0:00:14.518,0:00:16.931 We boldly approach... 0:00:16.931,0:00:19.421 Father, You promised the Holy Spirit 0:00:19.421,0:00:21.315 to them that ask. 0:00:21.315,0:00:23.747 We know that the Spirit has come 0:00:23.747,0:00:26.104 into this world to glorify Christ. 0:00:26.104,0:00:27.433 That's what we want. 0:00:27.433,0:00:30.505 Lord, give us the Spirit, we pray. 0:00:30.535,0:00:33.396 Give Him. As You've said for us to pray. 0:00:33.396,0:00:35.649 We ask. 0:00:35.649,0:00:37.602 And Lord, we pray that we might have the Spirit 0:00:37.602,0:00:39.460 that we would bring forth greater 0:00:39.460,0:00:41.372 glory to Christ in the year ahead. 0:00:41.372,0:00:42.652 Whatever it is. 0:00:42.652,0:00:44.551 Whether it's in mission, whether it's in evangelism, 0:00:44.551,0:00:45.805 whether it's in any type of outreach, 0:00:45.805,0:00:46.959 whether it's in benevolence, 0:00:46.959,0:00:49.623 whether it's in the love right here among ourselves, 0:00:49.623,0:00:52.976 whether it's in our worship, whether it's in our singing, 0:00:52.976,0:00:54.785 whatever it is, we pray that the Spirit of God 0:00:54.785,0:00:57.337 would be unleashed upon the east side of 0:00:57.337,0:01:01.068 San Antonio, that Christ might have all the glory. 0:01:01.068,0:01:05.543 That these old refuges of demons out in these streets, 0:01:05.543,0:01:08.782 that all these old places, broken down walls, 0:01:08.782,0:01:11.280 that we may be the repairer of the breach, 0:01:11.280,0:01:14.398 restorers of streets to be dwelt among. 0:01:14.398,0:01:16.872 Lord, we pray that Christ would be honored, 0:01:16.872,0:01:18.624 that He would be magnified. 0:01:18.624,0:01:22.416 If Christ would not be honored, then tear this church apart. 0:01:22.416,0:01:24.676 Cast it out to the winds. 0:01:24.676,0:01:28.007 But Lord, if You would be so pleased to cause 0:01:28.007,0:01:31.283 that candlestick to burn bright here for one more year, 0:01:31.283,0:01:34.189 Lord, that it would emanate with the beauties of Christ, 0:01:34.189,0:01:36.673 with the fragrance of Christ, with the light, 0:01:36.673,0:01:39.734 the beaming light and fire, 0:01:39.734,0:01:42.984 may it shine forth, Lord. 0:01:42.984,0:01:46.256 Father, You have been so good to us. 0:01:46.256,0:01:49.367 For Christ's sake, You have been good to us. 0:01:49.367,0:01:50.823 We know it. 0:01:50.823,0:01:54.678 We would be lying, we would be blind if we said otherwise. 0:01:54.678,0:01:56.961 Lord, You have been good to us. 0:01:56.961,0:02:00.677 Please Lord, show Your goodness to us today as well. 0:02:00.677,0:02:02.419 In Christ's name we pray, Amen. 0:02:02.419,0:02:07.077 Ok, quickly, on with our text. 0:02:07.077,0:02:08.360 Romans 10. 0:02:08.360,0:02:11.285 I want to read five verses to you this morning. 0:02:11.285,0:02:20.125 Romans 10:9-13 0:02:20.125,0:02:23.025 Romans 10:9 0:02:23.025,0:02:26.645 "If you confess with your mouth, 0:02:26.645,0:02:29.810 that Jesus is Lord." 0:02:29.810,0:02:32.723 Now remember, Christ says this: 0:02:32.723,0:02:35.393 What comes out of the mouth is 0:02:35.393,0:02:39.057 an indication of what is in the heart. 0:02:39.057,0:02:41.212 Now that's not to say that people 0:02:41.212,0:02:44.454 can't just say the words, "Jesus is Lord." 0:02:44.454,0:02:47.544 That's not what confession is. 0:02:47.544,0:02:51.116 Confession is saying, "Jesus is Lord," 0:02:51.116,0:02:54.452 maybe even more so by your actions sometimes. 0:02:54.452,0:02:56.037 Remember what Scripture says, 0:02:56.037,0:02:59.248 "by their works," (this is found in Titus) 0:02:59.248,0:03:02.251 "by their works they deny Him." 0:03:02.251,0:03:04.168 You can say one thing and by your works 0:03:04.168,0:03:06.203 deny what you say. 0:03:06.203,0:03:09.751 So just confessing Jesus as Lord doesn't save you. 0:03:09.751,0:03:14.997 It's that belief from the heart that wells up 0:03:14.997,0:03:19.267 in a confession through words, through life. 0:03:19.267,0:03:21.409 It's when you're in the family, 0:03:21.409,0:03:24.856 and they are telling you to close your mouth, 0:03:24.856,0:03:26.420 we don't want to hear that. 0:03:26.420,0:03:29.474 But you're going to confess Christ as Lord. 0:03:29.474,0:03:32.144 It's in the workplace, where they say, "we don't want any of that." 0:03:32.144,0:03:34.537 "Away with your Christ. Away with your Christianity." 0:03:34.537,0:03:37.003 "Away with your religion. We don't want it." 0:03:37.003,0:03:39.523 But you confess it there when it's hard. 0:03:39.523,0:03:40.909 Some of you've heard Paul Washer say 0:03:40.909,0:03:43.922 it's when those Roman legions came down the street 0:03:43.922,0:03:46.736 and they said, ok, offer up your little tax, 0:03:46.736,0:03:50.426 offer up your little worship to Ceasar. 0:03:50.426,0:03:53.285 And the Christians would say, "Jesus is Lord." 0:03:53.285,0:03:55.225 Not Ceasar, Jesus. 0:03:55.225,0:03:56.885 And it would cost them. 0:03:56.885,0:03:57.923 And that's the idea. 0:03:57.923,0:03:59.271 It's confessing Him. 0:03:59.271,0:04:00.310 That's what Christ says, 0:04:00.310,0:04:03.261 "If you confess Me before men, 0:04:03.261,0:04:05.855 I will confess you before My Father." 0:04:05.855,0:04:08.353 That's the idea right there.[br] 0:04:08.353,0:04:12.024 Confessing Christ. 0:04:12.024,0:04:15.535 And you know worked into the very fabric of this 0:04:15.535,0:04:17.382 is they will not be put to shame. 0:04:17.382,0:04:19.627 You see, that's the temptation. 0:04:19.627,0:04:21.345 That's what it says there in verse 11, 0:04:21.345,0:04:22.915 "They'll not be put to shame." 0:04:22.915,0:04:24.408 Because that's the temptation. 0:04:24.408,0:04:26.408 When you're before the family, the lost family, 0:04:26.408,0:04:29.249 the world, the workplace, out there in the school, 0:04:29.249,0:04:30.428 out there in the other places, 0:04:30.428,0:04:33.622 that's the temptation. 0:04:33.622,0:04:36.630 To keep your mouth shut, and to be ashamed. 0:04:36.630,0:04:41.579 But if you confess Him as Lord, 0:04:41.579,0:04:47.092 believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, 0:04:47.092,0:04:48.617 you will be saved. 0:04:48.617,0:04:52.497 Make no doubt about it, you will be saved. 0:04:52.497,0:04:55.675 Hey, I'm not saying you just flippantly spatter off a little words, 0:04:55.675,0:04:56.675 and you say very flippantly, 0:04:56.675,0:04:58.698 "Well, I believe Jesus Christ was true, historic fact." 0:04:58.698,0:05:01.254 That's not what I'm talking about. 