Sermon #1598[1] Miscellaneous Sermons
Title: “Why Hath The Lord Done Thus?”
Text: 2 Chronicles 7:21
Subject: Understanding The Recent Earthquake
and Tsunami in the Indian Ocean
Reading: Isaiah 28:29-29:6
Introduction:
Like all of you, my thoughts have been greatly consumed with the great loss of life this week in Asia. The earthquake and the tsunami that followed in the Indian Ocean early last week, in one horrific stroke, swept over 150,000 immortal souls into eternity!
Every few hours, every day, the number of the dead that have been counted rises. As I have followed the devastation, I have tried to find some understanding and some measurement of this week’s great tragedy from the Book of God. And I have continually been crying out to our God in my heart for light from him.
The Lord of hosts has visited the earth “with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest.” He has caused the whole world to hear his mighty voice. With his finger, he touched the bottom of the ocean, shook the foundations of the earth, and sent his mighty waves upon the Asian shores.
If you will turn with me to 2nd Chronicles 7:21, you will find the question that I have been asking all week, the question I hope to answer in some measure in this message.
(2 Chronicles 7:21) And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house?
When the Lord God brought the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem into utter desolation and destroyed the temple in Jerusalem, both the Jews and all those who saw what had been done cried out with astonishment – “Why hath the Lord done thus?” Because they did not understand the works of God, because they did not understand the ways of God in providence, they were astonished. As they beheld the ruined city, the demolished temple, and the slaughtered multitude, all they could do was cry out in astonishment – “Why?” “Why hath the Lord done thus?” That is the common response of the human heart to tragedy. — “For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not” (Job 33:14).
Why have so many thousands been destroyed in a moment? Why have more than a million people lost so much all at once? Why have so many small children been swept off the face of the earth? Why all those rotting bodies lining the Asian shores? Why all this sudden pain and heartache for so many? — “Why hath the Lord done thus?”
Proposition: My purpose in preaching this message is very simple. – I want to help you to understand and learn from the providence of God, particularly in tragic, painful, disturbing events. — “Thy judgments are a great deep, O Lord” (Ps. 36:6).
God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform.
He plants His footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs,
And works His sovereign will.
Divisions:
1. Who caused this to happen?
2. Why did the Lord our God bring this thing to pass?
3. How shall we respond to this tragedy?
The Cause
I. Who caused this to happen?
Whenever something like this happens, the first question that arises in the minds of many is – “Who did this? Who caused this? Who is to blame?”
· Infidels blame things like this on “Bad Luck” – “Blind Fate” – or “Misfortune.”
· Religious infidels people blame bad things in life on the devil.
· Mere worldlings blame earthly tragedies like the tsunami we saw last week on a lacking of early warning systems.
The fact that unbelieving people do not understand these things should not surprise us at all. — “For they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God” (Jer. 5:4). — “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” But those who are taught of God do understand his ways and bow to them. — “For they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God” (Jer. 5:5).
(Proverbs 28:5) Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.
(Hosea 14:9) Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
(1 Corinthians 2:14-16) But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (15) But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. (16) For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
God’s Work
The fact is these multitudes were taken out of this world suddenly, without warning, by the hand of our God. They did not die by accident, but on purpose. They did not die by the unfeeling stroke of blind fate, but by the just and righteous hand of our all-wise God.
People who believe God simply cannot look upon these things as “natural tragedies,” or (as I have heard many reporters describe the events of Sunday, December 26, 2004) as “mother nature striking out in all her fury.” We know that the earthquake and the tsunami were the works of our God, the works of him who sits upon the throne of the universe, doing his will in the earth, in the sea, and in all deep places. We lift our voices among the heathen and say, “No. The Lord reigneth. He is clothed with majesty and strength. God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. The Lord reigneth, let the people tremble. He sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved!” That which the whole world witnessed this week was God’s work and God’s work alone. The voice the earth has heard, the voice that shook the earth, is God’s voice. — “For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not” (Job 33:14).
We dare not point an accusing finger at the Almighty and charge him with injustice and cruelty. That would be blasphemy! Our great God is righteous, holy and just in all his ways and in all his works.
May the Lord our God open our eyes to see his works and open our hearts to hear his voice. We all tend to live as though we are in control, as if we rule our destiny. That which we have seen this week ought to make us aware of our utter nothingness! Our God, and he alone, is the Captain of every man’s soul and the Master of every man’s destiny. He gives us breath; and whenever wills he will take it away.
