Following God’s Design: Eternity
Following God's Design • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Intro
Intro
1 And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. 2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. 3 Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. 4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. 5 And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him. 6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth. 7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. 8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, 9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
I want to talk to you this morning about God’s Design for eternity...
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Joseph Stalin was the soviet dictator who was a staunch atheist. But when he died, even though he did not believe there was a God, it is recorded that he lifted his fist and shook it at something or someone in horror as he died...
Francis Newport was head of the English atheist club of all of England. His final words recorded are, “You need not tell me there is no God, for I know there is one. And that I am in His presence. You need not tell me there is no hell, I feel myself already slipping. Wretches, cease your idol talk about there being hope for me. I know that I am lost forever.
Famous philosopher, Voltaire, in his last words stated, “I am abandoned by God and man. I shall go to hell!” His nurse who witnessed his passing said, “For all the wealth in Europe, I do not want to see another unbeliever die. It was a scene of horror.”
David Hewn, famous atheist philosopher, said as he died, “I am in flames. I am in flames. I am in flames.”
However, it certainly is a different scene when someone who is saved passes into eternity…
15 Precious in the sight of the Lord
Is the death of his saints.
D.L. Moody – “Heaven Opens Before Me”
D.L. Moody – “Heaven Opens Before Me”
Date: December 22, 1899
As the great evangelist D.L. Moody lay dying, he suddenly became very alert and said:
“Earth recedes, Heaven opens before me! If this is death, it is sweet! There is no valley here. God is calling me—and I must go.”
His son, standing nearby, thought he was dreaming and tried to comfort him. Moody replied:
“No, Will, this is not a dream. I have been within the gates. I saw the children’s faces.”
Moody died moments later with a peaceful smile, fully confident he was entering Heaven.
*I believe the many examples we have of people seeing and reaching for something could certainly be these people seeing Heaven or Jesus just before they die...
We have a Biblical example of it:
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Let’s look at 3 points from our text in Genesis 7 on eternity:
1. The Invitation to Enter the Ark
1. The Invitation to Enter the Ark
1 And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
The Ark is a type and picture of Jesus Christ...
For those who were in the Ark were saved from the flood...
Those outside died in the judgement...
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
2. The Warning of Coming Judgement
2. The Warning of Coming Judgement
4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.
What was the point of the judgement?
5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
God gave them 120 years of Noah preaching righteousness…
But they still chose NOT to enter the ark...
God gives us a warning of coming judgement:
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
The rich man was saying: “Don’t let my family come to hell!”
3. The Result of Obeying God’s Word
3. The Result of Obeying God’s Word
5 And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him. 6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth. 7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. 8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, 9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
9 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.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Gospel Presentation:
Gospel Presentation:
1. Admit you are a sinner
1. Admit you are a sinner
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
2. Believe Jesus died for your sins
2. Believe Jesus died for your sins
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
I Cannot get there on my own…
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
3. Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and save you
3. Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and save you
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