0:05:01.254,0:05:03.984 I'm saying if you believe truthfully in your heart, 0:05:03.984,0:05:07.218 a faith that is willing to bank all on Christ, 0:05:07.218,0:05:09.252 all your trust is there, I'm telling you this: 0:05:09.252,0:05:10.888 you will be saved. 0:05:10.888,0:05:13.469 Make no qualms about that - no argument there. 0:05:13.469,0:05:16.744 Scripture verifies it. You will be. 0:05:16.744,0:05:19.586 It's not an exception. You will be. 0:05:19.586,0:05:21.643 It's not maybe, you might be. 0:05:21.643,0:05:23.159 There's a certainty here. 0:05:23.159,0:05:26.254 For with the heart one believes. 0:05:26.254,0:05:27.831 Not just with the head. 0:05:27.831,0:05:28.985 You guys have to understand this. 0:05:28.985,0:05:32.552 Anybody can rattle off historical facts. 0:05:32.552,0:05:36.298 Now yes, our faith is based on historical facts. 0:05:36.298,0:05:40.212 But you can say those facts and not really believe them. 0:05:40.212,0:05:42.807 It's the person that's willing to cast all. 0:05:42.807,0:05:45.095 All your money. All your life. 0:05:45.095,0:05:47.954 All your time. All your family. All your children. 0:05:47.954,0:05:50.964 Your spouse. Everything. All your material possessions. 0:05:50.964,0:05:52.231 It's there. 0:05:52.231,0:05:55.098 Lord, You are Lord. It's all Yours. 0:05:55.098,0:05:57.263 I've been bought with a price. 0:05:57.263,0:06:03.142 That, and that alone, is the faith, the belief that justifies. 0:06:03.142,0:06:05.522 And with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 0:06:05.522,0:06:08.380 For the Scripture says everyone who believes in Him 0:06:08.380,0:06:10.696 will not be put to shame. 0:06:10.696,0:06:13.788 For there's no distinction between Jew and Greek. 0:06:13.788,0:06:16.124 The same Lord is Lord of all, 0:06:16.124,0:06:19.948 bestowing His riches on all who call on Him. 0:06:19.948,0:06:27.871 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 0:06:27.871,0:06:29.709 As you scan these five verses, 0:06:29.709,0:06:33.837 it ought to be apparent to you right off. 0:06:33.837,0:06:38.364 This is no discourse about predestination, 0:06:38.364,0:06:40.268 nothing here about the second coming, 0:06:40.268,0:06:43.180 this isn't about church order or gifts of the Spirit, 0:06:43.180,0:06:46.967 nothing here about the Trinity. 0:06:46.967,0:06:48.925 You know what? 0:06:48.925,0:06:52.256 If you just search the word "saved" 0:06:52.256,0:06:54.326 in your New Testaments, 0:06:54.326,0:06:56.666 you know what you'll find? 0:06:56.666,0:07:02.185 The word is not used anywhere in the Scriptures 0:07:02.185,0:07:04.161 in a more condensed fashion 0:07:04.161,0:07:06.580 than right here in these five verses. 0:07:06.580,0:07:11.550 There's nowhere in the Scriptures that the word "saved" 0:07:11.550,0:07:15.452 shows up three times in five verses. 0:07:15.452,0:07:19.895 Except here. 0:07:19.895,0:07:20.748 You know what? 0:07:20.748,0:07:22.740 Paul's dealing with one simple subject here. 0:07:22.740,0:07:25.241 You know what it is? 0:07:25.241,0:07:29.425 Being saved. 0:07:29.425,0:07:30.817 You can see it. Right? 0:07:30.817,0:07:33.453 You see the word right there at the end of verse 9? 0:07:33.453,0:07:36.403 You see it again at the end of verse 10. 0:07:36.403,0:07:39.753 You see it again at the end of the verse 13. 0:07:39.753,0:07:42.542 Ok, now everybody says, alright, we see it. 0:07:42.542,0:07:47.655 Now let's move on to something more interesting. 0:07:47.655,0:07:49.980 But hold on just a second... 0:07:49.980,0:07:51.117 let me tell you something, 0:07:51.117,0:07:54.156 the word "saved" - 0:07:54.156,0:07:57.816 there are few words associated 0:07:57.816,0:08:00.929 with Christianity more than that word. 0:08:00.929,0:08:04.044 We hear it all the time, right? 0:08:04.044,0:08:06.339 I mean how many of you have not heard that 0:08:06.339,0:08:12.809 quaint, little expression, "Jesus saves"? 0:08:12.809,0:08:14.795 You've seen it on bumper stickers, 0:08:14.795,0:08:16.995 you've probably seen it on billboards, 0:08:16.995,0:08:20.136 you've seen it at ballgames. 0:08:20.136,0:08:22.916 You don't see it so much anymore at ballgames. 0:08:22.916,0:08:25.221 You don't see John 3:16 in the end zone anymore. 0:08:25.221,0:08:26.913 What happened to that?[br] 0:08:26.913,0:08:28.703 I guess people going to football games 0:08:28.703,0:08:32.213 are more pagan now than ever, right? 0:08:32.213,0:08:35.574 The beer drinkers probably threw a few bottles, 0:08:35.574,0:08:40.842 and they realized they weren't welcome there. 0:08:40.842,0:08:43.039 Let me tell you something, 0:08:43.039,0:08:45.162 people love to talk that way. 0:08:45.162,0:08:46.529 "Oh, I'm saved!" 0:08:46.529,0:08:47.904 "I got saved when I was three." 0:08:47.904,0:08:50.989 "I was baptized. I got saved." 0:08:50.989,0:08:52.858 People love to throw that term around. 0:08:52.858,0:08:54.809 Saved, saved, saved. 0:08:54.809,0:08:55.796 We hear it a lot. 0:08:55.796,0:08:57.951 People walk in here, "Are you saved?" 0:08:57.951,0:08:59.868 "Oh yeah, I'm saved." 0:08:59.868,0:09:02.984 They're not saved, but they say they are. 0:09:02.984,0:09:05.425 Because they haven't bowed the knee to Christ. 0:09:05.425,0:09:08.134 There's no confession of His Lordship in their life. 0:09:08.134,0:09:09.359 Not by their works. 0:09:09.359,0:09:10.929 Oh, they might say, "do you believe Jesus is Lord?" 0:09:10.929,0:09:13.929 "Oh yeah, I believe He's Lord." 0:09:13.929,0:09:15.842 Then they walk right out and they're slaves to sin. 0:09:15.842,0:09:17.907 They're not obeying Him. 0:09:17.907,0:09:19.488 Don't you realize what it says? 0:09:19.488,0:09:25.064 Why call ye Me, 'Lord, Lord,' 0:09:25.064,0:09:28.989 and then you don't do the will of My Father in heaven? 0:09:28.989,0:09:31.082 It's not those who say, "Lord, Lord." 0:09:31.082,0:09:33.157 It's those who do the will of the Father. 0:09:33.157,0:09:35.377 You say you've got to be doing something to get saved? 0:09:35.377,0:09:37.509 I'm saying this, if you're truly saved, 0:09:37.509,0:09:39.550 if you truly have that faith that saves, 0:09:39.550,0:09:41.561 you're going to submit to Christ. 0:09:41.561,0:09:43.715 Because that's what happens. 0:09:43.715,0:09:45.836 God says under the new covenant, 0:09:45.836,0:09:48.814 I'm going to write My laws on their heart. 0:09:48.814,0:09:50.385 I'm going to break their heart. 0:09:50.385,0:09:51.882 I'm going to take that old stony thing out. 0:09:51.882,0:09:53.670 I'm going to put a heart of flesh in. 0:09:53.670,0:09:55.989 My laws will not be grievous. 