A DAY OF NO RETURN
TEXT: REVELATION 20
VS. 11--15
INTRODUCTION: OUR SCRIPTURE TEXT TODAY SUMMARIZES THE LOST PERSON’S FATE, IN PLAIN AND SIMPLE LANGUAGE.
IT POSES A QUESTION: “WILL YOU BE IN THE BLESSED BOOK OF LIFE, OR THE BURNING LAKE OF FIRE?”(MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION YOU WILL EVER BE ASKED)
REVELATION CHAPTER 20 REVEALS THE DOOM OF THE UNBELIEVING DEAD.
1. THOSE THAT REJECTED GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION AND DIED LOST.
2. THIS IS THE FINAL JUDGMENT(GRACE HAS EXPIRED FOREVER)V15
3. THOSE WHO’S NAMES ARE NOT FOUND IN THE “LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE” WILL BE CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE FOREVER AND EVER, TORMENTED CONTINUOUSLY AND ETERNALLY.
4. SOMEONE ONCE SAID: “AT THE END OF THE LINE, YOU ARE EITHER SANCTIFIED OR FRENCH FRIED”.
5. I PERSONALLY BELIEVE, AS TERRIBLE AS THE FIRES OF HELL AND ALL IT’S TORMENTS WILL BE** , THE WORST PART OF HELL WILL BE THE SINNER’S ABILITY TO LOOK UP TO HEAVEN AND SEE WHAT HE MISSED BY TRADING SALVATION FOR A LIFE OF UNCONFESSED SIN.
a. THE BLANK LINE WHERE HIS NAME COULD HAVE BEEN.
b. THE JOY AND BEAUTY OF HEAVEN AND ALL IT HOLDS FOR THE SAVED, REDEEMED SAINT OF GOD. (REFERENCE LUKE 16 )******
6. WHAT A SAD DAY TO FACE, A DAY OF NO RETURN.
NO RETURN TO PLEAD THEIR CASE (FOREVER LOST, FOREVER DOOMED) FOREVER SETTLED. NO LAWYER TO PLEAD YOUR CASE, NO LIBERAL JUDGE TO DECIDE IT, NO LOOPHOLES, JUST YOU AND ETERNITY FOREVER, IN THE BURNING PITTS OF HELL.
7. DAY OF NO RECONCILIATION. THE DEADLINE HAS BEEN CROSSED, THE DAY OF GRACE FOREVER GONE, FOREVER W/O GOD’S MERCY.
I. ? WHAT DOES SPIRITUALLY SEPARATED FROM GOD FOREVER MEAN? IT MEANS BEING LOST***
.(SPIRITUALLY LOST WITHOUT GOD.)
1. THERE ARE THOSE TODAY WHO MAY NOT CONSIDER THEMSELVES TO BE SAVED, RIGHTEOUS, RELIGIOUS ETC. YET THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD WITHIN THIS WORLD AND HIS PROTECTIVE AND PROVIDING HAND UPON THIS WORLD WE LIVE IN. 2 Thess 2:7-10:
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now HOLDS IT BACK will ALLOW until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
THE ONLY THING HOLDING BACK THE TOTAL DEPRAVITY OF MANKIND AND THE WICKED TOTAL RUIN OF SATAN IS THE HAND OF GOD***
(A) ALL ARE BORN INTO THIS WORLD UNDER THE CONDEMNATION OF SIN. ROMANS 3:23, PSALM 51, JOHN 3:18***
1. EVERY PERSON ALIVE IS ONE HEARTBEAT AWAY FROM DEATH AND THEREFORE ONE HEARTBEAT AWAY FROM ETERNITY.
2. YOU CAN BE IN THIS WORLD ONE SECOND, AND FACING ETERNITY THE NEXT. ( ABOUT AS SERIOUS AS IT CAN GET)****
(B) ALL WHO ARE LOST ARE UNDER THE WRATH OF GOD.
John 3:36
6 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him."
REMAINS>> (ABIDES, KJV) PRESENT TENSE, NOW IN EFFECT.
( C) ALL WHO ARE LOST ARE UNDER THE CURSE OF GOD.
Gal 3:10-11
10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."
NIV
1. THE LAW CANNOT SAVE YOU (NOT THAT YOU COULD KEEP IT**)
2. THE LAW CANNOT KEEP YOU. ONLY THE GRACE OF GOD****
3. AS A LOST SINNER, MAN BY NATURE IS BORN IN SIN, A CHILD OF WRATH, AND UNTIL HE COMES UNDER CONDEMNATION (REALIZES HE IS A LOST, HELL BOUND SINNER) AND BECOMES A BELIEVER IN CHRIST, THEN THE WRATH OF GOD WILL CONTINUE UPON HIM.
