Biblical Evangelism And The Three Crosses Of Calvary

LET ME SAY THAT I WILL ANSWER THAT QUESTION IF YOU WILL FIRST ANSWER A QUESTION FOR ME. CHRIST IS JUST AS AVAILABLE TO YOU TONIGHT, AND JUST AS READY TO FORGIVE YOU OF YOUR SIN AS HE WAS TO FORGIVE GESTAS AT CALVARY, SO MY QUESTION IS; “WHY HAVE YOU CHOSEN, THUS FAR, TO DIE IN YOUR SIN.

ALL PEOPLE WHO DIE IN THEIR SINS DO SO FOR THE SAME REASONS:

1. DEATH IN SIN COMES BECAUSE OF AN UNBELIEF IN CHRIST.

LUKE 23:39: 39ONE OF THE CRIMINALS HANGING THERE MADE FUN OF JESUS. HE SAID, “AREN’T YOU THE CHRIST? SAVE YOURSELF! SAVE US!”

WHAT THE THIEF WAS ACTUALLY SAYING IS THAT “YOU ARE NOT THE CHRIST, OR YOU WOULD SAVE US.” HE WASY SAYING THEAT JESUS WAS JUST AN ORDINARY MAN WHO DID NOT HAVE THE POWER TO SAVE. WHY WOULD A MAN WHO HAD THE POWER TO COME OFF THE CROSS AND LIVE, AND TAKE THEM WITH HIM, NOT CHOOSE TO DO SO? THE ONLY REASONABLE ANSWER WAS THAT HE COULDN’T.

HOW MANY OF YOU HERE TONIGHT ARE HAUNTED BY THAT SAME THOUGHT? HERE WAS A MAN TO DIE, AND A CHRISTLESS ETERNITY HELD NO HORROR FOR HIM. PERHAPS HE BELIEVED THERE IS NOTHING AFTER DEATH, SO IN A LITTLE WHILE THE PAIN THAT HE WAS IN AND HIS EARTHLY JOURNEY WOULD BE OVER AND THAT WOULD BE IT.

PERHAPS SOME OF YOU HERE TONIGHT FEEL THE SAME WAY. IF SO, MY HEART IS SAD FOR YOU. PAUL TEACHES:

1 CORINTHIANS 15:12-19:

12 WE HAVE PREACHED THAT CHRIST HAS BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD. SO HOW CAN SOME OF YOU SAY THAT NO ONE RISES FROM THE DEAD? 13IF NO ONE RISES FROM THE DEAD, THEN NOT EVEN CHRIST HAS BEEN RAISED. 14AND IF CHRIST HAS NOT BEEN RAISED, WHAT WE PREACH DOESN’T MEAN ANYTHING. YOUR FAITH DOESN’T MEAN ANYTHING EITHER. 15MORE THAN THAT, WE WOULD BE LYING ABOUT GOD. WE HAVE GIVEN WITNESS THAT GOD RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD. BUT HE DID NOT RAISE HIM IF THE DEAD ARE NOT RAISED. 16IF THE DEAD ARE NOT RAISED, THEN CHRIST HAS NOT BEEN RAISED EITHER. 17AND IF CHRIST HAS NOT BEEN RAISED, YOUR FAITH DOESN’T MEAN ANYTHING. YOUR SINS HAVE NOT BEEN FORGIVEN. 18THOSE WHO HAVE DIED BELIEVING IN CHRIST ARE ALSO LOST. 19DO WE HAVE HOPE IN CHRIST ONLY FOR THIS LIFE? THEN PEOPLE SHOULD PITY US MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE.

THE THIEF ON THE CROSS WAS SO CLOSE TO CHRIST BUT STILL WITH NO HOPE. HE HEARD CHRIST’S WORDS OF FORGIVENESS BUT WOULDN’T APPLY THEM TO HIMSELF.

HOW CLOSE TO CHRIST ARE YOU TONIGHT? HE IS ONLY A PRAYER AWAY, BUT UNLESS YOU PRAY FOR SALVATION, YOU ARE STILL ETERNALLY SEPARATED.

CONSIDER WHAT YOU ARE GIVING UP IF YOU BELIEVE IN NOTHING AFTER DEATH.

1. AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS.

PROVERBS 18:24: EVEN A MAN WHO HAS MANY COMPANIONS CAN BE DESTROYED. BUT THERE IS A FRIEND WHO STICKS CLOSER THAN A BROTHER.

2. HEAVEN.

REVELATION 21:1-4:

I SAW A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH. THE FIRST HEAVEN AND THE FIRST EARTH WERE COMPLETELY GONE. THERE WAS NO LONGER ANY SEA. 2I SAW THE HOLY CITY, THE NEW JERUSALEM. IT WAS COMING DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN FROM GOD. IT WAS PREPARED LIKE A BRIDE BEAUTIFULLY DRESSED FOR HER HUSBAND. 3I HEARD A LOUD VOICE FROM THE THRONE. IT SAID, “NOW GOD MAKES HIS HOME WITH PEOPLE. HE WILL LIVE WITH THEM. THEY WILL BE HIS PEOPLE. AND GOD HIMSELF WILL BE WITH THEM AND BE THEIR GOD. 4HE WILL WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES. THERE WILL BE NO MORE DEATH OR SADNESS. THERE WILL BE NO MORE CRYING OR PAIN. THINGS ARE NO LONGER THE WAY THEY USED TO BE.”