The FinalEnemy

Part II – “Carpe Diem”

"For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His

feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death"

1 Corinthians 15:25,26

• Instead of being paralyzed and intimidated by the thought of death, faithful Christians can approach death with optimism and confidence.– “For we know that if our earthly house, this

tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” – 2 Cor. 5:1

– Philippians 1:21-23

‘A Christian’s Approach’

• We can also take death and use it as a powerful incentive for holy living .– “And if you call on the Father, who without

partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;” - 1 Peter 1:17

– Hebrews 9:27

‘A Christian’s Approach’

"For whoever is joined with the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know

anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten. Indeed their love, their

hate, and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun. Let your clothes be white all the time, and

let not oil be lacking on your head…”

Ecclesiastes 9:4-6

“Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to

your under the sun; for this is your reward in life, and in your toil in which you have labored under

the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or

planning or wisdom in Sheol where you are going"

Ecclesiastes 9:7-10

• We tend to envy the wrong people. – Being alive, we have a more valuable possession

than the wealthiest unbeliever who has just died.– What is the price tag on an extra ten years of "time"

to become the person that God intended you to be?

• "Time" to be the…– husband or wife that we always should have been? – dedicated Christian we should have been? – virtuous and holy person we should have been?

“Human Tendency”

“Far from being depressed or discouraged, God exhorts us

to "Go then", which is a summons to be up and going

and is directed against the tendency to muse and to ponder over problems.”

“This Isn’t A Dress

Rehearsal”

• Too many people live their lives as if this was a dress rehearsal for another earthly life to come.

• "Time" to be the…– husband or wife that we always should have been? – dedicated Christian we should have been? – virtuous and holy person we should have been?

“This Isn’t A Dress Rehearsal”

"Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the extent of

my days, let me know how transient I am"

Psalm 39:4

“Surely every man is a mere breath"

Psalm 39:11

“Carpe Diem”

"Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all

your might"

Ecclesiastes 9:10

"We must work the works of Him who sent Me, as long as it is day; night is coming, when

no man can work"

John 9:4

• God expects us to make the most of our earthly lives and righteous people should be seen as people who love God and who have a zest for living. – There should be no such thing as a boring, lazy,

apathetic, or unmotivated Christian.• Death will stop all earthly plans, goals, &

projects.

“Carpe Diem”

“The Death of

the Righteous

”

"Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end

be like his!"

Numbers 23:10

• "He still speaks" (Hebrews 11:4)–A life that will exhort, encourage, & admonish

once we are gone. – “Be strong & courageous” - Deut. 31:23

• 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

“The Death of the Righteous”

• "Meaningful Possessions“– “And the things that you have heard from me among

many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” – 2 Tim. 2:2

“The Death of the Righteous”

• "Plan Your Own Funeral“– “according to my earnest expectation and hope that

in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.” – Phil. 1:20

• We can honor God with a life & a remembrance of that life in which God is praised, Jesus is magnified, and Christianity is portrayed as having the answers for life and death.

“The Death of the Righteous”

“A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one’s birth; 2 Better to go

to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; And the living

will take it to heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the

heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

Ecclesiastes 7:1-4

Conclusion

• Are we “up and going” or are we preoccupied pondering over our problems?–Are we using our "time" to become the

person that God intends us to be?–Are we showing to the world a life in which

God is being praised, Jesus is being magnified, & Christianity is being portrayed as having the answers for life and death!

Ask yourself…

The FinalEnemy

Part II – “Carpe Diem”