The Gospel... the good news about a God who JUDGES!
Write down the name of a WONDERFUL Non-Christian
Last week, we kicked off a new adventure and asked in our sermon series: What are we giving our lives to?
The Gospel
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God created humans to have a relationship with Him
The first of humanity broke that relationship and created a gulf
The gulf still exists
You need to trust/follow Christ as leader and forgiver to restore this relationship
That non-Christian will be separated from God forever
Imagine a place where God is not (no love, warmth, grace, mercy, good feelings)
ALL Non-Christians are going there?
Metaphors are used to describe hell: weeping, burning, gnashing of teeth FOR ALL ETERNITY
Do you truly believe that? Do you really believe that the person's name you wrote down will really be in hell?
Not do you believe that the Bible teaches this, but do you believe this?
Three camps:
1. No way! I don't believe that.
2. I don't know... I just stopped at Circle K and got a coffee.
3. Yes.
For those who say "yes" - do you tell anyone how to escape hell? Most answer NO!
Hell is a very unpopular idea. Only 2/10 Christians believe in hell.
Yet, God's judgment is part of the Gospel.
Everyone wants a Jesus who is like a rabbit's foot that is there is give us lucky blessings when we need Him.
"I like baby Jesus"
I don't want a weak Jesus that is controlled by me. I need someone to set things right!
Twelve separate passages record Jesus' teachings about the judgment of nonbelievers and their assignment to eternal punishment. Matthew 13:49-50 summarizes them all: So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out, separate the evil people from the righteous, and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Jesus employed the most graphic language to describe what hell is like: fire (Matt. 5:22; 18:9); eternal fire (18:8); destruction (7:13); away from his presence (7:23); thrown outside (8:12; 22:13; 25:30); blazing furnace (13:42); darkness (22:13; 25:30); eternal punishment (25:46); weeping and gnashing of teeth (8:12; 13:42; 13:50; 22:13; 24:51).
How is God judging good news?
1 John 2:16-17 - For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.
God judges:
1. Lust of the Flesh (internal conflict - the desire to do what the world does)
uncontrolled sexual appetite appetites for alcohol and gluttony appetite to be needed, attractive and beautiful
Jesus' Hunger after 40 days - turn these stones into bread
2. Lust of the Eyes (outward desire - the desire to have what the world offers)
eyes for worldly things
Jesus' desire for power - Throw yourself down and show everyone you have the power!
3. Pride in Possessions (self-dependency - the desire for the world's approval)
If I have enough, they'll like me
Jesus desire for possessions - Worship me and I'll give you the Kingdoms
Bede the Venerable (673–735) - Those who love the world have nothing but the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. These few words describe every kind of wickedness which exists.
Genesis 3:6 - The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
Lust of the Flesh robs us of Identity
- Who am I?
- Do I have what it takes?
Lust of the Eyes robs us of Principle
- Habitual devotion to what is right
- In marriage, how can I keep her happy?
- Am I OK?
Pride in Possessions robs us Mission
- Get stuff versus Give my life
- Do I have enough to do what it takes?
- Will my situation change?
Proverbs 20:9 - Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”?
God judges so that we can see, grab, and live out our Identity, our Values, and our Mission.
We live in a messed up world - headaches, backaches, toothaches, strains, scrapes, cuts, rashes, burns, bruises, breaks, PMS, fatigue, hunger, odors, molds, colds, parasites, viruses, cancers, genetic defects, blindness, deafness, paralysis, mental impairment, disabilities, deformities, ugliness, embarrassments, miscommunications, confused signals, ignorance, unrequited love, dashed hopes, boredom, hard labor, repetitious labor, old age, accidents, war, theft, fires, floods, earthquakes, financial ruin, tornadoes, hurricanes, volcanoes, world-wide pandemics, death, etc.
Something is not right, so someone needs to set it right!
We need to be like Eve in Genesis, but with a different tree.
- See that the cross is good / delightful to look at
- See that the cross is desirable for obtaining wisdom - how I want to live my life
- Take the cross and "eat it" - Inward trust
A - ADMIT
B - BELIEVE
C - CALL UPON