Greg Laurie - What If This Were Your Last Year on Earth? (03/26/2018)
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Pastor Greg Laurie shares a New Year's message from 2 Timothy 4 asking "What If This Were Your Last Year on Earth?" Contrasting Hezekiah's wasted extension of life with Paul's joyful readiness to depart, he calls believers to live with no regrets—fighting the good fight, finishing the race, keeping the faith—by investing time, talent, and treasure wisely while keeping hearts focused on heaven and eternity.
Introduction: Time Speeds Up as We Age
Alright. Well let's turn in our Bibles to 2 Timothy 4. This is a special message just for today. A New Year's message. And next Sunday we'll be getting back into our Matthew series that we're calling Follow Me. And we're going to look at some of the great parables that Jesus told. Starting with the parable of the sower that really contains the secrets that every believer needs to know to grow spiritually. That's next Sunday.
But today the title of my message is, "What If This Were Your Last Year on Earth?" You know, one thing that you notice as you get older is time seems to pass more quickly. Now of course time is a saying. But it depends on where you're at in your life as to how you view time. For instance, when I was a young boy in elementary school it seemed like sitting in class lasted forever. Ever. I would just stare at the clock waiting for the hands to move.
But then as you get older months go by more quickly. Years go by more quickly. Even decades go by more quickly. And now as I look at my life. I have more behind me than I have in front of me. And I have been described as middle-aged. However, I don't know about that. Because I wouldn't feel bad about being called middle-aged if I knew a few more people over the age of 100. I mean, middle-aged seems like it would more realistically be somewhere in your mid-30s than where I'm at now in my 50s.
Humor in Aging and Denial
But youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve. Middle-age is when you're forced to. You know. Middle-age is when you know all of the answers and no one ever asks you the questions. Yeah, time passes by quickly. And then the funny thing is my generation, the architects of youth culture, are now officially entering retirement age. I read an article the other day that said that the baby boom generation now is at retirement age and 7,000 of these boomers are turning 65 each day. Many believe this is going to bankrupt Social Security and Medicare.
Now the irony is this is the original youth culture. You know, it was the baby boomers that effectively introduced rock and roll to the world. The generation that gave us the rolling stones and other symbols of rebellion has now gone from sex, drugs, and rock and roll to nip, tuck, and Botox. We've gone from acid rock to acid reflux.
Of course, some people are in denial about this. And they want to appear to be younger than they really are. Nothing is sadder than a person who shops at Forever 21 when they're 66. You know, so they think, oh, I'll do cosmetic surgery, and everyone will think, I'm younger. I really don't know if that ever works, to be quite honest with you. I'm not against it. If you want to get it, that's fine. But I don't think it really makes anyone look younger. It just makes them look different. That's all. Okay. And sometimes you look at some people and you think internally, did you want to look this way?
And some maybe don't want to make that leap toward cosmetic surgery, so they just get a bunch of Botox. And the problem with Botox is your expressions disappear. You're supposed to have lines in your face. So, a person who's had too much Botox has to tell you how they're feeling in a given moment. You know, I'm really mad at you right now, but I can't move my face. So, I'm telling you, I'm mad with a Botox face. Oh wait, I'm really happy now, but I can't smile. My face is frozen.
God's Appointed Time for Life and Death
How many of you have had Botox? I didn't think you'd raise your hand. You know, everyone wants to figure out how to prolong their life, how to live longer and so forth. But here's the thing that we need to realize. God is an appointed day for our birth and also for our death. In fact, we're told in Scripture, Job 14:5, You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live and we are not given a minute longer.
Hebrews 9:27 says, It's appointed unto a man once to die, and after this comes the judgment. And then Psalm 39:4, it says, Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered and my life is fleeing away.
So I have a question for you. Let's say your doctor called you in tomorrow morning and said, We have just done tests on you after your last physical. And we have to tell you, you have only one year to live. This is your last year on planet earth. Now, if this were the situation, how would you live your life? Would you live it any differently?
Irma Bombeck's Reflections on Life
Irma Bombeck was a columnist for many years. She has since passed on. But when she found out from her doctor she only had a year to live, she wrote a column with the title, If I had my life to live over. And here is what she said. And I quote from her column, If I had my life to live over, I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner, even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded. I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
If I had my life to live over, I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains. I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life. If I had my life to live over, when my kids kissed me impetuously, I would have never said, No, hurry, go get washed up for dinner.