(1 Samuel 2:6) The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
Cursed Earth
Death, that terrible reality, reminds us that this world is not the “very good” creation God made in the beginning. Ours is a cursed universe and a corrupt world. — Cursed because of our sin in Adam and corrupt because of our own transgressions. The rotting piles of human bodies (A sight that must bring tears to the hardest of hard hearts!) we have seen on television this week are vivid reminders of the rotting piles of corruption in every human heart, the corruption of our race, that turned the Garden of God into this garbage dump we call earth. Once more, we have seen the wrath of God revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.
As in the days of Noah, the Lord God has again shown his sore displeasure. And, as in the days of Noah, men are wilfully ignorant, refusing to hear his voice. Let us not be numbered among the wilfully ignorant. God has spoken. He has employed some of the same flood waters this week to warn us again of the judgment to come. Yet, in wrath, he remembers mercy. He killed thousands and thousands of unsuspecting men, women, and children last Sunday. Thousands more will yet die from resulting disease. But he has spared us from such destruction, though we are as sinful any people, or nation on the earth. Perhaps, he has spared us to wake us up from our slumber and turn our hearts to him. — Let us hear his voice (2 Pet. 3:5-13).
(2 Peter 3:5-7) For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: (6) Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: (7) But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
(2 Peter 3:11-13) Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, (12) Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? (13) Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
(2 Peter 3:9) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
(2 Peter 3:14-15) Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. (15) And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you.
· Some who died, died in their sin and are now suffering in hell the eternal consequences of their rebellion against the God who made them.
· Some who died, died in faith, trusting Christ, loving him sincerely and serving him faithfully.
· All who died, died by the hand of God. Why? — “Why hath the Lord done thus?”
A. This much I know. — Nothing comes to pass in this world except that which our God brings to pass – (Rom. 11:36).
“All things are of God” (2 Cor. 5:18). There are no exceptions. The Lord our God, our heavenly Father rules all things in total sovereignty. He has his way in all things, absolutely! We worship the God of Glory, the only Lord God of heaven and earth, who is in total control of all things at all times – (Amos 3:6; Isa. 14:24, 26, 27; 45:5-7; 46:9-13).
(Romans 11:36) For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
(Isaiah 14:24) The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:
(Isaiah 14:26-27) This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. (27) For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
(Isaiah 45:5-7) I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: (6) That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. (7) I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
(Isaiah 46:9-13) Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, (10) Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: (11) Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. (12) Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness: (13) I bring near my righteousness: it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.
(Amos 3:6) Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?
1. Job knew this (Job 1:20-22; 2:9-10) – “The hand of God hath touched me” (Job 19:21).
2. David knew it – “The Lord hath said unto him, curse David” (2Sam. 16:10).
3. Jeremiah understood this – (Lam. 3:1-18).
No matter what your trial is, the cause of your trial, the cause of your trouble is the hand of God. It matters not whether you are a believer or an unbeliever – all the affairs of your life are ordained and governed by God, absolutely.
· He created the Red Sea to try the faith of his people.
· He parted the Red Sea to save his people.
· He caused the Red Sea to flood again to destroy Pharaoh and the armies of Egypt.
For the unbeliever, that is a terrifying fact. For the believer it is a matter of indescribable comfort.
B. I know this, too. — The span of your life, the time of your death, and the instrument by which you shall be slain was fixed by God long before you were born – (Heb. 9:27). — “The Days of my appointed time will I wait” (Job 14:14). — “God is of one mind, and who can turn him? What his soul desireth, even that he doeth. For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me” (Job 23:13-14).
It is the Lord God alone who kills and he alone gives life. If you do not think that the life and death of all men, adults and children, is determined by God, why to you pray and cry out to God when death approaches? If God is not in control, why pray?
God takes men and women, boys and girls, even babies and old men out of this world at the time he has appointed. When you and I have served the purpose for which God created us we will die and meet God in judgment. This is the hand of God. There may be many secondary causes, but the original, primary cause of every man’s death is the will and purpose of God.
So this first question is easy for any believer to answer – Who caused this to happen? Our God did it. We who know God know that! We must never imagine that God’s providence has become lax. Sudden death is a part of life in this sin cursed earth. There always have been and always will be (for as long as the earth shall stand) such tragedies for men to face. They have happened before; and they will happen again.
