We have forgotten our mission as the church. We have become focused on ourselves and our comfort and believe that worshipping God is the most important thing in being Christians.
Let us understand that worship, doing good works and deeds, and serving the Lord and others are all necessary and needed to serve the Lord. But we have to remember that all that we do has to be done for the mission – teaching and reaching others with the gospel. In a war, in a battle, we have to have all of the soldiers on board in completing the mission. We have to remember and realize that WE ALL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE in reaching others with the gospel.
Let me take a few minutes today to REMIND US OF THE FACT THAT THE WORLD IS LOST WITHOUT JESUS. And let us be reminded, from Scripture, what the end result of being lost and estranged from Christ really means. Notice these passages:
John 3:16 “For God so loved the WORD, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (The implication is that if one does not believe, then they will perish).
Revelation 21:8, “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Matthew 25:31-46 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. . . . “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
“Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
2 Thessalonians 1:3-10 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.
Hebrews 6:1-2 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits.
Luke 12:42-48 And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant who knew his master’s will and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
Some truths that are evident from these passages:
The world is lost without Christ!
There is coming a day of judgment, and ALL MANKIND will face God on that day and be judged according to their actions and knowledge.
Eternal judgment is being punished in flaming fire for THOSE WHO KNOW NOT GOD AND OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.
Eternal punishment suggests that being separated from God throughout eternity. The holy God cannot be in the presence of the unholy.
Luke suggests that there will be degrees of punishment based on the knowledge of the servant, and whether or not he/she obeyed.
Beloved, I wanted to remind you of these things because I know that I have not preached on them as I should, and to remind us that this is the eternal fate of those outside of Christ and for those who are not faithful to the Lord. I dare not minimize the clear warnings God has given us in his word. My prayer would be for my loved ones, for all of the body of Christ throughout this world, that we will take this seriously. Our souls and the souls of others are at stake.
LET ME REMIND YOU AGAIN OF THE EVANGELISM SEMINAR TO BE HELD HERE AT SOUTH COBB APRIL 18-21, 2021 WITH ROB WHITACRE. We need to relearn, to be motivated again, to be encouraged in doing what God has given us to do when it comes to our relatives, and friends, our co-workers and acquaintances. Where they will spend eternity may depend on us in trying to teach them the gospel. And let us be reminded that Satan will do all he can to stop us from teaching others the gospel.
PLEASE MAKE PLANS TO BE HERE, TO LEARN, TO UNDERSTAND AND KNOW THAT OUR JOB IS TO ACQUAINT THE WORLD WITH GOD AND HIS WORD, MANIFESTED IN JESUS CHRIST. SOULS ARE AT STAKE.