But mostly, if given another shot at life, I would seize every minute, look at it and really see it, live it and never give it back, and I would stop sweating the small stuff. Don't worry about who doesn't like you, or who has more, or who is doing what. Indeed, let's Cherish the relationships we have with those who love us.
I thought that was very well written. You know, when life comes to an end, certain things become more important to you that, frankly, should have been important all along. And those three things seem to be faith, family, and friends.
Faith, Family, and Friends at Life's End
The first thing a person becomes aware of, if they are on their death bed, or they know that the end is there, is their faith. Either how important it is to them, or their lack thereof. Those that are strong believers become stronger in their faith, it seems, under such circumstances. And those that aren't walking with God are aware of the fact that they need to do something about that.
And then there is family. You are very aware of the fact that you might be estranged from members of your family, and hopefully that is something you will want to make right. And then, of course, there are friends.
Billy Graham was recently interviewed by Greta Van Susteren. And he hasn't done an interview in many years now. And he was asked the question, if he could live his life over, what would he change? And here was his response, and I quote, I would study more. I would pray more. I would travel less and take less speaking engagements. If I had it to do over, I would spend more time in meditation and prayer and just telling the Lord how much I love Him and adore Him. And I am looking forward to the time when we are going to spend eternity together.
That was well said.
Hezekiah: A King Who Wasted Extra Years
And now I want to look at the lives of two men that knew that time was short. Two men that effectively found out that their time on earth was quickly coming to an end. The first is found in the Old Testament, and his name is Hezekiah. He was the King of Israel.
Hezekiah, in contrast to many of the kings that ruled over the Jewish people, was a godly man. In fact, he tore down the idols that had been erected to false gods, and he called Israel back to turn to the Lord. In fact, when Israel was threatened by an enemy, the Assyrians, it was King Hezekiah who went and brought his request before the Lord and asked for the Lord to deliver them. And the Lord answered his prayer, and an angel of the Lord was sent, and he destroyed 185,000 Assyrian troops on the battlefield. So this was a man of God, a man of faith.
But one day, Hezekiah got very ill. In fact, so sick that he was really on his deathbed. And the prophet Isaiah was dispatched to him by the Lord, and was told to give him a message. And Isaiah said to King Hezekiah, This is what the Lord says, Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die, and you will not recover from this illness. Ominous words for sure.
And Hezekiah was not prepared to accept this news. And he called out to God. He reminded the Lord of how faithful of a king he had been. And he asked the Lord to spare his life and heal him. And God answered the king's prayer. Isaiah was told to go back to Hezekiah and say, Your life has been extended for fifteen more years.
So that is a good thing, right? Well not necessarily. Because Scripture tells us in 2 Chronicles 32:25, that Hezekiah's heart was proud, and his response was wrong.
Hezekiah's Mistakes in His Extra Years
So how should the king have responded when he found out that his life was coming to an end? Well he probably should have said something along the lines of, Well Lord, I would like to live longer, if that is in your will. But if this is my time, then fine. He should have put it in the hands of God.
And you know, when you have lived long enough, you come to realize that it is a good thing God did not answer all of your prayers. How many of you have prayed for something really stupid? Raise your hand. I hope you are all raising your hand. Come on. We all have. For not answering that prayer. That girl you were madly in love with, or that guy, or that career choice you wanted to follow, or whatever it was you looked back and realized that closed door was an answered prayer, and it ultimately was a good thing.
C.S. Lewis wrote, and I quote, I don't know where I would be today if God had granted all the foolish prayers I had offered to him. End quote.
Well, hindsight is 20-20. And we have the benefit of it in the case of Hezekiah. He was given 15 more years to live. So how did that work out? Well for starters, he gave classified information to his enemies. Sort of a biblical version of WikiLeaks.
See what happened was an emissary from Babylon was sent to visit Hezekiah. And for some reason that we don't understand, Hezekiah showed him all the treasures of Israel. All of the wealth of the people. And this gave a motive to the Assyrians to later invade Israel, which they did, taking the Jewish people into captivity for 70 years. Hezekiah should not have done this. Revealed such sensitive information to his enemies. But he was sort of like a guy taking his buddy into his garage and showing him all of his toys. Hey, look at all the cool stuff we have. There was an element of pride in it. So that was a big mistake.