0:09:55.989,0:09:58.369 And if you say that you are a Christian, 0:09:58.369,0:10:01.241 1 John 2 says, "but you don't keep His commandments, 0:10:01.241,0:10:03.507 you're a liar. The truth isn't in you." 0:10:03.507,0:10:05.949 Oh, I hope that just rings in our heads. 0:10:05.949,0:10:07.017 I'm trying to lay down, 0:10:07.017,0:10:10.705 true Christianity is that which submits 0:10:10.705,0:10:12.119 to the Lordship of Christ. 0:10:12.119,0:10:13.622 It's that one thing. 0:10:13.622,0:10:16.440 People banter around this idea of being saved 0:10:16.440,0:10:17.896 all the time, "I'm saved." 0:10:17.896,0:10:20.888 And people come along, "yeah, I've been saved five times." 0:10:20.888,0:10:22.458 "Six times." 0:10:22.458,0:10:24.447 Well, that's not a salvation that I want! 0:10:24.447,0:10:26.138 If you can lose it, it's no good. 0:10:26.138,0:10:28.336 That's not being saved. 0:10:28.336,0:10:29.945 What are you saved from? 0:10:29.945,0:10:34.509 You're certainly not saved if you can lose it. 0:10:34.509,0:10:36.515 So here's what we're dealing with: saved. 0:10:36.515,0:10:40.561 Greek word: sozo 0:10:40.561,0:10:44.185 Of the 110 times it's found in our New Testaments, 0:10:44.185,0:10:47.215 93 times (that's about 85% of the time) 0:10:47.215,0:10:52.572 it's translated "save" or some form of that (saved). 0:10:52.572,0:10:55.513 Now listen, as I began studying this 0:10:55.513,0:10:58.128 you know a lot of times I don't know where I'm going. 0:10:58.128,0:11:01.035 I sit down and I open up my Bible 0:11:01.035,0:11:03.361 and I start reading the next section of Scripture. 0:11:03.361,0:11:05.347 I don't often know how far I'm going, 0:11:05.347,0:11:06.892 what I'm going to deal with, 0:11:06.892,0:11:08.402 I just begin reading. 0:11:08.402,0:11:09.615 Sometimes I know ahead of time. 0:11:09.615,0:11:12.451 Sometimes I can see out two or three weeks. 0:11:12.451,0:11:14.119 But this week, I opened up 0:11:14.119,0:11:15.789 and I began reading these five verses 0:11:15.789,0:11:17.795 over and over and over. 0:11:17.795,0:11:20.634 And this word "saved." 0:11:20.634,0:11:22.738 And I really began to think about, 0:11:22.738,0:11:25.180 what does it mean? 0:11:25.180,0:11:27.602 And I'll tell you something that really probably pushed me off 0:11:27.602,0:11:32.940 in the direction that I want to go this morning. 0:11:32.940,0:11:38.192 I have Bible software that allows me to look at other translations. 0:11:38.192,0:11:40.213 Let me tell you something. 0:11:40.213,0:11:45.444 There is an English word 0:11:45.444,0:11:55.773 that is usually used to define the word "save." 0:11:55.773,0:11:58.821 Linguistically, in the English language, 0:11:58.821,0:12:04.775 it's almost spelled the same except one letter is swapped. 0:12:04.775,0:12:15.524 And they're actually swapped for a letter that's very similar. 0:12:15.524,0:12:22.198 You know what, it's the word "safe." 0:12:22.198,0:12:27.596 William Tyndale, 16th century martyr, 0:12:27.596,0:12:31.104 burned at the stake by the Roman Catholic church. 0:12:31.104,0:12:33.862 What did he do? 0:12:33.862,0:12:35.544 Must have been some pretty terrible crimes 0:12:35.544,0:12:38.170 to take a man and burn him at the stake. 0:12:38.170,0:12:40.158 What did he do? Rape a bunch of little children? 0:12:40.158,0:12:43.893 Was he a serial killer? 0:12:43.893,0:12:46.985 Roman Catholic church 0:12:46.985,0:12:49.985 That's what God saved me out of. 0:12:49.985,0:12:53.098 Leddy, where are you at? 0:12:53.098,0:12:58.298 You got saved out of that. 0:12:58.298,0:13:01.846 What did the guy do? 0:13:01.846,0:13:08.902 He translated and published the New Testament Scriptures. 0:13:08.902,0:13:10.658 Let me tell you something. 0:13:10.658,0:13:14.382 In his translation of the New Testament published in 1525, 0:13:14.382,0:13:20.022 he actually translated Romans 10:10 this way, 0:13:20.022,0:13:24.125 "For the belief of the heart justifieth, 0:13:24.125,0:13:29.880 and to knowledge with the mouth, (that's confession) 0:13:29.880,0:13:36.882 maketh a man safe." 0:13:36.882,0:13:39.452 Romans 10:13 he translates this way. 0:13:39.452,0:13:42.937 Now listen, Tyndale is largely the source 0:13:42.937,0:13:48.732 from which the translators of all of the English 0:13:48.732,0:13:51.229 translations come from. 0:13:51.229,0:13:54.749 The King James was taken largely from Tyndale's work. 0:13:54.749,0:13:58.128 And all subsequent translations as well 0:13:58.128,0:14:01.228 owe much to Tyndale's work. 0:14:01.228,0:14:03.313 Listen to what he does with Romans 10:13, 0:14:03.313,0:14:06.680 "For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, 0:14:06.680,0:14:09.922 shall be safe." 0:14:09.922,0:14:13.371 As I got looking at that, 0:14:13.371,0:14:16.911 I suddenly began to feel 0:14:16.911,0:14:21.530 this fear rise up in me. 0:14:21.530,0:14:23.670 Men are not safe. 0:14:23.670,0:14:27.096 When we start talking about "saved," 0:14:27.096,0:14:29.411 the gut level meaning of saved, 0:14:29.411,0:14:32.729 it carries the idea of making safe. 0:14:32.729,0:14:37.560 If men need to be saved, they are not safe. 0:14:37.560,0:14:39.245 You don't talk about being saved, 0:14:39.245,0:14:40.697 unless there is peril. 0:14:40.697,0:14:44.621 Unless there is danger. 0:14:44.621,0:14:52.005 People, the human race, is not safe. 0:14:52.005,0:14:53.718 Think about that. 0:14:53.718,0:14:58.833 The very concept demands a scary reality. 0:14:58.833,0:15:05.846 It demands that there is something here. 0:15:05.846,0:15:07.759 There is something around us. 0:15:07.759,0:15:12.357 There is something out there, 0:15:12.357,0:15:14.575 that is constantly looming. 0:15:14.575,0:15:16.319 That is constantly reaching. 0:15:16.319,0:15:19.126 That is constantly coming for man. 0:15:19.126,0:15:24.742 That is endangering him with some type of harm, 0:15:24.742,0:15:29.259 with some sort of death, with some sort of calamity. 0:15:29.259,0:15:32.969 Something is out there. Something is there. 0:15:32.969,0:15:35.788 Now, if somebody says, well, of course, 0:15:35.788,0:15:38.668 hell's out there. 0:15:38.668,0:15:41.128 That makes us afraid. 0:15:41.128,0:15:45.150 After all, hell can burn us. Hell can harm us. 0:15:45.150,0:15:47.728 Hell can trap us. 0:15:47.728,0:15:52.058 Hell - it's thirsty for the souls of wicked men, 0:15:52.058,0:15:55.586 and that makes us afraid. 0:15:55.586,0:16:00.603 Because we are such men. 0:16:00.603,0:16:03.444 But what is it? 0:16:03.444,0:16:05.844 What is hell? 0:16:05.844,0:16:08.785 Hell is a place. That's all it is. 0:16:08.785,0:16:10.024 It's just a place. 