You’re going to die! We all are. We need to think about our own mortality. This morning Pastor Mark Brattrud of Valley Christian Assembly in Palm Dessert, California, encouraged us to think of life as three different stages to help us gain perspective on the big picture of our lives. Here are some notes from this morning’s opening message.
Three Stages of Life:
- Laying foundation
- Building your life
- The Last Segment of Your Life
If life is three stages it doesn’t matter if you do well on the first half but don’t finish well! We need to complete all three stages and finish well! Hezekiah was one of the greatest kings that Israel ever had, yet he didn’t finish well! How will YOU finish your life? When you get old you’re going to be what you are now, only a lot more of it. If you don’t finish well those who follow you will be greatly hindered. We’re called to finish well. To finish with influence.
Lessons we can learn from the Last Segment of Hezekiah’s life. He knew he had 15 years left to live, yet:
- He didn’t worship and give thanks for all the good God done for Him. Instead he was proud of what he had accomplished. We need to remain people of praise. Hezekiah cried out to God asking him not to forget everything that Hezekiah had accomplished “for” God. The problem wasn’t that God would forget all the good that Hezekiah had done but that Hezekiah would forget all the good that God had done!
- He didn’t Get His House In Order. He knew he had 15 years to live and was commanded to get his house in order. He needed to make sure that his family was ready to serve God without him, yet he didn’t.
- He didn’t train the next generation. Manasseh, his son born in those 15 years, was one of the most evil kings of Israel! He had 15 years to impart something good to his son, yet his son was one of the most evil kings of Israel. All of the things that God has put into you is not just for you, but for those who come after you!
- He stopped caring about the future of others. When Hezekiah was told that his kingdom would be sacked and that his descendants would be enslaved and cut off he responded that it was “good” because those things weren’t happening in his lifetime!
We’re all going to die someday. We need to live for those who will come after us. We need to remember what God has done for us and impart all that God has given us to the next generations. We need to invest our lives so that they have a better future!
