1. Life is always followed by death and judgment:
Your life is a vapour that appears for a short time.
Because your life is a vapour it quickly disappears
and is followed by two other things: your death
and your judgment.
Your chances of dying are 100%. It is a reality that death
and judgment will come quickly to all men. Billy Graham
says his greatest surprise is the brevity of life.
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
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after
this the judgment:
Hebrews 9:27
The Famous Epitaph
One day, a man was strolling through a cemetery when he
chanced upon an epitaph that stunned him. It read:
Martin Gooseberry
Born: December 25, 1844
Died: April 18, 1896
“I was once like you and you will soon be like me.”
He was amazed and began to ponder on the inscription on the
epitaph – “I was once like you”.
The epitaph meant, “I once walked through cemeteries just
like you. I once felt I could never die. I once felt I did not belong
to the world of graves and cemeteries. I once never imagined
myself sweating in a coffin six feet below the earth. Just like
you, I once went home to my wife and children. I once had
supper everyday with my family. I once drove out of my home
every morning.
But today I lie silently in this grave. My condition is now so
terrible that my family has brought me out here to rest in peace.
I am now all alone in this coffin under the earth. To my left and
to my right are other dead people whom I never knew or spoke
to whilst on earth.
But you will soon be like me and we will be together in this
cemetery, forgotten by men. As you go home do not forget, I was
once like you and you will soon be like me.”
2. Life is always followed by death and judgment: Your
life is something that was given to you by God. You
did not choose to live. You were created. Your life is
therefore not something that you can end.
You cannot end your life or escape from this life. The rich
man and Lazarus did not end their lives when they died. They
continued to live. You will continue to be alive when you die.
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and
power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure
they are and were created.
Revelation 4:11
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried
by the angels into Abraham’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.
Luke 16:22-24
3. Life is always followed by death and judgment: Your
life is followed by death. Death is both an enemy to
man and a blessing to man. Death is an enemy because
we were not created to die. We were created to live
forever.
Death destroys everything that we try to do on earth. It makes
nonsense of our achievements and our successes.
Death is also a blessing because it brings an end to the evil
that men do. Death terminates the existence of evil men on the
earth. Can you imagine if people like Hitler, Stalin, Idi Amin,
Bokassa, Caligula, Nero, Genghis Khan and so on lived forever
and continued to practice their wickedness on humankind?
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption,
and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall
be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is
swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O
grave, where is thy victory?
1 Corinthians 15:54-55
4. Life is always followed by death and judgment: Your
life is followed by death, the date of which is already
determined.
Seeing his DAYS ARE DETERMINED, the number of his
months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that
he cannot pass;
Job 14:5
The Prisoner on Death Row
One day, a man was sentenced to death for a crime that he
claimed he did not commit. He was sentenced to death but his
lawyers fought for a stay of execution. After several years and
several legal battles, it was finally decided that he should be
executed. That night, his family was invited to have a special
dinner with him after which he was sent to the death chamber.
The long drawn out battle to save his life ended that night with
his death.
After the execution there was a press conference and the
pastor who stayed with the convict until his very last moment
was interviewed.
“Did he confess to the murder before he died?” They wanted
to know.
“No, he maintained his innocence until he was executed,” the
pastor said.
“What did you tell him? How did you comfort him? Did you
say anything? Did he say anything?”
The minister’s answer was simple, but profound. “I told him
that we were all under a death sentence only that we do not know
when it will be implemented. You know that your death sentence
Life, Death and Judgment will be implemented tonight but we don’t know when ours will
be implemented.”
I thought to myself, “How true that is. We are all indeed
under a death sentence.” 1
As the scripture says, our days are determined. That famous
prisoner had the advantage of knowing when it was determined
that he should die. Indeed, we are all destined to die and to
disappear into the grave. The thing is that we don’t know when
we will be asked to get into our graves.
That is why you must prepare to meet your God at any time!
5. Life is always followed by death and judgment:
Your life is followed by death for which you must be
prepared. You must not prepare for everything else
without preparing for death also.
Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I
will do this unto thee, PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD,
O Israel.
Amos 4:12
Tears and Joy
One day, a young pastor took an international flight from his
country to another. As he walked across the tarmac towards the
aircraft he noticed an important man being seen off by a large
tearful crowd. They seemed to weep and wail endlessly, not
wanting him to leave.
After a very long flight they disembarked at their destination.
When this pastor walked down the stairs he was amazed at the
crowd of people that was waiting for this same man who had been
seen off by the other tearful crowd. This time the crowd was not
crying. It was a happy crowd of people throwing their caps and
flowers into the air. They seemed ecstatic as they screamed,
clapped and cheered the new arrival.
It was then that it occurred to the pastor that when a person
dies there may be a tearful group on this side mourning his death,
but in heaven there will be a joyful, cheering welcoming party.
What will happen when you die? Will you have a joyful
reception on the other side? Will you be received with excitement
and gladness in heaven? Or will you be banished into outer
darkness?
6. Life is always followed by death and judgment: Your
life is followed by death, which is only a shadow for
Christians.
Even though I walk through the valley of THE
SHADOW OF DEATH, I will fear no evil, for you are
with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4 (NASB)
Death for a Christian is a different experience because to be
absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians
5:8). Christians only experience a shadow of death because they
belong to the Lord.
The Shadow of the Truck
One day, a Presbyterian minister’s wife died tragically
leaving behind three little children. He decided to preach at his
wife’s funeral himself. On the day of the funeral, as he drove his
three little children to the graveside of their mother, a massive
16-wheeler truck overtook them and cast a huge shadow over
their car.
The father turned to his children and asked, “Would you rather
be run over by the truck or by its shadow?”
His daughter answered, “We prefer to be run over by the
shadow because a shadow can’t hurt you.”
Life, Death and Judgment
Then he said to his children, “Your mother has been overrun
not by death but by the shadow of death because Mummy is alive
with the Lord today.”
When you are a Christian you only experience the shadow of
death and not death because Jesus said, “And whosoever liveth
and believeth on me shall never die …” (John 11:26).
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent
from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:8
7. Life is always followed by death and judgment: Your
life is followed by death, which is also followed by
your judgment. If you fail your judgment you will be
sent to hell.
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but AFTER
THIS THE JUDGMENT:
Hebrews 9:27
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God;
and the books were opened: and another book was opened,
which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of
those things which were written in the books, according to
their works.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death
and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and
they were judged every man according to their works.
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is
the second death. And whosoever was not found written
in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:12-15