0:16:10.024,0:16:13.209 Yes, it may be a scary place, but it's nothing more than that. 0:16:13.209,0:16:14.898 And you know what, on top of that? 0:16:14.898,0:16:20.247 It's a place none of you currently are. 0:16:20.247,0:16:22.142 So why do you fear it? 0:16:22.142,0:16:26.763 You say well I fear it because, I might go there one day. 0:16:26.763,0:16:29.317 And that's right. 0:16:29.317,0:16:32.525 That's right. 0:16:32.525,0:16:38.069 But listen to me, it's not like hell 0:16:38.069,0:16:41.897 comes and gets us where we are. 0:16:41.897,0:16:45.158 Look folks, hell is not the reason why men are not safe. 0:16:45.158,0:16:47.821 There's something out there is that is far more terrifying 0:16:47.821,0:16:51.206 than hell that men need protection from. 0:16:51.206,0:16:53.345 You know what makes it so unsafe for us to 0:16:53.345,0:16:54.730 walk about in this world? 0:16:54.730,0:16:58.559 For sinful men to even walk down this sidewalk? 0:16:58.559,0:17:00.804 What is it that makes it so unsafe? 0:17:00.804,0:17:03.929 It certainly isn't hell. It certainly isn't the devil. 0:17:03.929,0:17:07.803 Folks, it's something far, far more dangerous 0:17:07.803,0:17:08.911 than those things. 0:17:08.911,0:17:18.308 It's man's worst nightmare. 0:17:18.308,0:17:25.488 What you and I need to be saved from... 0:17:25.488,0:17:30.024 That thing in this world that is not safe... 0:17:30.024,0:17:33.750 is God Himself. 0:17:33.750,0:17:37.662 You know what? Jesus knew this. 0:17:37.662,0:17:39.839 When He came to the earth and He walked among us, 0:17:39.839,0:17:41.619 He warned us. 0:17:41.619,0:17:43.242 He said, men, don't be foolish. Open your eyes. 0:17:43.242,0:17:46.193 The thing that you've got to fear is not 0:17:46.193,0:17:48.360 what you so typically fear. 0:17:48.360,0:17:49.689 It is something else. 0:17:49.689,0:17:51.800 Men walk about - I'll guarantee you go out on these streets, 0:17:51.800,0:17:52.902 what do they fear? 0:17:52.902,0:17:55.558 They fear the police. 0:17:55.558,0:17:58.193 They fear finding out they've got AIDS. 0:17:58.193,0:18:00.210 Yes, they may fear hell, but you say, "do you fear God?" 0:18:00.210,0:18:01.807 No, they don't fear God. 0:18:01.807,0:18:03.187 Why? Because in their mind He's 0:18:03.187,0:18:05.919 just this big old fat Santa Claus old man up in the sky 0:18:05.919,0:18:07.670 sitting there smiling at them. 0:18:07.670,0:18:09.819 If they realized what God was, if they could see 0:18:09.819,0:18:11.725 the way He's looking at them right now, 0:18:11.725,0:18:15.266 they would be terrified beyond description. 0:18:15.266,0:18:17.239 And Christ comes to this earth, 0:18:17.239,0:18:19.108 and He says I will warn you. 0:18:19.108,0:18:20.814 He warned us. 0:18:20.814,0:18:24.661 I will warn you Whom you should fear. 0:18:24.661,0:18:29.388 Luke 12:5, "You should fear Him Who after He has killed, 0:18:29.388,0:18:32.958 has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you..." 0:18:32.958,0:18:35.924 Not fear hell, not fear death, not fear the devil, 0:18:35.924,0:18:38.452 Christ says fear Him. 0:18:38.452,0:18:40.091 Fear Him Who has that authority. 0:18:40.091,0:18:45.659 In Matthew 10:28, "Fear Him Who can destroy 0:18:45.659,0:18:50.668 both soul and body in hell." 0:18:50.668,0:18:57.451 So many people say, "My god is not like that." 0:18:57.451,0:18:59.794 "My god wouldn't do that." 0:18:59.794,0:19:01.693 Let me tell you something, your god is not 0:19:01.693,0:19:03.850 the God of the Scriptures. 0:19:03.850,0:19:06.735 One of the most terrifying texts in the Bible, 0:19:06.735,0:19:09.770 Psalm 50:22, you know what the Lord 0:19:09.770,0:19:12.736 threatens to do to sinners? 0:19:12.736,0:19:17.448 Our ESV says "tear them apart." 0:19:17.448,0:19:19.509 All other translations, 0:19:19.509,0:19:24.198 God is threatening to tear sinners to pieces. 0:19:24.198,0:19:27.153 The Lord is the One Who we looked at last week 0:19:27.153,0:19:29.782 in Luke 19, Who says bring My enemies before Me 0:19:29.782,0:19:31.697 and slaughter them 0:19:31.697,0:19:34.697 before Me. 0:19:34.697,0:19:37.116 This is the God of Scripture. 0:19:37.116,0:19:38.755 All of you guys turn back in your Bibles right now 0:19:38.755,0:19:40.835 to Romans 5. It's not far away. 0:19:40.835,0:19:44.435 I want you to see this. Romans 5:9 0:19:44.435,0:19:47.733 The Apostle Paul, he's preaching the Gospel. 0:19:47.733,0:19:50.934 In one of the most extended, intricate fashions 0:19:50.934,0:19:52.984 that you can find in the Scriptures. 0:19:52.984,0:19:54.328 Powerful. 0:19:54.328,0:20:01.138 And in Romans 5:9, you tell me - you guys read that. 0:20:01.138,0:20:03.003 Let your eyes go through that verse right there. 0:20:03.003,0:20:06.448 You tell me what that verse tells us we need to be saved from. 0:20:06.448,0:20:10.110 The wrath of God. 0:20:10.110,0:20:13.102 Now listen, wrath is not like this detached, 0:20:13.102,0:20:14.692 separate thing from God. 0:20:14.692,0:20:16.101 It is God's wrath. 0:20:16.101,0:20:18.470 It is God Himself that has the wrath. 0:20:18.470,0:20:20.946 It's not like wrath is some separated thing, 0:20:20.946,0:20:22.019 out there down the street, 0:20:22.019,0:20:23.420 away from Him. 0:20:23.420,0:20:24.932 It's God's wrath. 0:20:24.932,0:20:29.657 He's saying you've got to be saved from God. 0:20:29.657,0:20:35.953 How easily and flippantly men talk of being saved. 0:20:35.953,0:20:39.502 But they have no idea what it is that they truly 0:20:39.502,0:20:41.593 need to be saved from. 0:20:41.593,0:20:46.697 My friend, God is not this pushover old man 0:20:46.697,0:20:49.389 up in the sky somewhere. 0:20:49.389,0:20:52.656 He is the Lord God Almighty. 0:20:52.656,0:20:56.547 The whole earth is full of His glory. 0:20:56.547,0:20:59.724 He is fearful. 0:20:59.724,0:21:03.468 He is your greatest need of salvation. 0:21:03.468,0:21:06.988 What you need to be saved from is from Him. 0:21:06.988,0:21:10.019 That's what men need to be saved from. 0:21:10.019,0:21:12.392 Sinners are not safe. 0:21:12.392,0:21:13.998 Because God is out there. 0:21:13.998,0:21:17.316 Because God is not safe. 0:21:17.316,0:21:18.966 Oh how men should fear. 0:21:18.966,0:21:21.502 And I'm telling you, some of you sit in this room right now, 0:21:21.502,0:21:23.937 you've got false professions. 0:21:23.937,0:21:28.576 They aren't worth the money you've got in your pocket. 0:21:28.576,0:21:31.612 You've never truly submitted to Christ. 0:21:31.612,0:21:35.611 You walk around with this foggy deception 0:21:35.611,0:21:37.730 about being saved. 0:21:37.730,0:21:39.635 You like to calm your fears 0:21:39.635,0:21:42.253 and tell yourself all is going to be well. 0:21:42.253,0:21:44.025 This God is out there. 