When the Roll is Called Up Yonder - What will be Your Fate?
As must as it seems morbid to speak of death for which reason we do almost everything to avoid talking about it, until it hits us in our faces! The reality about death is that none of us can avoid it. We read in Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” If we consider carefully what this means, we should be all seriously awaiting that appointment, because it is an appointment with God. But Satan has craftily caused us to all become afraid of death, and this is the reason that we don’t look forward to it. If we examine the Scriptures we would find that Paul’s understanding of death was very different from ours – “To be absent from this body [to die] is to be present [to live eternally] with the Lord.” According to the Bible, we have only two choices – either heaven with the Lord for eternity or hell with Satan and his angels for eternity. So the question that we all need to consider carefully is: “When the roll is called up yonder – where would your destiny be?”
Our Scripture Text for this Morning is: Hebrews 9:27-28 “And 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.”
In Thessalonians 4:13-18 we read, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which sleep [have died], that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” As Christians, our consolation lies in the fact that death is but a door that leads us into all eternity to be with the Lord forever. Paul writing to the Thessalonians, exhorts us as believers to comfort one another with these words. This means that it is not a fable or something we say when we are confused and don’t really know what to say. This is God’s Word to help edify every believer that has accepted Christ as his or her Lord and Savior.
The Scriptures tell us that, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The word ‘death’ used in this text is a reference to the second death. The death that totally separates man from God for all eternity. But also included in this text is the escape from that death. When we receive the gift of God, which is eternal life only through Jesus Christ – we have the peace of God even when death calls. This appointment with God is already scheduled for every human being on earth. Age does not determine when this appointment will be scheduled, neither does your position in society, or how far you have advanced in your career, or how much you have stored in your banking account – none of those things manner. Our appointment is a scheduled meeting with our fate regarding eternity. Sometimes we hear a judge pronounce a verdict over a criminal and we seem to have an opinion that the sentence was too harsh or not befitting the crime committed. I can assure you that those who have not received Christ as their Savior will receive the harshest punishment possible – eternity in damnation!
John 3:16 tell us that “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The will of God is that none perish. We read this in 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” While that is God’s will, we know that many more will end up in hell instead of ending up in heaven, because God does not force us to choose Him – we choose whom we want to serve and live for! That choice is totally ours. Remember that what we sow we will reap – in Galatians 6:7-8 we read, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” While in the human perspective we see death as a loss of life, someone dear to us taken away from us, total absence from this world and never to be seen again – God sees death in a total different light. Psalm 116:15 says: “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” God sees us as valuable entities returning to Him! So once again: “When the roll is called up yonder – where will you be?”
Be Blessed, Go Blessed and Stay Blessed,
Pastor Rickey Naidoo
Ekklesia Family Church
Elandspark, Alberton.
Email: [email protected]
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