DEATH: ITS APPOINTMENT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

Text: "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the Judgment." --(Hebrews 9:27)

Your heart is beating a funeral march to the grave! and

As the long hours do pass away,

So doth the life of man decay.

According to the text, note first that Death is Appointed unto men; second, that Death is Inevitable; third, that Death is Sudden. Then last, observe what there is in Death that makes it a subject to be avoided. But note first, that Death is Appointed.

We have an appointment with Death, irrespective of who we are. During the Middle Ages, artists depicted Death as dancing with the common laborer as with the nobleman; with the leaders of the Church as well as with the king. Our Family name is unimportant, as is our social position. All men are common to Death, and all will be reduced to the same common denominator -- Dust.

Death is no Respecter of Age.

The Clock of Life is wound but once,

And no man hath the power;

To tell just when those hands will stop!

At late or early hour.

As soon as our life is conceived, we may die! And though we are nearly every day made aware of miscarriages of life, we somehow never think Death lurks only minutes away.

Death is no Respecter of Health. He pays no attention to a doctor’s report, and "There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day wrath: and there is no discharge in that war." (Ecclesiastes 8:8). Though a man would rather not have to face Death, nevertheless, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the Judgment." We may this moment be in the peak of Health, but before the striking of midnight be out of time, even long before then!

Death is no Respecter of Place. Our whereabouts will not cancel our "appointment." Were we to decide upon a world cruise on the day of our Death, we would find this Reaper an inescapable enemy. If we lock ourselves in our bedroom and spend the day in bed, Death will be sure to keep his appointment.

Neither is Death a Respecter of Time. Death may come to us in the wee morning hours, or at the striking of midnight. Statistically it appears that more people die at night than in the day --actually between midnight and three o’clock in the morning.

Death does not Regard the Weather. It may snow the day we die; perhaps it will rain. Death may embrace us on a balmy summer evening.

Leaves have their time to fall,

And flowers to wither at the North Wind’s breath,

And Stars to set --but all,

Thou hast all seasons for thine own, 0 Death.

One thing is certain: Death is not numbered among them who wait the ripened fruit to seize their prey.

Death is Inevitable. Several years ago when I was deep in the mountains of North Carolina, I came upon an old cemetery. My eyes fell upon one epitaph in particular:

Remember, friends, as you pass by,

As you are now, so once was I.

AS I am now, so you will be;

Prepare for Death and follow me.

"So teach us to number our days," wrote the Psalmist, "that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." (Psalm 90:12) And, if we would live according to Wisdom, it is necessary to keep Death before us. So, Saladin, who contended with Richard the Lion-Hearted of England in the Forth" Crusade, wore a black shirt to remind him that someday he must die! Philip of Macedon, the great conqueror had a slave girl, whom he told to remind him every morning, "Remember, Philip, you must die!" So too it was the custom upon the crowning of the emperors of Constantinople to present them with a tombstone to remind them that one day they must die.

We will shortly die and enter eternity, and our riches shall he vomited forth again, and that which we have labored for will be possessed by another, perhaps, not even by our own children. As men do not like to think they will soon be forgotten, they attempt to leave memorials behind. These have taken the form of death-defying feats, architectural feats, or the amassing of fortunes; yet these things are not worth a drop in the sea of eternity!

We dwell in the Shadow of Death for Death plants Sorrow in every friendship. Even Nature about us teaches every eye that can see and preaches to every ear that can hear, for what is Night but the Death of a Day! And what is Sleep but the image of Death! The Seasons themselves

typify Birth, Growth, Maturity and Death. We eat our Bread to keep Death at bay. Yet, at seven years of age our teeth fall out as a preliminary of Death. What is Baldness but our grooming for Death. Wrinkled skin, dim eyes, tottering limbs, trembling joints, and shortage of breath --all serve to awaken us to our inevitable appointment with Death.

The Troubles of life are but for a moment; the Pleasures of life are but for a moment; only what things done for Eternity are important.

Death is Sudden. We may languish long, but we are suddenly cut off, and we fly away. (Psalm 90:10) David said

"There is but a step between me and Death!" "Our days on the earth are a shadow, and there is no abiding." "Thou

hast made my days as an handbreadth." (I Samuel 20:3; I Chronicles 29:15; Psalm 39:5)

Job said, "Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble." "In a moment (we) go down to the grave." "My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle." (Job 14:l; 21:13; 7:6)

"For what is your life?" asked James, "It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away." (James 4:14) Pindar called Life, "the Dream of a Shadow." Shakespeare cried, "Out, out brief Candle!"

But what is there in Death that makes it a subject to be avoided? Why is it people do not like to talk about it? Because "the sting of Death is Sin." (I Corinthians 15:56) That which makes Death hard to face is SIN. SIN is the Father of Death, for "As by one man, Sin entered into the world, and Death by Sin; and so Death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." (Romans 5:12)

SIN is the Cause of Death. "For the wages of Sin is Death; but the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

SIN is the Sting of Death. (I Corinthians 15:56) It is a SIN problem, and as he who Bankrupt takes no delight in looking into his bank account, so the person who fears he may be found Spiritually Bankrupt finds no delight in discussing Death because after this is the

Judgment. "How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? Behold, even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in His sight. How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, Which is a worm." (Job 25:4-6)

What can wash away my Sin? NOTHING but the blood of Jesus.

What can make me whole again? NOTHING but the blood of Jesus.

For my Pardon, this I see -- NOTHING but the blood of Jesus.

For my Cleansing, this my Plea --NOTHING but the blood of Jesus.

NOTHING can for Sin atone -- NOTHING but the blood of Jesus.

NAUGHT of Good that I have done --NOTHING but the blood of Jesus.

This is all my Hope and Peace --NOTHING but the blood of Jesus.

This is all my Righteousness --NOTHING but the blood of Jesus.

Oh! Precious is the Flow

That makes me White as Snow;

No other Fount I know,

NOTHING but the blood of Jesus.

"Repent therefore and be Converted that your sins may be blotted out," because "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the Judgment." (Acts 3:19; Hebrews 9:27)