You are in a journey with Jesus Christ but there's always some choices we can make. There is a gate at the end of this journey. Jesus said that the road is not easy to follow and we will be tempted to take other roads.
Matthew 7:13 (NLT)
You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way
But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.
Today's message is intended to give you directions to the gate of life and a warning about the wrong roads you may be tempted to follow.
Revelation 21
6 And he said to me , “It is done ! I am the Alpha and the Omega , the beginning and the end . To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment .
7 The one who conquers will have this heritage and I will be his God and he will be my son .
8 But as for the cowardly , the faithless , the detestable , as for murderers , the sexually immoral , sorcerers , idolaters , and all liars , their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur , which is the second death .”
This passage of scripture from the book of Revelation gives us the goods news first and then the bad news. The good news is that God is a spring to the thirsty and that there is a tremendous heritage. The second part of the verse is not very pleasant however it is written for our own good. There is a growing number of Christians that say that hell doesn't exist and that God will not punish anyone because he is a loving God. I like to listen to everyones opinions but long time ago when I was born again I decided to put aside my ideas and the things I've learned from the world around me and asked God to teach me to walk in His ways. Let me tell you that the Bible is the Supreme authority concerning everything that pertains to life, eternity and is the Spiritual truth that can set us free.
The reason people don’t want the preacher to preach about hell is because it makes them think of death. We don’t like to think about cancer, but it is real. We don’t like to think about heart disease, but it is a reality. We don’t like to think of death but it happens. So Jesus has provided a way that we can live an eternity in heaven after this life. But unfortunately, there are eight people in Sandy Ridge who ignore and reject the way Jesus has provided. Let’s take a look at those eight people.
First let me tell you that this passage is addressed to people that have an aspiration to go to heaven but because of personal issues will not make it. This is not an advice to unbelievers but rather a strong warning to us Christians and Church going people.
1. THE COWARDLY
Cowards head the list of the eight people who will not make it to heaven. These are the people who don't have the courage to stand for Jesus in their workplace, their school, their family, etc. They are fearful that others may call them a fanatic, a Bible thumper and a Christian. But you listen; Jesus suffered the name calling for you and me and never had a second thought. He loved you and gave His life for you. What are you willing to give for the Lord? Will you cowardly hide your faith because you are afraid of loosing some friends?
2. THE FAITHLESS
Now I am not only talking about those who do not believe the Bible but also those who have never committed their life to Jesus. A faithless person is one that doesn't make use of their faith and eventually they loose it. Faith is the substance of things we hope for and the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).
A faithless person is always negative and constantly questioning and doubting things and other people. Do you have faith? Show me your faith by your works!
3. THE DETESTABLE
Now what does that word mean? Those who live only for the lust of the flesh and their own selfish desires. The greek word here means "those that stink". Do you know any "stinky people"? It's a category of people that like to make life miserable for themselves and for others around them.
THE MURDERERS
You might say that leaves me out because I have never killed anyone. But you know Jesus said if you hate a man in your heart, then you have committed murder in your heart. Jesus was talking about inward murder, that you hate someone enough that you would like to see them dead. God is love and he wants us to be forgiving. When Jesus was being killed at the Cross he said "Father forgive them for they don't know what they are doing!" Do you know if the soldiers that killed Christ are in hell? I personally believe that some if not all where saved just because of that simple prayer... There is hope for the murderer but if you say you love your brother and you show attitudes of hate you fall into this category.
5. THE SEXUALLY IMMORAL
Who are these people? This refers to those who are unfaithful to their marriage vows. The Bible says if a person looks upon another with lust in their heart, then inwardly he or she has already committed adultery in their heart. Adultery, sex before marriage, affairs, homosexuality, pornography, child molestation, incest, rape. All of the above are pointed as sexual immorality. The World might say that it's OK to do it, Hollywood does it and promotes it, TV shows it hundreds of times every day. Laws say that gay marriage is acceptable. This is the pattern of the World we live in but God has a different pattern wish is high and above what man and society dictated. The choice is yours. Heaven is a place where you go by God's invitation and he dictates the "dress code". If you don't comply you will not make it.
THE SORCERERS
The word of God says all sorcerers have their part in the Lake of fire. The sorcerers are not only those who deal in demon worship. Sorcery or witchcraft is a spiritual action that has the intention to CONTROL the life of others around you. There is something done even in some Churches that I call charismatic witchcraft. When a Church leader tries to control others by fear, by distortions of the Bible and religious rules it falls into the category of a sorcerer. Also people that follow New Age and Oriental philosophies that deny Jesus Christ.
7. THE IDOLATERS
The idolater is one that bows down to the things of the world. The greatest idol is themselves. Idolaters want to do their own thing. They love the things of the world. They are earth dwellers. They have planted their feet here on the Earth and they will go down with it. You can make an idol out of anything. An idol is anything that keeps you from Jesus and what he wants you to do. The most well known form of idolatry is the religious idolatry that is manifested when a person bows down to an image of a god but Biblical idolatry refers to those things that you worship, instead of God. If your children are more important than God this is a form of idolatry.
8. THE LIARS
There are many forms of lying. Let us divide it in two categories, first lies you tell to others, second lies that you tell to yourself. What is the truth? The truth is not a human concept but it's a Divine Revelation. Jesus said, "and you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." How can you know the truth? Only by Divine revelation. A liar is a person that deceives others and himself. You can choose between truth or lie. Jesus said that the Devil is the father of all lies and that a sign of devilish fatherhood consists in rejecting the truth of the gospel.
I WOULD LIKE TO FINISH WITH SOME GOOD NEWS
First I want you to “realize that everything you say is being recorded.”
Matthew 12:36-37
36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
Matthew 10:26
26 So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
I don’t mean that Big Brother is watching. I mean that God in heaven misses nothing. And Jesus tells us here that we are accountable for every word that we say.
If you’ve been in a room and had someone pull out a cassette recorder or a video recorder, you know that you act differently when you know that you’re being recorded. Any lawyer can tell you that people answer questions differently when they know the stenographer is recording every word they say for the court record. We need to realize that we are also being “recorded” as God watches over us and notices our words.
We will not be judged by men but we will be surely judged by God. Many people hide their real self from others but there is a record of what you say and do and one day you will be accountable to God.
Luke 18:10-13
10 “ Two men went up into the temple to pray , one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector . 11 The Pharisee , standing by himself , prayed thus : ‘ God , I thank you that I am not like other men , extortioners , unjust , adulterers , or even like this tax collector . 12 I fast twice a week ; I give tithes of all that I get .’ 13 But the tax collector , standing far off , would not even lift up his eyes to heaven , but beat his breast , saying , ‘ God , be merciful to me , a sinner !’ 14 I tell you , this man went down to his house justified , rather than the other . For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled , but the one who humbles himself will be exalted
Notice that the Pharisee was able to see the eight sins in the lives of those around him but his spiritual arrogance wouldn't allow him to do a simple prayer of repentance.
So what shall we do? We need to humble ourselves before the Lord and do the simple prayer of that tax collector, ‘ God , be merciful to me , a sinner !’
1 John 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Let us finish by doing this prayer!
