No Turning Back

January 18, 2003

A. Point of no return

1) Common word among bomber pilots during World War II

2) This statement is used to describe that their plane had flown too far and it did not have sufficient fuel to return to their base.

3) Is it possible that we as human beings could also reach the point of no return in our spiritual journey?

B. Biblical examples of this reality

1) Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit

a) Matthew 12:31

b) What is the work of the Holy Spirit?

1. John 16:8-9, 13

2. The work of the Holy Spirit is to convict me of sin and to guide me into all truth. The Holy Spirit is God’s agency for conversion. Without the Holy Spirit, no one feels sorrow for sin, nor is anyone converted.

c) Any unconfessed sin can be a sin against the Holy Spirit

d) The Holy Spirit will not contend with man forever

1. Genesis 6:3

2. Before the Flood

3. The sins of the Antideluvians had piled up before God

4. Genesis 6:5-6, “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”

2) Famine for God’s word

a) Amos 8:11-12, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.”

b) Illustration:

1. Terrible shortage of bread after the fall of communism in Romania

2. Same in Russia after the fall of communism

a. News coverage

b. People lining the streets for bread

c. They came early in the morning to make a line even before the bakery would open.

d. After several hours of lining in the cold, some people would get their bread for the day.

e. Unfortunately, others did not get.

f. On many occasions, the bread supply would run out.

g. In spite of the fact that people have lined, they have the money to buy bread, when they bread is finished, there is not much that people can do.

3. It is the same with our spiritual bread.

4. Time will come that the world will experience hunger for spiritual bread.

5. They will run from place to place, but finds none.

c) Repeat of the Dark Ages

1. Characterized by lack of knowledge

2. Knowledge is power.

3. To control the people, knowledge was hidden from them.

3) The angel with the golden censer

a) Revelation 8:1-6, “And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.”

b) Silence in heaven for half an hour

c) Christ is performing his last prayer on behalf of the saints

d) His prayer ascends before the throne of God

e) But after the prayer, Jesus throws his golden censer to the earth

f) Jesus is throwing the tool of his trade

g) Why?

h) Illustration:

1. Chief cook threw his apron

2. Ran out of the kitchen

3. Shouted the agonizing words, “I’m done with this job.”

4. The ushers, the waiters, and the costumers were stunned by this behavior.

5. Shortly, the manger of the restaurant came out and simply said, “Our chief cook have just quit. No service for today.”

i) But Jesus is not quitting. He is finished. And so he throws down the tool of his trade.

4) Michael shall arise

a) Daniel 12:1-2, “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”