The Great Patriarchs Romans 15 4 1 Abraham

• The Great Patriarchs Romans 15: 4 • 1. Abraham…. man of faith • 2. Isaac…son of promise • 3. Jacob, . . *Israel. . father of the 12 tribes of Israel. • 4. Joseph…stedfast in his faith…

I will go and see him, before I die… Gen. 45: 25 -28

• 19 Now • • thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. 20 Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is your's. 21 And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. 22 To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment. 23 And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way.

• 24 So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way. • 25 And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, • 26 And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not. • 27 And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: • 28 And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

• Someone has said: • “Before I die… • I want to climb Mount Everest. • Have kids. • Make my first million. • Write that novel I’ve always wanted to write. • Ride an elephant. • .

• The amount of noble pursuits available to us is endless! • What’s on your list? • Is there a mountain you’ve always dreamed of scaling? • A huge, audacious goal you’ve always wanted to tackle? • Just a longing to sink your toes into the ocean for the first time? • At the end of the day, our lives will boil down to our memories and the legacy our actions leave behind. What you live this life with and what you leave behind are the most important. Those are things that last. Like a real sense of purpose. • True joy. • Relationships that matter. • The love of God.

• It had been a long time since Jacob had seen his • Son, Joseph. • He had concluded that Joseph was dead! • No wonder the shock of this news is so overwhelming • To Jacob. • I will go and see him before I die; • though his age was great, • the journey long and difficult, • so great was his desire of seeing Joseph, that he determines at once upon going, expecting death shortly

• I will go and see him, before I die!

• 1) Death is sure. Gen. 5: 5 all of them lived, and then they all died except Enoch • a)Psalm 90: 10 10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. • b)Job 7: 6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope. • 14: 1 -2 Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. • 2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

• Job 14: 14 King James Version (KJV) • 14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. • James 4: 13 -14 • . . Centerview:

• 2) Death is in the best interest of man. • a) Earth is not our home. If we never had any aches, and pain, • why would we want ever to leave? • Some day you and I will be the guest of honor… • b)Eccl. 12: 7 7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. • c) 2 Cor. 5: 1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. •

I Cor. 15: 50 -58 • Phil. 3: 20 -21 0 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: • 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

• This world is not MY Home! • This world is not my home I'm just a passing through My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue The angels beckon me from heaven's open door And I can't feel at home in this world anymore Oh lord you know I have no friend like you If heaven's not my home then lord what will I do The angels beckon me from heaven's open door And I can't feel at home in this world anymore

• I have a loving mother just over in gloryland And I don't expect to stop until I shake her hand She's waiting now for me in heaven's open door And I can't feel at home in this world anymore Oh lord you know I have no friend like you If heaven's not my home Then lord what will I do • The angels beckon me From heaven's open door And I can't feel at home In this world anymore

• Just over in gloryland We'll live eternally The saints on every hand are shouting victory • Their songs of sweetest praise Drift back from heaven's shore And I can't feel at home In this world anymore • Oh lord, you know I have no friend like you If heaven's not my home Then lord what will I do • The angels beckon me From heaven's open door And I can't feel at home In this world anymore

• 3. NO LASTING REMEMBRANCE OF US… • ECCL. 9: 10 10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. • Psalm 6: 5 5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? • Who remembers all of your 8 great grandparents? ? • •

• Our thoughts should be like thief on the cross: • Luke 23: 42 Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy • Kingdom! Jesus said to him, Today, thou shalt be with me in Paradise!! • Not tomorrow…not a hundred years later…but Jesus • Said “Today. . ”

• 5) Luke l 6: 20 Rich man and Lazarus poor man. • 6) An accident of a man who had 80, 000 watts of electricity go through his body. He was begging for water. . For some medical reason, he was told that could not be done. He then begged them to wet a cloth and rub his tongue. • 7) Remember where the rich man was? He begged.

• 3) Now and Today… Great words of the bible. • 2 Cor. 6: 2. 2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. ) • • Heb. 4: 7 Listen to him…when today. 7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Prov. 27: 1 Don’t boast about tomorrow. 27 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

I will before I die. . What will you do before you die?

• Where do you plan to be today, tomorrow, • 20 years from now, l 00 years from now? • James 4: 13 -14 13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: • 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. •

• Are you ready to meet Jesus face to face? Today!

• Jerry Henderson…started him preaching at Southern Blvd. . • Many years ago. . Has 3 sons…all three of them are preachers • Today.

• What do you want to do before you die? • I want to spread the gospel of Christ…be a helper to lead Others to Christ. • Mark 16: 15 -16; Matt. 28: 18 -20 ; 2 Tim. 4: 2 -4 • You never mentioned him to me!!

• I want to be at peace with every one as much • As is possible. • Romans 12: 18 • If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, • live peaceably with all men

• I want to be ready to meet Jesus face to face? • Heb. 12: 1 -2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, • 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

My sister’s marker has been placed next to my Parents. It simply reads: Lydia Evelyn Stidham… Sept. 28, 1924 August 13, 2018 Mother of Janie, Polly and Vicki

• Remember friend, as you pass by, • As you are now, so once was I • As I am now, soon you will be • Prepare for death and follow me. • To follow you I’m not content, • Until I know which way you went.

• I will before I die? • Obey the Gospel! 2 Thess. 1: 7 -8 • Be Restored! Acts 8: 24

• Jacob got to do what he had planned. • Genesis 47: 29 -30 29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. • 30 And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive •