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Introduction:
• In John 11:25, and 14:6, Jesus said “that He possesses life, and that He is life.”
• In John 14:6, Jesus saith unto him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
• The story is told about 50 years ago that Nehru of India was visiting the U.S. and requested the pleasure of visiting Einstein who was probably the greatest brain that ever lived. Requested granted, they talked of politics, travel, and many other things, then Nehru said, “Mr. Einstein, the question that I came to ask is this, Have you found the meaning of life?” Einstein bowed his head and replied, “No, I have not found the meaning of life.” How amazing that such as man as he did not know the meaning of life.
• Does the Bible give us the answer to this question? An English student asked, “Why did God make me? Why Am I here? What is the purpose of life?”
I. DEFINITION OF LIFE!
The dictionary says all the following:
1. “It is the union of soul and body,” this is true of humans, but not of plants.
2. “The state of being alive!” This is true, but very ambiguous.
3. “The period between birth and death.” This is not true, for life exists before birth.
4. “Life is the property of a plant or animal or person that involves growth, nutrition, respiration and reproduction!”
5. The truth is that life is very difficult to define!
a. Life is a trust -- a loan from God for a short period of time, Job 1:21 “The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the Name of the Lord.”
b. Life is an intangible gift from God. We can neither see it, feel it, or bargain with it.
c. Life is an unsubstantial flimsy thing... here today and gone tomorrow.
II. ORIGIN OF LIFE!
Where did you get life from? From your parents, and where did they get life from? Inevitable one goes back to Eden and the creation of man.
1. Gen. 2:7 “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.”
2. All life comes from God. I Jh 5:20 “This is the true God, and eternal life.”
3. Life is a characteristic, an attribute, the very nature of God.
III. KINDS OF LIFE: The Bible speaks of three kinds of life:
1. Physical life - which was given to man at the time of creation.
2. Spiritual life -- This is the new life that God gives to the believer in Jesus Christ. (Eph. 2:1-9) This new life is a gift from God to the repentant sinner.
3. Eternal life. This is the very nature and characteristic of the Lord God.
In salvation His quality of life given to us!
IV. LENGTH OF LIFE:
1. In Gen. 5, before the flood, the life span was an average of 846 years.
2. In Gen. 11, after the flood the life span was reduced to 393 years.
3. In Moses time, Psa. 90:10, says, “The days of our years are threescore years and ten (70) and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow.”
4. Psa. 89:47 “Remember how short my time is.”
5. Job 14:1 “Man that is born of woman is of few days.”
6. James 4:13-15 “Life is like a vapour that quickly vanishes away.”
7. Life is limited to a set time. Job. 7:1 “Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth?”
V. COMPARISONS ABOUT LIFE!
1. Life is like a journey! (Gen. 47:9) Jacob was talking to King Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of my life been.” Like is a journey from earth to eternity; from the cradle to the beyond.
2. Life is like a dream. (Psa. 73:20) “As a dream when one awaketh! How long is a dream? Only a few seconds. Can you totally recall a dream? NO. Life is short, fleeting, and transient.
3. Life is like a shadow. (Eccl. 6:12) “For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? A shadow is such a poor imitation of the real thing. Can you recognize a person by his shadow? Shadows can be so deceiving, so long, so short; life is like that. What is less substantial than a shadow? Who can lay hold of a shadow? What substance is there in it? Who can grasp His life? Cannot reckon on a day or upon a moment!
4. Life is like vapour. (James 4:14) “What is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away.” If all we knew about water was what we saw in steam, how limited our knowledge of water would be. You cannot drink steam. Water and ice are other forms.
5. Life is like a tale. (Psa. 90:9) “For all our days are passed away in Thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.” Like is like an interesting story that is soon told and people look for another form of entertainment.
This was Shakespear’s observation, too:
“Out, out, brief candle, life’s but a walking shadow,
A poor play that struts and frets his hour,
upon the stage and then is heard no more.
It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound,
and fury, signifying nothing.”
6. Life is like water spilled on the ground. (II Sam 14:14) “For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again.”
7. Life is like a flower. ( Job 14:1,2) “Man that is born of a woman is of few days. and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not.” First we see the blade, then leaves, and afterward the beautiful bud. Slowly it opens and we gasp at its beauty. Then it withers and is gone, yes, gone so soon, so quickly. Some flowers never bloom. They are cut down in their prime.
Life on earth is like a bud that will open and develop in eternity... life is too short.
VI. THE PURPOSE OF LIFE!
1. Life is a moment of time in which to prepare for the eternity ahead of us.
2. In this brief, fleeting second of time we are asked to answer one question: “Where do you wish to spend eternity? There for two great eternities... we must choose one or the other, for there is no neutral ground.
3. Think of the terrible anguish of living forever with Satan in a burning Hell... oh, the purpose of life, first of all, is to let you personally choose the abiding place of your soul.
4. Paul said, in Phil. 1:21... “For me to live is CHRIST! Do you have Christ as Savior? He desires that you might receive Him. (John 1:12; Rom. 6:23;
Acts 16:31; John 1:29; Rom. 12:9-13) Christ is life!
5. We ought to consider -- What is my life? Why am I alive?
a. Source of life -- Christ alone -- Phil. 1:21; John 17:3
b. Motive of life -- Phil. 2:21
c. Object of life -- II Cor. 5:14,15
d. Dynamic of Life -- II Cor. 13:4
e. Manner of life -- Titus 2:11-14
f. Directive of life -- James 4:15
g. Owner of life -- Rom. 14:9
Time wasted just fussing! A dear lady, from the country, went for the first time on a railway journey, about 50 mile through a very lovely, beautiful country side. She had looked forward to the trip for a long, time with great pleasure. But it took her so long to get her baskets right, parcels just right, skirt adjusted, her seat comfortable, shades and shutters just right, just settled down to enjoy the trip when they called the name of her station... “Oh, my, if I had only known that we would be there so soon, I wouldn’t have wasted my time in fussing!” Dear friend, the wheel of time is flying.. the last station is at hand; the things of this life so trifling; get your mind on the main business of life so when you hear the last station call... you won’t have wasted so much time a fussing.
Sermon by Dr. Edward Watke Jr.---- Revival in the Home Ministries, Inc.