A MATTER OF TIME May 3, 2026

May 02, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Deer’s Last Chase

The deer runs through dry brush, ribs heaving, tongue swollen. Its predators close in. David’s psalm mirrors this desperation: “My soul pants for you, my God.” Your soul was made to crave the living God, not temporary fixes. Work, entertainment, and relationships become false streams that never satisfy. Every heartbeat draws you closer to your appointment with eternity. [28:01]

Jesus offered living water to the woman at the well—a satisfaction that outlasts thirst. Your soul’s ache points to a deeper need: reconciliation with your Creator. Without Him, the chase never ends.

How many distractions have you mistaken for solutions this week? List three moments you tried to “quench your thirst” without turning to Christ. What would it look like to pant for Him instead?

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”
(Psalm 42:1-2, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to reveal one distraction you’ve prioritized over Him this week. Confess it aloud.

Challenge: Set a timer for 5:00 PM today. When it rings, stop everything and pray: “Jesus, I choose Your living water over ______.”

Day 2: Flatline and Forever

The heart monitor’s steady beep falls silent. Machines whir as nurses note the time. Hebrews 9:27 strips away illusions: “It is appointed for man to die once.” No rescheduling. No extensions. Your final breath transitions you into forever. [23:10]

God numbered your days before you took your first breath. Death isn’t an interruption—it’s the doorway. Jesus conquered the grave so you could face eternity unafraid. But those rejecting Him will stand at the throne unprepared.

You’ve planned vacations, retirement, and meals—but have you planned for judgment? What specific sin have you delayed confessing, assuming you’d have more time?

“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.”
(Hebrews 9:27, ESV)

Prayer: Thank God for the gift of today. Ask Him to make you urgently aware of others’ eternal needs.

Challenge: Text one person: “I care about your forever. Can we talk this week?”

Day 3: Books Opened, Names Called

John sees multitudes trembling before the throne. Books snap open, recording every lie, lust, and bitter word. The Book of Life alone offers rescue. Those absent from its pages face the lake of fire—eternal thirst with no relief. [26:16]

Hell isn’t a myth or metaphor. Jesus described it as unquenchable fire and outer darkness. Your choices today determine your forever address. Grace covers sin, but only if claimed.

When did you last share the gospel, assuming someone else would? Name one person you’ve avoided speaking to about Christ.

“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life.”
(Revelation 20:12, NIV)

Prayer: Confess your silence about eternity. Ask for boldness to warn someone this week.

Challenge: Write “Revelation 20:12” on your mirror. Pray for courage each time you see it.

Day 4: Tears Wiped, Clocks Broken

John glimpses the New Jerusalem—no hospitals, cemeteries, or calendars. God Himself wipes tears from resurrected eyes. The old order of pain and regret passes away. Eternity with Christ begins where time’s tyranny ends. [38:03]

Heaven’s joy isn’t about golden streets but restored relationship. Every Sunday worship, every whispered prayer, every act of obedience invests in this unshakable reality.

What earthly struggle consumes your thoughts? How might eternal perspective change your approach?

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
(Revelation 21:4, NIV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for His promise to make all things new. Surrender one ongoing pain to His restoration.

Challenge: Do one tangible act of kindness today that reflects heaven’s renewal (e.g., reconcile a relationship, forgive a debt).

Day 5: Mouth Confesses, Heart Believes

The Roman jailer gasped, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus.” Salvation hinges on two actions: heart belief and mouth confession. No ladder of good works reaches heaven—only the cross. [51:10]

Jesus didn’t say “clean yourself first.” He said “come thirsty.” Your past disqualifications don’t disqualify you. His resurrection power rewrites endings.

What excuse have you used to delay surrendering to Christ? How would today change if you knew it was your last?

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
(Romans 10:9, NIV)

Prayer: Tell Jesus, “I believe You died for me. I receive Your rescue today.”

Challenge: Call a believer and say, “I’ve decided to follow Christ. Will you help me?” If you’ve already done this, tell someone your salvation story.

Sermon Summary

Time moves with relentless clarity and every life carries an appointed end. Hebrews 9:27 frames death as a fixed appointment followed by judgment, so each heartbeat functions as a finite gift and every moment carries eternal weight. Psalm 42 supplies the felt image: a deer panting for water captures the soul that was made to thirst for God, chased by distraction and unable to be satisfied by success, pleasure, or religion. The text insists that only the living God offers living water that actually brings soul relief.

