We Must Prepare for Our Day of Departure - Ecc. 12:1 - 7

INTRODUCTION

Turn to Ecclesiastes 12.

Having JUST FINISHED the last lesson entitled - “The Coming of Jesus Christ IS Our Blessed Hope” -

This NEXT Lesson is CERTAINLY apropos for the HERE & NOW!

We will looking into Ecclesiastes 12 to see just what the wisest man on earth - SOLOMON - had to say about planning for death!

The title of this NEXT lesson is entitled, “We MUST Prepare for OUR Day of Departure.”

Some might be sitting here today, trying to estimate which direction we are taking -

Is the pastor going to preach on the subject of salvation?

Is he going to preach more on Bible prophecy?

THE ANSWER will be coming momentarily - so stick around and stay tuned!

Let’s commence by looking to our text passage this morning - then we are going to do something just a little bit differently, for which I need your help this morning!

Notice Ecclesiastes 12:1–7 - “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low; Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. 7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”

NOW - HERE! Is where, I need your help - This Morning.

I have a few questions for us to discuss, to help center your mind and hearts toward ACTIVELY PREPARING FOR YOUR DAY OF DEPARTURE! (So PLEASE feel free to speak out - this is a group participation).

#1 - Why WAS IT easier to enjoy life when we WERE young, than when we become old?

Possibilities: HAD (MORE): time, money, energy, health, memory, stamina,

HAD (FEWER): responsibilities, liabilities, fears,

WHICH LEADS ME TO ASK THE NEXT QUESTION -

#2 - What is the worst thing to you about getting old?

Let Me Guess: THE OPPOSITE OF ALL THE POSSIBILITIES JUST STATED!

Less time, less money, less energy, less health, shorter memory, less stamina

More responsibilities, more liabilities -

WHICH LEADS ME TO THE NEXT QUESTION -

#3 - What kind of emotion then, does this presence of changed lifestyle, impose for you?

Probably: traits of fear, uncertainty, worry, anxiety

#4 - THEN - HOW should we live our life in light of the reality of death?

Planning/Preparation would be a great starting place?

Living Life to the Fullest might be an excellent practice?

Spending MORE Time With Family / Friends?

Attempting to do some of those things, that you could not do before?

#5 - FINALLY! - What IS Something That You Can Do THIS WEEK To Remind Yourself of God’s Place In Your Life? (***DO NOT ANSWER, THINK ABOUT IT!)

All of these questions are meant to provoke thought towards Preparing YOURSELF For YOUR Day of Departure!

The Word of God reminds us that death will come to all people -

Hebrews 9:27 - “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

SO! IT IS CERTAINLY A TRUTH -

If Jesus Christ does NOT come soon, we ALL will pass through death’s door -

We CAN testify to the certainty of this, due to loved ones close to us, having departed this life, SOME MOST RECENTLY!

But what we CANNOT testify to, for the remainder of us who are living, is WHEN death is coming for you or me!

BUT IT IS -

AND, YOU WILL LEAVE THIS OLD WORLD BEHIND!

Without Going Into a Book Summary, the Book of Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon, and he gave a great sermon upon life in general.

In this last chapter, he closes out this message centering the mind, and more importantly the heart of the reader, about the end of life!

Even when Christ lived and walked upon the earth, He had a lot to say about life in general -

In Luke 12, we read “a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth”.

In John 14:6 - “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

In Matthew 16:25 - “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”

In Matthew 16:26 - “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

BUT, CHRIST ALSO DESIRES FOR US TO THINK ABOUT THE DAY THAT WE DEPART THIS LIFE!

In the Old & New Testament, there are a combination of 154 references to death!

Eze. 18:32 - “For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.”

Ecc. 9:5 - “For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.”

Psa. 146:4 - “His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.”

In fact, from our text - there are a couple of verses that Solomon draws our attention to consider, when thinking about the brevity of life - from starting out young and progressing until becoming older.

Notice - Ecc. 12:1 - “REMEMBER NOW thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, that I have no pleasure in them.”

Solomon brings attention to the most innocent time of life - being that of your days of youth!

Think about it -

Life is JUST beginning!

Most young people do NOT have a single care in this world!

For all practical purposes, MOST have their whole life ahead of them!

YET - ALL OF THEM RARELY STOP TO CONSIDER THE CONCEPT OF ETERNITY -

OR STANDING BEFORE GOD!

Bible commentator Adam Clarke expounds a few noteworthy concepts for ALL to consider, especially those who are just starting out!

“YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN; YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO YOURSELF.

GOD MADE YOU; HE IS YOUR CREATOR

REMEMBER HIM; CONSIDER THAT HE IS YOUR CREATOR!

REMEMBER HIM IN YOUR YOUTH; DO NOT FAIL TO GIVE GOD THE FIRST AND THE BEST!”

Simply Because, Once Life Begins and the Misery Accumulates Upon YOUR Bad Choices -

They will not look back, at the end of life, with fond memories of the headaches and heartaches in life!

When you hear someone that has served the LORD GOD for much, if not most, of their life -

There are GREAT memories that can be recalled - ones filled with joy, and blessings that have been accumulated.

This is NOT so for those who have wasted the precious years of life away!

Many try to forget THOSE times!

Only to notice Ecc. 12:7 - “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” - (flip over to Gen. 2)

When you read this, having been in church for any length of time - you can recall the FIRST BEGINNINGS of mankind, found in Adam -

Gen. 2:7 reminds us, “And the LORD God formed man OF THE DUST OF THE GROUND, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

We were formed from the dust of the ground,

Notice the phrase - “and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became (WHAT) -

A LIVING SOUL”! - (turn over to Psalm 103)

Man thus became a creation of God not just for time, BUT FOR ALL ETERNITY!

Just because this temporary housing stops at death, does not mean that the REAL ME & YOU CEASE, TOO!

I have used this illustration at many graveside services - referencing D.L. Moody, and likewise those who knew the LORD, as Saviour. Dwight Moody stated just shortly before his own death -

“D.L. Moody said, ‘Someday you will read in the papers that Moody is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. I was born of the flesh in 1837, I was born of the spirit in 1855. That which is born of the flesh may die. That which is born of the Spirit shall live forever. I shall have gone up higher, that is all, out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal -- a body that death cannot touch, that sin cannot taint’”

The truth for every man is, that the soul of every man at time of death, will continue to live eternally in one of two destinations upon death - HEAVEN OR HELL!

And of course that destination is determined by what the individual does RIGHT NOW WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!

HENCE - in this SHORT span of time that we physically occupy - called life -

HOW IMPORTANT TO TAKE CARE OF THIS BODY THAT GOD HAS GIVEN UNTO US!

For the one, who IS saved - YOUR body Sir/Ma’am IS the Temple of the Holy Spirit of God

1 Cor. 6:19, 20 - “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

According to the Scriptures, Godly stewardship for that which is NOT your own -

Means NOT abusing YOUR bodies in this life!

You ONLY have ONE life to serve the LORD - take care of it!

THE POTENTIAL OF THE PRESENT.