0:21:44.025,0:21:45.522 And He's coming for you. 0:21:45.522,0:21:47.480 And I'll tell you, all your false profession does 0:21:47.480,0:21:51.590 is add to the wickedness, and add to the wrath, 0:21:51.590,0:21:54.023 and add to what God is going to bring on your head 0:21:54.023,0:21:57.886 very soon if you do not seek refuge in His Son. 0:21:57.886,0:22:00.702 There's only one place of safetly, folks. 0:22:00.702,0:22:03.110 You are not safe where you are outside of Christ. 0:22:03.110,0:22:04.967 You can have the greatest profession in the world, 0:22:04.967,0:22:06.412 but if you are outside of Christ, 0:22:06.412,0:22:11.746 if you're deceived, you better fear. 0:22:11.746,0:22:15.243 Christ Himself the Savior warned you. 0:22:15.243,0:22:19.079 Fear Him. 0:22:19.079,0:22:20.979 Do you know what? I know how this was. 0:22:20.979,0:22:23.195 I was living in all sorts of sin. 0:22:23.195,0:22:25.655 You go back 20 years, there I am, 0:22:25.655,0:22:28.609 head over heels immersed in the muck 0:22:28.609,0:22:30.123 and the filth of my sin. 0:22:30.123,0:22:32.688 And you know what I thought? 0:22:32.688,0:22:36.102 I thought God was smiling on me. 0:22:36.102,0:22:38.282 Have you guys been there? 0:22:38.282,0:22:39.965 I don't doubt we've got some lost people 0:22:39.965,0:22:41.459 in this place right now. 0:22:41.459,0:22:43.023 That's your perception. 0:22:43.023,0:22:46.468 Wicked men typically think God is pleased with them, 0:22:46.468,0:22:49.175 not really too concerned about their sin. 0:22:49.175,0:22:50.743 Many have this concept in their mind, 0:22:50.743,0:22:52.582 that He just sort of winks at their sin. 0:22:52.582,0:22:54.457 Kicks it under the rug. 0:22:54.457,0:22:56.198 Not a big deal. 0:22:56.198,0:22:58.446 Many people imagine God up there in heaven, 0:22:58.446,0:23:00.600 you know kind of weak, wringing his hands, 0:23:00.600,0:23:01.971 "oh, you know I'm doing everything I can 0:23:01.971,0:23:03.706 for those poor sinners down there. 0:23:03.706,0:23:05.410 There's nothing left for me to do, 0:23:05.410,0:23:06.962 it's all left in their hands now. 0:23:06.962,0:23:09.167 Oh, I want them to be saved so bad. 0:23:09.167,0:23:11.095 I just have all these good purposes, 0:23:11.095,0:23:13.199 and I'm smiling at them. I'm crying for them. 0:23:13.199,0:23:17.086 And everything in me, I just wish there was more I could do." 0:23:17.086,0:23:19.221 People have this idea that God is like that. 0:23:19.221,0:23:22.439 I'll tell you what, that's a misguided notion. 0:23:22.439,0:23:24.334 People running around with this idea: 0:23:24.334,0:23:26.100 God never puts anybody in hell. 0:23:26.100,0:23:28.821 Your own sins take you there. 0:23:28.821,0:23:34.623 Oh, you have misread your Bibles if you think that. 0:23:34.623,0:23:37.204 Christ says you better fear Him Who 0:23:37.204,0:23:42.773 has the authority to cast into hell. 0:23:42.773,0:23:43.819 Bank on it. 0:23:43.819,0:23:45.682 It will be God. 0:23:45.682,0:23:47.641 If you go to hell in this room, 0:23:47.641,0:23:51.666 it will be God who cast you there. 0:23:51.666,0:23:52.728 And He wil do it. 0:23:52.728,0:23:56.581 And He will do it for certain. 0:23:56.581,0:23:58.862 He is not safe. 0:23:58.862,0:24:01.047 If you are walking in your sins, 0:24:01.047,0:24:03.848 you are not safe. 0:24:03.848,0:24:06.836 You imagine there's any reluctance? 0:24:06.836,0:24:09.107 There's any weakness with God to cast wicked men 0:24:09.107,0:24:10.566 into hell this very moment? 0:24:10.566,0:24:12.343 I'll tell you when God rises up, 0:24:12.343,0:24:14.116 who's going to resist Him? 0:24:14.116,0:24:15.601 Who's going to stand in His way? 0:24:15.601,0:24:17.863 If He put men in hell, I'll tell you what, 0:24:17.863,0:24:19.346 they're going in there right now. 0:24:19.346,0:24:21.293 Multitudes are going in there right now. 0:24:21.293,0:24:22.582 Do you think God's got any reluctance 0:24:22.582,0:24:25.243 to throw sinners into hell? 0:24:25.243,0:24:27.150 He does not. 0:24:27.150,0:24:32.915 Hell is filling up even this very moment. 0:24:32.915,0:24:34.291 Just because some guy's off in India 0:24:34.291,0:24:36.447 somewhere or Africa, living in his wickedness, 0:24:36.447,0:24:38.934 beholding what he can of the glory of God 0:24:38.934,0:24:41.345 in the creation, and he refuses it, 0:24:41.345,0:24:43.970 he denies it, he suppresses it. 0:24:43.970,0:24:46.667 I'm telling you what, there's no reluctance with God 0:24:46.667,0:24:48.873 to take somebody like that and cast them into hell. 0:24:48.873,0:24:52.637 They're going in there by the millions. 0:24:52.637,0:24:54.569 Absolutely. 0:24:54.569,0:24:58.546 Listen to this, Nahum 1:6, 0:24:58.546,0:25:04.994 "Who can stand before His indignation? 0:25:04.994,0:25:09.477 Who can endure the heat of His anger? 0:25:09.477,0:25:12.554 His wrath is poured out like fire, 0:25:12.554,0:25:15.697 and the rocks are broken into pieces by Him." 0:25:15.697,0:25:17.307 You say I don't like this. 0:25:17.307,0:25:19.740 This is not what I wanted to hear today. 0:25:19.740,0:25:23.179 I'll tell you what. You can get in front of smooth-mouthed, 0:25:23.179,0:25:25.948 slippery fellows that will tickle your ears 0:25:25.948,0:25:27.850 and tell you what you want to hear. 0:25:27.850,0:25:29.214 I know a lot of people aren't saying this, 0:25:29.214,0:25:32.468 but this is what our Scriptures tell us. 0:25:32.468,0:25:37.380 Look, when the whole earth trembles at His voice, 0:25:37.380,0:25:40.202 and rocks break into pieces before Him, 0:25:40.202,0:25:43.904 do you think you will be able to stand before Him? 0:25:43.904,0:25:46.314 Can you feel it, sinner? 0:25:46.314,0:25:49.770 You're not safe. 0:25:49.770,0:25:53.201 Let me ask you this: 0:25:53.201,0:25:56.290 What do you think there is to keep God from 0:25:56.290,0:26:00.744 coming upon you this very hour? 0:26:00.744,0:26:03.783 Do you think there's something standing in the way? 0:26:03.783,0:26:06.450 Listen, you say justice. 0:26:06.450,0:26:07.670 Justice. 0:26:07.670,0:26:08.756 I've heard people say that. 0:26:08.756,0:26:14.346 "All I want when I get there is what I deserve." 0:26:14.346,0:26:17.682 Justice does not stand in the way of God throwing 0:26:17.682,0:26:19.735 you into hell right now. 0:26:19.735,0:26:21.319 Scripture. 0:26:21.319,0:26:23.843 Scripture talks about "God so loved." 