The Apostle Paul calls us Jars of Clay (2 Corinthians 4:7). As followers of Jesus we must allow the Word of God to fill us with it's message of Truth and Grace. In this way, we become a "vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work" (2 Timothy 2:21).

Monday, January 15, 2018

God’s Second Chance - January 14, 2018 sermon


By Pastor Greg...


So, it seems that these four ministers had a series of theological arguments, and three were always against the fourth.  One day, after the usual 3 to 1 vote, the odd pastor out decided to appeal to a higher authority.  "Oh, Lord!" he cried.  "I know in my heart that I am right, and they are wrong!  Please give me a sign to prove it to them!"  It was a beautiful, sunny day.  As soon as the minister finished his prayer, a storm cloud moved across the sky above the four pastors.  It rumbled once and dissolved.  "A sign from God!  See, I'm right, I knew it!" said the fourth pastor, but the other three disagreed, pointing out that storm clouds naturally form on hot days.  So, the pastor prayed again: "Oh, God, I need a bigger sign to show that I am right and they are wrong.  So please, Lord, a bigger sign!”  This time four storm clouds appeared, rushed toward each other to form one big cloud, and a bolt of lightning slammed into a tree on a nearby hill.  "I told you I was right!" cried the minister, but his friends insisted that nothing had happened that could not be explained by natural causes.  The Pastor was getting ready to ask for a *very big* sign, but just as he said, "Oh God...," the sky turned pitch black, the earth shook, and a deep, booming voice intoned, "HEEEEEEEE'S RIIIIIIIGHT!"   The minister put his hands on his hips, turned to the other three, and said, "Well?!"  One of the other pastors shrugged and said, "So. Now it's 3 to 2."
A bigger sign.  If only God would provide a more significant sign.  If only God would give a big enough warning, so our doubting friends would believe.
I am deeply saddened by friends or family members who reject God’s grace.  I wish they could know the same peace and love I have found through Jesus.  Immeasurable joy fills my heart simply because I believed in God’s offer of grace found through Jesus, the Messiah.  I want them to know forgiveness, but apparently, God has not been able to break through their stubborn heart.
If only God would provide a big enough sign to help them believe.
Apparently, one day God will do this.  Reading through Revelation, we get the impression that a vast number of doubters will one day believe.  They’ll smack their heads and exclaim, “They were right.  Those Christian’s were right.”
In Revelation six, we are left with a question.  When the earth, the sky, and the heavens are in turmoil, the people of the earth recognize that the Great Day of God’s Wrath has come, and they observe, “Who is able to survive?”  God answers this question in chapter 7.  (Read Revelation chapter 7)
First of all, God says He will mark 144,000 Jews.  They will be spared; they will survive the great tribulations caused by the Antichrist and caused by God.  But then we are shown a second group of people.  These are people clothed in white.  These are Gentile people (Gentile is a New Testament term for someone who is not Jewish).  These people were from all walks of life; from every tribe, nation, and language.  Although they were not spared the tribulations (after all, they were in Heaven), they still found themselves worshiping the Lamb (Jesus) and praising God for all He had done.  And what makes their presence significant is that this vast crowd is not the Church; these people are not Christians like you and me.
Take notice of what happens here.  One of the 24 elders (they represent Israel and the Church), asks John who these people are and where they came from.  And John doesn’t know.  If this vast crowd were the Church, surely John would have recognized them.  He was one of the Twelve Apostles who walked with Jesus.  He was the last surviving Apostle.  He was a leader in the Church.  He was imprisoned on Patmos for proclaiming the Good News of Jesus.  If anyone recognized the Church, it should have been John.  But he doesn’t.  So, the elder explains their origins.
These are Gentiles (again, a non-Jewish person) who didn’t believe in Jesus until after the great “sign” they had been looking for.  And just was that sign?  It was probably the rapture of the Church.  When God calls every Christian to Heaven, there will be many who finally admit, “Those Christians were right.”  And then they will finally believe.
This group of new believers will have missed the rapture of the Church.  They will not be spared the time of Great Tribulation, but they will be given eternal life.  And they will be killed because of their faith.  They will “die in the great tribulation” (verse 14) because of their new-found faith in Jesus.  These new Christians are those who refused to accept the Mark of the Beast (Revelation 13:16).  They would not bow down and worship the Antichrist.  So, they were killed because they refused to comply.  And God, who is filled with mercy and grace, brings these martyrs to His throne where they no longer suffer because of their steadfast faith.
Does anyone else find this incredible?
God is so loving, filled with so much grace, that He opens the doors of heaven to those who finally believe… even though they missed the “deadline.”  Sure, they will not be spared the consequences, but they will still find themselves in Heaven before the throne of God.
God will give them one final chance to believe.
I understand if you struggle with this.  Most Christians today want God to reward us for our faith and punish the hard-hearted for their unbelief.  But God gives second chances.  His goal is to ransom as many as He can.  He takes no pleasure in the death of a sinner (Ezekiel 18:32).  And I like that; I love that God wants to save as many people as He can.  I want this to happen as well.  I want my stubborn neighbor or unbelieving relative to be saved.  I want them to spend eternity in Heaven.  And it’s refreshing to learn that God shares that same desire (or should I say, I share His same desire).
To my Christian friend I ask, how does this make you feel?  Are you willing to accept that God gives humanity a second chance to believe?  And to those who are stubborn and presently refuse to believe, let me say that I personally hope you believe in Jesus before the “great time of testing”; I want you to be spared the wrath that is to come.  I want you to believe the message of salvation today.  If not, then I pray the great sign of the rapture softens your hard heart.  That at last, you will believe the message of Jesus being preached by the Church today.  I pray you believe when God gives you a second chance.

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