"Life As A Tale That Is Told"
Psalm 90:9
INTRO. Someone has written these words:
LIFE'S BOOK
No matter what else you are doing
From cradle days through to the end,
You are writing your life's secret story;
Each day sees another page penned.
Each month ends a thirty page chapter;
Each year means the end of a part
And never an act is misstated,
Or even one wish of the heart.
Each day when you wake the book opens
Revealing a page clean and white;
What thoughts and what words and what doings
Will cover its page by night?
God leaves that to you; you're the writer,
And never a word shall grow dim,
Till the day you write the word, "Finished."
And give back your life's book to Him.
The Psalmist tells us in our text that each of our lives are like a story that is told. We are all writing a story by our actions, attitudes, and achievements. Some of these stories are long. Some are short, but each life tells a story. Each story either ends with triumph or tragedy, victory or vengeance, heaven or hell. The choice is ours to make.
I would like to speak this morning on the subject, "Life As A Tale That Is Told." Thomas Carlyle said, "Life is a little gleam of timebetween two eternities." (1) It is in this little gleam of time, James refers to it as "a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away," in which we write the story of our lives that will be remembered for all eternity. What tale will your life tell when you are gone? Notice, three things with me this morning:
(1) EVERY MAN HAS A HISTORY
Ephesians 2:1-3--"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses
and sins where in time past ye walked according to the course of
this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit
that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom
also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our
flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by
nature the children of wrath, even as others."
*The Scripture there mentions three things about man's past. We Were:
A. Dead. The word Dead here means "separated, dead." Spirtually dead,
separated from the Grace of God. The inner man is dead to spiritual
things and cannot respond to them. All sinners are dead, regardless of
age (2). David, the Psalmist declared the truth about all of us in Psalm
51:5, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive
me." All of us are born "Dead in trespasses and sins.."
ILLUS: In the poetry of the great Roman poet Virgil, there is an account
of an ancient king, who was so unnaturally cruel in his
punishments that he used to chain a dead man to a living one. It
was impossible for the poor wretch to separate himself from his
disgusting burden. The carcass was bound fast to his body--its
hands to his hands; its face to his face; its lips to his lips. It lay
down and rose up whenever he did; it moved about with him
whithersoever he went, till the moment when death came to his
relief. Many suppose that it was in reference to this that Paul
cried out: "O wretched man that I am!" Whether this be so or not,
sin is a body of death which all who are not sanctified wholly
carry about with them. --McCartney
B. Disobedient. At one time we were all "the children of disobedience" as
verse 2 declares. We were not only DEAD, but DISOBEDIENT--enslaved
by the world and living only for its pleasures and possessions. Living for
self and self alone. Disobedience speaks of rebellion. It means to be
unbelieving, and unyielding.
C. Dominated by sin and Satan. We were enslaved by Satan who was
working his pleasure in our lives. That doesn't mean he necessarily made
us drunkards or murderers, but was satisfied for us to have a false sense
of security through self-righteousness. Remember, the Pharisees prided
themselves as spiritual, upright, and moral, but Jesus called them the
"children of the devil" (John 8:44). We are born by nature the children of
wrath; when we reject Christ knowingly after reaching the age of account-
ability, we become the children of disobedience by choice (3).
ILLUS: Suppose you had been house hunting in a development of new
homes, and when you found an empty one you tried to get into it.
If the house was full, occupied by people, you wouldn't dare try to
get in. That's exactly what Satan does. He looks for vacuums. He
looks for empty houses. They may be clean, but if God is not
within you, having made you His temple, you can be sure the
devil is going to occupy you.
*Every man has a history. And it is true of each one of us. At one time we were dead in
trespasses and sins, disobedient in spiritual matters, and dominated by sin and Satan.
(2) Every Man Has Been Given A Display of God's Love
Titus 2:11--"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to
all men."
*What does it mean that "the grace of God...hath appeared unto all men"? It
means that God has shown His Great love in many ways:
A. By the Sky (Psalm 19:1). Matthew Henry wrote in his commentary on
This verse, "The heavens so declare the glory of God, and proclaim his
wisdom, power, and goodness, that all ungodly men are left without
excuse" (4). All one has to do is cast his eyes heavenward to see the
glory and grace of almighty God!
