WHAT TIME IS IT? A TIME TO DIE?

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

 

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

On April 12, 1912, Good Friday, a brand-new ship was dressed in multi-colored flags for the occasion before she left on her maiden voyage. Her first, and last, voyage. She never made it to port. Over 2200 people left shore… over 1500 never saw shore again, for them, it was, a time to die. The RMS Titanic, dubbed by the press as “Unsinkable” – struck an iceberg on April 14 and sank in the early hours of April 15^th, having never completed a single voyage. Rich and poor, male and female, passengers and crew – for most of them, it was a time to die.

A time to die. We all face it. We have all feared it [if not for ourselves, for others]. A time to die. We all should faith it.

 

I. PHYSICAL DEATH – Death in the Bible is always a separation, never an annihilation. Physical death is the separation of the immaterial part of a person [the soul and/or spirit] and the material part of the person [the body]. Ecclesiastes 12:7 says, “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”

 

1. Lot of All Men [Rm. 5:12, 6:23]

- Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

- For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

2. Life’s Inevitable End for Most [Hebrews 9:27]

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

 

3. Last Enemy Manifested [1 Cor. 15:25-26]

For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

 

II. SPIRITUAL DEATH – Spiritual death is separation of the soul/spirit from God. Isaiah 59:2 “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”

 

1. Spiritually Stillborn [Eph. 2:1, Gn. 2:16-17, Rm. 5:12]

-And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins:

-And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

2. Second Death [Rm. 6:23, Rev. 20:14]

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

 

3. Substitutionary Death [Rm. 5:6-8, 10-11, 14, 19]

-For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

-For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

-Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

-For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

 

III. CHOSE DEATH TO LIVE [Live a life of separation from the old life, the old nature]

 

1. Christ Chose [John 10:15, 17]

-I lay down my life for the sheep.

-Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.

 

2. Paul Chose [1 Corinthians 15:31]          I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

 

3. Christians Should Choose [John 12:24-26]

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

 

Die to Self!          All direction is received from Jesus.

Die to Compliments!       All glory should be routed to Jesus.

Die to Criticisms!              All judgment is reserved to Jesus.              1 Corinthians 4:5

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.