The End of All Things Is At Hand

Q: What does the Bible say about preparing for death?

The Bible emphasizes the importance of preparing for death as an inevitable part of life, reminding believers to be serious about their relationship with God. The Bible teaches that death is an appointed time for every person, as indicated in Hebrews 9:27. Peter's exhortation to be sober and prayerful reminds us of the urgency to prepare for our departure from this world. Just as the jester's interaction with the king illustrates the folly of ignoring death's certainty, we also must recognize that life is fleeting and our time is limited. The call to seriousness in our relationship with God is essential, as we will die as we live—either in communion with Him or apart from Him.

Q: Why is it important for Christians to love one another?

Christian love is central to faith, as it reflects Christ's love for us and serves as a testament to our discipleship. In 1 Peter 4:8, the apostle Paul instructs believers to love one another fervently. This love is not merely a suggestion but a command that embodies the essence of the Christian faith. Jesus Himself stated that by our love for one another, people would know we are His disciples (John 13:35). Fervent love means actively reaching out, forgiving, and supporting each other, thus transcending mere tolerance. In an age marked by divisiveness, the practice of genuine love amongst believers is crucial, especially as we anticipate the coming of Christ and the final reckoning.

Q: How do we understand trials in a Christian's life?

Trials are seen as a common experience for believers, meant to test faith, cultivate character, and draw them closer to God. In 1 Peter 4:12-13, Peter encourages Christians not to be surprised by fiery trials, as they are part of the shared experience of faith. Trials serve to purify faith, as illustrated in James 1:3, which states that the testing of faith produces perseverance. Furthermore, trials remind believers of their reliance on God's grace and serve a divine purpose, as they are sovereignly ordained by God to shape His people. As we endure hardships, we are also reminded that these experiences lead to greater joy and an eternal reward in Christ, highlighting the importance of viewing trials through a theological lens.

