25 Woods Lake Road, Building 8, Greenville, SC
When we were little kids, there were certain stories we loved hearing again and again. They never got old, no matter how many times the book was read to us. What about the Gospel story? Have you grown tired of it yet, or does it become more wonderful each time you hear it? Once we come to understand and appreciate exactly what Christ has done for us, this is one story that will become our favorite of them all.
Two criminals were crucified beside Jesus; one on His right and one on His left. One of them cursed Jesus and was plunged into hell, but the other one cried out for mercy and was given eternal life in heaven. All of mankind is pictured in those two criminals. We will all die on one side of Jesus or the other; either rejecting Him or receiving Him. Which one are you? Are you ready to face eternity?
Have you ever felt disappointed with Jesus? Have there been times when you cried out to Him for help, but He didn’t show up the way you prayed and hoped He would? We must learn that His delays always have a purpose, and in those times when we cannot see the power of Jesus, we must continue to trust in the person of Jesus. Although He may delay, He always knows what He is doing and He knows what is best!
What would you do differently if you knew you only had one year to live? This is not a hypothetical question. What if you really knew your life would end one year from today? What plans would you change, what relationships would you mend, what values would you embrace? Now, imagine the kind of difference your life could make if you started living that way today!
Just a quick glance at the headlines reminds us that we live in a world filled with trouble. Terrorism, wars, toppling governments, economic instability — it’s enough to make us want to run and hide. But even though we live in a world of fear, we do not have to live in fear! The Bible reminds us that God is in complete control of all things, and that nothing happens in the world at large or in our own lives that is outside of His providence. Knowing this truth will bring us peace even in the most troubling times of life.
What a tragedy it would be to reach the end of your life and still not know the purpose of it all; to live for 70 or 80 years and have nothing of eternal value to show for it! For the most part, we spend our lives pursuing temporary achievements and storing up temporary things, never realizing that one day they will all slip through our fingers like sand. We get so preoccupied with the present that we lose sight of eternity. We must pray that God will reveal to us the brevity of life and the seriousness of eternity, so that we will learn how to live a life of purpose.
When something monumental occurs in our life, it has the power to change us forever. Depending on the circumstance, we may want to erase that event from our memory, or intentionally remember how greatly we have been impacted by it. How important is Jesus Christ’s sacrifice to us? How often do we really focus on what He has done for us? (The last few minutes of this message were lost, but the heart of the message is still intact for you to listen to.)
There is a half-built highway bridge in Cape Town, South Africa that comes to an abrupt end and hangs perilously in midair. If you were to drive on this road, you would think it was taking you somewhere, but you would soon plunge off the end to your demise. The same is true with salvation. Many people follow patterns and lifestyles they think will take them to heaven, but when they reach the end of life, they will plunge into a godless eternity. What are you trusting in to make you right with God and take you to heaven when you die? Make absolutely sure it is not one of the false hopes for eternity the Bible warns us about!
Philippians 1:27 urges us to live lives worthy of the gospel of Christ. This literally means that our lives should give equal weight and value to the sacrifice that Christ made by giving His life for us. If His death was placed on one side of an old-fashioned scale and our life was placed on the other side, would it reveal that we are living in a way that measures up to what He did for us? Are our lives an appropriate reflection of the gospel?
Death. It’s a topic no one likes to talk about. People do everything they can to stay young as long as possible and extend their life in the hopes of delaying the inevitable. Even many Christians are afraid to think about death. But as followers of Christ, we not only have nothing to fear about death, the Bible tells us that dying will actually be our greatest day ever! If we can truly say, “For me to live is Christ,” then the last half of that statement will also be true: “…and to die is gain!” Join us for a very uplifting and encouraging look at this normally gloomy subject.
Solomon had everything a person could ever want, yet despite all his wealth and learning, he chose to live for the pleasures of this world and failed to consider the end of his life until it was too late. 1 Kings 11 says, “Solomon’s heart was not fully devoted to the Lord.” Although he knew the Word of the Lord very well, he failed to put it into practice in his own life, and so his life ended in heartache and regret. What about you? Are you living life with the end in view, making choices now that will keep your heart focused upon God so that you can conclude your life well?
Solomon started out his life so well… following God with all his heart and choosing wisdom over riches, fame and pleasure. But somewhere along the way, he got his focus off of God and began pursuing other things, and because of this, Solomon’s life ended in misery and regret. Although he had everything his heart desired, he described the conclusion of all his pursuits are being empty and meaningless. As an old man, realizing the error of his ways, he urges all of us reading his words to remember God while we are still young, and keep our eyes upon Him all the days of our life.