And then secondly, it was during this extended 15 years of his life, if you will, that Hezekiah had a son. And his name was Manasseh. And he went on to rule Israel in his father's stead and effectively undid all the good Hezekiah had done. Where Hezekiah tore down the altars to the false gods, Manasseh erected new ones and led the people into full-scale idolatry. He was one of the most wicked kings that ever ruled over the nation, even offering his own son as a burnt offering, killing his son to the pagan god Molech. Frankly, it would have been better if Manasseh had never been born.
But to kind of give you an insight into where Hezekiah was at in the final years of his life, after he revealed this classified information to the emissary from Babylon, Isaiah was kind of calling him on it, saying, Why did you do that? That's wrong. And he went on to say in 2 Kings 20, The time is coming when everything you have, Hezekiah, all the treasures stored up by your ancestors will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. Some of your own descendants will be taken into exile.
Bad news for sure. But yet the Scripture tells us that Hezekiah was thinking to himself, Well, at least there will be peace and security during my lifetime. In other words, Uh, who cares? As long as it doesn't affect me.
Oh, my family is going to be taken into exile. I don't care. All of our stuff is going to be taken away. As long as it doesn't bring me discomfort, I'm fine with it. Sad. He should have thought more about his legacy and what he was passing on. And that's what we all need to be thinking about in life. It's not just living a long life, but living a full and meaningful life.
Sometimes people live long lives and waste them. Others live long lives and do horrible things with them. Some live shorter lives, but their lives make a great difference. Jim Elliot, who was a young missionary who felt called by God to bring the Gospel message to the Auca Indians and unreached tribe, was martyred in his endeavors. And though he had so much promise and so much life ahead of him, it was cut short. But yet in his journal, Jim Elliot wrote these words, and I quote, I seek not a long life, but a full one like you, Lord Jesus.
You see, when it's all said and done, it's not about just living a long life. It's living a life that is full and purposeful. Corrie Ten Boom said, and I quote, the measure of a life after all is not its duration, but its donation. So what kind of donation is your life making?
Paul's Joyful Readiness for Departure
So there was Hezekiah, finding out his life was coming to an end. He asked for an extension, made a mess of his life, and frankly, it probably would have been better if he had just gone to be with the Lord when the Lord said the time had come.
Now let's contrast that to another man. His story is in the New Testament. He was not a king. He was an apostle. We know him as Paul. Because here in 2 Timothy, we read the last words of the great apostle. These were written in the Mamertine prison in Rome. Why was he there? Because he had faithfully proclaimed the good news to people, and though he had been warned, if he persisted, he would be arrested. And now here he was, chained up in this miserable, primitive little place. None of his friends were with him. He was all alone.
But yet as you read his words, they resonate with joy and with hope, not with depression and despair. So let's read the familiar words of the apostle Paul in his final epistle that he wrote, as he knew the end was near. 2 Timothy 4, starting in verse 6.
I am already being poured out as a drink offering, for the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me in that day, and not to me only, but to all who love his appearing.
Key Lessons from Paul's Final Words
So what do we learn from the final words of Paul? What take away truths can we glean from them as we enter into a new year, and how we ought to be living our lives, just in case it is our last year? Well number one, Paul knew that the time to leave this world had come. Verse 6 he says, The time of my departure is at hand. I know it is close.
Now I know that sounds sad and tragic, and in some ways it is. But when you are a believer, who has put their faith in Christ, you know when you leave this life, you go straight to heaven. So it has a lot to do with your destination.
Now I don't know about you, but I don't look forward to going to the dentist. Even if it is for a teeth cleaning. Because it seems like they always find something wrong. You know? While they are cleaning, Oh we have a little problem here, let's do an X-ray. Oh no! What now? But you know it is an important thing to get your teeth cleaned, and to take care of your teeth. But I don't look forward to it.
Now, when someone says, Let's go to lunch, I am happy. I look forward to that. All depends where you are going, right? When you are really young, you get excited when someone says, Let's go to Disneyland. And when you are older, you look forward to the time when someone says, Let's now leave Disneyland.
The happiest moment for a kid is the Matterhorn through the front windshield. The happiest moment for the parents is the Matterhorn in the rear view mirror. Because you are exhausted. And you are ready to go.