And there was in this great court of a certain king
the most talented jester of all. The king was fond of him, very
fond of him. He called him Sir Fool. The other
knights and gentlemen were Sir John and Sir Thomas and Sir something
else. But this jester was affectionately
called Sir Fool, and he was in the court of the
king for many, many years. One day the king presented him
with a special gift. He had designed for him a walking
cane with a gold head. It was an expensive and valuable
gift. And he presented it to him before
the whole court for being such a faithful and entertaining fool. And when the king handed the
jester the walking cane with the gold head, he said to him,
you are undoubtedly the biggest fool that I've ever known. But if you ever find a greater
fool than yourself, you give him the cane. Well, the jester accepted it,
treasured it, and the years continued to go by. And one day they came
to the jester and told him the king was desperately and seriously
ill and not expected to live. And the king wanted to see him
in his bedchamber. The jester, by this time very
old and white-headed and stooped, took his cane went into the bedchamber
of the king. The king called him over to the
bed and softly whispered to him, I want to tell you goodbye. And
the jester said, his majesty is leaving? Yes. I'm going on
a long, long journey. Where is your majesty going? I really don't know. When are
you coming back? I'm never coming back." What
preparation have you made for this trip? None at all. Your Majesty is going on a long,
long trip and never coming back, and he's made no preparation
for the journey? That's right. The jester stepped
back and handed the king the walking cane and said, You're
a bigger fool than I am. I wonder how many of us deserve
the king. You know, for some reason, people
do not like to talk about dying. They do not like to hear a message
on death. We don't mind joking about it.
We'll even pay tribute to those who've died. I saw some basketball
players the other day with a black ribbon, all the uniforms. The whole team had a black ribbon
because somebody died. We'll pause a minute before some
special event, bow our heads and remember a person who's died.
We'll visit the cemetery and take flowers to those who have
died. We'll buy insurance to help put
us away when we die. And we'll buy insurance and special
programs to provide for those whom we may leave. But we do
not want to be reminded that we're going to die. But the Bible tells us we're
going to die. We believe the Bible, don't we?
The Word of God says this, we must needs die. 2 Samuel 14,
14 says, We're as water spilled on the ground, which cannot be
gathered up again. That's a good explanation of
death, isn't it? It's like spilling water, and it can't be gathered
up. There's no way you can gather
it up. It's gone. That's the way death is. We die. Job said, is there not an appointed
time to man on the earth? I shall soon sleep in the dust.
Soon I shall go the way from which I shall not return." David
wrote in the Psalm, what man is he that liveth and shall not
see death? Can he deliver his soul from
the hand of the grave? Paul wrote in Hebrews, and it
is appointed. It is an appointment that we
are going to keep, and Job says the appointment is already set,
the days are determined, the months are set, and the bounds
are set, and the time is decreed by God when we're going to close
our eyes and die. Already set. The instrument of
death, God said, is prepared. Maybe even now in your bloodstream.
Maybe even now, you don't even know it's there, but it's there.
It's already prepared. God has already prepared it.
It's appointed unto men once to dine after this. After this. Perhaps that's what we're so
afraid of, the after this. Is that what our problem is?
After this, the judgment. There's an accounting. There's
a day of reckoning. There's a day when God shall
require that we all stand before him. Not only does the Word of
God remind me that I shall die, but my body keeps reminding me
that I shall die. I'm getting old. No question
about that. You can call it young-old or
whatever you want to, but it's still old. And my eye is failing,
and the fading strength and powers, the wrinkled brow, the white
hair, All of these things just keep saying this to me, you're
a dying man now. You're dying. What's happening?
I'm dying. I'm dying. You say, I don't like
it. Well, like it or not, you're still dying. I'm dying and you're
dying. And amazingly, some of us just
have a very short time. But I say the person here who
has the longest time has a very short time. And history and experience tells
us there's no way we can avoid this experience. There's no way
that I can avoid death. No possible way. There's no bridge
across this river. I've got to pass through it. I've got to pass through it.
There's no bridge across it. There's no way around it. And
I know a lot of people say, well, the Lord's coming. I know the
Lord's coming. I know the Lord's coming, and
I've buried a lot of people who didn't expect to die, who expected
the Lord to come before they died. There's a good possibility
I'll bury a lot of you who think the Lord's coming before you
die. He may come tomorrow, but He may not. And I can say nothing
new on this subject. I'm not going to attempt to,
but here's the problem. concerns me about myself and
about you too, nothing new can be said on this subject. It's
been said again and again and again. Our problem is we're just
