And so dear brethren, once again today we are looking into God's most precious word. In verse 7 we have a very important truth. set before us here in God's most precious holy word, which really is designed to make us think upon the matters of eternity, and what's really going to matter in the end, where we breathe our last breath, as it were. And of course, the context of this particular verse is in regards to servants, their servants according to contentment and godliness. However, there is a far greater principle here, a far greater truth and meaning, which we would do well to consider this Lord's Day morning. It says in verse 7 of God's most precious holy word, screaming, kicking, perhaps, I don't know, my mum will be able to tell you, but I came into this world with absolutely nothing, naked, and thither will I return again, with absolutely nothing. These simple, yet profound words really do of my life and my existence. This truth in God's word, it cannot be denied, can it, dear friends? It cannot be denied, for we brought nothing into this world, and it's certain, it's certain that we can carry absolutely nothing out as well. And so this is what I'd like for us to consider this Lord's Day morning, and to set our hearts and our minds upon. And so to assist, I would like for us to consider the following three points for us to consider. Firstly, what is the purpose of my life? What is the purpose of my life? What's the purpose of your life, dear friend? Secondly, and what of the afterlife? And what of the afterlife? That is, what's going to happen after I die, the afterlife? And thirdly, is there anything we can bring with us when we die? Is there anything we can bring with us when we die? And so firstly, what is the purpose of my life? What's the purpose of your life? Surely this question comes to us all to think about. What's the purpose of my life? Am I just here? as the scientists, the secular scientists and the evolutionists and the atheists will tell me that there is actually no purpose in my life. I'm just a sudden part of a cosmic accident that's happened some millions of years ago and there's no real purpose to my life. In fact, I'm still evolving. I'm just an animal and I'm from a monkey and that somehow I need to make my own way in life And that's just the purpose of my life according to what secular science and evolution teaches me that really there is no purpose to my life. I've just got to do what I feel is right as it were. And of course they're teaching this to millions of children in the public school system and in colleges and in universities that you've just evolved from an animal and that you just need to achieve some higher pinnacle, as a glorified animal, that you're from a monkey, as it were, and that the strongest survive, the fittest survive. Is this the purpose to your life, according to man's words? Secular science, evolution, as it were, is this the purpose? That all that your purpose is to get ahead of your fellow man? world, to live for number one, is the prevailing philosophy of our day. Just to live for yourself, live for number one, to get ahead of your fellow man. Is this the purpose really? Is this what we're made for? If it means lying to The fit to survive, so that means lying to get what I want in life, well do this. Do what makes you feel right because you've got to live for yourself, you see. You've got to live for number one. If it means being unfaithful in marriage and breaking one's vows to fulfill and gratify lust and pleasure, well do it, they say, because the fit to survive. Do what you want to get what you want in life. Live for yourself. to evolution. Live for yourself, number one. Whatever it takes to get what you want in life, that's the prevailing attitude. And if it means gossiping behind someone's back, portraying other people so that you can There's no real purpose in your life. Just give what you want while you can. And whether that's traveling all over your fellow man, do it. That's the prevailing evil. That's man's philosophy, man's purpose in life, secular science, what they're teaching in the public school system, what the media portrays, what they're teaching in universities nowadays. Friends, this is the prevailing evil in our age. So much heartache and so much sadness and broken homes and greed and lust in this world because people have been deceived into believing this lie that they're just an animal and they do not have a soul and they have no accountability towards their Maker. And instead, many people really, instead of making them happy, instead of them being more fulfilled and happy, it makes them more silent. and more empty within him. It leaves them more empty and destitute within. But what is the true purpose in life? According to God's word in the Bible, not man's word, what's the true purpose in life? Friends, it is to have a relationship with our maker through his son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and to glorify God forever. That's the purpose of our life. to have a relationship with our God, our Maker, the fountain of every blessing. And it's our sin that separates us from our holy God. But God has made a way for us to have a relationship with him through his Son. He has come down to earth to become sin. to God through his atoning death on the cross on Calvary, so that we can have a relationship with God, so that we can have a higher purpose, that we have a life, that we have a soul, and that soul is gonna live forever, we're not just flesh and blood, we have a never-dying soul, there's an eternity to come. And so there is a purpose for your life, there is a higher meaning to your life, a higher purpose to your life, You're not just an animal, you're made in the image of a holy God. You can know of this higher purpose of meeting with your life friends. I'll take a sip before it says, doesn't it? For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain, it is absolutely certain, we can carry nothing else. We can carry nothing else. We came into this world naked, with nothing. And it is a sure thing that we're going to leave with absolutely nothing. And this really should put things into perspective. What