Listen to the Gospel

Revelation 14:6–13 ESV

6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” 8 Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.” 9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” 12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

Be Attentive to the Gospel -

Revelation 14:6–7 ESV

6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

Whether from angels or from people, listen to the Gospel

Galatians 1:8–9 ESV

8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

Be Warned about Rejecting the Gospel -

As a Nation

Babylon the Great has fallen (see )

The one (power, principality, world force () that led nations into idolatry & away of God and his truths.

Historically, the original Babylon (Nebuchadnezzar), then Rome was called Babylon by early Christians.

Future, a kingdom that will rule the world, led by the AntiChrist.

As an individual

Who chooses loyalty to the AntiChrist over the Christ.

Penalty is eternal torment in fire and sulfur (brimstone) in a place not made for man but Satan and his angels -

Matthew 25:41 ESV

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Be Active in Living the Gospel - ,

Fear God

750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers and Writers 212: Fear

Picture this: Eric Valli, a professional photographer, is dangling by a nylon rope from a 395-foot cliff in Nepal. Nearby on a rope ladder is another man, Mani Lal, doing what he has done for decades: hunting honey. Here in the Himalayan foothills, the cliffs shelter honeycombs of the world’s largest honeybee.

At the moment, thousands of them are buzzing around both men. Lal, a veteran of hundreds of such attacks, is calm. Not so Mr. Valli. Describing that moment in National Geographic, he says, “There were so many bees I was afraid I might freak out. But I knew if I did, I would be dead. So I took a deep breath and relaxed. Getting stung would be better than finding myself at the bottom of the cliff.” He overcame his fears and won a photo competition for his efforts.

Fear can send a person plummeting to destruction. Some believers, fearing the stings of persecution, testing, and temptation, have compromised their faith and slipped from the lifeline of Christ—which is why the Bible teaches us to fear God alone.

Give Glory to God

Give weight to God

Spotlight God

Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations & Quotes The Spotlight

imagine the following: the President of the United States comes to speak at your local high school auditorium and the band strikes up “Hail to the Chief” as the president strides to the microphone. The spotlight follows his every step. Suddenly the crowd, as one, rises and—what’s this? They turn their backs to the stage and, pointing to the balcony, erupt in applause for the fine performance of the spotlight operator! Absurd? Of course

Whom do we spotlight in our lives?

Worship God

300 Illustrations for Preachers Gospel Song Saves Boy from Kidnapper

A gospel song saved a 10-year-old Atlanta boy from his kidnapper.

In April 2014, Willie Myrick was in his front yard and bent down to pick up money when somebody grabbed him and threw him in a car. The little boy began to sing a gospel song called “Every Praise.” Myrick said that the kidnapper started cursing and repeatedly told Myrick to shut up, but he wouldn’t. He sang the song for about three hours until the kidnapper let him out of the car.

We all know that praise and worship is good for the soul. In this case, it may have saved young Willie’s life. In addition, he got to meet “Every Praise” gospel singer Hezekiah Walker, and they sang the song together.

Obey God’s commandments

Obey God’s commandments

Trust the Lord Jesus to your final breath

Trust the Lord Jesus to your final breath

Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations & Quotes Bonhoeffer

Dietrich Bonhoeffer recognized the evil of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi movement from the beginning, even in the early days of the movement when most of the Protestants in Germany were Hitler supporters. As a result, he found himself unpopular, even with other Christians. As restrictions and then persecutions came in waves upon European Jews, Bonhoeffer cried against it and warned the church and the German people of the emerging evil. But no one listened. Finding himself in danger, he fled to America, but he felt all the while that his place was with the believers in Germany, and in the early 1940s he returned to the fatherland, only to be arrested and taken to the extermination camp at Flossenburg, where he was stripped and hanged at age thirty-nine.

Bonhoeffer had to make the ultimate sacrifice with inner tranquillity and resignation because of his conviction that there are five different deaths every Christian should die:

1. Death to Natural Relationships. During the days of the Third Reich, many pastors said that they would be willing to endure imprisonment or death, but they could not do so because of their families. It is one thing for a husband or a father to be persecuted; it is quite another to see children suffer a similar fate. Hitler always used a man’s family as an inducement for absolute obedience. Bonhoeffer answered that our commitment to Christ should be so all-consuming that all natural affection must come under its authority. (Matthew 10:37)

2. Death to success. Bonhoeffer said, “Success is a veneer that covers only the emptiness of the soul.”

3. Death to the flesh. The Christian should have no fear of suffering, for he is already dead to self.

4. Death to the love of money.

5. Physical death for Christ, should a person be thus called.*