not hearing it. We're just not hearing it. That's
the reason the Lord keeps saying, he that hath ears to hear, let
him hear. Let him hear. But I'll tell you this, for those
who have ears to hear, I have something tonight to say. And
it's written in 1 Peter 4, beginning with verse 7. 1 Peter 4, 7. The Apostle Peter has some things
to say to believers, children of God, about our attitude and
our conduct in these closing years. He has something to say about
our attitude and our conduct in our appointed time on this
earth. Now I say this to you, and I've said it a dozen times,
people die like they live. If they live greedily, they die
greedily. If they live selfishly, they
die selfishly. If they live without God, they'll
die without God. I have very little confidence,
practically none, in any deathbed repentance. I have practically no confidence
at all in hell-scared religion. I don't believe in it. I believe
people die like they live. They die like they live. If they
walk with God, like Enoch, they'll walk in the glory. If they walk
this earth without God, they're going to die without God. If
they ignore the things of God and the house of God and the
word of God and the gospel of Christ and the people of God,
they'll never live eternally with the people of God. And we
can sing, oh, that will be glory for me, but it won't be glory
for me unless it's glory for me now. I'm telling you the truth. I'm not cutting the corners.
I'm trying to be honest. If it's not glory now, it won't
be glory then. If it's not a delight and a pleasure
now, forget it, because you're going to die like you live, just
exactly like you live. And they can call in a preacher,
and I'm getting tired of this too. I'm getting tired of trying
to say nice things about folks that nice things ought not be
said. I like what the black preacher said one time when he was forced
to preach that fellow's funeral. He said, well, I just hope he
ain't where I know he is. Peter gives us, as Jim was reading,
I took my pen and in the margin of my Bible I wrote I marked
six instructions here he has for us for these last days. Six instructions he has for us
for our appointed time on this earth. And I want us to look
at it tonight, these six instructions. Now in verse 7, he says, but
the end of all things is at hand. It is at hand, my friends. It
is at hand. Do you realize that? I hope I
do. It is at hand. Now, I know some
of the commentaries, some of them, appoint this to the return
of Christ. But now you wait a minute. When
I die, that's when Christ returns for me. If I lie down and sleep
tonight in death, He's come. The Master's come and called
for you. So I'm saying that this end of all things is at hand
means that my end is at hand. My death is at hand. Yours is
at hand. You see, life is a vapor. The
Word of God describes life in the most frail things. It compares it
to the most frail things. Vapor. like the vapor that comes
from a steam kettle. Life is a vapor. And life is
a flower. A few weeks ago, these were bright
and beautiful. They're fading now. And it won't
be long until all those leaves are gone and all those blooms
are gone. And that's life. It blooms today and occupies
a special place and is recognized, but after a while, we're going
to throw it in the garbage back here. Yeah, that's right. These
beautiful, expensive flowers are going to the garbage. And
nobody will ask me where they are. Now that's something. Nobody will even ask me where
they are. Because we'll have some more
in their place. And that's you and me. Nobody
even asks where you are. Because there's somebody going
to sit in your place. That's fact. That's a fact. Somebody, some other writer said,
life is a tale that is told. So therefore, now watch, but
the end of all things is at hand. Be ye therefore, because of this,
be ye therefore sober. Serious. Serious about this matter. And what? And watch unto prayer. Now what is, now put your little
one right out there, that's the first instruction. Because the
end is at hand, be sober, be serious. The advice here is for
us to get serious about this matter of our relationship with
God. Serious about this matter of our relationship with Jesus
Christ. Get serious about it. We're not talking about the formality
of religion. We're talking about the seriousness
of your relationship with the Son of God. Do you know Christ? Is He your Lord? Am I a church
member? That's not the question. But
I've been around a long time, and I know the doctrine. I study my books. That's not
the question. Do you know Christ? Is He your
Lord? Is He your Redeemer? And He says,
watch this, and watch unto prayer. This is not the formality of
prayer and devotions. It's to call on God. That's what He's saying here. The end of all things is at hand. Therefore, get serious about
this thing now. Get serious about it and call
on God. Call on God. Call on God privately. Call on God personally. I'll
tell you this, and let me say this to you as sober and seriously
as I can. I know we love to gather here
together. I like to gather with those fellas
back there, the young people back here and out here. and pray
together and hear these men pray and sing together. But we're
not going to die in a bunch. We're going to die alone. We're
going to die by ourselves. We're going to die personally.
That's how you're going to die and that's how I'm going to die.
We're not going to die as a bunch. We're going to leave this earth