0:26:23.843,0:26:26.027 Let me tell you this. 0:26:26.027,0:26:27.781 Scripture says that everyone 0:26:27.781,0:26:31.781 who is not obeying the Son, 0:26:31.781,0:26:35.251 John 3:36, the wrath of God is upon you already 0:26:35.251,0:26:42.046 and you face, what is it, John 3:16, 17, 18? 0:26:42.046,0:26:43.448 Yes, God so loved the world, 0:26:43.448,0:26:44.838 but I'll tell you this, 0:26:44.838,0:26:47.269 it says that if you have not believed, 0:26:47.269,0:26:50.109 God's condemnation is upon you. 0:26:50.109,0:26:52.755 It's amazing how everybody wants to quote verse 16. 0:26:52.755,0:26:57.835 What about verse 17? 18? 36? 0:26:57.835,0:26:59.625 People don't like to go there. 0:26:59.625,0:27:02.877 There's wrath, folks. 0:27:02.877,0:27:05.817 There is wrath. There is condemnation. 0:27:05.817,0:27:07.042 You know what? 0:27:07.042,0:27:08.378 You say, what about the law? 0:27:08.378,0:27:10.009 Let me tell you this. The law says this: 0:27:10.009,0:27:12.892 Everyone who does not keep all things written 0:27:12.892,0:27:16.350 in the book of the law, to do them, is cursed. 0:27:16.350,0:27:19.043 You know what? Don't make any appeal to justice. 0:27:19.043,0:27:20.568 Don't make any appeal to Scripture. 0:27:20.568,0:27:22.381 Don't make any appeal to God's law. 0:27:22.381,0:27:25.116 Because all three are standing against you. 0:27:25.116,0:27:27.834 All three are urging God right now, 0:27:27.834,0:27:29.557 "Cast them away!" 0:27:29.557,0:27:31.704 They demand your head. They demand your blood. 0:27:31.704,0:27:32.794 Justice demands it. 0:27:32.794,0:27:33.800 Scripture demands it. 0:27:33.800,0:27:35.683 The Law demands it. 0:27:35.683,0:27:38.179 I'm telling you, you don't have a cheering section there with God, 0:27:38.179,0:27:41.608 egging Him on. 0:27:41.608,0:27:43.154 As someone has said before, 0:27:43.154,0:27:44.616 when man first sinned, those angels were 0:27:44.616,0:27:47.252 reaching for the hilt of their sword. 0:27:47.252,0:27:50.092 They were looking to execute judgment. 0:27:50.092,0:27:52.200 There's only one thing standing between 0:27:52.200,0:27:56.303 the sinner and hell flames right this second. 0:27:56.303,0:27:58.967 I'll tell you what, last night as I was out 0:27:58.967,0:28:02.656 under that cloud, under the sky, 0:28:02.656,0:28:06.575 I was looking at the horizon all the way around, 0:28:06.575,0:28:12.288 the vastness of the sky. 0:28:12.288,0:28:17.376 I was imagining all that I could see 0:28:17.376,0:28:24.672 to be one massive floodgate. 0:28:24.672,0:28:29.457 A sinner stands underneath that. 0:28:29.457,0:28:33.218 And that thing begins to bulge. 0:28:33.218,0:28:36.333 The wrath of God held back. 0:28:36.333,0:28:40.788 It bulges and it creaks. 0:28:40.788,0:28:43.487 It's about to give way. 0:28:43.487,0:28:47.358 All the wrath of God stored up. 0:28:47.358,0:28:49.276 Listen to me! 0:28:49.276,0:28:55.858 Scripture does not call the sinner a child of wrath for nothing. 0:28:55.858,0:28:59.315 It means there is wrath against you right now. 0:28:59.315,0:29:00.638 People have this idea, 0:29:00.638,0:29:02.932 "Oh, God is fiercely angry with those people in hell." 0:29:02.932,0:29:04.173 Let me tell you this: 0:29:04.173,0:29:06.094 There are some of you sitting in this room right now 0:29:06.094,0:29:08.383 that God is more fiercely angry with than some 0:29:08.383,0:29:11.362 he's already tormenting in hell. 0:29:11.362,0:29:13.095 You say, "Well, why am I still here?" 0:29:13.095,0:29:16.473 Only because your time has not run out yet. 0:29:16.473,0:29:18.012 Theirs has. 0:29:18.012,0:29:22.102 Some of you have committed much more 0:29:22.102,0:29:27.711 grievous sins against God than some in hell. 0:29:27.711,0:29:32.485 There are Africans, there are Indians in that fire right now 0:29:32.485,0:29:34.476 that have not heard the truth that some of you 0:29:34.476,0:29:37.838 lost folks in this room have heard. 0:29:37.838,0:29:41.205 God's wrath against you is storing up, 0:29:41.205,0:29:43.838 that floodgate is bulging, it is creaking, 0:29:43.838,0:29:45.542 it is ready to come in. 0:29:45.542,0:29:48.545 There's only one thing holding it back right now. 0:29:48.545,0:29:55.564 It's not justice, it's not Scripture, it's not the Law of God. 0:29:55.564,0:30:01.449 It's God's sovereign pleasure to hold it back this moment. 0:30:01.449,0:30:03.201 That's it. 0:30:03.201,0:30:07.532 Let me tell you something. 0:30:07.532,0:30:14.596 There are few Scriptures that give us a glimpse. 0:30:14.596,0:30:16.645 One of them is found back in Genesis. 0:30:16.645,0:30:17.734 Let me tell you something. 0:30:17.734,0:30:20.366 God comes along, He's speaking to Abraham. 0:30:20.366,0:30:22.086 He says Abraham, let Me tell you something, 0:30:22.086,0:30:23.970 I'm going to take your offspring, 0:30:23.970,0:30:27.015 I'm going to take them into Egypt. 0:30:27.015,0:30:28.662 I'm going to leave them there 400 years. 0:30:28.662,0:30:31.488 4 generations, I'm going to leave them there. 0:30:31.488,0:30:32.826 Why? 0:30:32.826,0:30:36.105 Why not two generations? 0:30:36.105,0:30:38.657 You know why? 0:30:38.657,0:30:40.865 Because when they come out, 0:30:40.865,0:30:45.189 they're going to kill the Amorites. 0:30:45.189,0:30:47.567 When they come out, they are 0:30:47.567,0:30:50.637 going to subdue seven nations in Canaan. 0:30:50.637,0:30:54.888 You know what God says to Abraham? 0:30:54.888,0:31:06.206 The iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. 0:31:06.206,0:31:09.935 You know what Daniel the prophet said? 0:31:09.935,0:31:16.756 He speaks about transgressors not yet 0:31:16.756,0:31:20.911 reaching their limit. 0:31:20.911,0:31:22.977 Paul to the Thessalonians 0:31:22.977,0:31:25.693 talks about the Jews 0:31:25.693,0:31:29.933 filling up the measure of their sin. 0:31:29.933,0:31:33.588 Let me tell you something, 0:31:33.588,0:31:45.653 Sinners only sin so far. 0:31:45.653,0:31:54.429 You cannot hide beneath a false profession. 0:31:54.429,0:31:58.308 That floodgate is going to bulge so far. 0:31:58.308,0:32:00.282 That measure is going to come up. 0:32:00.282,0:32:02.868 Your time is numbered. 0:32:02.868,0:32:04.300 You say, "Oh, I'm healthy." 0:32:04.300,0:32:06.381 People have this idea, don't they? 0:32:06.381,0:32:09.229 Oh, you know, the sun's shining... 0:32:09.229,0:32:11.808 I got sick - God healed me. 0:32:11.808,0:32:14.154 I was in this car wreck - God spared me. 0:32:14.154,0:32:16.328 And they think because they've seen these 0:32:16.328,0:32:18.493 little glimmers of God's mercy to preserve them 0:32:18.493,0:32:20.743 from that pit of fire already, they suppose, 0:32:20.743,0:32:22.628 that must mean God's wrath 0:32:22.628,0:32:24.181 does not hang over my head. 0:32:24.181,0:32:25.597 That must mean everything is ok. 0:32:25.597,0:32:30.464 I've made my peace with Him upstairs. 