What a difference a week makes!

Where were we a week ago, August 31, 1997? Lady Di was just an occasional topic in the tabloids, "Mother" Theresa was alive and kicking, and most people thought the paparazi was a variety of microwave popcorn.

September 6, they buried Diana, Princess of Wales, in England, amid some of the biggest publicity of the century.

This week, they buried the Catholic nun who they called "Mother" Theresa, a woman admittedly full of good works and a friend of the very poor, of a natural death at 87.

The seven paparezi photographers present at the automobile death of Di are probably safer behind bars than out. How much difference a week makes! Or even a day?

What will life be like a week after you are gone?

I. You will know if there is a God or not.

A. Romans 14: 10b--"for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ."

B. "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well; the devils also believe, and tremble."--James 2: 19

II. You will know if you did the right things in life.

A. Luke 16: 19-31--rich man and Lazarus.

1. There is consciousness after death. The rich man was conscious. Lady Di knows if there is a heaven or a hell. Carl Sagan, who led so many astray in his life with his atheistic teachings, knows if God is real. The nun Theresa knows. In a very different direction, Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler know if there is a God. All would tell you about Hebrews 11: 6 if they could right now.

2. At least for the wicked who await the final sentence of Hell, life after death has memories.

3. Those who walked with Christ in the earthly life will already be enjoying the pleasures of Paradise. Luke 23: 39-43.

B. All will be called to judgment when Jesus comes again.

1. Even Jesus doesn't know when the Father will send him again. Mark 13: 24-33.

2. The coming of the Christ, and the call to judgment will be total--absolutely pervasive--with no one being left out. Matt 24: 26, 27; I Thessalonians 4: 13-18.

3. No one will be excused. No one will be too busy. Jesus didn't miss his appointment with death, and neither will most people. Even for those who miss death, no one will miss judgment. Revelation 20: 11-15.

C. Most will be lost. Most will be grieving. For most of mankind, the coming of Christ will not be a good day.

1. Revelation 18: 1-24 is a symbolic description of the aftermath of that day . . . as the judgment might appear a day or a week after.

2. Matthew 7: 13, 14. Few there will be who find it.

3. Many will be lost who never heard of Christ. Hebrews 11: 6. Matthew 10: 32, 33; Acts 2: 40 (save yourselves from ...) Mark 16: 16. They may be beaten with fewer stripes, but they are still being beaten.

III. You will know that the judgment that you received was absolutely correct.

1. Psalms 119: 39 ". . . for thy judgments are good."

2. Psalms 119: 160.

3. Psalms 19: 9.

IV. How would Lady Diana have planned her drive last week if she had known what was to come upon her?

How would you have planned what you did last week if today you were looking back upon the judgment and the things that had happened then?

We hope that by visiting this web page, you have been blessed.

Sid Womack

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