Mortality
Ready:
"Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment"
(Hebrews 9:27).
Set
Five years after losing teammate Darryl Kile, the St. Louis Cardinals have experienced the unthinkable for the second time. Relief pitcher, Josh Hancock, 29, was killed in an automobile accident on April 29, 2007, just hours after pitching three innings against the Chicago Cubs. "He was a lot of fun and a terrific teammate. So, trust me when I tell you this is brutal to go through," said Cardinals manager Tony La Russa. Owner Bill DeWitt, Jr., added, "The pain our organization feels today is unspeakable."
When dealing with the issue of death we are forced to look at the reality of our own mortality. Here is the truth: 1. We are all going to die. 2. We don't know when. After we die we will be judged according to our sin. The bad news is that this is a pass/fail test, and since we've all sinned, we are doomed to fail. The good news is the story doesn't end there. Although we deserve to spend eternity in hell because of our sin, God showed His love and mercy by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay our penalty of death for us. ". . .we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Hebrews 10:10).
My friend, the greatest decision you or I will ever make (or not make) in life is the decision to surrender our lives to Jesus Christ. Through Him we experience forgiveness for our sins and the gift of eternal life. We may make many important decisions over our lifetime, but NONE will have the ramifications of this one. This one is eternal, and Jesus is our ONLY hope!
Go
1. Why do we have to deal with death in our world? (see Genesis 2:15-17)
2. Where do you find the most hope and comfort when it comes to dealing with death? Why?
3. If you had to stand before the Lord today how prepared would you be?
Workout
John 3:36
John 11:24-25
Romans 8:1-2
Titus 3:3-7
Bible Reference:
Hebrews 10