Revelation 20 and 21 set the eternal alternatives with stark candor. One future holds a great white throne and books opened in judgment, culminating in the lake of fire for those whose names are not in the book of life. The other future presents a new heaven and new earth where God dwells with his people, wipes away every tear, and makes all things new. The choice between these forevers is decisive and irreversible. Nicodemus and the New Testament authors explain being born twice: born physically once and, by faith, born again spiritually so the spirit that died in sin can live.

A practical urgency follows. The righteous life is not produced by law keeping alone but by confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in the resurrection. Romans 10 affirms that calling on the Lord brings salvation and that the word of faith is near enough to speak and receive. The text confronts casual Christianity: habitually postponing repentance, worship, witness, and generosity amounts to wasting time. The living God stands ready to offer living water now; the invitation is immediate. The closing appeal urges decisive action today, not delayed resolutions, and invites a present turning to Christ and renewed alignment of daily priorities with eternity.

Key Takeaways

1. One life, final judgment awaits The Bible states that each person dies once and faces judgment, making mortality an appointment rather than an accident. This reality reframes urgency: choices matter now because there are no cosmic do overs. Living with that conviction shifts small daily decisions into eternal significance. [22:38]
2. Soul thirsts only for God The Psalmist’s deer image exposes a God shaped thirst that every human heart carries and that nothing worldly satisfies. Success, pleasure, and religion mimic satisfaction but leave the soul panting when the enemy chases it. Recognition of this ache should drive honest spiritual seeking toward the living God. [27:42]
3. Eternity holds two outcomes Revelation contrasts the great white throne with the new heaven and earth, making the stakes unmistakable. The biblical picture refuses annihilation as escape and instead portrays eternal communion or eternal regret. This forces a clear, practical reckoning with how life choices align with that destiny. [25:49]
4. Faith is confessed and received now Romans 10 locates salvation in a present confession and heartfelt belief that Christ rose from the dead. Salvation appears as a near, speakable reality not a distant ritual or future project. Responding today opens the second birth and changes how time is spent from this moment forward. [51:10]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[21:54] - Time moves quickly
[22:38] - Hebrews 9:27 on death
[25:49] - Revelation and final judgment
[27:42] - Psalm 42: the panting deer
[32:49] - Living water offered
[33:37] - Warning about eternal thirst
[37:43] - Vision of new heaven and earth
[42:02] - The choice: two eternities
[51:10] - Romans 10: how to be saved
[54:04] - Urgent invitation and altar call

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Hebrews 9:27 (ESV)
"And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment."

Observation Questions

What does the imagery of a deer panting for water in Psalm 42 reveal about the human soul’s relationship with God? [27:42]
According to Revelation 20:11-15, what two eternal outcomes are presented, and how are they determined? [25:49]
Romans 10:9-10 outlines two requirements for salvation. What are they, and how does the passage emphasize immediacy? [51:10]
How does the sermon describe the consequences of delaying repentance or spiritual priorities? [54:04]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Hebrews 9:27 describe death as an “appointment” rather than an accident? How might this perspective reshape daily priorities?
The sermon warns that worldly pursuits (success, pleasure, religion) cannot satisfy the soul’s thirst. Why do people still chase these things despite their emptiness? [28:33]
Revelation 21:4 promises “no more mourning, crying, or pain.” How does this future hope contrast with the regrets described in Revelation 20:11-15?
Romans 10:13 says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” What barriers might prevent someone from calling on Him today? [51:31]

Application Questions

The sermon warns against “casual Christianity” and postponing repentance. What habits or distractions in your life might be causing you to delay spiritual urgency? [54:04]
Psalm 42 compares the soul’s thirst to a deer panting for water. Where have you been seeking satisfaction (e.g., work, relationships, hobbies) instead of turning to God? What step will you take this week to drink from His “living water”?
Hebrews 9:27 reminds us that judgment follows death. If today were your last day, what unresolved relationships, apologies, or acts of obedience would you prioritize?
The sermon urges believers to stop “wasting time” in lukewarm worship or silence about faith. What is one area (generosity, witness, prayer) where you need to align your daily life with eternity? [55:13]
Romans 10:9-10 says salvation is “near” and requires confession. If you’ve never surrendered to Christ, what holds you back from doing so today? If you have, who in your life needs to hear this invitation?

Sermon Clips

45s

#LivingWaterNow

“The same God who made the deer to crave water made your soul to desire a relationship with him. And church, here's the beautiful part. God is not hiding from us. He he is not out there and and and trying to play peekaboo with you. He's there waving at you. He's there like the father who welcomed the prodigal son back, running to meet you. He is offering living water at the when he met this woman at the well and he talked about this living water, he says, what I have, I give freely. And the question is this, will we drink of that living water before time runs out?”

