TEXT:  Eccl. 7:1-4

INTRODUCTION:

A.    WHEN PREACHING FUNERALS I TRY TO IMPRESS 3 THINGS.

        1.     Life is short.

        2.     Death is sure.

        3.     Judgment is coming.

B.    FUNERALS ARE FOR THE LIVING - MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE

        TO BE AT A FUNERAL!

I.     LIFE INDEED IS SHORT.

A.    WHAT DID JOB SAY?( Job 14:1-2 ).

B.    DAVID SPOKE OF THE BREVITY OF LIFE( Psa. 90:10-12 ).

C.    GOD HAS ONLY GIVEN US A SHORT TIME HERE( James 4:14 ).

II.    DEATH COMES TO ALL MANKIND.

A.    DEATH IS LIFE'S ONLY SURE THING( Heb. 9:27 ).

B.    DAVID SPEAKS FOR ALL( 1 Sam. 20:3 ).

C.    LIFE IS LIKENED TO  A FLOWER( Psa. 103:15-16 ).

D.    OUR GREATEST EFFORT CAN'T STEM THE TIDE( Ecc. 8:8 ).

III.   AS WE MUST DIE, WE MUST ANSWER.

A.    JUDGMENT IS AS SURE AS DEATH( Heb. 9:27 ).

B.    WE MAY NOT IGNORE THESE WARNINGS

        ( 2 Cor. 5:10;  Rom. 14:10-12 ).

C.    AMOS SAID( Amos 4:12 ).

D.    WE WILL BE JUDGED BY THE LIFE AND TEACHING OF JESUS

        ( Acts 17:30;  John 12:48 ).

E.    BUT THERE IS MORE.

IV.  SIN IS A TERRIBLE REALITY.

A.    TOO MANY PEOPLE MINIMIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF SIN AND

        BELITTLE ITS CONSEQUENCES.

B.    GOD WILL HOLD US RESPONSIBLE FOR SIN( Ez. 18:20 ).

C.    THAT DEATH IS DESERVED( Rom. 6:23 ).

D.    WHAT IS SIN?

        1.     James 1:13-15.  A product of fleshly desires.  A product of man, not God.

        2.     Transgression of God's law( 1 John 3:4 ).

        3.     Neglect of God's law( James 4:17 ).

E.    Ezekiel 18:20;  Rom. 6:23.

V.   THERE IS AN ESCAPE.

A.    GOD PROVIDED PARDON IN JESUS( John 3:16;  Heb. 5:8-9 ).

B.    JESUS DIED FOR OUR SIN, NOT HIS( 1 Pet. 2:21-24 ).

C.    IN HIS RESURRECTION, WE HAVE HOPE( 1 Pet. 1:3 ).

D.    HOW MAY WE OBTAIN?( Heb. 5:8-9;  1 Pet. 1:22;  Mark 16:16 ).

CONCLUSION:  WILL YOU OBEY THE LORD?