1/14/07 WHEN YOU ARE TOO OLD TO GO TO HEAVEN
TEXT: LUKE
CH. 13 VS. 22--28
INTRODUCTION: YOU COULD CALL THIS A CONTROVERSIAL SERMON. SOME WOULD ARGUE WITH THE TITLE.
CERTAINLY, GOD LEFT THE DOOR OPEN FOR “WHOSOEVER WILL”
BUT HE KNEW THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME THAT WOULD NOT ENTER IN BECAUSE THEY CHOSE NOT TO. HE KNEW THAT MANY WOULD FOLLOW THEIR OWN PERNICIOUS WAYS AND BECAUSE OF THEIR SELFISHNESS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ENTER INTO HEAVEN.
1. JESUS HAD TAUGHT ABOUT THE GOOD SHEPHERD WHO WOULD LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS SHEEP, THE PHARISEES WERE DIVIDED IN THEIR OPINION OF CHRIST, SOME SAID HE HAD A DEVIL, OTHERS THOUGHT HE WAS INSANE, STILL OTHERS WERE UNCERTAIN. MANY IN THE TEMPLE WANTED TO KNOW IF HE WAS THE CHRIST, WHEN HE SAID “I AND THE FATHER ARE ONE” THEY TOOK UP STONES TO STONE HIM********
JESUS ELUDED THEIR ATTEMPT TO STONE HIM, VANISHING OUT OF THEIR SIGHT.**********
2. AS JESUS BEGAN TO TEACH THEM, THE DISCIPLES REALIZED THAT HIS TEACHING WAS IN DIRECT CONTRAST FROM WHAT THE PHARISEES BELIEVED.
3. THERE ARE STILL MANY TODAY WHO WILL TAKE THE WORD OF MAN’S “HOMEMADE GOSPEL” OVER THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD.
3. ONE OF HIS FOLLOWERS ASK HIM THIS QUESTION: “LORD, ARE THERE JUST A FEW WHO WILL BE SAVED?”
4. LET ME SHARE WITH YOU THE ANSWER HE GAVE. “STRIVE TO ENTER IN THROUGH THE STRAIGHT (NARROW) GATE. FOR MANY WILL SEEK TO ENTER IN BUT WILL BE UNABLE TO.
5. MANY WILL BE UNABLE TO ENTER IN. LET’S LOOK TO GOD’S WORD TO FIND OUT WHO AND WHY.
I. THE DOORWAY TO SALVATION IS VERY NARROW.
(A) MATHEW 7: VS 13--14>>ENTER IN AT THE STRAIGHT GATE (NARROW) FOR WIDE IS THE GATE AND BROAD IS THE WAY THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION AND MANY WILL GO IN THROUGH THAT GATE. NARROW IS THE WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS.
FEW FIND IT WHILE MANY RUSH MADLY THROUGH THE WIDE GATE OF DESTRUCTION, INTO THE PITTS OF HELL. HERE WE FIND AN EASY VERY ACCESSIBLE DOOR THAT BECKONS TO THE WORLDLY CROWD AND FOSTERS POPULARITY.
(B) JOHN 10; vs 1>VERILY VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU HE THAT ENTERS NOT BY THE DOOR (THIS DOOR) INTO THE SHEEPFOLD (FAMILY OF GOD) BUT CLIMBS UP SOME OTHER WAY, THE SAME IS A THIEF AND A ROBBER.
JESUS SAID IN JOHN 10: VS 7--9>> I AM THE DOOR OF THE SHEEP
(SHEPHERD ILLUSTRATION) (8) ALL THAT EVER CAME BEFORE ME ARE THIEVES AND ROBBERS AND THE SHEEP DID NOT HEAR THEM.**
(9) I AM THE DOOR. BY ME IF ANY MAN ENTERS IN HE SHALL BE SAVED.
(C) THE WAY OF SALVATION IS EXTREMELY SPECIFIC. NOT ALL ROADS LEAD TO HEAVEN.
1. THEOLOGICAL WORLD SAY ANY ROAD WILL GET YOU THERE, ANY WAY WILL GET YOU THERE. ONE WAY IS GOOD AS ANOTHER.
IS IT? LETS LOOK TO GOD’S WORD FOR THAT ANSWER::
1. PROVERBS 16: 25 SAYS THERE IS A WAY THAT SEEMS RIGHT TO MAN BUT THE END IS THE WAY OF DEATH (WAGES OF SIN)
2. JOHN 14: 6>> JESUS SAID “ I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH THE LIFE. NO MAN COMES TO THE FATHER BUT BY ME.********
3. ACTS 4:12:>> NEITHER IS THERE SALVATION IN ANY OTHER, FOR THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN, WHEREBY WE MUST BE SAVED.
