How many times have I heard a child ask a parent, "Can I..." only to hear the parent respond, "Sorry, but it's too late!" I really can't count it. The kid wants something that he could have had if only he had obeyed and done a certain something that was asked of him.
God is the best parent! We, as Christians, often disobey Him and I can see him shaking his head because He had something amazing planned for us and we just messed it up by taking our way instead of waiting for His will!
Luke 12:16-20- And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
Time is not something we all have a lot of, nor is it something that we can measure. There are very few people who know how long they have to live.
Since, we don't know the length of our days, we should be afraid of "too late". I hear people say over and over again, "I'll do it later." We aren't promised later! I want to point out where we can be too late.
Too Late to get saved:
Luke 16:19,20,22,23- There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
We don't know how old this rich man was, nor do we know how long Lazarus was at his gate. What we do know is that he wasted him time and his chance to secure his eternity. He may have thought that he had more time. It's possible that, on many occassions, he planned to help Lazarus out.
The Bible never tells us. It only shows us that he waited too long; he was too late.
Too Late to get right:
Acts 5:1-5- But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
This man was pretending to be Spiritual. He was lying to Peter, and he was hiding what was really in his heart- pride. He wanted others to think that he was a great, holy man. We don't know anything about his life before this. Was he always like this or was this the first time? The Bible doesn't tell us.
However his life was like before, it was too late for him this time. He couldn't repent. He couldn't get right with God. His time was up. He was too late.
Too Late to serve Christ:
II Timothy 4:21- Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.
Paul was asking Timothy to come before winter. Paul was on a time schedule. He was going to have his death sentence from the Romans come upon him soon. He really needed Timothy to visit him before it was too late!
The Bible never does tell us if Timothy made it. Once Christ closes the door, there's nothing you can do to open it. You've missed the opportunity and now you're stuck!
I sometimes think about Nebuchadnezzar and how God humbled him because he didn't give God the glory. God made him a beast for 7 years (Daniel 4:31-33). Then I think of Herod and how God killed him because he didn't give God the glory (Acts 12:21-23). What was the difference between these two men? They were both rulers. They were both Gentiles. Why did God kill one and only punish the other? I believe God knew that Nebuchadnezzar would repent and give God the glory (Daniel 4:34-37). I also believe that God knew Herod would not repent nor give God the glory; for Herod, it was too late!
Luke 13:6-9- He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
If you need to get saved, do it now. If you need to get right, do it today. If you need to start serving Christ, start immediately. You never know how long you have. Don't wait until it's too late!