As God’s children in this world, in the face of such events as shake the earth to its very foundations, we must not be shaken, or even appear to be shaken. Our God is still on his throne. Let us, therefore, walk through this world of woe, even through this valley of the shadow of death, confident and free of fear. God has not given up the reins of the universe. He has not taken off his hand from the helm of the ship. He is still in total control of all things, at all times, in all places. I want grace to trust him and honor him. Don’t you? This is his promise to those who do. — “What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant” (Psalms 25:12-14). — “This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working!” — Truly, “Thy judgments are a great deep, O Lord!”
But the second question is more difficult.
The Reason
II. Why did the Lord our God bring this thing to pass?
I do not ask this question as one who questions the wisdom, righteousness, justice and goodness of all that God does, but as a man bowing to my Father’s will and work, seeking to learn from him, seeking to hear the voice of his Father’s rod. I have searched the Book of God for the answer to my question. Here are four answers I have found in this Book.
To Show Himself
A. First, I am sure that the Lord intends for us to see in the great catastrophe we have witnessed the display of his great and glorious dominion over all things as our God (Dan. 4; 35). — He has done this to show himself to men, to make known his power, his dominion, his righteousness, his justice, and his wrath, as he did in the overthrow of Egypt at the Red Sea.
(Daniel 4:35) And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
As I said earlier, it is he who gives life and he who kills; and he does so exactly as he will. The God of Glory has numbered the days of all. At God’s appointed time we will die. We will die in the way God has arranged, at the time God has appointed, when God’s purpose for our existence has been accomplished; and we will die by the stroke of God’s own hand.
For His Elect
B. Second, The Lord has done this thing for the eternal, spiritual good of chosen sinners (Rom. 8:28).
This, too, shall bring forth good to all God’s elect. I cannot tell you all the good it will do; but by this thing God will do good in and to Zion. He will bring forth eternal, spiritual good for his chosen.
· Maybe, as a result of this sudden stroke of God’s providence, some will be made to seek the Lord.
· Certainly, this thing has made us all a little more aware of the need to number our days and apply our hearts to Christ, to set our hearts on things above, not on the perishing things of time!
· But there is one great, indescribably bounteous good thing that has been accomplished by this earthly catastrophe. As I have watched the sobbing men and women in those far away nations, and wept with them in their indescribable grief, I have found solace for my soul and reason to rejoice in this fact. — Some of God’s elect have been ushered into glory! — Perhaps thousands of redeemed sinners have been gathered home all at once!
I have no idea how many of those men and women who were swept off the earth were believers; but I do know that there are none among those who were who are sad today for what was done on earth one week ago today. Our God has wiped all tears from heir eyes!
Among the rest, thousands of infants and small children were swept off the face of the earth; and they were swept up into the arms of Christ, snatched from the waters of woe into the bosom of the Son of God!
I will leave to the theologians to wrangle over their points of logical deduction and theological calculation. I simply tell you what I know. All God’s elect are saved and all babies dying as such are elect, chosen in eternal love, redeemed by precious blood, and saved by omnipotent, free grace. I cannot help thinking, “How good it was of our God to keep them from ever experiencing personal sin.”
· I do not mean to suggest that infants are not sinners. They are. We are all born in sin. As the sons and daughters of Adam, we all have his nature. But the Scriptures speak of small children as those who have not sinned “after the similitude of Adam’s transgression” (Rom. 5:14).
· I certainly do not want you to think, as ignorant people often do, that the Lord took those children to make them angels! — No! He took them to give them all the fulness of grace and glory with Christ.
Three Reasons
Let me give you three reasons why I am confident that those children dying in infancy are saved by God’s grace. I mean by that that they are chosen, redeemed, sanctified, justified, and born of God.
1. Our God is good (Ex. 34:5-6).
(Exodus 34:5-6) And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. (6) And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.
2. No child will ever go to hell and suffer the wrath of God because of the sins of its fathers. — God does not send people to hell because of Adam’s transgressions, but because of their own (Ezek. 18:20).
(Ezekiel 18:20) The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
3. The only example we have in Scripture of a child’s death (David’s son) assures us that the child went to Glory when he died (2 Sam. 12:23).