NO EXCEPTION, NO SUBSTITUTE, IT ANSWERS ALL QUESTIONS.
NOT BY DEEDS***, DOCTRINE ***, FAMILY ASSOCIATION*** BUT BY AND THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS.
II. NOT EVERYONE CAN BE SAVED OR GO TO HEAVEN.
THE WORLD TEACHES THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF THIS.
(A) THOSE WHO TRUST IN THEIR OWN GOODNESS CANNOT GO TO HEAVEN. (AM I BEING JUDGMENTAL? NO, I’M TELLING YOU WHAT THE JUDGE SAID.)
MATHEW 5: VS 20>> FOR I(JESUS) SAY UNTO YOU: THAT EXCEPT YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL EXCEED THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, YOU SHALL IN NO CASE ENTER INTO HEAVEN.
1. LET’S BREAK IT DOWN TO COUNTRY LANGUAGE!!!
Unless you are more righteous than the scribes and Pharisees, you won’t get in.
2. THE PHARISEES THOUGHT THEY HAD A FRONT ROW SEAT IN HEAVEN BECAUSE THEY WERE THE DESCENDENTS OF ABRAHAM.
(EXPLAIN)
3. IF YOU BASE YOUR SALVATION ON KNOWLEDGE***, ON YOUR INTENTIONS,*** ON YOUR HERITAGE***
4. FOLKS SAY: “ I KNOW WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS BUT........
???? BUT WHAT???? THE WORD OF GOD IS AS AUTHORITIVE AS IT GETS. (NO HIGHER AUTHORITY)
JOHN 3:18>> HE THAT BELIEVETH UPON HIM (JESUS)IS NOT CONDEMNED; BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, BECAUSE HE HAS NOT BELIEVED IN THE NAME OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD.
5. HERE IS THE TRUTH, WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH!!!! (JOHN 3:16__18 GIVES YOU THE GOSPEL IN A NUTSHELL) IT GIVES YOU THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTERING HEAVEN.
LUKE 13:3: IF YOU DO NOT REPENT YOU WILL PERISH!!!!
REPENTANCE PRECEDES FORGIVENESS, AND FORGIVENESS CONSTITUTES SALVATION.
IT DOES NOT MATTER IF A PERSON IS AN ARROGANT PAGAN IDOLATER OR A PROUD, IGNORANT PHARISEE, THEY BOTH ARE LOST.
NEITHER HAS ENTERED INTO THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW WAY OF SALVATION THROUGH JESUS. ARROGANCE OR IGNORANCE???***
(B) THOSE WHO DO NOT HUMBLE THEMSELVES CANNOT GO TO HEAVEN.
MATHEW 18: 3>> EXCEPT YOU BE CONVERTED, AND BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN, YOU SHALL NOT ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
1. HERE IS A PROFOUND STATEMENT.
2. CONVERTED, SAVED, BELIEVE UPON THE FINISHED WORK OF THE CROSS. BELIEVE WHOLLY UPON THE NAME OF JESUS*** AND BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN (HAVE A CHILDLIKE FAITH)
3. LITTLE CHILDREN WILL BELIEVE MOST ANYTHING ADULTS OR SOMEONE OF AUTHORITY WILL TELL THEM
(EXAMPLE: FLY A KITE TO THE MOON AND BRING BACK SOME GREEN CHEESE.)
(USE 2ndCHILDHOOD ILLUSTRATION, HAIR TEETH, TEMPER)
HEBREWS 11;1>> FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR, THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS UNSEEN.
FAITH IS BELIEVING WHAT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE*****
FAITH IS BELIEVING EVEN WHEN IT DON’T MAKE SENSE
THAT IS CHILDLIKE FAITH.
(C) JESUS SAID STRIVE, (AGONIZE, STRUGGLE, EXERT TO THE FULLEST) TO ENTER INTO THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW DOOR.
(D) JESUS SAID IN MATHEW 16: IF ANY MAN WILL FOLLOW ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS AND FOLLOW ME, FOR WHOSOEVER WILL SAVE HIS LIFE SHALL LOSE IT BUT WHOSOEVER SHALL LOSE HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE SHALL FIND IT.
CONCLUSION: ALL WHO DO NOT ACCEPT CHRIST CANNOT GO TO HEAVEN. JESUS SAID IN JOHN CHAPTER 3: “YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN.
ARE YOU ON YOUR WAY TO HEAVEN TODAY? OR HAVE YOU BY YOUR OWN FREE WILL CHOSEN TO GO THE OTHER WAY?
SALVATION IS AVAILABLE TODAY TO WHO SO EVER WILL.