Well, heaven is what was before Paul. And he looked forward to it. Now, in Paul's case there was a home court advantage. And by that I mean, Paul had the unique experience of dying, going to heaven, and returning back to the earth. That is why earlier he wrote in the book of Philippians, To live is Christ and to die is gain. And I am hard pressed between the two. I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, it is important that I remain here with you.
But Paul understood that heaven was a promotion. It was a coronation. It was a good thing. So he says, verse 6, The time of my departure is at hand.
Paul Had No Regrets
Now, the word he uses there was a word that was used to describe a Roman soldier breaking camp. Or striking the fort. How many of you like to go camping? Raise up your hand. Oh, we had more campers than the first service. Now, I've camped a little. But I am not a huge camper. Okay? I look forward to going home, to a hot shower and a warm meal.
I feel that way about the beach, too. To me, the most exciting time of going to the beach is right when I get there. And I am all set up. And then, after about 20 minutes, I am like, Eh, I kind of want to go now. Because I am hot. And someone just pulled their beach chair up next to mine, and they are listening to weird music. And, you know, there is sand on everything. And it is just not as exciting as it once was.
Well, this is the idea of Paul saying, It is time to break camp. I am ready to leave. The time of my departure is at hand.
Which brings us to point number two. Point number one was, Paul knew he was leaving. Number two, this is really important. He had no regrets in life. Paul had no regrets in life. Notice he writes, I fought the good fight. I finished the course. I kept the faith. In other words, everything God had called Paul to do, he did. He had no regrets. No sense of unfulfillment or incompleteness. He had lived life to its fullest.
And my question for you today, is if this were your last year, would you be able to say the same thing? Are there things that remain left in life to do? No, of course there are for all of us. I mean, things we would like to do. Places we would like to go. But I mean, I am talking about important things now. Things that you feel God has called you to do that you have not yet done. Maybe there are people you feel you need to forgive. There are things you need to stop doing that you know are unproductive. Things you need to start doing that would help you a great deal.
Three Pictures of Paul's Life
Paul knew that time was close. And now to sort of describe how he lived in this point of his life, he uses three pictures to describe what it's like to live as a believer, realizing that any year could be your last. He likened himself to a fighter, a runner, and a soldier. And we should do the same.
Like a Fighter in Battle
Number one, Paul said he was like a fighter. Verse 7, I have fought the good fight. Fought the good fight. Now have you ever been in a real fight? I don't mean like the one you see in the movies where it's the barroom brawl in the western and when a person gets punched in the face they smile and faint and it looks like fun or something. Have you ever been hit in the face? Well it hurts.
And the fight that Paul is describing here is not a gentleman's boxing match where the bell rings and we go to our corner and we have the guard and our teeth and our gloves on. Now this is a little bit more like ultimate fighting. Or mixed martial arts. We are talking bare fists. We are talking a fight to the death potentially.
This is the idea that Paul is conveying that Christian life is a conflict. This is the surprise of some people. They think once they become Christians everything is going to be sweet and nice and easy. Au contraire. A little French there. It is the very opposite. You see now that you have entered into this new relationship with God you are going to discover your adversary the devil is going to try to undermine you and stop you. And so you enter into a fight.
Ephesians 6:12 describing this from a modern translation says this. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we will walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps. A life or death fight to the finish against the devil and his angels. It is a spiritual battle. And thus we need to use spiritual weapons.
So Paul said, I fought the good fight. And all of us fight it every day. How are you doing in that fight? Are you winning or losing?
Like a Runner in an Obstacle Race
Number two, Paul also compared himself to being a runner in a race. Verse 7 he says, I have finished the race. And there were numerous hurdles and obstacles in Paul's life he had to deal with. Ranging from persecution and even having to cope with his own Thorn in the flesh.
The word that Paul uses here for race describes a race with obstacles in it. So it is not like the race we would see in the Olympics where you run a certain distance and whoever runs the fastest wins. It is more like getting through an obstacle course. That is what Paul is describing. And he is saying that he has run that race. He has completed that race.
And we are in the race of life. And all of us should run to win. I don't know about you, but when I was in school, I was in track and field and I entered a lot of races. And I don't think I ever won one. I can't remember one I won. In fact, I don't even think I got second or third. I won a lot of these honorable mention ribbons. As I recall, they were purple in color. So on my wall, all these purple ribbons, honorable mention, which basically means you showed up. Or even worse, we acknowledge that you do exist and that is the extent of it. You know, no first place ribbons, no trophies for me.
