It's Not too late

Luke 16:19–24 KJV 1900

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.

1. Heaven

Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Heaven

“When I get to heaven, I shall see three wonders there: The first wonder will be to see many there whom I did not expect to see; the second wonder will be to miss many people whom I did expect to see; the third and greatest of all will be to find myself there” (John Newton, author of hymn “Amazing Grace”).

John 14:1–4 KJV 1900

1 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. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

John 14:6 KJV 1900

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Psalm 11:4 KJV 1900

4 The Lord is in his holy temple, The Lord’s throne is in heaven: His eyes behold, His eyelids try, the children of men.

jn

Psalm 53:2 KJV 1900

2 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.

ps11.4

Inhabitants: God’s Throne, The Lord - right hand of the Father, angels

Inheritance: Heirs of God - children of God -

John 14:3 KJV 1900

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. Hell

Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Hell, Reality of

Walter Hooper, who was C. S. Lewis’s personal secretary, laughed when he read the following grave inscription:

Here lies an atheist,

All dressed up with no place to go.

Lewis, however, did not completely share in his laughter. He responded soberly, “I’m sure he wishes now that were true.” Hell is a sobering reality for those who don’t believe.

There is no laughter in hell

There is no partying in hell

there is no relief in hell

There is torment:

Luke 16:22–28 KJV 1900

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.

There is:

luk16.22-28

torment

rememberance

remorse

concern… for those who have yet to trust Christ...

I want to go to hell and be with all my friends -

your friends, family don’t want you to come to hell - they want you to get saved...

The moment they died without Christ - was the moment they believed… but is was too late...

There is Heaven

There is Hell

There is… Hope

3. Hope

Titus 1:2 KJV 1900

2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

1 John 3:1–3 KJV 1900

1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

There is hope!!!

Salvation is not offered and lured w/o the ability to obtain it!

Great Salvation Testimonies

by Mike Matthews on April 1, 2011; last featured June 1, 2014Share:

The testimonies of many of these famous people were collected in a book by J. F. Weishampel, Sr., The Testimony of a Hundred Witnesses (1858), if you want to read them in their own words.

📷Shop Now

God wants us to experience His promises to satisfy our deepest needs. “

O taste and see that the Lord is good:

Blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.” (). Jesus promised that those who test what He says will find it to be true: “If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” ().

History is filled with testimonies of changed lives, from cannibals and slave traders to musicians, philosophers, scientists, and writers.

One powerful point to bring up, as you discuss the certainty and truth of God’s Word, is a long history of changing lives. Millions of people, both famous and obscure, have been taken captive by the Word of God. It has changed them, and they have come to depend on its words in the same way that Christ’s twelve disciples and modern Christians disciples do. This faith in the Scriptures is not a newfangled phenomenon.

One powerful point to bring up, as you discuss the certainty and truth of God’s Word, is a long history of changing lives. Millions of people, both famous and obscure, have been taken captive by the Word of God. It has changed them, and they have come to depend on its words in the same way that Christ’s twelve disciples and modern Christians disciples do. This faith in the Scriptures is not a newfangled phenomenon.

To bolster your claims, it would be helpful to learn a few of these famous names. Many of these Christian converts are names that a great many people already know about, whether from history, literature, or science. By sharing their salvation testimony, you can show what really transformed them to the point that their lives are still studied today.

The testimonies of many of these famous people were collected in a book by J. F. Weishampel, Sr., The Testimony of a Hundred Witnesses (1858), if you want to read them in their own words. The language is sometimes a bit archaic, but the messages are powerful. Another good, contemporary source is the archive of articles published in the now-defunct magazine Christian History (www.christianhistorytimeline.com).

Polycarp (69-155).

This early church father, said to be a disciple of the apostle John, was martyred during one of the Roman persecutions at the age of 86; the events, reliably recorded in the Martyrdom of Polycarp, are the beginning of a long tradition of Christian martyr stories.

Augustine (354-430).

By any standards, Augustine is one of the giants of ancient civilization. Formerly a pagan philosopher, he converted to Christ and became a Christian leader and writer.

