Almost At The Gate

December 11, 2002

I. Introduction:

A. Premise—There is nothing in the Bible that says “Once saved always saved.” Salvation is not a one time event. It is a continuous growth. It is a lifetime process.

B. What we are going to study tonight is a solemn reflection of where we are in our Christian journey. Is there anything in this world that stands before us in our journey to the Promised Land?

C. Seven biblical examples of people who were almost at the gate but never made it to the gate.

1. King Agrippa

a) Acts 26:27-29

b) Almost convinced but never convinced

c) Almost persuaded but never persuaded

d) Almost saved but never saved

e) Why?

1. Too much power

2. Too much worldly stuff

3. Afraid to give up something

f) Is there anything that stands before us in our journey to the Promised Land

1. Is the desire for power preventing us from following Jesus?

2. Is the affair of the world preventing us from faithfully serving God?

2. Felix

a) Acts 24:24-25

b) Wife was probably holding him back

c) Spirit was dealing with him

d) He Procrastinated

e) Is there anything that stands between us and the Promised Land?

1. Is an attitude of procrastination standing between us and the Promised Land?

2. Are there any in our lives, i.e., our wife, husband, children, etc., that stands between us and the Promised Land?

3. Rich young Ruler

a) Mk 10:17-22

b) Recognized Jesus as Master

c) Wanted to inherit eternal Life

d) Said that he had kept the commandments

e) Unfortunately, he failed to receive Christ offer of salvation. Why?

1. But he had great earthly possessions

2. And he couldn’t sacrifice them for an eternal home

f) Is there anything that stands before us in our journey to the Promised Land?

1. Is material possession a hindrance in our entrance to the Promised Land?

2. Is our unwillingness to give up some of our earthly possessions hindering us from reaching the Promised Land?

4. Judas

a) Matthew 27:3-5

b) Judas was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples

c) He followed Jesus wherever he went

d) He was the treasurer of the group

e) When he sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, he admitted “I Have sinned.”

f) Becomes guilty

g) Returns the Money

h) Then Committed suicide

i) Judas was almost saved, but not saved. Why?

1. Judas was following Jesus for the wrong reasons.

2. He was following Jesus for the title

3. He was there for the money

4. He was there for the position

k) Is there anything that stands between us and the Promised Land?

1. Are we following God for the wrong reason?

2. Are we following God for the title?

3. Are we following God for monetary benefits?

5. Prince’s Marriage

a) Matthew 22:1-14

b) He knew when and where the wedding would take place

c) He knew the direction to the wedding place

d) He probably had received an invitation to the wedding

e) He probably had friends that were also going to the wedding

f) He went to the wedding

g) He was thrown out from the wedding

h) Why?

1. He did not have the proper wedding garment

2. He did not have the attire that reflects the character of those who are saved.

3. He was almost saved, but not saved. Almost at the gate, but never at the gate.

i) Is there anything that stands in our way to the Promised Land?

1. Is our incorrect attitude toward character development hindering us from entering the Promised Land?

2. Is our negligence to put on the righteousness of Christ preventing us from entering the Promised Land?

j) We may have received the invitation to the wedding celebration. But if we don’t have the proper garment, we are just almost saved.

k) We may have been informed about the time and the place for the wedding. But if we don’t have the proper wedding attire, we are simply almost saved, but not saved.

6. Unrepentant Thief – Luke 23:32-43

a) He was one of the two thieves that were crucified with Christ

b) His remarks in verse 39 indicates that he probably have heard about Christ.

c) He probably had learned that Jesus is the Christ, meaning the Anointed.

d) He perhaps also heard that Jesus possesses power to heal the sick, to calm the storm, to multiply two fish and five loaves of bread, to cleanse the leper, to open the eyes of the blind, to give hearing to the deaf, to give strength to the crippled.

e) He probably had some knowledge about the teaching of Jesus.

f) Finally, he made an insulting remark, “Save Yourself and us.”

g) Yes, he wanted to be saved, but only on the physical level.