(HANG OVER HIM, BECAUSE HE IS UNPARDONED, AND CONDEMNED TO PERISH IN HELL.)
II. SOME REASONS WHY ALL ARE LOST WHO HAVE NOT ACCEPTED CHRIST AS SAVIOR.
(A) WE ARE SINNERS BY NATURE.
Eph 2:3-6
. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved.
AGAIN, THE PSALMIST SAID: “I WAS BORN IN SIN”
1. TODDLER>> MISCHIEF IN HIS EYES, CRIES TO GET HIS WAY ETC.
3. 3 YEARS OLD>> COLORS ON THE WALL ETC. (NATURAL)
4. 10 YEARS OLD >> STEALS COOKIES FROM THE COOKIE JAR ETC.
5. 16 YEARS OLD>> SKIP SCHOOL, DRINK BEER, SMOKE POT, CURSE
(FOLLOWS THE NATURE OF THE FLESH TO WILLFULLY SIN)
6. UNLESS HE IS CONVICTED OF HIS SIN, THESE NATURAL TRAITS OF SINFUL FLESH WILL FOLLOW HIM TO HIS GRAVE.
7. UNLESS HE HAS A CHANGE OF SPIRITUAL NATURE (GETS SAVED) HE IS DOOMED TO AN ETERNAL LIFE IN HELL THAT WE READ ABOUT IN OUT TEXT.
(B) PEOPLE ARE LOST BECAUSE THEY REFUSE GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION.
1. ???PREACHER: HOW CAN A LOVING GOD OF MERCY DO THAT TO
ME?
2. HE DOESN’T!!!!! John 3:17-19:
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
(C) MAN CONDEMNS HIMSELF TO HELL BY REFUSING TO BELIEVE ON JESUS FOR SALVATION.
1. MAN REFUSES TO ACCEPT “GOD’S WAY” AND CHOOSES “HIS OWN WAY”
2. THIS WAS THE FIRST SIN BY MANKIND (ADAM AND EVE)
3. EVE WAS SEDUCED INTO SIN BY THE DEVIL AND ADAM WILLFULLY SINNED BY JOINING IN WITH HER.
4. BOTH BROKE THE “RULES”
5. GOD HAD GIVEN THEM ALL THEY NEEDED, BUT THEY INSISTED ON HAVING IT THEIR WAY.
6. MAN’S ONLY HOPE TO BE RE-CONNECTED SPIRITUALLY TO GOD IS THROUGH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST WHO PAID THE SIN-DEBT THAT MAN COULD NOT PAY WHEN HE DIED ON THE CROSS, PRESENTING HIS BLOOD AS ATONEMENT FOR THE SIN OF MAN.
7. WHEN WE REPENT OF OUR SIN AND ACCEPT THE PLAN OF SALVATION, IT NULLIFIES THAT SPIRITUAL DEATH AND ALLOWS US TO BECOME A CHILD OF GOD, THROUGH GOD’S MERCY AND GRACE, DESPITE OUR PAST SINS, WE BECOME NEWBORN CREATURES IN CHRIST.
III. SOME REASONS WHY PEOPLE DIE LOST, AND SPEND ETERNITY IN HELL.
(A) PEOPLE ARE LOST BECAUSE THEY FAIL TO HEED THE WAY.
1. LUKE 15: STORY OF THE PRODIGAL SON. (failed to heed his father’s advice)
2. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER LEFT US A COMPLETE BOOK OF ADVICE ON HOW TO GET SAVED AND AVOID HELL.
3. NO ONE INTENDS TO DIE LOST AND SPEND ETERNITY IN HELL.
4. EVERY PERSON IN HELL TODAY WENT THERE WITH GOOD INTENTIONS OF GETTING SAVED ONE DAY.
5. UNFORTUNATELY THEY DIED BEFORE THEY CHOSE TO ACCEPT CHRIST.
6. THE STORY OF THE PRODIGAL HAD A HAPPY ENDING *****
(B) MANY ARE INFLUENCED BY THE LIVES OF CHRISTIANS WHO DO NOT DISPLAY CHRIST IN THEIR LIVES.
1. DISCORD IN THE CHURCH, BACKSLIDDEN CHRISTIANS, DEAD CHURCHES. ETC.
CONCLUSION: LOST FOLKS: DAY OF NO RETURN COMING.
SAVED FOLKS: WHAT KIND OF EXAMPLE ARE WE SETTING?
