Motivated By Terror Part 1

MOTIVATED BY TERROR.

By Rev. Irvin L. Mizell

2co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

2co 5:11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

The apostle Paul reminds us that we will all stand before God one day and be judged…

But what catches my attention this morning is verse 11.

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men

Paul is motivated to preach the gospel of Christ, because he is unwilling to see anyone have to suffer the terror of the Lord…

Allow me to read you some verses, which have originated from different authors…

David

Ps 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

Ps 11:6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

Paul

Philp 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

Philp 3:19 Whose end is destruction,

1thes 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

1thes 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

2thes 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

2thes 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

2thes 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Jesus

Mt 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Mt 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Mt 13:49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

Mt 13:50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Which brings us back to Paul…

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men

Now last week we began to look at evangelism and the charge given to all Christians to share the gospel with the world.

So I thought what better place to look for practical application than the example of Paul.

Let’s look together at the first chapter of Romans.

We’re going to examine chapter 1 verse 18.

And I believe as we examine this very critical verse we find the key that unlocks the gospel, the starting point of evangelism.

Now the Apostle Paul has announced his theme in verses 16 and 17.

Ro 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Ro 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

And now as he moves to verse 18 he begins to unfold in great detail the substance of that theme.

And it all begins in verse 18 with this statement:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness.”

The gospel message begins with a statement about the wrath of God.

Frankly that’s just backwards of our modern evangelistic technique.

Most of our contemporary evangelism purposely avoids that theme.

· We talk about love

· And we talk about happiness

· And we talk about abundant living

· And we talk about forgiveness

· And we talk about joy,

· We talk about peace.

And we offer people all of those things

But we really very rarely talk about judgment.

And I wonder in all of the times that you have presented the gospel to somebody, how many times did you introduce it by saying, By the way, did you know that the wrath of God is revealed against your ungodliness?

I suppose Dale Carnegie has even affected our gospel presentation.

We are in such a hurry to win friends and influence people that sometimes we bypass the starting point.