A Sense Of Urgency

A Sense Of Urgency

Ray Comfort has preached a message and written a book by the title, "Hell's Best Kept Secret". You have to admit, that it is something that would pique your curiosity.

What do you think "Hell's Best Kept Secret" is?

Would it be that people are actually dead in their trespasses and sins instead of good by their own merits?

Would it be that we are born in sin?

Would it be perhaps the Gospel itself?

No, Hell's Best Kept Secret is the Law--the Ten Commandments. But what do you think is perhaps Hell's second best kept secret?

It is perhaps something that I see people fall for all of the time, and maybe you've even fallen for it too. It's not surprising that long term Christians make this same mistake.

What is Hell's Second Best Kept Secret? We'll find out in a few minutes.

I) Hell's Second Best Kept Secret

Hell's Best Kept Secret just may be this--you can delay in accepting the Lord as your Saviour. For those of us that have a relationship with Jesus Christ, our particular version may well be "Witness to them later--you may offend them now".

Folks, I am under the greatest conviction of this fact now more than ever: Don't wait. If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, accept Him now. I know that it may seem odd to hear the Gospel call now, at the beginning of the message, but here it is.

For those of you that are saved and know someone that is not saved, don't delay--tell them today. You've heard it said by me before, you've heard it said by countless scores of other preachers-- tomorrow may not come.

Why am I starting out with the gospel in the beginning of this message? Because I've seen death up close and personal this past week, and in the past month or so.

Friday morning Kay woke me up with the news of the passing of an insurance client, Joy. This woman was only 41 years old.

I remember vistiting with her and her family a couple years back at their home. I spoke with her a dozen times or so in the past two months. I also talked to her directly about a month ago when she visited our office, and she was in the office to drop off some papers only but a week or so ago.

I have good reason to believe that she had a relationship with Jesus Christ by the conversations that we had, and that's a source of comfort. As my mom always tells me "Life is too short".

Life, it is indeed too short. We talked over a month ago about the young woman that lived less than a mile from our home that was shot dead by her husband. That haunts me, that I didn't present the gospel to her.

How may people have we seen pass away, only to wonder if they heard the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Not only did I get the news of the passing of Joy, but after Kay and Turtle left for work I was reading the Observer-Reporter and found this headline "Homeless Man From New York Found Dead Near Church".

Folks, I met that man. Not only did I meet that man, but I picked him up in Rogersville and bring him to Waynesburg. He told me that He was on his way to the Catholic Church in Greensboro, and that was where he was going to stay the night. I'll tell you more about this in a few moments.

II) He Who Hesitates Is Lost...

Turn to Hebrews 3 in your Bibles

I'm sure that you've heard that phrase before, but have you ever had that apply to your life so directly? Should you hesitate and not accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour you may be lost forever.

If you don't witness to that unsaved friend, relative or acquaintance, you may have lost your opportunity forever and that soul may be lost forever. That is a burden that we cannot take lightly. That is a burden that should drive us to our knees.

Last Sunday, I spoke about unbelief. The scripture that I used was from Hebrews, and let's look at a key word found in Hebrews 3 and 4:

Heb 3:7-8

7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His voice,

8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness,

(NKJ)

Heb 3:12-13

12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;

13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (NKJ)