am I living for? What is the purpose of my life? Am I to listen to these deceivers that tell me I'm like an animal? That I'm just to eat and drink and watch telly and be merry? Is that it? Is that the purpose for my life? Just to live like an animal? To live a lie as if there's no God? As if I don't have a conscience that tells me that I'm a sinner in need of God? Is this the purpose to my life? Of course, dear friends, deep down, we all know, don't we, that there is a God and there is an eternity, and that there is a heaven to gain and there's a hell to lose. And so this brings us to our second point. What of the afterlife? What about the afterlife? That is what is going to happen after this life. What's going to happen after this life? Because dear friends, we came, we brought nothing into this world, and we're going to leave with absolutely nothing. And so what of the afterlife? You see friends, we have been deceived into thinking that we are just flesh and blood. and that we're just animals. And yet, dear friends, we have an everlasting soul. Our soul is the greater part of who we are. If our soul was to be compared with our bodies and our flesh, our flesh and our bodies would be a granule upon the seashore of eternity. It is just a speck, dear friends, of who we are. We are but a fraction flesh and blood compared to our souls? That's why you can be 60, 70, 80, 90 years old, and you can feel like you're 18, 20, you can still feel the same way as you did younger, it's just the body is deteriorating because of sin, you see? But yet you know deep down that eternity is coming. And so friends, you are mostly soul, and only but a part Therefore, will you give your heart and your mind too? Will you believe in the lie and live like an animal and just live for the here and now as if there's no God, as if there's no fount of every blessing, as if there's no God that showers upon the rain and gives the light and there's a great designer behind everything that we see? and live as if there's no saviour, who is on record. Some 2,000 years ago, they came to die for sinners, to reconcile so that we could have a relationship with them, and know of sins forgiven and peace with God, and the hope in heaven. Would we carry on down that road, that dark road, or would we finally listen to the voice of conscience, the Lord pleading with us, turn from your sin, You have a soul. There is a God, there is a heaven, there's a hell, there's a light, there's a darkness. Would you consider your soul as day, friends? Friends, it says in Matthew's Gospel 24, verse 37 through to 43, concerning the end times. And we are increasingly living in the end times. It says, but as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For as the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them away, all away, so shall also the coming Nothing wrong with eating, nothing wrong with drinking. But what else does it say in terms of the days of Noah? Well, it says that imaginations or the thoughts will be evil. It says concerning those days that the imaginations or the thoughts of the people were evil continually. Look at our culture, friends. We were out in the open air yesterday, and look how people react to the gospel. That Jesus would lay down his holy life out of love. For any of you who repent on their sins and trust in them. I love what people do, scoffing, swearing at the gospel. We are increasingly thoughts are evil continually. People's hearts are consumed. They think that they're just an animal. I'm just an animal. I'm just going to live myself and gratify myself. I'm not going to think about my soul or eternity. I'm just going to live like an animal. We are increasingly living in such days as the days of The Lord returns, but dear friends, increasingly we can see by what's in people's hearts and minds that we are increasingly living in the days of Noah. The Lord goes on to say, then shall two be in the field, the one shall be taken and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill, will be concentrating upon Christ and eternity. They will have hearkened to the gospel call, and one's heart and mind will be upon the world, loving the world, living for the world, despising the gospel, infatuated with the world, scoffing at the things of the world. One will be taken to be with the Lord in glory, in paradise, and the one will be left behind. Two people working on the mill, grinding flour, and making food, one will be taken, and the other left behind, dear friends. What a tragedy, because they believed in the life of just an animal, taken away, because they did not seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. The Lord therefore goes on to say, watch therefore, for you know not what hour your Lord doth come. Dear friends, are you watching for the coming of Christ? Are you watching with your mind's eye of faith? Are you living by faith? Is your treasure in heaven? You truly trust in the Lord? Or are you just, have you believed the lie? To live for yourself, live for number one, just living a calmer life in the world as it were. You know, in the days of Noah, it was said that Noah was a preacher of righteousness, wasn't he? He preached the gospel. that there is a Christ and there is a Saviour and that people can be saved. He was a preacher of righteousness. He believed in the prophesied Christ. And dear friends, many people did not hearken to the warning. He preached for over 120 years, didn't he? To many people, they scoffed at him, didn't they? The Lord is coming. His judgment is coming. And what did people do? They scoffed. the Lord brought the flood upon the earth. And we see evidence all around us of a flood, a worldwide flood. And the Lord brought that purifying flood because water is a purifier. But the second time, the Lord is coming with more of a purifier. He's coming with fire. And fire is a more of a purifier. This is the Lord's return with fire, dear friends. Will you listen to the warning of God that you have a purpose in life, a divine, higher purpose life, if you would but hearken to the word of God, and not take man's word for it. Friends, it says in Hebrews 9.27, as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this, the