Good morning. If you will turn
with me in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 9. Hebrews chapter 9. Our text will be two verses,
verse 27 and 28. Let's read our text together,
Hebrews 9.27. And as it is appointed unto men
once to die, but after this the judgment, so Christ was once
offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for him
shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. The title of my message is, It
Is Appointed. Now the word appointed means
fixed. It's fixed. It means set. It means laid up or reserved. It's appointed unto us once to
die. But did you know that every single
thing that ever happens has been appointed by God. I mean everything,
not just death. Ecclesiastes 3.1 says, to everything
there is a season, and that means appointed occasion. To everything
there's an appointed occasion and a time, a set time to every
purpose under the heaven. And what that means for us is
nothing in this life happens by chance. Nothing. There is no such thing as coincidence.
It's a word we like to use, isn't it? There's no such thing as
it just so happened. No such thing. Not with God. Let me show you this in Isaiah
46, if you'll turn there with me. Isaiah 46. Verse nine. Remember the former things of
old, for I am God and there is none else. I am God and there
is none like me. Now look at this, verse 10. Declaring
the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things
that are not yet done. Now think about it. What that
means is everything that's going to come to pass, that has not
come to pass yet, God's already appointed it. He declared from
ancient times the things that are not yet done, verse 10 saying,
my counsel shall stand. and I will do all my pleasure."
Now, sometimes I think about this. Well, yes, the big things,
the things that really matter, of course, God is sovereign over
that. But the little things, I mean, there's some things that
surely God wouldn't give thought to. Well, look what verse 11
says, calling a ravenous bird from the east. the man that executeth
my counsel from a far country." A bird can't fly across the sky
except God appointed that bird to fly across the sky. We have
all these rulers all over the world. Not a single one of them
could be in their position of power or make a single decree
except according to as God had purposed. What a comfort. And
I love the end of that verse, verse 11, he said, yea, I have
spoken it, I will also bring it to pass, I have purposed it,
I will also do it. Everything that happens, God
appointed it to happen. Each day that comes to pass in
this life is simply the unfolding of God's providence, his appointments,
that's it. Now, having established that
glorious fact, I want us to look back at our text, Hebrews 9,
27. and as it is appointed unto man
wants to die. Death, for all of us, is appointed. We all have an appointed time
of death. Someone dies, they say, what
was the time of death? It's been appointed. Ecclesiastes
3.2 says there is a time to be born and a time to die. That's the reality we face, all
right? Now, if you're anything like
me, naturally you don't like thinking about this, but we need
to think about it. This is very important. Job said his days
are numbered. The number of his months are
with thee. Thou hast appointed his bounds so that he cannot
pass. Our pastor brought a good message
on that a few months ago. We're not gonna overstep our bounds.
We're not gonna live one day longer or die one second sooner
than God has appointed. Everybody dies right on time. Now, I know, I know of specific
instances, and so do you, where somebody died what seemed to
be an untimely or an accidental death. We all know of these occasions,
don't we? But I find comfort knowing that
is not possible. You know, I remember when I was
a kid, I would do something stupid and my parents would say, son,
don't do that. You're going to get yourself killed. And you know
what would be smart for me to do? Listen. Don't do it. You might get yourself killed,
but here's the fact of the matter. I'm not gonna die until it's
my time. We need to be responsible, but
we need to understand that. There's no such thing as an accidental
death, not with God. not with God, the manner of my
death, the place of my death, the circumstances surrounding
my death, and the exact moment of my death have all been appointed. We're not meant to know what
that is, but we can know it's certain. It's certain. God has appointed it. I know
we live our lives, we go about from day to day doing this, doing
that, going here, going there, but we need to understand that
our times are in God's hands. Our times are in his hand and
his alone. Proverbs 16, 9 says, a man's heart deviseth his way.
We do what we want to do, but the Lord directed his steps.
We walk the path God appointed. We're in his hands. No place
I'd rather be. And very soon, our time on this
earth will come to an end. We will return unto the dust
from whence we came. Our appointed time is coming
soon. James said, what is your life? It is even a vapor, just
a vapor, that appears for a little time and vanisheth away. Just like that. Just like that. We would be wise to live our
life like our next breath will be our last. Why? Why is this so important? Here's why. Because death of
this body is not the end. It's not the end. Look in our text again, Hebrews
9, 27. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after
this, the judgment. Death is appointed. Judgment
is appointed. I can't adequately stress the
importance of this, but judgment is coming. Again, something we don't like
to think about, but something we must think about. Judgment
is coming soon. We must stand before the King,
God Almighty, who is holy, who will punish all sin. That's
who we must stand before. Now look with me in 2 Corinthians
chapter 5, if you will, 2 Corinthians 5. This is what is going to happen
in the judgment, 2 Corinthians 5 verse 10. For we must all appear before
the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the
things done in his body according to that he hath done, whether
it be good or bad. I honestly can't imagine anything
more terrifying. You mean to tell me I'm gonna
stand before God? and he's gonna judge me according
to the things that I've done in my sinful, wretched body,
whether they be good or bad? What a fearful thing. It's no
wonder the writer of the Hebrews said it's a fearful thing to
fall into the hands of the living God. And here's what's also fearful
about this, there's no escaping it. We must all appear before
the judgment seat of Christ. We must, it's appointed. it's
appointed. Paul said in 1 Thessalonians
5, verse 2 and 3, the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief
in the night. For when they shall say, peace
and safety, so many people, this is the mindset of most religion,
it's, well, everything's all right with me, I'm as sure of
heaven as if I'm already there, peace and safety, that's what
they're gonna say. And the moment they say that,
then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a
woman with child, and they shall not escape." What a fearful thought. What a terrible thought. Do we
see how serious this is? I'm telling you, the day is appointed
and it's coming soon. It's coming fast. Look with me
in Revelation chapter 20. Revelation 20 verse 11. And I saw a great white throne,
and him that sat on it, which is Christ, from whose face the
earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place
for them. 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. Verse 13, 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. We can't take this lightly. We
just can't afford to. There's a real place called hell.