personally. We're going to leave here alone. We're going to leave
here individually. We're going to leave here privately.
So I say this, let's call on God that way. Isn't that right,
Ron? Privately, personally, individually. I want to know Christ. I want
to know His cleansing blood. I want to know the power of His
resurrection. I'm dead serious. I detest jokes about the Word
of God. I detest jokes about the gospel. I detest jokes about sermons.
I detest jokes about heaven. I detest jokes about hell. I
detest jokes about anything having to do with God Almighty. It's
not funny. Let the potsherds of the earth
strive with the potsherds of the earth, but don't strive with
your maker. It's dead serious. So here's
the first exhortation from Peter. He says, men and brethren, the
end is at hand. You better get serious and call
on God. And call on God. All right? All right, number two, verse
eight. I put a number two. Not by this. These are my instructions.
The end is at hand. So call on God. Call on God. Secondly, and above all things,
and above all things, in the light of the brevity of life,
in the light of the certainty of death, in the light of the
end being at hand, love one another. Love one another. I'd like to
preach this to every church in America tonight. The very thing
that ought to characterize professing Christians, what is that? Love. The very thing that ought to
characterize believing people, professing Christians, is the
weakest point in this day. Men and women do not love each
other. They do not love each other,
but believers do. Believers do. And that's what
he's telling us here, above all things. You see, above all things,
above all things, the most important thing of all, by this your men
know you, my disciples, if you love one another. Above all things,
above doctrine, have love one to another. And what kind of
love? Fervent love. This is not the
tolerance. This is not tolerance. This word
is fervent. You look it up, it means white
hot. Look it up sometime. Permanent. The love that reaches
out. Reaches out. Why in this world
would I want to be otherwise? My time is too short to spend
in bad feelings and grudges. Isn't that tragic? My time is just too short to
feel harshly and hold grudges and have bad feelings toward
anyone. Have fervent love for each other. Fervent love. Reaching out. Do you reach out? You know, I'm afraid. Sometimes
as we grow older, our circle becomes smaller. It comes down
to It comes down to a little circle of, I'm involved with
myself, my aches and pains and troubles and my bills and all
these things, and maybe my brother, maybe my sister, maybe my son
or daughter, and it keeps getting smaller and smaller. And that
ought not to be. The more I walk with God and
the more I know Him, the more my heart ought to reach out and
include more people. in my prayers, in my thoughts,
in my conversation, in my communication, in my reaching out. How long
has it been since you wrote somebody a letter, or sent a card, or
called on the phone, or reached out? Reached out. Above all things have reaching
out love, fervent love. You say, I'm a bashful person.
Well, get over it. Somebody needs help. Somebody
needs encouragement. Somebody needs a kind word. Somebody
needs your voice to be heard. Somebody needs you. Yeah, we can get in that feel
sorry for yourself martyrdom attitude and sit somewhere in
a dark room and dry up and blow away. But I tell you, people
die like they live. Reach out. This is what God said. The time is at hand. Call on
God. And above all things, love each
other. Love each other. For love covers
a multitude of sins. See, true love overlooks, disregards,
and forgives the infirmities of others. I know some of us
are hard to love. But true love loves those that
are hard to love. God loves me. God loves you. And you love one another as I
love you, he said. in spite of ourselves. The day of reckoning is on the
horizon. The end of all things is at hand.
Call on God, get serious, and above all things, love one another. All right, number three, verse
nine. And use hospitality. Hospitality
one to another without grudging. Practice hospitality. Generosity
and hospitality are marks of grace in the soul. And we're
not talking about just a family and friends. That's doing it
to ourselves. We're talking about reaching
out to others. Let me show you a scripture on that. Luke 6.
Use hospitality. Use hospitality one to another. And do it without being made
to do it. Do it without grudgingly. Do
it in a cheerful spirit. A cheerful spirit. Really and
truly what I have is not mine, it's God's. The earth is the
Lord's and the fullness are of the world and they that dwell
therein. He just loaned it to me. That house over there is
God's abode. That car is God's car. What I
have is what God gave me. It's His gift. You know, spread
it around. Give it to somebody else. Help
them out. Luke 6, listen to this, verse 30. to every man that asketh of thee.
And of him that taketh away thy goods, don't ask them back again,
as you were that men should do unto you. Do ye also to them
likewise? If you love them that love you,
what thank have you? Sinners do love those that love
them. If you do good to them which do good to you, what thank
have you? Sinners also do the same. If
you lend to people of whom you hope to receive, what's that
mean? Sinners will lend to sinners.
The bank will do that at six percent or eight or ten or twelve
or fourteen, what they can get. Love your enemies, do good, and