0:32:30.464,0:32:33.346 Don't buy into that deception. 0:32:33.346,0:32:40.667 That floodgate is ready to unleash on your heads, 0:32:40.667,0:32:45.267 if you have not a place of safety. 0:32:45.267,0:32:48.213 Man is not safe. 0:32:48.213,0:32:49.346 Let me tell you something, 0:32:49.346,0:32:52.345 there's a time when those Israelites, 0:32:52.345,0:32:54.198 they're out there and they began to complain, 0:32:54.198,0:32:55.855 and they began to grumble, 0:32:55.855,0:33:01.631 and it's like spontaneous combustion took place. 0:33:01.631,0:33:04.215 If you've never read about it, folks, it happened. 0:33:04.215,0:33:07.521 Numbers 11:1 - you read about it sometime. 0:33:07.521,0:33:08.382 I'll tell you what happened. 0:33:08.382,0:33:09.492 There was sin in the camp. 0:33:09.492,0:33:12.019 God dwelling in that camp. 0:33:12.019,0:33:15.874 And it's like this sin - when people have sin 0:33:15.874,0:33:20.779 that is seething and breeding in the heart, 0:33:20.779,0:33:23.458 you know what the natural course of things is? 0:33:23.458,0:33:27.506 It's for God to break out in fury and fire and wrath. 0:33:27.506,0:33:30.987 Spontaneous combustion began to consume people 0:33:30.987,0:33:35.712 in the outer vestiges of that camp. 0:33:35.712,0:33:38.602 Oh, we feel so secure. Our feet our planted. 0:33:38.602,0:33:39.689 Let me tell you something, 0:33:39.689,0:33:41.205 you may feel like your feet are planted 0:33:41.205,0:33:42.562 on the ground right now. 0:33:42.562,0:33:44.907 You may feel like you're pretty healthy right now. 0:33:44.907,0:33:47.762 But I'm telling you, if you're outside of Christ, 0:33:47.762,0:33:55.603 you are on a very rocky foundation. 0:33:55.603,0:33:59.258 That great big massive as-far-as-the-sky 0:33:59.258,0:34:02.614 the limits of it who can measure? 0:34:02.614,0:34:05.487 The wrath of God. 0:34:05.487,0:34:07.617 Who can measure the wrath 0:34:07.617,0:34:10.841 against a lifetime of sin? 0:34:10.841,0:34:16.431 When God's wrath against one sin of Adam and Eve 0:34:16.431,0:34:20.406 cost them paradise, cost them their life. 0:34:20.406,0:34:21.690 One sin. 0:34:21.690,0:34:23.368 Who can imagine the wrath? 0:34:23.368,0:34:26.324 When Scripture calls the lost "children of wrath," 0:34:26.324,0:34:29.101 you've got to understand, thunderclouds are black, 0:34:29.101,0:34:31.674 it is ready to rain torrents of wrath. 0:34:31.674,0:34:38.025 There is only that one thing that holds it back. 0:34:38.025,0:34:53.706 God only forebears so long. 0:34:53.706,0:34:57.312 Let me tell you... 0:34:57.312,0:35:01.497 I was at my step-dad's side. 0:35:01.497,0:35:04.024 He refused Christ. 0:35:04.024,0:35:07.790 He went to church when he found out he had terminal cancer. 0:35:07.790,0:35:09.714 But anytime I talked to him about Christ, 0:35:09.714,0:35:11.319 he didn't want to hear it. 0:35:11.319,0:35:12.489 Anytime I talked to him about sin, 0:35:12.489,0:35:14.262 he didn't want to hear it. 0:35:14.262,0:35:16.891 He rejected Christ to his dying day. 0:35:16.891,0:35:18.982 I was at his bedside as I watched him 0:35:18.982,0:35:24.319 pass off into eternity. 0:35:24.319,0:35:28.721 I'll tell you this, it's not even possible 0:35:28.721,0:35:35.580 for us to conceive the colossal wave of the floods 0:35:35.580,0:35:38.294 of the fierceness and wrath of God 0:35:38.294,0:35:42.445 that rushed upon him with inconceivable fury 0:35:42.445,0:35:46.845 and omnipotent power that moment he passed off. 0:35:46.845,0:35:51.556 We don't see it happen, so we can become blinded to it. 0:35:51.556,0:35:54.770 We become senseless to it. 0:35:54.770,0:36:01.742 We can fall asleep. 0:36:01.742,0:36:05.689 Children of wrath. 0:36:05.689,0:36:09.468 I found this ridiculous quote on the Internet yesterday. 0:36:09.468,0:36:10.618 Somebody makes the claim, 0:36:10.618,0:36:13.736 "God does not send anyone to hell - they send themselves." 0:36:13.736,0:36:15.782 One very well known televangelist, 0:36:15.782,0:36:17.503 you'd all know his name if I said it. 0:36:17.503,0:36:19.317 He says this, this is his quote: 0:36:19.317,0:36:21.088 "God doesn't send anyone to hell. 0:36:21.088,0:36:23.432 Anyone who goes to hell will be there 0:36:23.432,0:36:26.255 because of decisions they've made. 0:36:26.255,0:36:28.567 I'm not going to deny that people end up in hell 0:36:28.567,0:36:29.962 because of decisions they've made." 0:36:29.962,0:36:31.614 But he comes to this conclusion: 0:36:31.614,0:36:34.730 "you send yourself there." 0:36:34.730,0:36:36.692 Oh, don't be deceived. 0:36:36.692,0:36:40.064 God casts men there. 0:36:40.064,0:36:43.089 I'll tell you this. 0:36:43.089,0:36:45.997 When a child of Adam, a son of Adam, a daughter of Adam, 0:36:45.997,0:36:47.955 they walk around out in this world, 0:36:47.955,0:36:49.399 tainted with sin, 0:36:49.399,0:36:51.297 they are not safe. 0:36:51.297,0:36:52.476 They may feel it. 0:36:52.476,0:36:54.740 They may feel young. They may feel healthy. 0:36:54.740,0:36:57.608 They may feel good. They may feel happy. 0:36:57.608,0:37:01.583 But they are not safe. 0:37:01.583,0:37:05.638 The very ground they walk on 0:37:05.638,0:37:08.524 is made of such material, 0:37:08.524,0:37:10.026 it is ready to cave in. 0:37:10.026,0:37:11.580 Let me tell you something, 0:37:11.580,0:37:13.916 can you imagine if you guys were right now 0:37:13.916,0:37:21.469 walking on this decaying, rotting fabric 0:37:21.469,0:37:24.057 out over some great chasm? 0:37:24.057,0:37:25.197 And you're walking upon it. 0:37:25.197,0:37:27.786 And every time you sin, bang, 0:37:27.786,0:37:29.998 there's another weight on top of you. 0:37:29.998,0:37:31.906 And you sin again, bang, there's another weight. 0:37:31.906,0:37:34.656 And it's pressing you, pressing you, 0:37:34.656,0:37:36.582 down through that rotten fabric. 0:37:36.582,0:37:39.955 There is the mouth gaping wide open for hell. 0:37:39.955,0:37:42.407 And every time you sin, God presses, 0:37:42.407,0:37:45.332 that weight is coming down. 0:37:45.332,0:37:49.557 That great big door of God's floodgate of wrath, 0:37:49.557,0:37:51.936 bulging, ready to come forth. 0:37:51.936,0:37:53.054 And you tempt it. 0:37:53.054,0:37:55.607 The very hand that holds it back - 0:37:55.607,0:37:57.904 you kick against it, you kick against it. 0:37:57.904,0:38:01.119 With every sin, you hate God, hate His people, 0:38:01.119,0:38:02.324 hate His Word. 0:38:02.324,0:38:04.014 You say, that's not me - I don't hate it. 0:38:04.014,0:38:05.630 You're talking awful graphic. 