Hellfire and damnation…is not about some kook running around and yelling about the Bible!
I like to think of it as the dispensation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as it must be given: Straightforward, honest, thought provoking and yes, at times─difficult for all to deal with. The essence of this sort of preaching is one of calling SIN by its real name: SIN!
Far too many preachers and ministers now days are looking to speak to the “enjoyment” and “passivity” of their congregations, so that everyone “feels good” about the sermon. They go home to eat their Sunday lunch and continue on through the week, never remembering the sermon or the Scriptures used, which ARE the very Words from God’s mouth to our ears — when we all KNOW we should be on our knees and humbly seeking the Lord!
Sitting in some west Texas town, at a tent revival, a gospel revival─which everyone KNOWS is so needed these days — is in the frame of mind with which we should try to see ourselves. A revival of any form is needed in these dark days, just before the advent of the Rapture of the church of Jesus Christ!
“And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
And Jesus said unto him, “This day is salvation come to this house, for so much as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”.
And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear” (Luke 19:8-11, empasis added).
A very concerned preacher asks his congregation:
“Brothers and sisters in Christ, I must ask: When you go to church, do you bring at least one unsaved friend with you? The Bible expressly asks us to seek out the unsaved, all those who are lost─as we walk in the Lord every day!
Of course we all know that the Lord is the only one who can save anyone, but if the unsaved never walk through the doors of the church, how do you expect them to hear the Word of God?
Are you actively preaching and teaching the Scriptures of our Lord and Savior…to others? If not, then how are they ever going to hear the name of Jesus Christ?
How are they ever going to be “convicted” by the Holy Spirit of their SIN — when they have never heard the Word of God or of HIS love for them or their destiny in hell — if they refuse to listen?
Brothers and sisters in Christ…do you realize there is no other way to eternal life than to receive the blood of Jesus Christ from HIS cross at Calvary!! You must be about your Father’s business! Is this not how Jesus Christ began, HIS ministry? Exactly when are you going to start YOURS?
Oh yes…you have so many other things you must take care of, like children or a needy husband, the house is filthy or no one is around to do the lawn…am I right?
How insensitive of me to forget about these…needful things!
God goes to the effort to create you and me, so then HE must know our needs, correct?
HE takes the time to come here to this planet that HE created, is tortured and then crucified─probably the most horrible of ways to die yet we have needs to be met that are more important than HIM!
‘Well…I have this job and all and I am so busy providing for my family, so…you see how it is!’
Yes indeed I do! I am able to see that you could care less about your eternal home. TODAY…is so all-fired important!! Am I right? Go ahead and keep thinking this way and you will most definitely end up in hellfire!!”
‘Well…now pastor! That is NOT very nice of you, to come here and condemn me like that when I am doing the very best that I know how to do! I tithe and I sit here and listen to everything that is said! And then I try and live a good and righteous life…so that’s not very nice of you at all!!’
I am not trying to be nice here!! I am trying to get it through your thick head that IF…you don’t receive Jesus Christ into your heart…IF…you keep going the direction you are, you will surely die in your SIN!! You will SURELY end up in HELL!!! And that’s NOT for a day or so…IT’S FOR ETERNITY!!!”
‘Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me’ (John 14:6).
I’m sorry, but when I read that verse I am never able to see all the “buts!” As a matter of fact, I don’t see a single one! That being the case, it is evident that your commitment to GOD be the same, with…NO “BUTS!”
It is by grace…that you receive that next breathe of air! It is by grace…God’s love…that you get that next meal you eat! It is by grace…God’s love for you…that you have the opportunity to sit here!
And now you’re sitting here squemming and sqaullering because of your “BUTS”…instead of giving your heart, soul and spirit to the ONE and only person that has ever done anything…for you?! Go ahead…tell me I’m crazy!!!
The message that the Lord gives us everyday…is SIMPLE! HE stands at the door of our heart and knocks…ANSWER IT!!
HE wants to save you by cleansing you of your SIN…
LET HIM…
Better yet…ASK HIM TO….PLEAD FOR HIM TO…
BEG, BORROW OR STEAL…WHATEVER!!!
GET SAVED NOW…BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE…BEFORE…YOU DIE!!
If you miss that opportunity, you will suffer worse than you can ever imagine for all of eternity!! Once you die, there is no backing up…there is no doing it over again…there is no free pass… you already had your chance…AND YOU BLEW IT!! WELCOME TO HELLFIRE, FRIEND!!!
Me, standing up here and telling you about Jesus Christ…ain’t gonna get you in the door of heaven! Passing through the doors of a church…ain’t gonna get you into heaven! Sitting in the pew or singing all the hymns, doing all the good works around the church…ain’t gonna get you into heaven!!
Brothers and sisters…YOU MUST ask Jesus Christ into your hearts!! YOU MUST ask Jesus Christ to cleanse you of YOUR SIN!!! You MUST leave that old self, your past life person…nailed to the cross of Calvary!!!
THERE IS NO OTHER WAY!! Let me put it this way for ya…IT IS HIS WAY….OR IT IS THE HIGHWAY…TO HELL!!!
And that’s the name of that tune, friend!! Let’s go before the Father in prayer:
Father in heaven…we humbly come before you, filthy and broken though we may be. We know you love us and that we need YOU to cleanse us and make us whole Father. We humbly ask, Father that you convict our hearts of our SIN!! Father, we want to thank you for all your blessings; clean water, good food, friends and family that love us! Most of all Father…we thank you for your sacrifice on the cross of Calvary, Father…for your Son’s blood sacrifice that we may have heaven for eternity with you…In Jesus’ precious name and for your honor and glory Father…AMEN!”
And all God’s people said AMEN!
Jesus Christ is the ONLY way…EVER!!!