The Last Sunday of the Year
“The world is in the habit of measuring success by health, by wealth, and by fame; but a man may be ever so healthy in this world; he may be ever so wealthy in this world, and he may be ever so famous in this world, if, on the great Judgment Day he is ordered to go down from God’s face where the departed ones are – the lost – that man surely has not been successful. It is, after all, the Judgment Day that will decide as to whether one has been successful in this world or not…
Our Time Here Is Short
Little children, young people, and aged.
As I go from house to house, I need not remind you of the fact that the cemetery is partly filled with little short graves; all I need to do is to look at your own pictures hanging on the walls, and in nearly every home I am pointed to a picture of a son, or a daughter, who early in life have gone home to their God. Therefore, even little children, it is not saying too much when I say that for you, your time is short.
This is especially true, also, of young people. It was Adam and Eve in the youth of their creation whom Satan tempted and brought down to death. As we look through the New Testament carefully we observe that Satan was not in the habit of possessing old men and old women, as much as he was young people. Look at the different instances of Christ’s casting out devils, and you will find that He is casting them out of the young Gadarene; He is casting them out of the young woman, Mary Magdalene; the real truth of it is that young people are the very objects of Satan; they are living in a time when temptations are rife, and when lust is strong, and when temptations are ready to break in on all sides, and lead them astray. Therefore I would say to you young men and women, do not think because you are strong and well and have not passed the age of twenty-five or thirty, that therefore you are going to stay here another half century. The real truth of it is that many young men and young women are brought down to death because of the strong temptation of Satan in those days.
And you, fathers and mothers, with gray hair, or none at all, on your heads, you know the old saying that young people may die, and old people must. There is no question about your time being short; there is no question about your setting your house in order; if you intend to make a will, make it; if you have anything that is not done, that ought to be done, do it this week; your time is short; it must be.
From “Admission Above” by Simon Peter Long. The Great Gospel: An Address To Theological Graduates, Lectures On The Gospels For The Church Year, and “That Remarkable Lodge Sermon. Ebook and Print versions available