Introduction
- The background.
- The speaker.
- The message.
"WE MUST NEEDS DIE."
- There is a necessity in death:
(i) NOT the cause of it (ii) or time of it (iii) BUT the fact of it.
- Death is an enemy: Illustration: a deadly snake.
- Why death is necessary - God's justice.
- See how realistic God's Word is.
APPLICATION: Prepare to meet this enemy at last.
"LIKE WATER SPILT."
- The soul flies away - Illustration: a pail of water...
- "Cannot be gathered up again." Explain way:
(i) another location (ii) great gulf (iii) God's justice
- A fitting illustration: (i) so true (ii) so touching (iii) so quick.
ILLUSTRATION: a recent visit to a friend's grave.
APPLICATION: Note the Bible's illustrations
-(i) grass (ii) flower (iii) vapour (iv) water.
"GOD DOES NOT RESPECT ANY PERSON."
- God makes no exceptions. See the foolish idea : "It cannot happen to me".
- How respect bought in this world:
(i) by bribery (ii) by menaces. Illustration: to a judge.
- God above all menace or bribery. The imputation of sin ALWAYS brings death:
(i) so God said to Adam (ii) so experience shows
"GOD'S BANISHED NOT EXILED FROM HIM?"
- God's banished are his elect, not yet saved:So Christ calls them his "other sheep".
- The Decree of Election: a fixed number.Chosen in Christ - before the world began.
- The intervention of God in it - to bring them home:(i) the lost (ii) the dear.
- A "secret thing" - but the gospel is for all.
APPLICATION: Concentrate on what is promised by God.
"GOD'S DEVISED MEANS."
- One means is the Word of God: Knowledge.
OBSERVE: The need to be in our Bibles.
- Another is the Work of Christ: Romans 5:12-19.
This is the main means.
- A third is the Ministry of the Holy Spirit.
He makes Christ precious to men.
- A lesser means is the ministry.
ILLUSTRATION: engine - men at Soham = love, even if they were not famous.
EXHORTATION
- All the preaching men hear is in this life - none after death.
- God tells you of his great love.
- If you reject God's love you reject the only remedy.
ILLUSTRATION: a remedy for a fatal illness. Would you not buy it?
CONCLUSION
Illustration: The Roman general who demanded an answer at once.