The Day the Lutheran Preacher Stunned His Congregation

When I was about 14, my Lutheran Pastor preached a sermon.

That is a statement because most of the time, he gave little inspirational sermonettes.  A softly spoken, feel good, 15-minute talk designed to tell me how much God loved me and how secure I was in my position in Christ.  It was a comfortable and affirming message; promptly forgotten over Sunday lunch at the Ryan's all you can eat salad bar.  This message was different; decades later his words still ring true.

Our mild-mannered servant Pastor from the Mid-West lit into his complacent suburban congregation like a sweaty tent preacher.  Stunned and wide-eyed, nobody moved.  He convicted us for leaving the work of the church to him and to him alone.  He visited the sick, he led the Bible study, he organized the food drives, he did the counseling, he did it all and we let him.  

Being 14, I felt sorry for what he was going through, but I was a kid, I was not supposed to do those things.  That was for the adults to do, then he hit me right between the eyes with this question:

"When was the last time you told someone about Christ?"

I squirmed, I shifted - I could not recall ever directly witnessing to anyone.  Apparently, I was not alone.  Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, estimates that only 2% of Christians actively share their faith.  There are a myriad of reasons why and each believer needs to examine their own heart but at 14, I was afraid of rejection by my peers.  I was afraid to be labeled as a crazy Christian, I was not brave enough.

Over the years, I began to understand that witnessing to someone is the most sacred and loving thing you can do for them.  It takes courage.  The alternative though is to leave hurting people without hope.  To let people grieve without Christ, to face an uncertain future without eternal salvation, to risk tomorrow without the protection of the cross.  How much of a coward do you have to be to let someone you love face eternal damnation in Hell and not tell them?

Praying with the Hurting

Every encounter is different, each circumstance calls for a Holy Spirit inspired approach.  Sometimes evangelism is logical and fact based, others times it may call for discussions that are reasoned and scientific.  Some simply need to hear that there is hope in Jesus Christ and hear of His love, some need to know there is a cleansing from their sin.  Others need comfort when a loved one has died, some need to be shocked by the reality of hell. 

Cowards and fools think that all Evangelism is street corner preachers screaming at people that they are going to hell.  Do not let the judgment of cowards and fools keep you from telling others about Christ.  Be the 2%.

Downward Spiral to Judgement

The break neck speed of world events is beyond the comprehension of man.  The acceleration, since the last Blood Moon is staggering and those with eyes to see are dizzy with the warning of it.  Like an evil funnel, the closer we get to the bottom the faster the time between catastrophes and the severity thereof.  Let no man deceive you, we are on the precipice of judgement.

Downward Spiral of World Events

For the born again believer, these are exciting times for they signal the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ.  These are fearsome times for the rest of humanity; right at the door, destruction draws nigh.  This downward spiral is a warning, a harbinger of judgement that will befall the world, and individual man.

God is merciful and it is His wish that no one should perish that all would come to faith in His Son and have ever lasting life but I have to tell you that He is also a God of utter righteousness.  He is fearsome to behold, He is a God of Wrath, and a perfect Judge.  In the Days of the Gospel of Love we have failed to understand or to teach that falling into the hands of the Living God without the covering of the Son's Blood is a terrible thing.

We have failed to tell unbelievers that they are enemies of God (Romans 5:10) and we fail to tell them that their eternal fate is choosing to send themselves to Hell.  In our desire to woo them into the Kingdom we neglect the Outer Darkness, we have to warn not just woo.

The Gateway to Hell - Millennium Bible Study Part 9

Abigail and Dolley readers we just don't hear about Hell much anymore at least not from a Biblical perspective.  Hollywood produces tons of demonic and satanic "epic battle" films.  A recent example is the Seventh Son, released in February 2015.  It is about a portal opening and evil coming out in at the red moon.  We've been inundated with movies that give a glimpse of things to come, after all, when the world goes crazy, people will remember the plots they saw in movies and readily accept the new reality.  From Aliens, to Zombies, to Shape Shifters, to Super Humans, to the Apocalypse the world has been fed a steady diet of Hell on Earth.  There is coming a time, when there will indeed be Hell on Earth and people will readily receive the lies.

Hell is a real place, Jesus told the story of the rich man and Lazarus which is the most straight forward presentation of Hell in the Scriptures.  The basics of Hell are thus:  Prior to the cross, there was a Paradise section of Sheol where the righteous abide until Christ, after His death, went and got the Old Testament Saints and took them to Heaven leaving the Paradise section empty.  There is a torment section of Sheol (Hades/Hell) where the unrighteous and the wicked remain today.  Every unbeliever that has ever died  has consigned themselves to this place of fire, sulfur, and eternal damnation. At the end of the Millennium, at the Great White Throne Judgement, Hades will give up its dead and all will face the final judgement.  Those not found in the Lamb's book of life will be cast forever into the Lake of Fire.

During the Millennium, there will be a literal gateway to Hell where men will look upon those who have transgressed against the Lord.  Isaiah 66:22-24 "For just as the new heavens and the new earth Which I make will endure before Me," declares the LORD, "So your offspring and your name will endure. And it shall be from new moon to new moon And from sabbath to sabbath, All mankind will come to bow down before Me," says the LORD. "Then they will go forth and look On the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm will not die And their fire will not be quenched; And they will be an abhorrence to all mankind."

You do not have to go there, you can repent of your sins and accept Christ today.  I beg of you, do not send yourself to this terrible place!