judgment. Friends, we're all going to be ushered before the judgment seat. Whose righteous on the cross of Calvary? Have you truly sought the matters of eternity in Christ, the true purpose of your life? Or will you just believe in the lie and live for yourself and be found in your own righteousness on the day of judgement? Remember the parable, friends, that certain rich man, spoken of the certain rich man in Luke's Gospel, ground brought plentiful fruits. And he said within himself, didn't he, what shall I do because I have no room where to bestow my fruits. I've got all these goods. I've built up all these goods. I've given my life to my labours and all these things under the sun. And he said, this is what I do. I will pull down my barns and build And so, his barns aren't big enough for what he wants. And so he built, he tears them down, he builds up greater barns, bigger barns, to store these goods. And so that he can rest, as it were. And he says, and I will say to my soul, soul, thou hast many goods laid up for many years. Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. How many people are just doing that today? Drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die. That's what I'm just gonna give my heart to. That's the purpose of my life. I'm an animal. I'm just gonna eat and drink, marry and do good while I can. Give myself to my impulses. And that's it. And when I die, that's it. That's not it. When I die, the judgment. God's judgment. I will be ushered before the righteous judge of all. But what says God? to the certain rich man. What's his God? But God said unto him, thou fool, this night thine soul shall be required of thee. Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? Thou fool, you have been rich towards the things of this world. You have abused, my goodness, I have given you everything. I am the fount of every blessing. And you've lived your life away from me, neglecting me in your sin, laboring for that which perishes. You have been rich to yourself, gaining all the things that your eyes and your heart wanted, and you have not been rich towards God. You are a fool, because you have not made provision for that greater purpose in your life, your soul, the greater part of who you are. And so, friends, this now brings us to our third And our final point, is there anything we can bring with us when we die? Is there anything we can bring with us when we die? Our text before us says, for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. Notice, dear friends, it says the word carry. It's true, isn't it? We came into this world with absolutely nothing, and we're going to carry absolutely nothing. We cannot carry any materials, our houses, our money, our jobs, they cannot bring us any lasting security. We cannot bring what people think of us, our reputation. How often do people think, well, this is who I am because of my career, or I'm a doctor, or I'm a lawyer, or I'm this person, cannot bring any of those things with you. So, the only thing which you'll be able to bring with you, rather, that will bring you into eternity, is if you have God's Word reigning in your heart through Christ. That's the only thing that is going to matter when you breathe your last. Everything else is going to pale And we cannot carry anything out with us. Only the Word of the Living God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. And we beheld His glory, the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Only in the Word of God, Jesus Christ, is deep within your heart. And that's your treasure. And that treasure is in heaven. And that treasure came to earth to live a life that we can never live. full of grace and truth, living that perfect life under the law to redeem us of the consequences of the law, perfectly obeyed, not like us, failing God, sinning, and he lived the life to redeem us of our sin. He was made sin, he knew no sin, to bring us rebels back to God, so that we can have a relationship with him, so that our faults and our broken relationship can be made righteous in him. You see, friends, we cannot have a relationship with God in ourselves. We need an intercessor. We need an advocate with the Father. And Jesus Christ is that advocate. He is that intercessory between us and God. We cannot go to the Catholic priest. He's a sinner as well. We cannot go to the pastor. We cannot go to good men. They are sinners as well. Jesus Christ is the only bridge between us and heaven, he is the door, he is the ladder to heaven. And only if we have the word of God, the treasure from heaven in our hearts, the pearl of great price, only if we seek him with all our hearts, that will bring us to heaven, to be with him in glory. And so where is your treasure, friends? Where is your treasure this day? For where your treasure is, there will your heart be. also. Christ said himself, didn't he, dear friends, in Matthew 6, 19-21, lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through in steel, but lay up You know, we try to get things in this world, don't we? And I put my hands up for many years. I tried to get things, people, materials, career. I gave my heart to these things. But ironically, the Lord kept on taking them away. Kept on disappointing me. All the time. They can never make you happy. Because you don't have the truth, the Word of God reigning in your heart. They'll never make you happy, they'll just make you more empty. We need Jesus Christ to weigh the truth in our hearts. There will always be a spiritual vacuum there. There will always be an emptiness in your heart and your soul if you don't have Christ. Friends, for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. And so let me ask you the question, friend. Where is your treasure this day? It doesn't matter to me, but it matters for your eternity. Where is your treasure? Is your treasure in heaven, where Christ reigns? Is Christ your treasure? Is His work your all in all? Or is your treasure upon earth, just living for the things of this world? Have you believed the lie of the devil, of the influences of the devil? Have you believed that you're just an animal? Or have you believed that you're made in the image of God, and that you can have a relationship with God through the Son? through His precious blood, that He indeed is the Son of God, that He is the resurrection and life, that He gave His holy life as a sacrifice for our sins. Will you believe in that? It says in 1 Peter 1 24 and 25. