions of another.
7.
An
associate from work commits suicide.
C.
In the last two weeks,
D.
The news of death grips the heart of man. The hours surrounding death become a
very sobering time of life.
E.
Let’s look at some of the things that death causes us to reflect
upon.
I.
DEATH IS REAL
A.
Death is not something the living likes to contemplate. “Let’s talk about it at another
time.”
B.
However, when death comes close to home, we are reminded that death is
real (Eccl. 3:1-2a)
II.
LIFE IS SHORT
A.
Psalm 90:10
B.
Seventy or eighty years seems like a long time to a small child. The middle aged and elderly know such is
not the case.
1.
Poem
When
as a child, I laughed and wept.
Time
crept.
When
as a youth, I dreamed and talked.
Time
walked.
When
I became a full-grown man,
Time
ran.
Soon
I shall find in traveling on,
Time
gone.
2.
Our live is represented as a dash between the dates on a tomb
stone.
3.
James compared it to a vapor (James 4:14).
C.
We are here for a while, then, we move on. Question: How are you using this brief
period?
1.
Frivolously? Foolishly? Sinfully?
2.
MOTTO: “Just one life, and
soon ‘tis past; only what is done for Christ, will last.”
III.
RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT
A.
We live in a high-tech world.
We live in a world of constant movement. We live in a world that changes
rapidly. In this world, people
become only brief contacts.
B.
Then death comes. We are
reminded that relationships are important.
We long for many things.
C.
The Bible gives many admonitions about
relationships.
1.
Husbands love your wives (Eph. 5:25).
2.
Children honor your parents (Eph. 6:2-3).
3.
Brethren, love one another with a pure heart fervently (I Pet.
1:22).
4.
Friends
should show themselves friendly (Prov. 18:24).
5.
Estranged
brethren should seek reconciliation (Matt. 5:21-26).
D.
Why so many instructions?
Relationships are important!
We need to conduct ourselves properly. One day, these relationships will cease
to exist here. We should not want
any regrets.
IV.
LIFE FOR THE LIVING GOES ON
A.
Death stops the living in their tracks. All things take a back seat to giving
honor to the dead.
B.
However, the living is still living. Life, here, must, and does, continue to
go on.
1.
After the death of Sarah, Abraham secured a wife for Isaac and fathered
another family.
2.
After the death of the law-giver
3.
After the death of David, Solomon ruled
C.
The example of David who mourned for his sick child (I Sam.
12:22-23).
V.
PREPARE FOR THE DAY OF MY DEATH
A.
Each death is a prophetic voice, saying: “Your day is coming. You, too, shall
die.”
B.
The Bible often refers to death as “going the way of all the earth”
(Josh. 23:14; I Kings 2:2).
C.
When we look at what follows death, it behooves us to prepare now (Luke
16:19-25).
D.
We will not escape death. We
will not escape the hadean realm of either paradise or tartarus. We will not escape judgment. We will not escape either our final
reward or final condemnation.
E.
For this cause, death urges us to listen to the words of the old
hymn: “O Prepare to Meet Thy
God.”
CONCLUSION
A.
Death is not a joyful experience for the living.
B.
But it is good for us to pass through the valley of the shadow of death
from time to time. It causes us to
think soberly (Eccl. 7:2).
DEATH: A TIME FOR SOBER
THINKING
Victor
M. Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A.
The sentence of _______________ came upon all men when God convicted Adam
and Eve of their sin(Gen. 3:19).
B.
In each person’s life, he will be confronted with death numerous
times. These deaths will come in
many ___________.
1.
A
child dies of an illness.
2.
A
teenager dies in an accident.
3.
A
loved one dies after a lengthy illness.
4.
An
old friend from the past dies suddenly.
5.
An
elderly individual closes his eyes in death and does not wake
up.
6.
A
neighbor is killed through the violent actions of another.
7.
An
associate from work commits suicide.
C.
In the last two weeks,
D.
The news of death grips the heart of man. The hours surrounding death become a
very _____________ time of life.
E.
Let’s look at some of the things that death causes us to reflect
upon.
I.
DEATH IS _____________________
A.
Death is not something the living likes to contemplate. “Let’s talk about it at another
time.”
B.
However, when death comes close to home, we are reminded that death is
real (Eccl. 3:1-2a)
II.
_________________ IS SHORT
A.
__________________ 90:10
B.
Seventy or eighty years seems like a long time to a _______ child. The middle aged and elderly know such is
not the case.
1.
Poem
When
as a child, I laughed and wept.
Time
crept.
When
as a youth, I dreamed and talked.
Time
walked.
When
I became a full-grown man,
Time
ran.
Soon
I shall find in traveling on,
Time
gone.
2.
Our live is represented as a ___________ between the ________________ on
a tomb stone.
3.
James compared it to a _______________________ (James
4:14).
C.
We are here for a while, then, we move on. Question: How are you using this brief
period?
1.
Frivolously? Foolishly? Sinfully?
2.
MOTTO: “Just one life, and
soon ‘tis past; only what is done for _______________, will
last.”
III.
__________________________ ARE IMPORTANT
A.
We live in a high-tech world.
We live in a world of constant movement. We live in a world that changes
rapidly. In this world, people
become only brief _____________________.
B.
Then death comes. We are
reminded that relationships are important.
We long for many things.
C.
The Bible gives many admonitions about
relationships.
1.
Husbands __________________ your wives (Eph. 5:25).
2.
Children _________________ your parents (Eph.
6:2-3).
3.
Brethren, _________________ one another with a pure heart fervently (I
Pet. 1:22).
4.
Friends should show themselves _____________________ (Prov.
18:24).
5.
Estranged brethren should seek _________________________ (Matt.
5:21-26).
D.
Why so many instructions?
Relationships are important!
We need to conduct ourselves properly. One day, these relationships will cease
to exist here. We should not want
any ______________________.
IV.
LIFE FOR THE LIVING GOES ON
A.
Death stops the living in their tracks. All things take a back seat to giving
honor to the dead.
B.
However, the living is still living. Life, here, must, and does, continue to
go on.
1.
After the death of Sarah, Abraham secured a wife for Isaac and
________________ another family.
2.
After the death of the law-giver
3.
After the death of David, Solomon ruled
C.
The example of David who mourned for his sick child (I Sam.
12:22-23).
V.
______________________ FOR THE DAY OF MY DEATH
A.
Each death is a prophetic voice, saying: “Your day is coming. You, too, shall
die.”
B.
The Bible often refers to death as “going the way of all the ___________”
(Josh. 23:14; I Kings 2:2).
C.
When we look at what follows death, it behooves us to prepare
______________ (Luke 16:19-25).
D.
We will not escape death. We
will not escape the hadean realm of either paradise or tartarus. We will not escape judgment. We will not escape either our final
reward or final condemnation.
E.
For this cause, death urges us to listen to the words of the old
hymn: “O __________________ to Meet
Thy God.”
CONCLUSION
A.
Death is not a _____________________ experience for the
living.
B.
But it is good for us to pass through the valley of the shadow of death
from time to time. It causes us to
think __________________ (Eccl. 7:2).