ILLUS: "For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that
are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or
dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by
Him, and for Him."Colossians 1:16
Jesus Christ is the power of creation. The little baby who was
born in a manger was the great Creator talked about in Genesis,
chapter one. In fact, that little baby created His mother Mary in
the first place. When He was born, He was as old as His Father,
and older than His mother. If you look up the little word "for" in
our passage today, you will discover that it means "motion toward
an object." The reason for everything was Jesus. Not only was
everything made by Him, but it was made for Him. And
everything is coming back to Him. All of life will climax in Jesus
Christ. He is the power of creation, the preserver of creation, and
the purpose of creation.--ADRIAN ROGERS
B. By the Savior (John 3:16). There has never been a greater love ever
than the love of God in sending His Son to die for man (1 John 4:9-10).
The world does not really believe that God is love. They look at the awful
ravages of sin in the world and say, "How can a God of love permit these
things to happen?" But people need never doubt God's love: He proved
His love at the cross (5). When we were enemies God loved us (Romans
5:8). "The cross is the proof that there is no length to which the love of
God will refuse to go, in order to win men's hearts..." (6). Calvary shows
how far men will go in sin, and how far God went for man's salvation. - H.
D. Trumbull _Pulpit Helps_, 1981
C. By God's servants (Mark 16:15; 2 Cors. 5:17-18, 20). God uses Beli-
evers to spread the Gospel to a lost world. Wally Gardner wrote these
words:
Give me a vision that I may respond
In town, or country, or father beyond;
Yes, point out the needs of faltering men
That I may lead them to Jesus again.
Show me the city where Satan runs wild
That I may go there to save the defiled,
Show me a valley that's reeking with sin
Then prod me to go to call them within,
Or point out to me a far away land
That I may sail there to heed Thy command;
Give me a vision that I may respond
In town or country or farther beyond (7).
*The story you are writing and the ending of that story depends on what you do with Jesus Christ. YOU and you alone determine how the tale is told and how the story ends. God has displayed His love and Grace to you by the sky, the Savior, and His Servants. The question is friend, "What will do with Christ?"
(3) Every Man's Tale Will Be Told
A. In Death. When we die, the way we have lived our lives will be told. If
you search through the Bible you will find many references given to men
and women at their death.
ILLUS: 3 souls die each second,
180 souls die each minute,
10800 souls die each hour,
260,000 souls die each day and
approximately 10 million souls die each year
and most die without Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
ILLUS: I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend. He
referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning ... to
the end.
He noted that first came her date of birth and spoke the following
date with tears, But he said what mattered most of all Was the
dash between those years. (1900-1970)
For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on
earth.... And now only those who loved her know what that little
line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own; the cars...the house...the
cash. What matters is how we live and love and how we spend
our dash.
So think about this long and hard... Are there things you'd like to
change? For you never know how much time is left. That can still
be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough to consider what's true and
real, And always try to understand The way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more And
love the people in our lives Like we've never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect, and more often wear a
smile... Remembering that this special dash might only last a little
while.
So, when your eulogy's being read with your life's action's to
rehash... Would you be proud of the things they say about how
you spent your dash? --Unknown
What will be told of you at your death?
B. In Judgment. Hebrews 9:27 tells us, "And as it is appointed unto men
once to die, but after this the judgment." All men will stand before God
one day and their life story will be told (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
The unsaved person loses all at death; so does the carnal, worldly Christ-
ian who will be "saved, yet so as by fire" (1 Cors. 3:15). But the faithful
Christian who rejoices in God's blessings today and uses his life to glorify
Christ, will receive abundant rewards in the life to come (8). "After death
comes judgment, but before death there is hope for every man." –
Unknown - _Pulpit Helps_, November, 1991, p. 10.
C. Throughout Eternity. Our lives tell a tale in death, in judgment, and
throughout eternity. The rich ruler will always be remember as "going
away sorrowful for he had great possessions," the rich man in hell as be
tormented in this flame, King Agrippa as "Almost thou persuadest me to
be a Christian," but the Apostle Paul as "For me to live is Christ, and to
die is gain." Who nearing death proclaimed, "I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid
up for me a crown of righteousness, which the LORD the righteous judge,
shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that
also that love his appearing."
CLOSING: Our lives are as a tale that is told. We are daily writing them by our
actions, attitudes, and achievements. Friend, What will your life say in
death, judgment, and throughout eternity?
NOTES: 1. Albert M. Wells, Jr. Inspiring Quotations-Contemporary & Classical. Pg.
108.
2. Warren W. Wiersbe. Expository Outlines on the New Testament. Pg. 541.
3. Wiersbe. Pg. 542.
4. Owen Collins. The Classic Bible Commentary. Pg. 462.
5. Wiersbe. Pg. 774.
6. Wells. Pg. 52.
7. Wells. Pg. 64.
8. Warren W. Wiersbe. Expository Outlines on the Old Testament. Pg. 491.