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away. This is like a lie. It has its pinnacle. It has its beauty. And men look upon it and think, wow, look at that flower. Look how lovely it is. Look how beautiful it is. Look how lovely it smells. And that's like our life. It's like a big show. And then it's over. The wind passes over and it's dead. And what then is left of the flower? What's then left of the flower? The seed. The seed is left. the ground, the seeds go into the earth, and as the seeds fall upon the good ground, the light brings them. Though the light and the sun be a great gulf away, it brings them, it draws them from a great gulf away up to newness of life. Well, that's Christ, isn't he? Christ is the light of the world. He can pull us out of our sin and out of our darkness and misery and set our feet upon a rock, dear friends. Are you born again? Are you truly born of the Spirit of God? Not of corruptible seed from the traditions of your fathers, but of incorruptible seed by the Word of God that liveth and abideth forever. Are you born of the Word of God? Are you born again? Do you have the Word of God in your heart? Do you keep it? Do you love it? Do you treasure it? Do you have Christ, who is the Word of God, made flesh? in your heart, are you born again? For we brought nothing into this world. And it is certain, it is absolutely certain that we can carry nothing else, nothing else, only that which is within our hearts, Christ and his word. Remember, remember in Luke's gospel, Luke 11, 27, there was a certain woman that lifted up her voice and said to the Lord Jesus, blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the pups which thou hast sucked. She's, of course, speaking about the Lord Jesus, about Mary, sorry. She's speaking about Mary, blessed is the womb that bare thee. They rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it. In other words, we're saying you've answered right, but I will give you a more perfect answer. Yes, Mary was blessed. She was blessed. Not in the sense that the Roman Catholics think she's blessed. Not in that sense. She's an ordinary woman. But she's blessed in that she heard the word of God by faith. And she held on to it and she pondered it upon her heart. She kept it in her heart. She had faith in the word of God. That's why she's blessed. He says, yea rather. I'll give you, you're right, she was blessed. But she was blessed because she heard the word of God by faith. And she held to it in her heart. That was her treasure. Yea rather blessed are they that hear in their society, they were looked upon mean, not only because of their outwardness of life, but they were also looked upon mean as believers. Mary said she was a reproach. And so yes, of course, there's a cost for becoming a believer. It's not easy being a true believer. But dear friends, she counted the cost, and she kept the word of God in her heart. She loved the word of God. Friends, when you hear the Word of God, do you keep it, and ponder upon it, and love it, and cherish it, and savour it, as it were, more than anything? Dear friends, you can know of the true meaning and purpose in your life when you hearken to the words of the living God, and believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is the Word of God. The Word becomes flesh, you believe in his dying love for you, that he suffered in your stead, that he took upon your failures and your sin in your stead, and that he loved you with an everlasting love, and that his peace can pass all understanding. When you truly believe in the gospel, friends, you can know of true purpose and meaning in life, that you're not an animal, that you have purpose in life, that you can know God, you can know of his love, You can have peace with God. You can know assuredly of eternal security in heaven. You can know that you have a place in heaven. You can know that you can be with Jesus when you die. You can know these things now, assuredly. And I can put my hands up and say that on that day where the Lord saved me, I knew that God was real, that Jesus was real. And maybe I can testify the same thing man's words, but we believe by faith in the word of God, in Jesus Christ, we're born again. And we know assuredly that he is our treasure and he will bring us home to be with himself one day. And yes, you may not be able to carry any worldly possessions with you, anything that perhaps people may look upon and think, well, you don't have these things and you don't have those things. You have anything, if you've got Christ, you've got it all. Friends, that's what we need, don't we? You've got Christ, but you will be able to bring rather the Word of God, which is able to save your souls, dear friends, and you will be with Him in glory forever, and that will be your treasure. That will be your unsealing joy. I hope and pray, I hope and pray really that we're all here to know The world will come to flesh as our creation. We may value Him more than anything in the hearts, dear friends. Amen. Jesus, excellent, eternal King, How could your manner shameful be? Ashamed of being an angel's praise, His glory shined in endless praise. Ashamed of Jesus, O my God, He purchased me with his own blood, Unable to achieve my lot. His heart was shaken to the bone, ♪ The shame from Jesus' hands, dear friends ♪ ♪ On whom my hopes of heaven depend ♪ ♪ Now when I first regret my shame ♪ ♪ That I no more will hear his praise ♪ ♪ The ship of Jesus, yes, I may ♪ ♪ Where I'm the girl to wash away ♪ ♪ The tear to wipe, the fear to break ♪ ♪ The fear to have my soul to save ♪ ♪ The strength of Jesus, all my God ♪ ♪ My all-glorious host adored ♪ ♪ Though I will make my goals come in vain ♪ Eternity. ♪ Till then you'll reach my most deep grave ♪ ♪ Till then I've lost the savior's flame ♪ ♪ And oh, may this my glory be ♪ ♪ That night that night ♪ ♪ The shame of me ♪