Value and vanity of life. Without God all is vanity. With him there is infinite value. We’re going to our long home. Here we each have a temporary house. When we die our soul will leave the body and go to its long home. There are two places—heaven or hell. Hell is a long home in itself when hell and death are cast into the lake of fire. The souls of those who have not accepted Jesus go there. Heaven is the long home of the saved.
Ecclesiastes 12: 5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: 6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. 7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. 8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
Revelation 21: 1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Your long home. Whatever our backgrounds, our thoughts and views; regardless of how different our lives are, they are the same in some counts. Your life is not a carbon copy of mine. We don’t live in one big house. Even growing up, kids don’t always get along. There’s a difference in twins. When we were conceived it was as an individual. God made us all different and he knew us in the womb. Even though we may be saved, we all have the will of God to pursue for our lives.
There is a lot of life to handle. King Solomon wrote this for himself, his nation, and us. That’s why it’s the word of God. It’s the truth for all generations. When life is added up, it is all vanity without God. A dollar comes in one hand and goes out the other. What lasts are the treasures we store in heaven. What we used to buy for a dime can’t even be bought by a dollar now. My uncle used to say you just wait; it will cost a wheelbarrow of dollars to buy this stuff one of these days. Well it does, but the wheelbarrow is a debit card. This has everything about us on it. That’s not important. What matters is this: is your name written in heaven? Do you have a home in heaven?
The common denominator is in all of us. Solomon and John were used by God to remind us that all things we consider valuable should not be of this world. You may obtain much. You may obtain little. Either way you are breathing and able to come to church today. What a blessing! Jack mentioned that a year ago his life was quite different than it is today. What we accumulate is temporary. Your soul cannot possess your car or your house or our bank account. Every day we get a little older. We are body, soul, and spirit. That spirit is the breath of life. When we were conceived part came from mom, part came from dad and part came from God. The soul was put in us by God. If he had not breathed into us the breath of life we would not be alive. Life can be over before we know what’s happening. Know this: flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of God. Flesh and blood won’t go to hell. When a person dies the soul is separated from the body. All that keeps it there now is the breath of life. When God decides to take that spirit of life, the body dies but the soul is still alive. Our body is just clothing for the soul. If you have not accepted Jesus as Savior your soul is alive but dead to God. I’m glad my soul answered the call of God and convinced by body to get to God. My legs moved. I knelt at the altar and accepted Jesus into my life.
When God takes the breath back you’ll fall, and however a tree falls that’s the way it lies. We must call on Jesus to enable the soul to live in him. Because Jesus died in our place on the cross we know we have life. All the stuff is vanity. It’s not a sin to have possessions but don’t worship them. You can go from “having it all” to nothing in a breath. Things can change quickly. We all have an appointment with God. Solomon said let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. John says the same in Revelation. It’s in Genesis. We’re told all through the book.
When it’s all over we go to our long home, our eternal one. We’ll leave wherever we live for our long home. It will either be the paradise of God or the home of the devil. The choice is ours. Who do you choose to serve? Are you a Christian? A hypocrite? A counterfeit? We must have a testimony like Paul did. Live each day like we’re the saved person we are. It’s a scary world out there. The god of this world is out to destroy your eternal home. He wants you in his, in hell with him. Live for the Lord. Keep your trust in him. Obey him. Soon we’ll go to our long home.
Your earthly remains will go somewhere but when God sends Jesus to the earth you will hear his voice and come forth. I want to be in that first resurrection. We will stand before God at the Judgment Seat of Christ not the Great White Thone Judgement. The only way to meet the Father is to take Jesus as Savior. He has the book and it will bear our name in side. Then we’ll have our long home.
Leave the bills and mortgage behind. Everything will pass away. There will be a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness. Life is not about what we get but who we know. What matters is what Jesus did for the soul. When God looks down he sees Jesus in our heart. Bodies will go to the dust. Caskets will rust. God knows all things and he’ll bring us to our long home.
John tells us the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. You don’t want to be part of that.
Even so come, Lord Jesus. The words of God are true and faithful. Whosoever will come to God can have life. Choose to walk with God daily and savor every breath. Promote your life by giving glory to God.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 