John Wycliffe (c. 1328–1384).

Wycliff was a leading English scholar of the 1300s who lost his post when he openly condemned false teaching of the medieval church; he used his free time to translate the first English Bible.

John Huss (1369–1415).

John Huss was a medieval peasant in Bohemia who became a scholar, then a preacher. When he came to understand the full meaning of the gospel, he spoke openly and was eventually burned at the stake for his biblical views.

Martin Luther (1483–1546).

Luther was a German monk so oppressed by his sins that he could find no comfort until God made clear the blessing that we are justified by faith, not works. For his views he was sentenced to die, but he never quit fighting despite this condemnation hanging over him for his entire life.

Hugh Latimer (c. 1487–1555).

Hugh Latimer was one of the faithful preachers who willingly gave his life under the reign of Bloody Mary rather than renounce his belief in the gospel. His famous words to his friend Ridley, as they were dying in the flames: “Be of good comfort, Mr. Ridley, and play the man! We shall this day light such a candle by God's grace, in England, as I trust never shall be put out.”

John Bunyan (1628–1688).

John Bunyan was a foul-mouthed, poorly educated English youth who was marvelously converted and became a preacher. Jailed for his preaching, he wrote what became one of the greatest bestsellers of the English world, Pilgrim’s Progress, as well as one of the most-read autobiographies, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners.

John Wesley (1703–1791).

John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church, is an example of someone who grew up in a Christian home and went out to serve Christ without really knowing Him as Savior. While on a mission trip to the Americas he began to see his own need, and upon his return, God used a reading of Martin Luther’s commentary on Romans to settle the matter for him.

John Newton (1725–1807).

This slave trafficker in Africa was wondrously converted from his wicked lifestyle and eventually became an Anglican preacher. He is known worldwide for “the most often sung testimony of all time”—the hymn Amazing Grace.

Fanny Crosby (1820–1915).

Blinded by a doctor’s quack treatment of her eye infection as a young girl, Fanny Crosby nevertheless resisted bitterness and trusted Christ’s mercy. She became a teacher and then wrote many popular American songs and more than 8,000 hymns, many of which are still sung in churches worldwide today. Examples include “Blessed Assurance,” “All the Way My Savior Leads Me,” and “Praise Him, Praise Him.”

William Booth (1828–1912).

The son of a builder who became bankrupt, Booth was converted at age 15, began to preach to the poor, and had a worldwide influence by founding the charitable outreach called the Salvation Army.

C. H. Spurgeon (1834–1892).

Saved as a 15-year-old, deeply convicted about his sinful heart, Spurgeon gave his life to preaching. Known as the Prince of Preachers, it is estimated that 10 million people heard him during his lifetime, and his thousands of sermons have been translated and distributed worldwide.

D. L. Moody (1837–1899).

A poverty-stricken young shoe salesmen in Boston was converted when the Sunday school teacher at his uncle’s church came to talk to him at the store. He later moved to Chicago, where he went to the poor children in the streets to bring them to his Sunday school and to Christ. Despite his poor education, he eventually became a preacher and international evangelist. An estimated million people confessed faith in Christ during his lifelong evangelistic efforts.

C.S. Lewis (1898–1963).

This atheist scholar was converted and recorded his experience in Surprised by Joy. He became a widely read Christian author, producing works like The Screwtape Letters and The Chronicles of Narnia.

Jim Elliot (1927–1956).

Even non-Christians are familiar with stories of missionaries who have given their lives in service of Christ, such as David Livingston. The most well-known modern missionary is probably Jim Elliot, who was killed by the Aucas in Ecuador. His journal entry is often quoted: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

There is hope for the living to escape the judgement of hell - but there is no hope for relief from fires of hell

luk16.22-

Luke 16:22–26 KJV 1900

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.

Those that die without Christ not only miss a transformed and blessed life as a child of God - they will suffer eternally -

needlessly

John 3:16–18 KJV 1900

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. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

jn3

There is HOPE!!!!

We are not left w/o hope!