Close Is Not Enough Series

• I don’t remember many of the homes or people we met, but I remember one specifically.

• A friend of mine and youth worker went up to the door with me.

• A lady answered the door, and as soon as I began, she shut me up.

• She then told me about her education in religion and philosophy, her superiority to me, and the foolishness of a teen trying to “save her soul.”

• I tried to think of something sharp and catchy, something that would knock her into reality.

• Nothing came. I remember saying something like, “I pity you.”

• She said, “I pity you,” and closed the door.

• I couldn’t think of the scripture, 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, which says, “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”

• Too many people fall into the category of those who are “always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” 2 Timothy 3:7.

• You can know a lot of stuff and never find salvation.

• There is a lot of wrong knowledge to obtain that will steer you wrong and it can fill your head.

• But the truth is, you can know all the right stuff and it will simply bring you to a choice.

• It will lead you to a point, and that point will be close, but will not be close enough.

II. Where you go.

• You can come very close and lose it all.

• See, you can come extremely close and lose it all by not being close enough.

• Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman once told of a prodigal son who came home for his Christian mother's funeral. Beside the casket stood his father and sister. When the prodigal boy was urged to stop weeping and leave, the father said, "We'll see Mother again." The boy answered, "Yes, Dad, you and sister shall see her again, I know, but I shall not, for I'm not going that way."

• You can go to Church, you can go to Bible College and Seminary. You can go to every evangelical rally, revival, camp, workshop, Bible study or religious meeting.

• All of those may bring you to the cross, but they will only bring you so far.

• They will lead you to a point, and you may be close, but not close enough.

• You see, there is a final step.

III. What you show.

• You can do a whole lot and never know Him.

• Matthew 7:22-23 tells the sad story of many who did all the right things except the main thing.

• They cried, “'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'’

• “We did all the right things. We did Church, we did visitation, bible study, Sundays school. We took offernings, sang in the choir, was there on an average of twice a month.

• “Lord, I read my bible every day and sometimes twice a day.