lend, hoping for nothing in return. And your reward will be great.
And you'll show by that that you're children of God. You're
not going to become a child of God by that. You just show that
you are. He's kind to the unthankful. He's kind to the evil, kind to
me and you, so you be merciful as your Father in heaven is merciful.
Use hospitality. I appreciate every gift you give
here for the missionaries and for this ministry, but this is
not the end of hospitality and generosity. This is the beginning. And from your home and from your
heart and from your hand, use hospitality. Use hospitality. Reach out to someone. Give. There's
people who need help. There's people who need encouragement.
There are people who need love. There are people who need a kind
word. There are people who need their spirits lifted. There are
people in need. And if we try hard enough, we'll
find an avenue. If we want to badly enough, we'll
find an avenue. Use hospitality. All right? Number
four, verse ten. And I remind you what we're doing
here. The end is at hand. I don't have much longer. None
of us have much longer. So call on God. Privately, personally,
individually. Call on God. And love people. And love people. And reach out. Use hospitality. Now number four.
In verse 10, put a 4 outside of that because it says, as every
man hath received the gift, even so minister, minister that gift
to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak
as the articles of God. If any man minister, let him
do it as of the ability that God give it. that God in all
things may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom be praise
and dominion forever and ever." What's that saying, Brother Mayhan?
Well, this is what it's saying. Each one of us, every person
here, this preacher, all over this congregation, every believer
I'm talking about, every child of God, we have been given certain
gifts and talents by our Heavenly Father. Everybody here has a
certain gift and a certain talent that God's given you. So as we
have received this particular endowment, this particular talent,
this particular gift, this particular power, it may just be a smile,
but use it. It may be a good personality,
use it. It may be a voice, use it. It
may be finances, use it. It may be The ability to preach,
use it. It may be the ability to read
the scripture, read it. It may be the ability to pray,
pray. It may be the ability to work
with your hands and help others, use it. In other words, there's
not a person here that doesn't have to some degree a gift or
a talent, ability, an endowment that God has given you. You have
it, God gave it to you. And what he's saying here, number
four, use it. Let me read it again in that
light. Now, here's what I'm saying. God didn't put me where I am
for my own comfort and satisfaction. God, I call on you to read and
pray tonight, because a lot of people here like to hear you
read and pray. They say, I like to hear Jim
read Scripture. Use it. Don't be reluctant. Use it. Whatever. Taking care of this building.
as a talent. What I'm saying is this, God
didn't put me where I am for my comfort and satisfaction alone,
he put me there for his glory and the good and well-being of
this whole body. Isn't that right? For his glory. That's why you're where you are.
You're not there just to occupy a seat. You're not there to fill
up space. You're there to minister. You're
there to serve. You're there to contact. You're there to reach
out. You're there to bless. You're there to use whatever
God gave you, has given you for His glory. Let me read it again
in that light. Verse 10, As every man hath received
the gift. How many? Every man hath received. Russell May, you've got a gift
God gave you. Use it. John, you've got a gift God gave
you. God has put something in your heart, in your hand, in
your head, in your possession. God has entrusted you. You're
not in an institution. You're a free man, and you have
a gift. You can help somebody. You can
lift somebody. You can encourage somebody. You
can help. I guarantee God has given you something, and you
are a minister. And he said, as every man hath
received a gift, even so, minister it to one another. as good stewards
of the manifold grace of God, as a good steward. Use it. Now
look at the next verse. If any man preaches, some of
you fellas have the gift to preach. I tell you, these men who preach
here, they are gifted. These men that
stand in this pulpit, God's gifted them, given them the ability
to preach. You know what he says to you
fellas? Preach the oracles of God. Oh, yes, sir. Let him declare
the truth. If he's going to preach, let
him tell the truth as it's written in God's Word. And if any other
man minister, let him do it as of the ability God gave him.
God has given you an ability. What is that ability? To read,
to pray, to sing, to wait tables? We had a New Year's service back
here, and our dear ladies, my, how they provided for us. Waiting
on the table, serving the coffee. Care for children, witness. Do it according to your ability.
God didn't require you. You know, there are a lot of
people sitting around waiting for some great thing to do. When are you
going to do what you've been equipped to do? There are some
people waiting around for some great splash to make or some
big church to pastor or some great group to teach or some
great song to sing. Mike, God lets you minister to
us, minister to us, if it's just five of us. Why would God put
