Sermon Tone Analysis

*TEXT: Matthew 6:24-34   (v.34)

*

Sometimes you hear the expression, "He lives like there is no tomorrow."

Usually that is said in a derogatory fashion.

It means the person is wasteful of his health, his wealth, his loved ones, or his reputation.

It means he spends everything now and has nothing left for the future.

James Dean said it, "Live fast, die young, and leave a pretty corpse."

He certainly fulfilled that philosophy.

/Proverbs 21:20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up./

However, you know we may NOT have a tomorrow.

Also, there is a sense in which we should live as though we do not have another chance to do the right thing.

In that case, we should indeed live as if there is no tomorrow.

/2 Corinthians 6:2 For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation/

/Luke 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?/

/James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow.

For what is your life?

It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

/

Are we living like there is no tomorrow?

We should, because there may not be one.

Why are we waiting?

Do you ever find yourself putting things off?

Procrastination is a common problem:

USA Today reported the top five things people put off until the last minute:

House chores~/yard work: 47%

Holiday gift shopping: 43%

Making doctor~/dentist appointments: 35%

Calling relatives: 31%

Changing oil in the car: 29% (Leadership, Vol. 19, no.

3)

 

"Procrastination is my sin.

It brings me naught but sorrow.

I know that I should stop it.

In fact, I will tomorrow"

 *WHY DO WE PROCRASTINATE?*

We procrastinate because of indecision.

We procrastinate because of perfectionism.

We procrastinate because of fear.

*HOW CAN WE OVERCOME PROCRASTINATION?*

 Develop a sense of urgency (Jn.9:4).

It is also amazing how so many of us can be so /unconcerned /about our problems.

We must develop a sense of urgency about the important stuff in life before it is too late.

There is a story of a farm boy who accidentally overturned his wagonload of Corn in the road.

The farmer who lived nearby came to investigate.

"Hey, Willis," he called out, "forget your troubles for a spell and come on in and have dinner with us.

Then I’ll help you get the wagon up."

"That’s mighty nice of you," Willis answered, "But I don’t think Pa would like me to." "Aw, come on, son!" the farmer insisted.

"Well, okay," the boy finally agreed.

"But Pa won’t like it."

After a hearty dinner, Willis thanked his host.

\"I feel a lot better now, but I just know Pa is going to be real upset."

"Don’t be foolish!"

exclaimed the neighbour.

"By the way, where is he?" "Under the wagon."

If we don’t do something today about our problems they will eventually get worse.

Learn to take advantage of today.

Stop thinking that tomorrow will be better.

“Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth” (Prov.27:1).

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.

Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Mt.6:34).

Illus. of “Late For Work” A new employee had been caught coming in late for work three times and the fourth morning the foreman decided to read him the riot act.

“Look here,” he snapped, “don’t you know what time we start work around here?” “No, sir,” said the man, “they’re always working when I get here.”

William Miller came to Christ in the mid-19th century during a wave of revival in the churches of the NE US.

It was a time when, like today, there was a keen interest in Bible prophecy, especially those dealing with the return of Christ.

Right after his conversion, Miller immersed himself in the book of Daniel, and after 14 years of study, he announced Jesus Christ would return to earth sometime in 1843 or 1844.

He eventually nailed down the date to October 22, 1844.

On that morning thousands of people gathered on mountaintops and in churches.

Others were in graveyards, planning to ascend with their departed loved ones.

Philadelphia society ladies clustered together outside town to avoid entering God’s kingdom amid the common crowd.

But Jesus Christ did not return that day.

Many Christians grew disillusioned, while many of the unsaved became cynical.

The event became known as “The Great Disappointment.”~*[i]

/The return of Jesus’ Christ is one of the most important doctrines of our faith, and yet for many people, it can be a source of confusion or even disappointment.

It’s not that we don’t believe Christ will return, but it can get confusing trying to make sense of all the conflicting theories about the rapture, the tribulation, and the millennium.

I have many commentaries on the book of Revelation in my library, many of them explaining in great detail what this scholar or that scholar thinks will happen when Christ returns.

Those of you who have read the famous “Left Behind” books are probably familiar with that theory about how the end times  play out.

I’ve seen charts depicting dragons and goats and angels and temples, each claiming to be the only Biblically accurate depiction of what’s going to happen when Jesus returns.

/

/But I want to pose an important question to you: what if all the prophecies of the Bible are given not to answer the question, “how will Christ return?” but instead are meant to make us ask, “how should I live in light of Christ’s return?”

What if the purpose of prophecy is not to give us a roadmap of future events, but to help us live right now, however the future pans out?

This is my approach to Bible prophecy, especially concerning the return of Christ: Lord, how should I live to please you no matter what tomorrow brings?

/

/The apostle Peter wrote his first epistle to a church that didn’t know what tomorrow would bring.

They were suffering intense persecution.

They had guarantee they would live to see tomorrow.

This is what prompts Peter to write in  /*1 Peter 4:7-11*/ how to live as if Jesus would come back today—to live like there’s no tomorrow.

/

*Ken’s Email here*

*PRAYER*

/How can we live like there’s no tomorrow?

/

*I.

LIVE EXPECTANTLY (v.

7a) */…the end of all things is at hand…/

*            *At first glance it seems Peter is as mistaken as William Miller was.

/The end of all things… /obviously refers to the end of the world as we know it.

No more tomorrows: Jesus fulfills

*Revelation 11:15* /…“The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”/

All true Christians believe this will happen, but the Bible does not tell us /when /it will happen.

Peter specifically states this cataclysmic event is /…at hand…/ = /near in time or place.

/Peter wrote these words almost 2000 years ago, and obviously Christ has not returned.

Was Peter mistaken?

No.

Throughout the NT, Jesus’ return is consistently said to be “at hand.”

*Philippians 4:5* /Let your gentleness be known to all men.

The Lord is at hand./

*James 5:8* /You also be patient.