Well, we are running a race. And we should run to win. Don't run to get second or third place. You run to win. You run to score. In fact, that is what Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9. Everyone runs, but only one wins a prize. So run to win. All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away. But we do it for an eternal prize. So run with purpose in every step.
So that is the idea that is being conveyed. Now, we are going to get a reward that is worthwhile. You look at some of the rewards, or awards I should say, that people win. I have a friend who has won the Iron Man. And that is a very hard competition that goes on for hours. And I look at the medal. I say, this is all they gave you? I mean, I have never won anything like that. So I guess that is what it represents. He is an Iron Man. I am an Ironene man. You know, but still. You win these little awards. They are not worth much. But we are running for an eternal reward that God will give us in that final day.
Like a Soldier Guarding the Faith
And finally, Paul says that he is a soldier in verse 7. He says, I have kept the faith. The word that he uses here for kept carries a meaning of having guarded the faith as an armed soldier would guard his post against enemy attack. Paul is saying that he never strayed from the truth of God's Word. And he lived it out.
So let me ask you. If this were your last year, would you be able to say the same thing that Paul said? Have you been winning in this fight and struggle against Satan and personal sin? Have you kept up the pace and the race of life? Or have you slowed down? Have you guarded and kept your faith in the way you live? And tell others?
The Crown of Righteousness Awaits
If you have, here is the promise that you have from the Lord. Verse 8. Paul says, Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me in that day. And not to me only, but to all who have loved his appearing.
There is a reward waiting. And here is the thing. One day, when we leave this world, as Christians, and we go to heaven, there will be a judgment seat waiting. Now this is not a judgment about getting into heaven. Because the fact is, the judgment I am talking about is in heaven. The great white throne judgment that determines who does not get into heaven is not something a believer will participate in. Because whoever is not found written in the book of life is cast into the lake of fire.
No, I am talking about a different kind of judgment. You can almost compare this judgment I am talking about to an awards ceremony. Where you will be rewarded for your faithfulness. Now if you have served the Lord with the gifts that He gave you. And you have used your life for the glory of God. Rewards will be given. Including the crown of life that Paul alludes to here in Timothy. And there are other crowns that are promised in Scripture. Other rewards that God says we can receive.
But if you have effectively squandered your life. And by that I mean you put your faith in Christ so you are in heaven. Thank God for that. But you never really did much with your life. You didn't run the race to win. You didn't maximize your opportunities. The Bible says there will be a burning. A fire. To see what kind every man's work is. And some people will be left with nothing. Oh yeah they are in heaven. But they have nothing to show for their life on earth. And then there will be others who will be rewarded for their faithfulness to God.
So that is something to think about. In the way that we live our life. You see when it is all said and done. The only thing that is really going to matter. Is whether or not you accomplish the purpose that God had for you. Are you doing that?
Jesus was 12 years old when he said to Mary and Joseph. I must be about my father's business. And just 21 years later he could say to the father. I have completed the work you gave me to do.
What We Can Offer God: Treasure, Talent, Time
When it really is simplified there are three things that we can offer to God. In this life. We can offer our treasure. We can offer our talent. And we can offer our time. Our treasure. Our talent. And our time.
First there is our treasure. I am speaking of course of our possessions. Our resources. Our finances. We can offer that to the Lord. Of course I urge all of you to give faithfully to the work of the kingdom in this coming year. Where? Why should we do that? Because Jesus said, where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
You see, whenever you put your money into something, you develop a vested interest in that thing. And ideally, your treasure will go where your heart is. So if your heart has changed, it will change where you put your treasure. But it works the other way. Where we put our treasure, our heart will follow. So you want your heart to be in the things Put your treasure in the things of God. Invest in the work of the kingdom.
Number two, there is our talent. God has given to every one of us certain abilities and skills and even gifts. And we are to use those for His glory. Romans 12 says, Just as our bodies have many parts and every part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of His body and each of us has a different work to do.
And finally there is our time. Our time. Let's say that tomorrow morning you got a call from the president of the bank that you use. He told you that an anonymous donor, who loved you very much, had decided to deposit 86,400 pennies into your bank account each and every morning. You thought, What? That's right. 86,400 pennies in your bank account every morning. And here is the condition. You have to spend all of the money. You can't carry it over from day one to day two. What isn't spent is taken away.