God made it. He calls it the lake of fire.
Another text says it's the fire that shall not be quenched, never
be quenched. It's the place where the worm
dieth not. The second death. It's appointed
unto us to die physically. We're not gonna escape that unless
the Lord returns before then. But I pray that we won't die
the second death. That's what hell is. Judgment
to some will be unto life eternal, and to others, what we just read,
being cast into the lake of fire. And I must say this, that's exactly
what I deserve. That's why this is a fearful
thing. If we know anything about ourselves, we know, yep, that's
where I'm headed, unless God do something for me. It's exactly
what I deserve. The thought of standing before
God, being judged according to my works. I pray that makes you tremble
like it does me. When that day comes, when there I am, standing
before God, when the books are open, when all things are naked
and open unto Him, with whom we have to do, when He opens
the books, when He starts turning the pages of the life of Cody,
to see, is He gonna be accepted? I can tell you this, if I stand
there in myself, I'm a goner. You just mark it down, I'm gone. I will surely perish. Well, is
there any hope? Is there any hope for someone
like me? Look here where we just read Revelation 20, look at verse
15. And whosoever was not found written
in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Now, hold on. What is this book
of life? Whose names are written in this
book of life? Is it possible my name might
be written there? Turn over a page to Revelation
21 and verse 9. Says, and there came unto me
one of the seven angels, which had the seven vials full of the
seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither,
I will show thee the bride, the lamb's wife. And he carried me
away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed
me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of
heaven from God. Look down at verse 22. And I saw no temple therein,
for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to
shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb
is the light thereof. Verse 24, And the nations of
them which are saved shall walk in the light of it, and the kings
of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it, and the gates
of it shall not be shut at all by day, for there shall be no
night there. And they shall bring the glory
and honor of the nations into it, and there shall in no wise
enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination
or maketh a lie, but they which are written in the Lamb's book
of life." The book of life is the Lamb's book of life. And the Lamb is Jesus Christ. He is the Lamb, the Lamb of God,
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. And this book,
the Lamb's Book of Life, it contains the names of all those whom God
the Father chose unto salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. In
verse nine, it refers to those people as the Lamb's wife, the
bride, the bride of Christ. Oh, what glorious news. Death
is appointed, judgment is appointed, but praise God, salvation in
the Lord Jesus Christ is appointed. Praise God. Look back in our
text, Hebrews 9, 27. And as it is appointed unto men
once to die, but after this the judgment, So Christ was once
offered to bear the sins of many. Praise God, Christ was offered
to bear the sins of many. You see, it was appointed unto
him once to die. Well, how? He's God. He's eternal. He is life. How could that be? I don't know, but that's what
God declared. Why? Why did he die? He's the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world, from eternity. God purposed to save
a people, and this is the only way they could be saved. Sin
must be punished. It must be put away. Blood must
be shed. Justice. God is just. He's a just judge. Justice must
be satisfied. Righteousness must be established.
It must be brought in. That's why Christ came. And praise
God, that's what He did. That's what He accomplished.
You see, there's only one sacrifice for sin, just one, and it's Christ,
the Father's well-only beloved Son. And notice here in verse
28, it says he was offered once to bear the sins of many. Now we know this, but I'll just
mention it quickly. He did not come to bear the sins
of everybody. He did not. He bore all the sins
of His people. It says Christ came into the
world to save sinners. Not everybody's a sinner. We've
all sinned to come short of the glory of God, but only those
who God reveals to them what they are, who they are, and their
need of a Savior. Only they shall be saved. He
came not to call the righteous the self-righteous. but sinners,
sinners to repentance. Matthew 20, 28 says he gave his
life a ransom, a redemption price for many, for many. Mark 14,
24 said the Lord was speaking. He said, this is my blood of
the New Testament, which is shed for many. And you know what,
rather than be upset that it's not everyone, let's be glad it
doesn't save for few. He said for many means a great
number and multitude. Yes, only a remnant shall be
saved, but it's gonna be a mighty number. Oh, it is. Our Lord shed his blood, his
precious blood, spotless blood, and he died. He gave up the ghost,
he really did. to give eternal life to as many,
John 17, two, as the Father hath given him. Praise God. Why did he do this? It was appointed. Praise God,
it was appointed. 1 Thessalonians 5, 9 says, for
God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation. by our Lord Jesus Christ. How glorious. I love the song
we sing, He took. Think about this. He took my
sins and my sorrows. He made them His very own. He
owned them. He bore the burden to Calvary. And what a burden it was. If
our sin so easily besets us, you imagine our sin being laid
on Him. who knew no sin. You just imagine the thought.
