Turn back the Old Testament to the book of Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiastes and the Old Testament.
Well what manner of persons ought we to be?
Well you know what, if we're people who just, our job is everything, I mean does that really
make sense in light of the fact that it's going to be dissolved someday, it's going
to be gone someday?
I mean those who just want to just work toward wealth and retirement and financial security,
hey if that's what you're living for, you are living for something that is temporary.
You know I mean what manner of persons ought we to be?
What he's saying is if you understand what I'm preaching tonight, you'll live for God
because you'll know that's the only thing that's permanent, that's the only thing that's
going to last.
The only thing that can't be taken away from you is what you do for God.
Only one life so soon has passed and only what's done for Christ will last.
And so we need to make sure that we're investing in eternal things, that we're not laying up
treasures on this earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through
and steal but that we're laying up for ourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor
rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal for our treasure is
there will a heart be also.
And we can't see those treasures in heaven.
I don't take inventory every once in a while like you know let me see how, let me pull
out the Golden Street Journal and see how my investments in heaven are doing.
And see if all is all down this week I was kind of a slacker.
You know oh whoa whoa it's way up I did a bunch of soul winning or something.
You know it's not like that we don't we can't see it but that's what matters, that's what's
eternal.
And by faith we know that God will reward us, we know that he's coming quickly, his
reward is with him to give every man according as his work shall be and we need to understand
that that unseen reward in heaven is the only thing that's permanent.
And whatever we lay up on this earth is temporary.
You say oh I've got gold and silver, it's all temporary.
It doesn't matter what's in the portfolio, your wealth is temporary and you could die
today.
You could die tomorrow.
Would it really be the first time anybody your age died if you died tomorrow?
And there are all kinds of ways that God could just snap his fingers and just snuff out your
life like that.
But you know what God has us on this earth for a reason.
I don't fear death, I don't worry about death because I'm going to be on this earth as long
as God wants me to be on this earth.
And here's the way that I see it as long as I'm more valuable to God alive than dead he's
going to keep me around.
And that's a biblical concept.
I had you turn to Ecclesiastes but let me read for you from Philippians, you don't have
to turn there.
Here's what Paul said in Philippians, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.
But if I live in the flesh this is the fruit of my labor, yet what I shall choose I whatnot,
watch this, for I'm in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ
which is far better.
I mean going to heaven is great, nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for
you, he tells the Philippians.
I'd love to go to heaven but I'm here because that's better for you.
You guys need me, he's telling the Philippians, right?
And I love what he says next, and having this confidence I know that I shall abide and continue
with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith.
He said I'm not worried about dying because I know how much the Philippian church needs
me so I'm sure God's going to keep me around to help them out.
And so that's encouraging to any of us if we realize, hey, I'm serving God, I'm working
for him, I'm a net positive force on this earth, you're a net positive force on this
earth if you're soul winning and loving people and edifying the brethren and so forth.
And so that gives you the confidence of course I'm going to stick around because God's using
me here.
If God decides that my death serves his purpose, serves his glory, serves his agenda, then
it's not a big sacrifice to ask me to die at a half vapor instead of a full vapor.
Because it's just a vapor anyway.
And so the apostle Paul knew that he was going to stick around because he's more valuable
alive than dead.