Well you thought, I don't know, is that even that much money? Well you got your calculator out and you figured it out. And realize that totaled up to about $864 a day. That's a lot of money. You say, Well Greg, that's an interesting analogy. What's the point? There is no point. I just wanted to share it. So anyway. No.
So listen. Someone who loves you very much deposits into your bank of time 86,400 seconds of time each and every day. They cannot be carried over from day one to day two. There is no such thing as a 27 hour day. You are given 24 hours each and every day to use as you choose. And we can say, Lord I want to give this time to you. Because the Bible says, Redeem the time. Because the days are evil. And that means to make sacred and wise use of every opportunity.
This Could Be Our Last Year—Be Ready
So what if this were your last year on earth? Here is the reality. It could be our last year on earth. You say, Well do you know something I don't? Well maybe. But I don't think so. But here is why it could be your last year. Because the Lord Himself could come and call His people home in the rapture of the church. And that could happen in this coming year. And I for one would like to see that happen. Wouldn't you? Really. Would you? How many of you would like this to be the year we all go to heaven? Well okay. Good. Good. I agree. How glorious that would be. Just going about our business. Hopefully our Father's business. When suddenly in a moment in the twinkling of an eye we are caught up to meet the Lord in the air.
You know Billy Graham was asked the question not long ago. This was not in the interview with Greta Van Susteren. This was in a dinner that we attended. He was being interviewed by his longtime associate Cliff Barrows. And Cliff asked him the question, Billy you have done so much in your life. You have been so many places. Is there anything left that you would like to do that you have not done? Without hesitation Billy said, I want to see Ruth. He is talking about his wife. And he loved Ruth deeply. And she of course loved him. They were just a perfect match. And having the privilege of spending time in their home and watching them interact was a real joy. And it just broke his heart when the Lord took Ruth to heaven. And he has missed her ever since then.
And that is why when you have a loved one that has gone before you into heaven it causes you to have a longing for heaven you did not have before. Because you see now it is personal. That is someone that was dear to you. Someone you want to see again. And this is why the rapture is such a great hope. Because it is a time of reunion. In fact the Bible says that we will be caught up in a moment in the twinkling of an eye together with them in the air to meet the Lord. Who are with them? Well Paul was writing to the believers in Thessalonica that were wondering about what happened to their loved ones who had already died. Where were they? Would they ever see them again? They were wondering. Paul said, listen, when the Lord comes back for His people in the rapture and catches us up to heaven we will be instantaneously reunited with them.
So maybe you have a loved one that has gone before you that you miss deeply. It will happen so quickly. You couldn't even measure it in human time. You will just be with them. And most importantly you will be with the Lord Himself. So that could certainly happen. And that is something we all look forward to.
With our son in heaven now, and it has been two years and five months, it is something that affects us deeply. And it causes our heart to be more in heaven. And it changes you. You know, sometimes people ask, are things back to normal yet? No. And they never will be because, you know, it is a new kind of normal. You have to learn to live in a different way. But there are certain things that happen in one's heart when a loved one leaves them that are quite unique.
And one of those things that I have found in my heart and I have found in talking with others that have had the same thing happen to them is you have a new determination to live your life to its fullest. Because especially when a child goes, you realize your life could end at any time. You realize how short life really is. And a lot of things that maybe I was a little frightened to do before have dissipated and it is replaced by a determination to accomplish what God has called me to do. So that is a good thing.
Another thing I have noticed is my fear of death is effectively gone. Now if somebody held a gun up to my head right now, I probably would say, please don't shoot me. So I don't want you to think it is an irrational statement that I am making. But that dread, that fear isn't there anymore. Because I look forward to reunion. I look forward to what is ahead. And that is a good thing to not have the fear of death hanging over you.
So we need to all be ready to meet the Lord. Because this could be the year. Because we could die this year. I know that is a heavy thought for some and it is not what you want to hear right now. But listen, someone's name is going to end up in the obituary column tomorrow and the next day. And we always say, it won't be me. And it certainly won't be someone close to me. But the fact is, it could be. So you want to prepare.
