The End Is NOT THE END!
In life, there are few things that last. Consider for a moment some of the “temporary” parts of life:
- Each person has a day of birth, but then the baby begins to grow into a toddler, child, teen, and then adult—THUS A BABY IS NOT FOREVER—A BABY!
- Each person has a first day of school, but then the law states that the child must continue to attend until he has mastered at least twelve years of school (thirteen including kindergarten)—THUS A FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL LEADS TO A HOST OF DAYS OF LEARNING LEADING TO—GRADUATION DAY!
- Each person has a day of first sounds & first gestures, but then that becomes days of more sounds & words & gesturing, eventually leading all the sounds, words, phrases sentences & gestures—THUS A STRING OF SOUNDS & HAND-MOTIONS COMPELS ONE TO SPEAK WITH OTHER HUMANS—COMMUNICATION!
On & On, life is full of “temporary” parts (and starts) that lead to “lasting” parts.
Is that not also true about a person’s soul?!!!
“But the fact is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
(1 Corinthians 15: 20-22 NASB)
For since by a man death came, by a Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”
The End Is NOT THE END!
I find myself fascinated with the apostle Paul, a man of great learning, a man who “thought” he was completely in the right to do what he wished to do when he was walking the earth as the man we call Saul. In this form, he was a tyrant, a know-it-all, a persecutor, and an executioner.
Then, Saul met Jesus!
The temporary condition, the temporary part of Saul’s life was radically changed into something Saul could never have imagined—when he walked as Saul. In fact, after Saul became Paul (the apostle of Christ), he wrote:
“For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle,
(1 Corinthians 15: 9-10 NASB)
because I persecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am,
and His grace toward me did not prove vain;
but I labored even more than all of them,
yet not I, but the grace of God with me.”
The End Is NOT THE END!
God created mankind!
God walked with mankind!
God communicated with mankind!
Mankind sinned and walked after the way of the devil’s leading.
Mankind realized his nakedness, hid from God, and blamed others for their sins.
Mankind desperately needs a Savior to save him from himself & his wicked ways.
- THUS, GOD SENT HIS SON JESUS CHRIST INTO THE WORLD TO SEEK & TO SAVE THE LOST!
- THUS, GOD MADE THE WAY THROUGH JESUS UPON THE CROSS OF CALVARY FOR SINNERS TO COME TO KNOW GOD!
- THUS, GOD RAISED HIS ONLY SON BACK TO LIFE, SO THAT ALL WHO BELIEVE MAY RECEIVE THE NEWNESS OF LIFE!
The End Is NOT THE END!
“Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
(1 Corinthians 15: 11-14 NASB)
Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead,
how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised;
and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, your faith also is in vain.”
- Each person has a day of birth, but then that day leads to a day of death. Without Christ Jesus, all hope of eternity within God’s presence IS LOST!
- Each person has a first day of school, but then if that person never comes to know Jesus Christ as his Savior, then all the “book” knowledge is of no value at his death, EVERYTHING IS TOTALLY LOST!
- Each person has a day of first sounds, gestures, and hand-motions, but then without additional days of collected words or motions, the speech parents desire for their toddlers WOULD BE LOST!
We need days of beginning, & We need days of continuing for growth to occur.
We need days of life & We need days of maturing for growth to occur.
We each have received an allotted number of days to live, BUT then comes our death.
- BECAUSE—The End Is NOT THE END!
- BECAUSE—The End of this earthly life—Is NOT THE END!
- BECAUSE—There is most-definitely MORE after our death!
- BECAUSE—There is our ETERNITY—we must consider while walking within our life!
The apostle Paul knew what those living in Corinth needed to hear because Paul was led through the Holy Spirit when he wrote:
“Moreover, we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised.
(1 Corinthians 15: 15-22 NASB)
For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised;
and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
If we have hoped in Christ only in this life, we are of all people most to be pitied.
But the fact is,
Christ has been raised from the dead,
the first fruits of those who are asleep.
For since by a man death came, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die,
so also in Christ all will be made alive.”
THUS, The End Is NOT THE END!
“But each in his own order:
(1 Corinthians 15: 23-26 NASB)
Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,
then comes the end,
[of life here on this earth that we know]
when He hands over the kingdom to our God and Father,
when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.
For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.
The last enemy that will be abolished is death.
[Satan & all his demons will be cast into hell.]”
BECAUSE—There is our ETERNITY—we must consider what we will do with JESUS—while walking within our life!
The man who God granted more wisdom than any other man wrote these words (under God’s authority), words we need to heed—
“The conclusion, when everything has been heard, is:
(Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14 NASB)
fear God and keep His commandments,
because this applies to every person.
For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.”
- The End Is NOT THE END—while there is breath in our lungs!
- The End Is NOT THE END—while God allows us to live!
- The End Is NOT THE END—because only this life we know will conclude!
- The End of this life—IS NOT THE END!
THERE IS AN ETERNITY & OUR ETERNAL PLACE—EVERY PERSON MUST CHOOSE!