By: Bob Erbig
Are You Afraid To Die?
Or are you afraid to die? I remember when I first encountered death. I was seven years old and my grandfather died of cancer. It was terrible. In fact, my parents decided I was too young to go to the funeral. However, in the span of four years, 1988 through 1992, I lost not only my grandfather but my maternal grandmother and my father. Death stared me in the face multiple times at 10 years old.
Truthfully, we never know the day or the hour or the age. You could be 15, you could be 45, you could be 95. You… don’t … know. When we encounter death, especially the death of someone close to us, it becomes associated with a number. What is YOUR Number? My father died when he was 40 years old. Ever since then—my number has been 40. That was the number I associated with death. There was a trepidation around that number and I had to work through it with the Lord. This year I turned 41 and it was surreal experience. You don’t know the day or the hour. The question is: how do we live in light of eternity?
Don’t Waste Your Youth
Ecclesiastes 11-12 unpacks the tension of youth, old age and death. Solomon offers three prohibitions to follow as we live in light of eternity. First, don’t waste your youth. Why? Life is not about you—it’s about the glory of God! The sooner you learn this lesson the greater impact you will make in the world. How do you keep from wasting your youth? Solomon offers three words. Rejoice in your youth (11:9). Remove vexation from your life (11:10). Remember your Creator (12:1). These principals are marks of a well-lived life.
Don’t Grumble in Old Age
Second, and sadly, we don’t stay young forever. The aging process catches us all—we start to grumble. Ecclesiastes 12:1 tells us to rejoice in the days of our youth, but it is a whole life principal. 12:1-7 is a poem about the aging process and it paints a sobering picture of our mortality. Our hands, arms, legs, teeth, eyes, ears, and joints all decay! This process is painful and can easily create a spirit of ingratitude and bitterness, which leads to grumbling. How do we combat this? Solomon says, “Remember your Creator!” In other words, model Creator centrality in your life! Don’t grumble in old age.
Don’t Settle For The Dust
The third and final principal in this: don’t settle for the dust. What does that mean? Ecclesiastes 12:7 contrasts the dust and the spirit. Yes, our bodies decay and return to dust—reminding us of Genesis 2. The Hebrew word for spirit is ruah, which refers to our “life breath.” The point? Our life continues beyond death. The problem? Too often people focus on the temporal not the eternal. However, eternity is forever! Yet many people seem unconcerned.
Solomon says, if you don’t want to settle for the dust: “Today is the day to remember your creator!” The only thing that truly matters in life is a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. The New City Catechism captures this glorious truth:
What is our only hope in life and death? That we are not our own but belong, body and soul, both in life and death, to God and to our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
MBC's Bible Engagement Plan
MBC’s Bible Engagement Plan: Isaiah – From Ruin to Redemption
As a church community, our desire is to move from hearing God’s Word to living it out daily. This Bible Engagement Plan is designed to help us walk through Isaiah together in a weekly rhythm that deepens our understanding while also cultivating habits of daily reading and reflection.
- LISTEN TO THE SUNDAY SERMON
Each week begins with the Pastor’s Sunday sermon on a passage from Isaiah and includes
- Pastor’s Outline: A guide to follow along and take notes. We also suggest picking up the Isaiah scripture journal from the Welcome Center.
- Discussion Questions: Provided to encourage reflection and conversation in small groups, families, or personal study. If you are not already part of a small group, consider joining one this Fall: Click here to explore one of MBC’s small groups
- READ AND REFLECT ON THE WEEKLY PLAN
Monday through Saturday, follow the suggested reading plan outlined in the Saturday eNews Bulletin. As you read and reflect on your passage each day, ask these two guiding questions and jot down your thoughts in your Isaiah journal.
- What does this passage reveal about God—His character, His purposes, or His promises?
- How should I respond in light of what I’ve read—through trust, obedience, repentance, or worship?
- MEMORIZE THE WEEKLY KEY VERSE
Every week, one key verse from the sermon will be highlighted for memory. You are invited to use the free Bible Memory app and join the “Millington Baptist Church” Bible memorization group: Click here to join
- READ AND REFLECT ON THE PASTOR’S DEVOTIONAL BLOG
Each Wednesday, one of our pastors will share a devotional expanding on the sermon theme helping to connect Isaiah’s message to everyday life.
Why This Rhythm Matters
- Immersion: This plan helps you engage learning in multiple ways—hearing, reading, memorizing, and reflecting—so you gain a richer understanding of Isaiah’s message.
- Transformation in Community: Discussion questions and shared readings create space for us to learn together and nurture application of the biblical principles into our daily lives.
Questions or comments?
Contact Amy Huber, Director of Discipleship and Connections: ahuber@millingtonbaptist.org
Previous Entries
Pastor Bob Erbig and Pastor Dave Hentschel