42s

#TwoEternitiesOneChoice

“Two eternities, church, one decision. I want you to know the deer is still panting. The deer is still either panting for the a life with God and only through Jesus Christ can we experience, or the deer is still chasing all of the things that life can give us only to find out that it didn't measure up to what we were looking for. It didn't provide the peace. It didn't provide the comfort. And so here in this this sermon series, this is the last invitation that I'll give up, and and I'm going to be urgent to each of you. Today, the holy spirit is offering eternity with Christ to all of us.”

54s

#SoulOverHustle

“You run on fumes all week and then you come to church on Sunday and and and and it's an exciting hour, but then you go back out and then you're you've got that Monday through Saturday. It's all hustle. It's all stress. Can I get an amen? Amen. It's all about the me monster. You see, your soul is panting, and you keep trying to quiet. You keep trying to quiet with a a new Ben show to watch on Netflix. You keep trying to quiet with working a little bit harder and saving a little bit more. You keep trying to quiet that desperate thirst for God with the next thing. We change our seasons of life, and and and we tell ourselves this is it. This is the sweet spot of life, but it's not. Why? Because the clock is ticking.”

65s

#EveryBeatCounts

“Think about that. Right now, your heart is beating maybe 70 to 90 times a minute. I don't know if you've ever I'm gonna read a verse to you from Psalms in a few minutes about a deer panting for the water. When when they are panting for the water, I imagine their heart rate's much higher than 70 to 90 beats per minute. But here's what we should remember, and that is this, every beat of our heart is a gift. But listen to me, church, one day, the beat will stop. One day, the sand runs out. And in the moment after your last breath, there's no more chances to fix it. There's no more chances to fix what you left broken. There's no more chances to say I'm sorry that you've been putting off. There's no more opportunity to surrender to the sin that you've been hiding.”

58s

#OneLifeOneJudgment

“Amen. So when time runs out, not Hebrews nine twenty seven really addresses this, and and it uses some very important words. It says, it is appointed for a man to die once. Notice that word appointed. That that's not an accident. Death is not an accident. It's on God's calendar. The moment you were conceived, God knew when the moment would be that you take your last breath. And here is the reality that I want us to remember today, and that is you don't get to reschedule it. There is no second round. There is no such thing as reincarnation where you come back and get a chance to do it again. There is no cosmic do overs. One life, one death, and then the judgment.”

36s

#SurrenderToday

“If you are here this morning, if you are watching online, I'm here to tell you that if you've never surrendered your life to Jesus, today is the day. Because, church, the clock is real. The appointment that is spoken about in Hebrews nine twenty seven is real. The panting of Psalm 42 about this deer that's really a a reflection of our soul, it's real. And the heaven and hell spoken of here in revelations twenty and twenty one and twenty two is real.”

53s

#EternalThirstWarning

“And here's what I want you to hear. I want you to give you give you this warning. One of my favorite shows growing up had this robot, and this robot would walk around and this young boy would try to get in trouble, and this robot had this famous saying. Do you remember what the saying was? Danger, Will Robinson. Danger. At church, if I could be the robot for just a second, I I wanna say to you, danger, church, danger. Because the thirst doesn't go away when we stop this heart stops beating. That thirst will be with us for eternity even after we die, but you'll never be able to quench it. And so here's what we are faced with, church. We are faced with the choice between two eternities and one decision.”

56s

#StopWastingTime

“Maybe you're here this morning. You you've asked Jesus Christ to be your lord and savior. You know that if that day comes, you're on your way to heaven. But for the last four weeks, you've realized that you've been wasting time here on this earth. You've been living for the weekend. I've done that before. I mean weekends are great. They're they're to be enjoyed. Right? There's nothing wrong with that, but the problem is that when we start living our life around the next weekend, we quit living our lives. You've been stingy with your money. You've been silent with your witness. You've been lukewarm with your worship. That is what it looks like to waste our time once we have tasted of the grace that God gives to us.”

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Mascoutah First Baptist Church This sermon · AI assistant

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A MATTER OF TIME May 3, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Deer’s Last Chase

Day 2: Flatline and Forever

Day 3: Books Opened, Names Called

Day 4: Tears Wiped, Clocks Broken

Day 5: Mouth Confesses, Heart Believes

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

A MATTER OF TIME May 3, 2026

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