Genesis 5:21-24
I'M GETTING READY TO LEAVE THIS WORLD!
President Bush has been accused of taking American soldiers into war with Iraq and doing so without a good exit strategy.  Whether that is true or not, I do not know, but it does make sense to me that you need to know how to enter and win a war like that, and that you need to know how to get yourself out at the end of that war.
We as God's people are at war!  (2 Corin 10:4-"The weapons of OUR WARFARE are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.")  (Eph. 6:12-"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.")
(Heb. 9:27-"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement".)  We are a judgement-bound people......with that in mind, shouldn't peope be getting ready to leave?  We all make plans for living this life. We buy insurance, put money into retirement accounts and plan for this or that, but many folks never spend any time at all planning their death & Judgement!
*There are three kinds of plans you need to make so you can have a good exit strategy when it comes your time to leave this world:
I. V. 21-22 PLAN TO EXIT THIS WORLD SAVED
A. The Bible tells us nothing about the early years of Enoch. All we know is that at the age of 65, Enoch became the father of a child which he named Methuselah. After that child was born, we are told that Enoch walked with God for the next 300 years of his life. What was it about the birth of this child that caused Enoch to come to faith in God? 
It may have something to do with the name of the child. The name “Methuselah” means “When he is gone, it will come.” If you do the math, you will find that Methuselah died the very year the flood of Genesis chapters 6-8 came. Apparently, Enoch was made to understand that the death of his son would signal the destruction of the world.
Methuselah may have been a symbol of approaching judgment; but he was also a symbol of the longsuffering, love and grace of God. How? He lived longer than any other human in history, Gen. 5:27!)
B. God uses many events in life to touch people’s hearts to bring them to Jesus. Sometimes, people are touched when they think of Hell, Psa. 9:17. Others react when they think of the love of God manifested at Calvary, Rom. 5:8; Rom. 2:5. Others think of loved ones who have died and gone to heaven and are overcome with a desire to be with them, John 14:1-3. Still others feel guilty because of their sins and are drawn to Jesus, John 16:7-11. The means God uses to convict a person and draw them to Jesus does not matter. The fact that He draws them to Him is what is important, John 6:44. For Enoch, it was the birth of a son. For me, it was the thought of dying lost and of going to Hell. It may be different for you. The main thing is seeing your need of God and then coming to Him for salvation!
Ther's no better way to LEAVE this world or to LIVE in this world that being a child of God!  How can you be saved?....With the Holy Spirit drawing you, there is an ADMISSION of guiltyness, followed by a BELIEF in the the risen saviour, then CONFESSION of sin (followed by CHANGED LIFE)---ABC's of conversion!

II. v. 23-24 PLAN TO EXIT THIS WORLD SUDDENLY
A. We are told that “Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” It has been said that as Enoch walked with God one day the Lord simply said, “Enoch, you are closer to my house than your house. Just come on and stay with me.” We do not know all the details of his departure, but we do know that the writer of Hebrews tells us that Enoch was “translated that he should not see death,” Heb. 11:5. The word “translated” means “to transfer.” It carries the idea of “being carried across.” One minute Enoch was here and the next minute he was with the Lord. However it happened, it surely happened suddenly and without warning!   Of course, the writer of Hebrews also tells us that “for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” 
*There are only two ways to leave this world. Saved people can leave it both of those ways; but a lost person can only leave it through one of those ways. What are those ways?
1. The Rapture – Only saved people can ever hope to leave the world via the Rapture. This event is called “the blessed hope,” Titus 2:13. Of course, I am referring to that time when Jesus will return in the clouds above this earth to carry His people away to heaven, 1 Thes. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-52. That’s how I hope to go! I want to be a “was not” like Enoch, how about you?
*The rapture will be an event that will be Sudden, Selective, Serious and Sad:
· It will be Sudden because there will be no prior warning. Jesus will come and every saved individual will simply be gone! 
· It will be Selective because Jesus is coming for His people and no one else!
· It will be Serious because it will mark the end of the church age and it will signal the beginning of the darkest hour known to mankind, the great tribulation. It will also determine where you will spend your eternity!
· It will be Sad because some will be taken and others will be left behind, Ill. Luke 17:34-36. (Ill. Marie Avery and her husband.) If it happened today, would you go or would you stay?
2. Death – Both save people and lost people alike can and are leaving this world through the door way of death.
When death comes, it rarely gives advanced warning. Even when disease has made the end inevitable, the exact moment of one’s departure is always a mystery. Since death is coming, and since it is coming unannounced, it stands to reason that a person needs to be ready for that moment. You may not know when death will come for you, but you can know where you will go when it does!
III. V. 24 PLAN TO EXIT THIS WORLD SERVING
We are told twice in these verses that “Enoch walked with God.” That is not Enoch’s testimony of his life; that is the testimony of the Holy Spirit concerning Enoch’s life.  The word “walk” is the biblical expression for “fellowship and obedience that results in divine favor.” It is a walk of dedication and devotion. It is a walk in which Enoch lives up to His name. The name Enoch means “Dedicated.”
*The Bible tells us two things about this man’s walk:      1. He Had A Visible Walk With God –2. He Had A Vocal Walk With God – Jude 14-15 tells us that Enoch was a prophet. He was the world’s first prophet and he preached to the people of his generation. He preached about the coming judgment and of the need for repentance.  As you and I pass through this world, we need to do so with the Gospel on our lips. Yes, we must live out the truth, but we must also be careful to tell others about Jesus Christ
Enoch had the right kind of exit strategy. He left this world saved. He left it suddenly and he left it serving the Lord.
Confederate General Stonewall Jackson said, “Let us cross the river and rest under the shade of the trees.” Now, that’s the way to leave here!
If there are problems with your exit strategy, please get that thing worked out right now.