0:38:05.630,0:38:06.978 I'm telling you this, 0:38:06.978,0:38:09.463 if you have not bowed the knee to Jesus Christ, 0:38:09.463,0:38:12.943 you can maybe have some concept of God in your mind. 0:38:12.943,0:38:15.418 You can have some deception you're going to heaven. 0:38:15.418,0:38:18.270 But you're not. 0:38:18.270,0:38:20.038 It's not those who call Him, "Lord, Lord." 0:38:20.038,0:38:23.295 It's those who do the will of the Father in heaven. 0:38:23.295,0:38:25.479 You kick against His Lordship. 0:38:25.479,0:38:28.290 Listen. 0:38:28.290,0:38:32.634 Why it is so important there in Romans 10:9? 0:38:32.634,0:38:34.086 That Christ came out of the grave. 0:38:34.086,0:38:35.410 Let me tell you why it's important. 0:38:35.410,0:38:37.895 In this epistle to the Romans, 0:38:37.895,0:38:39.954 the one thing that Paul wants us to see 0:38:39.954,0:38:41.846 about the resurrection from the dead 0:38:41.846,0:38:44.117 back in Romans 1:4 is this: 0:38:44.117,0:38:46.131 Christ coming out of the grave proved Him 0:38:46.131,0:38:49.988 to be the Son of God in power. 0:38:49.988,0:38:52.545 When Christ declared Himself to be the Son; 0:38:52.545,0:38:53.987 When He said, "God is my Father." 0:38:53.987,0:38:55.550 What did they do? 0:38:55.550,0:38:56.788 They picked up stones. 0:38:56.788,0:38:57.588 I'll tell you why, 0:38:57.588,0:39:00.266 because that title "Son of God" means deity. 0:39:00.266,0:39:01.776 It means He's equal with God. 0:39:01.776,0:39:03.678 I'll tell you this, 0:39:03.678,0:39:07.037 that great floodgate that is just bending 0:39:07.037,0:39:11.848 under the weight of the wrath toward sinners, 0:39:11.848,0:39:15.157 you realize what it means when it says, 0:39:15.157,0:39:18.254 "He Who knew no sin became sin." 0:39:18.254,0:39:23.199 That's not safe to become sin. 0:39:23.199,0:39:28.948 He willingly walked out underneath that floodgate. 0:39:28.948,0:39:33.999 He said, "Father, I'll stand in the place of My people." 0:39:33.999,0:39:35.614 And bang! 0:39:35.614,0:39:37.454 That floodgate came open. 0:39:37.454,0:39:43.082 Every bit of the wrath rolled across Him. 0:39:43.082,0:39:45.917 He drank it. 0:39:45.917,0:39:48.095 It crushed Him. 0:39:48.095,0:39:49.493 It wasn't a day in the park. 0:39:49.493,0:39:52.373 It crushed Him. Every bit of it. 0:39:52.373,0:39:55.170 He drank it dry. 0:39:55.170,0:39:57.824 Him coming up out of that grave 0:39:57.824,0:40:01.728 proved Him to be the Son of God with power. 0:40:01.728,0:40:03.114 That's what you need. 0:40:03.114,0:40:04.603 That's the only place of safety. 0:40:04.603,0:40:06.201 This isn't a mere man we're talking about. 0:40:06.201,0:40:07.642 He's Lord. But He's more than Lord. 0:40:07.642,0:40:09.421 He is the Son of God. 0:40:09.421,0:40:12.781 "My Lord and my God," is what Thomas proclaimed. 0:40:12.781,0:40:14.102 That's what you need. 0:40:14.102,0:40:16.411 That's your only place of safety. 0:40:16.411,0:40:19.216 There is no other place. 0:40:19.216,0:40:22.509 And I'll tell you this, 0:40:22.509,0:40:26.865 everyone who calls on the name of the Lord, 0:40:26.865,0:40:31.857 as old Tyndale said, will be safe. 0:40:31.857,0:40:33.470 Oh, we've got to find a place of safety. 0:40:33.470,0:40:35.089 This is why in the Old Testament, 0:40:35.089,0:40:36.794 they came up under the priesthood 0:40:36.794,0:40:38.296 and they're establishing the Mosaic covenant, 0:40:38.296,0:40:41.283 they had these cities of refuge.[br] 0:40:41.283,0:40:42.502 What were they a picture of? 0:40:42.502,0:40:43.546 Christ. 0:40:43.546,0:40:44.772 You need refuge. 0:40:44.772,0:40:45.621 You're not safe. 0:40:45.621,0:40:46.646 You're out on the plain. 0:40:46.646,0:40:48.074 Flee! The wrath of God is coming! 0:40:48.074,0:40:50.799 You're out there in Sodom and Gomorrah. 0:40:50.799,0:40:52.917 You're in the City of Destruction. 0:40:52.917,0:40:57.018 You've got to flee. You've got to run. 0:40:57.018,0:41:00.309 You say, "but does that include me?" 0:41:00.309,0:41:01.915 Everyone who calls. 0:41:01.915,0:41:03.016 It includes you if you call. 0:41:03.016,0:41:05.327 You say, "you don't know my sin." 0:41:05.327,0:41:08.142 Everyone who calls. 0:41:08.142,0:41:10.140 Christ says, "Him that comes to Me, 0:41:10.140,0:41:14.269 I will in no way cast out." 0:41:14.269,0:41:15.143 Look. 0:41:15.143,0:41:19.846 We're in a day, 0:41:19.846,0:41:22.509 God has moved some, 0:41:22.509,0:41:24.402 you've got your Jonathan Diaz, 0:41:24.402,0:41:27.232 pulled into the Kingdom. 0:41:27.232,0:41:29.482 Lauren Griffin, pulled in. 0:41:29.482,0:41:33.246 Stacy Bell, pulled in. 0:41:33.246,0:41:36.137 Why would you stay where it's not safe 0:41:36.137,0:41:37.638 when others are coming in? 0:41:37.638,0:41:42.220 Why stay there? 0:41:42.220,0:41:43.357 Repent. 0:41:43.357,0:41:44.461 And turn from it all. 0:41:44.461,0:41:45.186 Let it all go. 0:41:45.186,0:41:47.103 Bow the knee to Christ. 0:41:47.103,0:41:50.418 Come to Him. 0:41:50.418,0:41:53.142 I mean, He has proved Himself worthy. 0:41:53.142,0:41:56.937 He has proved Himself to be the Son of God. 0:41:56.937,0:41:59.147 And I'll tell you this, 0:41:59.147,0:42:01.422 you come to Him, and do you know what verse 12 says? 0:42:01.422,0:42:03.022 He'll bestow on you all the riches... 0:42:03.022,0:42:04.894 you know how I've described this, 0:42:04.894,0:42:06.691 and you go out to the very horizons 0:42:06.691,0:42:07.589 all the way around. 0:42:07.589,0:42:09.125 You see this great big floodgate. 0:42:09.125,0:42:11.623 It's just bulging under the wrath of God. 0:42:11.623,0:42:14.532 I'll tell you, you come to Christ, 0:42:14.532,0:42:16.350 and now all of a sudden, 0:42:16.350,0:42:19.131 you've got a floodgate - it's bulging. 0:42:19.131,0:42:21.867 It's bulging with the riches of Christ, 0:42:21.867,0:42:24.241 with the inheritance, with the love of God, 0:42:24.241,0:42:27.501 and in Christ it's ready to burst upon your head. 0:42:27.501,0:42:33.103 All for good. 0:42:33.103,0:42:36.444 Folks, you're not safe. 0:42:36.444,0:42:38.454 Or you've got a false profession and you know it. 0:42:38.454,0:42:42.379 You know the thing is not solid. 0:42:42.379,0:42:45.196 Call. Call fervently. Call earnestly. 0:42:45.196,0:42:46.800 Call now. 0:42:46.800,0:42:51.126 Call upon Him until your salvation is certain. 0:42:51.126,0:42:53.715 Call till you find Christ. 0:42:53.715,0:42:57.616 Call. 0:42:57.616,0:43:00.439 Sinner, you are not safe. 0:43:00.439,0:43:01.238 Amen.