you in charge of a great thing when you ain't handled a little
one yet? Is that what I'm saying? That's
what I'm saying. Like Spurgeon said one time,
he didn't care for that song over a thousand tongues to sing
because most people wasn't using the one they had. Oh, for a thousand
tongues to sing the glory of my Lord. How about using just
one? How about just putting an arm
around somebody and say, I appreciate you. That's using one to glorify
God. Thank God for you. How are you
today? I'm glad to see you. You brighten
my day. You have a gift. You have a gift. And I tell you, because a man
can't preach doesn't mean he can't do something in the church
for the glory of God. Actually, this office, about
anybody, God used a jackass one time to preach. No comments on
that. Some of you would like to work
that one over, I know. See, use what we have. You know
what that's saying? I'm not reading anything into
this. I'm just reading what it says. It says to me, the end
is around the corner. Use what God gave you. Don't
make life miserable. Don't make life miserable for
folks. Make somebody happy today. Why? Look at the last line in
verse 11. That God in all things may be
glorified. God in all things may be glorified
through Jesus Christ to whom the praise is due, dominion forever
and ever. The chief end of every person
here is to glorify God. Alright, number five. Verse 12,
right at 5 out here. Beloved, now the end is near,
so call on God. Love one another. Be hospitable
and generous. Serve God with whatever gift
He's given you. And don't give me this thing,
I can't do anything. Now that's not so. I know every
one of you. I know every one of you. Gifted, talented, gracious,
blessed people. Everybody in here. There's not
a person in here that hasn't been gifted of God, gifted of
God in so many ways. We've got so much to give an
account for, haven't we? All right, number five. Beloved,
number five, don't think it's strange and don't be amazed and
don't be alarmed and don't be bewildered concerning the fiery
trial which is to try you as though some strange thing has
happened to you. Now what's he saying? He's saying
this. Some of you right now are carrying
some heavy burdens. I know that. But don't be amazed. Some of us may carry some even
heavier burdens. Sickness, sorrows, suffering,
harassment, persecution. But now don't be amazed. Don't
be alarmed by this. Let me tell you what I know about
trials. I know several things about them
I'll give you briefly. Number one, trials and suffering
are the common lot of all of God's people. Now the preachers
that tell you, save people, don't get sick, is lying to you. We
are susceptible to everything that natural men are susceptible
to. Heart attacks, cancer, and all
of these things. The early death of children sometimes,
the death of a husband or wife. See, we're flesh too. Everybody
here is flesh. And don't be alarmed now when
this comes upon you, because it's common to God's people.
Like, thy Lord said in the world you're going to have tribulation.
He said it's given unto you not only to believe, but to suffer.
He said all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer.
Paul's friend Epaphroditus was very, very sick. Paul said unto
death, troubled Paul so much. See, this is common. It's common,
and some of you, and this preacher, I don't know how I'm going to
die. I just don't know. I know we'd all just like to
go to sleep and wake up in glory, but that's not the way it is.
But now don't be alarmed. Don't be alarmed, because it's
a common lot. These trials are not by chance. I know that about
trials. They're not by chance, they're
by the appointment of God. There is no trial that can come
upon you that God Almighty didn't send, either directly or indirectly. That's just right. Absolutely. And He's not going to suffer
you to be tried above that which you by His grace can back. Now,
I know I'm not telling you anything because some of you, I look into
your faces and I know a little bit about your experiences, and
I know you've hurt, you've taken care of sick people, you've had
troubles and trials, you've had children break your heart, but
what I'm saying, don't be surprised. You know, don't be surprised.
It may even get worse. That's right, and for some of
you it will. But remember that this is common
law to God's people. It's not by chance. It's by the
appointment of God. And thirdly, trials are good
for us. Did you know that? David said,
it's good for me that I've been afflicted. That's in Psalm 119,
71 through 75. Read it sometime. It's good for
me that I've been afflicted. It's good for me that I might
learn God's Word and learn God's purpose. And fourthly, trials
prove our faith. That's what they're for, to prove
your faith. An untried faith may not be faith. It just may not be faith. James
said that there, to try your faith like gold is put into the
fire to burn off the dross and the impurities and make it pure.
And I'll tell you, when it comes out of that fire, it's real.
And if you come out of the fire, believe in God, then you can
say, it's real. You can't otherwise. And then
trials prove our love for God. That's what God said about Abraham
when he took that boy off the altar. He said, don't touch him.
Now I know that you love me more than you love your son. And then
trials teach us patience. Oh yeah, tribulation works with
patience. There's no way that I can learn patience apart from
trials. There's no way I can learn to
