Life is a Vapor

 

An Evangelistic Message

 

James 4:13-14 - “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”

 

Life is a vapor. Life is fragile, brittle, brief. Life passes so fast. But the decisions you make in life will determine your eternal destiny. Life is a time of opportunity. But this life will one day end. Yes, no man-made cure, not even a vaccine can stop the fact that . . .  

 

Death is sure. The Bible says: 

 

Hebrews 9:27 - “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,”

 

We all die. Death is a certainty. 100% of us will one day die (save for those Christians around for the Rapture of church by Jesus - but that’s another message). But we die and face our Maker. That’s true whether you believe it or not. We die. We face our Maker. And we face an initial judgment concerning how we dealt with the cause of our death. I don’t mean necessarily the actual circumstances of our death, but the root cause of our death, sin. 

 

Sins the curse. Sin’s the curse and cause of our death. Sin is transgressing or willfully breaking God’s Law. 

 

Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17; 1 Timothy 1:8-11): 

 

1.     Have no other gods before God - Put God first. Worship God only. 

2.     Make no images of God or anything (Catholic Bible removed this one) - not God in your image, or according to what would please you but isn’t true to how God has revealed Himself in His word, an image of God that suits you and would condone your sin. 

3.     Don’t take God’s name in vain or use it in an unholy way. 

4.     Remember the sabbath - Remember to rest in the Lord and trust Him in life. 

5.     Honor your father and mother that your life may be long. 

6.     Don’t murder. 

7.     Don’t commit adultery. 

8.     Don’t steal. 

9.     Don’t lie or bear false witness. 

10.  Don’t covet the things of your neighbor or anyone else. 

 

Jesus elevated these to even thinking in the heart of breaking the law caused guilt (Matthew 5).  

 

The Two Greatest Commandments: 

 

Matthew 22:37-40 - “Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

 

Love God supremely. Love all others sacrificially. Has any of us done that perfectly?

 

The Bible says:

 

Romans 6:23a - “The wages of sin is death”

 

Ezekiel 18:4 - “The soul who sins shall die.”

 

James 2:10 - “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.”

 

Romans 3:23 - “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” 

 

We all die because we all have sinned. 

 

A second death: But there is a second death beyond our physical death, an eternal death and punishment for our sins. We are all under the curse of sin that causes not only physical, but an eternal justly deserved death of punishment. 

 

The curse of sin is the fact that we all sin, and therefore, die. We all break God’s laws and cause much pain and sorrow to ourselves, those around us, and most importantly, our Maker, God. We are guilty of many offenses, many crimes against people and God. And God who is a just Judge and Sovereign Overseer of us all must and will impose a just penalty for our sin. It would be unjust to just let sin go. It would be unjust to just let the rebel against God go, when God has blessed us in so many ways. It would be unjust to just let the godless, the greedy, the adulterer marriage covenant breaker go. It would be unjust to just let the cheater, the liar, the thief, the hypocrite go. It would be unjust to just let the immoral, the pervert, the abuser, the causer of pain, the murderer go. And we have all sinned in some way. Oh, some of us are better than others, but no one is good enough. No one is without sin. Before God, except One. 

 

Life is a vapor. Death is sure. Sins the curse and cause of death. But . . . 

 

Christ is the cure. God loves us despite our sin. And because God loves us, He made a way for us to be redeemed from the curse of sin. He made a way for us to be saved from our sin. That way is Jesus: 

 

Galatians 3:13 - “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),”

 

2 Corinthians 5:21 - “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

 

Romans 6:23 - “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

 

Romans 5:8-9 - “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”

 

John 3:16 - “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

 

Life is a vapor. Death is sure. Sins the curse. Christ is the cure. 

 

You can avoid the second death by turning from your sins in repentance and trusting in Jesus as Savior and risen Lord. 

 

Romans 10:8-10 - “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

 

Ephesians 2:8-9 - “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

 

Titus 3:4-7 - “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

 

Acts 2:37-38 - “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

 

Life is a vapor. Decisions in this life determine eternal destinies. Indecision is decision. Today is the only time guaranteed to you to make a decision that will determine your eternal destiny. So, I ask you, “Do you repent? Do you believe in Jesus? Are you ready to be freed from the curse of sin? Are you ready for life and eternal life with Jesus?” 

 

If you are, agree with this prayer in your heart: 

 

Father in Heaven, I come to You in Jesus’ name. I admit my sin. I have sinned against you and those around me. I admit my sin, and I repent; I confess and forsake my sins before You. I ask Your forgiveness not because of any good work I have done, but because I believe Jesus died for me on the cross paying the penalty for my sins and rose again from the dead defeating the death penalty of sin. Please Holy Spirit give me spiritual life, eternal life. Help me to know and live for Jesus. Thank You for loving me. Thank for this gospel good news that saves me from my sin. Thank You for forgiving me and giving me eternal life. Thank You for Your gift of grace. In Jesus’ name amen. 

 

If you prayed that prayer, be baptized to testify and seal your commitment to God. Start praying and reading your Bible regularly. Find a Bible believing church and start fellowshipping there. Tell others what Christ has done for you. Invite them to do the same.