What Is Your Life CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

James summarizes your life here on earth in one simple verse.  When you hear what he has to say, you’re not going to like it.  But after you think about it a while, you will agree that he is right.  You will agree particularly when you contrast life here with life in God’s eternity.  What is your life?

Your Life is Uncertain – “ye know not what shall be on the morrow” – my plan is to drive to Whitsett this afternoon and return in time for the evening service.  And if the Lord is willing [v.15] that’s what I’ll do.  No one can ever be sure about his plans.

We get used to living with uncertainty and so we don’t seem to mind when everyone else just speculates about things like the weather, the stock market or the outcome of a trial.  George Zimmerman was found not guilty by a jury of his peers and the FBI determined  that race was not a factor in his decision to kill Trayvon Martin.  Yet the media still speculates as to his innocence and his racial motive.  They’re still not certain!  People say that the only things that are certain in life are death and taxes.

Professors teach evolution in school but they’re uncertain how life spontaneously generated.  They’re not sure how long evolution has taken to get us to this point and they’re not sure how long it will take to get to the next phase.  Yet they work with these theories everyday and they are perfectly comfortable not knowing!

Look at the contrast: Life with God is Certain – with God, we know where we came from, where we’re going and how we’re going to get there.  God determined beforehand the birth, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  He even knows the hour of his return.  We have a SURE word of prophecy 2 Pet 1:19.  Everything with God is certain.  So, spend you days with the things that are certain.

Your Life is Temporary – “appeareth for a little time” – this building is temporary.  There is no such thing as a “permanent” residence; seven other people owned our home before we did.  When you baby teeth fell out, your “permanent” teeth came in.  There’s nothing permanent about them; some of you are wearing dentures now.  The eternal flame commemorating JFK is not eternal; someone has to refuel it periodically.  You’re going to die someday.

Look at the contrast: Life with God is Eternal – Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever – heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away – God is eternal, Is 43:10, 13 and therefore he can give us eternal life.  So, spend your day with things eternal.  “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past.  Only what’s done for Christ will last.”  Bob Jobes, Sr. said, “Don’t sacrifice the eternal on the altar of the temporal.”

Your Life is Valueless – “it is even a vapour” – Solomon had wealth, wisdom and women and concluded “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”  We get totally occupied with this “stuff” of life down here and it comes to nothing.  John told us, “Love not the world… the world passeth away.”  From God’s perspective, nothing here is as valuable as a man’s soul.  He said, “What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?”

Look at the contrast: Life with God is Valuable – the life he gives is eternal life and it cost Jesus his life for us to have it [the highest price that God could pay].  With this life comes lasting peace – think of the millions of soldiers who have died for “peace.” That’s a high price to pay and they haven’t succeeded.  Jesus paid with his life and his peace will last forever.  Then there are the mansions in heaven, New Jerusalem, living water, the tree of life and so much more!!

You Life is Final – “and then vanisheth away” – the graveyards are full of the dead.  Headstones record the date of birth and the date of death and everything in between is represented by a dash.  There are no do-overs and no mulligans.  You’re just waiting on the judgment.

Look at the contrast: Life with God is Forever – when you breathe out your last breath on earth, you inhale your first breath in heaven.  Paul said, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”

Conclusion: If you have Jesus you have eternal life – so live for things eternal.  If you do not have Jesus, then take him now before it is too late!