Get Your House in Order
So here is my word of encouragement to you in this coming year. Keep your heart in heaven in this new year. This could be the year. We see the Lord. And we want to be ready. Coming back to the words of Isaiah to the King Hezekiah. When he initially approached me, he said, get your house in order for you are going to die. Now that is what we all need to think about. Is your house in order?
Now there are the practical things you should do. I hope you have a will drawn up and you have thought those things through. Those are important things to consider. But then think about your legacy. Think about your life. Think what you live for. Think what you will be remembered for. Think about your effect on your family and on your children. And if you will live longer, your grandchildren. What kind of legacy are you leaving?
Don't be like Hezekiah who couldn't care less about anyone but himself. Hey, as long as it doesn't affect me, I am good with that. Think more like Paul. I fought the good fight. I kept the faith. I finished the course. I have done what God has called me to do.
Because we never know when this could be our last year, our last month, or even our last day. The Bible says, teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. That simply means help us live wisely. Help us live practically. Help us live spiritually.
We have those three things to offer to God. God, our treasure, our talent, and our time. But let's live each day as though it were our last, being about our Father's business. So we'll know that when He calls us to heaven, we will hear Him say to us, Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.
Invitation to Salvation and Recommitment
But maybe some of you sitting here right now would say, Honestly, you know what? I don't really know that if I died I would go to heaven. I don't have that confidence that you've spoken of today. Well you can have it by putting your faith in Jesus Christ.
Or maybe in this last year you've strayed. You know, you haven't fought the good fight. And you haven't run the race of life. And you haven't done well. Well then make a recommitment as we enter into this new year. So you can be confident that if Christ comes back this year, you'll be ready. And you can be confident that if this is your last year, you'll be ready to meet the Lord.
And if you're not sure of that right now, I'm going to give you an opportunity to get right with God as we close in prayer. So let's all bow our heads if you would.
Now Father, speak to the hearts of these that may not yet know You. Help them to see their need for You and help them to come to You this day, we pray.
Now when our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed and we're praying, how many of you would say today, Greg, pray for me. I'm not sure if I'm ready to go to heaven. I don't have the confidence Christ is living in me, but I want that confidence. I want my sin forgiven. I want to know Jesus in a real and personal way. I want to go to heaven when I die.
If that's your desire, if you want Jesus to forgive you of your sin, if you want to be ready for His return, if you want to go to heaven when you die, would you lift your hand up wherever you're sitting and I'm going to lead you in a prayer. Just lift your hand up wherever you are and I'll pray for you today. God bless you. God bless you. Anybody else up there in the balcony? God bless you. The balcony in the corner over there? God bless you too. And the side? God bless you as well. Anybody else? You want God to forgive you of your sin? You want your guilt taken away? Or maybe you've fallen away from the Lord and you want to recommit yourself to Him in this coming year? Lift your hand up. I'll pray for you now. God bless you. Just lift your hand up where I can see you. God bless each one of you.
Up there on the balcony outside, I can't see you in the courtyard, but the Lord sees you of course. Raise your hand up as well. And you up in the court building, watching on the big screen, you can raise your hand too. Wherever you are. God bless each one.
Now all of you that have lifted your hand saying that you want to make this commitment, a recommitment to Christ, I want you to stand to your feet right now and I'm going to lead you in a prayer right where you are. Just stand to your feet wherever you are. Up in the balcony, stand up. And by the way, a number are standing so you will not be the only one. Just stand up. Out there in the amphitheater, you stand up, watching on the screen. Up there in the court building, you stand too. And I'll lead you in this prayer wherever you are.
You want Christ to come into your life? You want to make this recommitment to Him? Stand to your feet now. I'll pray for you. God bless you. God bless you. Anybody else? Stand to your feet now. God bless you. I'll give you a few more. I'll wait a couple more moments. Stand up now. God bless you. Anybody else? God bless you. One final moment. If you are going to stand, stand now. God bless you. God bless you too. Amen.
Alright, all of you that are standing, I want to lead you in a prayer. And I would ask you to pray this prayer out loud, after me, right where you stand. Again, as I pray, pray this prayer out loud, after me, okay? Pray this after me now. Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner. I thank you for dying on the cross and paying the price for all of my sins. I turn from those sins now and I put my faith in you. Be my Savior and my Lord. Be my God and my friend. I choose to follow you in this coming year. And every year. So thank you for loving me and forgiving me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.