(2 Samuel 12:23) But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
His Own Glory
C. Third, The Lord God has brought this thing to pass for the glory of his own great name.
In my mind’s eye, I see thousands of newly arrived souls gathered around the throne of God and the Lamb who were not there just a week ago. There they are, clothed in fine linen, clean and white, singing the praises of God our Savior in perfect bliss! The Lamb in the midst of the throne is feeding them, leading them to living fountains of water, and rejoicing over them with love!
A Warning
D. Fourth, the Lord has done this to warn us all that time is short.
· Everything here is temporary – Vanity!
· We must soon die.
· Soon you and I will meet God in judgment!
· We will all spend eternity somewhere – Heaven? Hell?
· Trust the Lord Jesus Christ now.
Our Response
III. I have listened to and observed the responses of many to the terrible loss of life that we have witnessed. — How shall we respond to this tragedy?
Sometimes God takes multitudes away from the earth with such a sudden, glaring displays that the whole world is shocked by his work. Certainly, that is what we have witnessed this past week. I want us to hear the voice of our God as he roars from heaven.
(Luke 13:1-5) There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. (2) And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? (3) I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (4) Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? (5) I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
A Word of Caution
C. First, I want to give you a word of caution. We must never assume, as self-righteous men always do, that those who experience great tragedy and suffer great loss are being punished for their sins, as though they were greater sinners than we are.
Such arrogant, self-righteous assumptions are inexcusable. I say to you, as our Master did to those who made such a proud assumption, “Suppose ye that those who have suffered such tragedies are sinners above all the rest of us, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
· Without question, God does judge men for sin, visiting the iniquities of men upon them, their families and their nations.
· But it is not within the realm of our ability to know when or for whom sudden death comes by divine judgment.
· Often God brings death to his people suddenly, unexpectedly, as an act of great mercy and grace.
(Isaiah 57:1-2) The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. 2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
I know this. — For the believer, death is never an act of divine judgment, or an act of God’s anger. The believer’s death is always precious! It is totally irrelevant how I die, where I die, when I die, or what the instrument of my death may be. The only thing that matters is that I die “in the Lord.”
· Redeemed!
· Forgiven!
· Justified!
· Accepted!
(Psalms 116:15) Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
(John 14:1-3) Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
(2 Corinthians 5:1-9) For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
(Revelation 14:13) And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
When I have breathed my final breath
And dropped this robe of flesh in death,
When my appointed work is done
And my allotted time is gone,
Don’t stand around my grave and cry.
I’ll not be there. I did not die.
My Savior came to call me home,
And I with Him to heav’n have gone!
Now I am free from sin and pain;
And with the glorified I reign!
Don’t stand around my grave and cry.
I’m glorified! I did not die!
Seated with Jesus on His throne,
Glorified by what He has done,
I am a trophy of His grace.
Rejoicing, I behold His face:
Don’t stand around my grave and cry.
I am with Christ! I did not die!
My body lies beneath the clay
Until the resurrection day.
In that day when Christ comes again,
Body and soul unite again!
Don’t stand around my grave and cry.
Rejoice with me! I did not die!
A Word of Warning
D. Now let me give you again this word of warning.— “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise persish.”
You and I shall soon be cut off from the earth and ushered into eternity. Are you prepared to die? Am I?
There is but one way for you and me to be prepared to die, to meet God in judgment. We must repent. Should you ask me, “What is repentance?” I would answer briefly that true repentance involves at least these three things:
1. Holy Spirit Conviction.
(John 16:8-11) And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
2. Faith in Christ.
(Romans 10:9-10) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
3. Turning to God.
(1 Thessalonians 1:2-10) We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; 4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. 5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. 6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: 7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. 9 For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
(Philippians 3:3-14) For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Application: At God’s appointed hour, you to will die. When the Lord God brings death to your door, you will die just like those thousands who died last week, by the irresistible hand of God. Those multitudes who were ushered into eternity last week by the hand of God learned many things too late that I hope you will learn now.
· The Preciousness of Christ’s Blood!
· The Freeness of God’s Salvation!
· The Blessedness of Faith in Christ!
· The Value of The Gospel!
· The Terror of God’s Justice and Wrath!
God help you, now, to flee the wrath you richly and fully deserve, to flee away to Christ.
Amen.
[1] Date: Danville AM —January 2, 2005
Grace Baptist Church, Taylor, AR (Sat. AM January 8, 2005)
Tape # Y-55b