I can't. He took my sins and my sorrows. He made them his
very own. He bore the burden to Calvary and he suffered. Oh, how he suffered. No sorrow
like his sorrow. And he died alone. He tread the
winepress all by himself. He did that because that's what
it took to save me. Romans 6.23 says, the wages of
sin is death. How did Christ die? He became
guilty of our sin. It's the only way. Otherwise,
God would be unjust. The wages of sin is death, and
He took my place. He died my death that I deserve. And by His death, He's given
me and all those in Christ life. Romans 6 23 goes on to say, but
the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. He was appointed to bear our
sins. He was appointed to die our death. He was appointed to
face the judgment we deserve and to suffer and endure the
wrath of God on our behalf. Praise God. Romans 8-1 tells
us, as a result of what Christ has done, there is now therefore
no condemnation, none, to them that are in Christ Jesus. Do you need a Savior? Oh my,
there's nothing I need more. Praise God. Look back in our
text, Hebrews 9-27. And as it is appointed unto men
once to die, but after this to judgment, so Christ was once
offered to bear the sins of many. And unto them that look for him
shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Death is appointed. Judgment
is appointed. Salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ
is appointed. And the return of our blessed
Savior is appointed. Oh my. Christ came, He came on
purpose. He came on a mission. And He
was offered as a sacrifice for sins, the only sacrifice for
sins, one time. He bore our sins one time. He suffered for our sins one
time. He died one time. He's coming back, but He's not
coming back to die again. He's not coming back to suffer
again. He got the job done the first time. When he bowed his
head and gave up the ghost, he cried, it is finished. It is
finished. That was His cry. And now He's
risen, ascended, and seated high. And we say, hallelujah, what
a Savior. He got the job done. He's coming back. Did you see
it? Without sin. Well, I thought He bore our sins
in His body. I thought He was made sin. Yes, He was. But praise
God, He's coming back without it. You know why? Because buried,
He carried my sins far away. Rising, He justified freely forever.
One day he's coming, oh glorious day. When he arose from the grave,
it says he could not be holding of it. Why? Because he satisfied. Satisfied what? He satisfied
the justice of God. He satisfied every last demand.
He satisfied his father. He said, I finished the work
you gave me to do. It's finished. And now we say,
Christ is all, we're completing him. Oh, praise his name. Praise
his name. I love to think about the fact
that he's coming back. I really do. I just assume it's
not gonna happen while I'm alive on this earth. Because I know
my days are short, my days are numbered, it's coming soon. But
you know what? He said I come quickly. He said
it, not me. Whenever that is, it's appointed.
And I'm so glad it is. And when he comes back, it's
gonna be a glorious return. You see, he's victorious. You
ever read a story or watch a movie or something where the army goes
and they win a hard battle and they come back victorious. It's
so glorious, it's so wonderful. How much more when our Lord returns,
saving us from our sins. Oh my. I wanna show you something
real quick, what will happen when he returns. 1 Thessalonians
chapter four. First Thessalonians 4. Verse
16. You know, I guess all of you know last week I had to bury my grandfather. And while it's a sad occasion,
I'm thankful that he had a good hope in Christ. And as I was
looking at him, I thought, he's not here. A verse I didn't read
right here says, them which sleep in Jesus. For the believer, that's
what death is, sleeping. Go on, take your rest, sleep
on, sleeping in Christ. And I looked at his body and
thought, that body's gonna rise again. We just read it. The dead in
Christ, they're gonna rise first. Don't fear death, brother. If
you're in Christ, it's gonna be okay. Verse 16, the end of
verse says, the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which
are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them
in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever
be with the Lord. Is that what you're waiting for,
really? Oh, what a blessed appointment.
You read something like that, you think, well, that sounds
too good to be true. It really does, doesn't it? It's
appointed. Praise God it's appointed. He's
coming back and He's gonna receive each and every one of His people
to Himself that where He is there, we may be also forever with Him,
in Him, one with Him, one with God. What a day that will be. What a day. In closing, look
at our text one more time. Are we looking for him? The word means patiently waiting.
Are we waiting for him? Are we hoping in him? Do we love
the very thought of his appearing, of his coming again? Oh, I pray
we do. I pray we truly long to be with
him. As Psalm 23, verse six says,
I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. One thing I've
desired, that's my desire. Is that our desire? If by God's
grace it is, and that's the only way it's gonna be, it's by God's
grace. If by God's grace we're looking for him, then at his
appointed time, he's gonna appear to us like he never has appeared
before. We shall see him as he is. And when we do, we're going to
behold His face in righteousness. We're going to see Him as He
is. And He said we're going to be just like Him, conformed to
His image, awaking with His likeness. And you know what? We're going
to be forever satisfied. Praise God. It's appointed. It is appointed. Amen.