sympathize or empathize with other people except as I bear
these trials. Isn't that right? Nobody can sympathize with you
like somebody who's walked that road. Some of you are their widows
here. You'll be able to sympathize with these other ladies as the
days go by here because you know where they are. You know the
loneliness. You know the grief. You know
the heartache. And then trials wean us from the world. After a while, after you live
a while, you find out, and this is what I put in a bulletin recently,
maybe this week, I don't remember, but the hope of ever finding
anything on this earth that gives me fulfillment, contentment,
and satisfaction as long ago passed away. Everything here,
and you find this out through trial, is vanity. Isn't that
right? vanity. What's lasting? What's glorious?
What's great? The relationship with Christ.
That's all. That's all. So, here's the sixth
one now in closing. Verse 13. So, the time is short. The end is at hand. Call on God.
Love one another. Embrace one another. Forgive
one another. Use hospitality. Be generous.
Use your gift God's given you. Reach out. Minister to somebody.
Help somebody today. And don't think it strange when
these trials come upon you. Don't quit. Don't faint. David said, if I had not believed
to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, I'd
have quit. But I believe, and I'm not quitting.
I'm not quitting. I'm not going to ask God to send
me trials, but when He does, I want to ask Him for the grace
to bear a good witness, don't you? All right, here's the last
one. Rejoice. Don't think it's strange,
he said, and don't be alarmed. Rather than thinking it's strange
and being alarmed, rejoice! Rejoice! Preacher, that's just
asking too much now. I was with you until you got
there. When you talk about these trials
and suffering, and your family is against you because of what
you believe, and your children have broken your heart, and your
body is bending down with pain and trouble, and you say, Rejoice! No, He did. I want to learn it. He told me
to rejoice. And why? Rejoice in as much as
you are partakers of Christ's suffering. that when his glory
shall be revealed, you may be glad also, O in that day, with
exceeding joy." Let me give you what I see on this. Rejoice.
Number one, rejoice that the hand of God is upon you. He could
have passed you by. You know, in Psalm 73, when David
looked at the people of the world, he said, they are rich, increased
with goods, and fat, and have no troubles, and I'm suffering. Which one do you want to be?
Just rejoice that he could let you be one of those. That's right,
isn't that right, Bob? You could be one of those. I'm
rejoicing that I'm one of these God's children. Now that's what
I'm saying. He's making me like Christ. He's
creating in me saving graces. He's refining my faith. He's
refining my goal. He's putting me through this
particular trial and suffering for my good. Rejoice that God's
even dealing with you at all. He doesn't have to. He could
let you prosper and laugh your way to hell. But I'd rather not
go that route. The other route is harder, but
the goal is better. Secondly, rejoice that you are
blessed to share the suffering of Christ. I tell you, being
identified with him, I tell you, when you identify with Christ,
you bring on yourself some of this suffering. But thank God
for it. He willingly brought suffering
on himself, didn't he? When he willingly exposed himself
to this world and sin, then he willingly took on himself the
anguish and the wrath and the suffering. And this is what I'm
saying when I stand up here and say the things I do and preach
the truth I try to preach and preach God's sovereign and you
stand for it and believe it, you're bringing that on yourself.
But thank God that we're bearing the marks of Christ in our bodies,
that we're really partaking. If you partake of His suffering,
you'll partake of His glory. If we suffer with Him, we'll
what? Reign with Him. So rejoice. This is all part
of the battle. Thirdly, rejoice that when his
full glory is revealed, that's what it says here, when his full
glory will be revealed, you will be glad. You will be glad. You who have been chosen by him,
you who have been made an object of his grace, you who have been
an object of his chastening hand, and the trials He sent, and the
sufferings for His sake, and confessed Him, you're one of
those that are going to be glorified with Him. So rejoice. The journey
is not very long. It's not very long. Alright,
isn't that six good things? The end is at hand. Call on God. Love each other. Use hospitality. Use the gift God's given you.
Don't be alarmed when you stump your toe. You're going to stump
it again. It's going to hurt too. It's
going to hurt. It's going to hurt here. It's
going to hurt all over. But rejoice, because one day
he's coming, and one day we'll be like him. Thank God for the
road. All right, Mike, come lead us
in closing hymn.

The End of All Things Is At Hand

What does the Bible say about preparing for death?

Why is it important for Christians to love one another?

How do we understand trials in a Christian's life?

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The End of All Things Is At Hand

What does the Bible say about preparing for death?

Why is it important for Christians to love one another?

How do we understand trials in a Christian's life?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

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