Immensity

Introduction

This was an incredible week. We moved so much closer to living out the Orwellian vision of 1984. In the span of hours the Webster dictionary actually changed the definition of a word to better reflect the political and moral ideology of democratic senators grilling a Supreme Court Nominee.

Merriam-Webster dictionary's fifth definition of the word 'preference' cites 'orientation' and uses the example of 'sexual preference' On Wednesday, the definition was updated to explain the term is 'offensive' Amy Coney Barrett was slammed for using the term during her SCOTUS hearings. On Tuesday Senator Mazie Hirono pointed out Barrett used the 'offensive' term twice in the hearing. Hirono said it is used by 'anti-LGBTQ activists' to suggest sexuality is a choice…So the dictionary backed the senator up by updating its definition.

Wednesday emails were published that indicated Joe Biden and his son Hunter were crooks and had quite possibly taken money for political access or favors. We wouldn’t know a lot about these allegations because Twitter and Facebook have suppressed the information in an effort to help Joe Biden win election to the White House.

Do you see what is happening to us? Debate, discourse and discussion are being closed. We have lost the culture war and now those in control of big tech, social media and the arts are vilifying anyone that does not believe, speak and act the way they have determined to be acceptable.

They are coming for us next. Christianity is not politically correct in this culture. We are officially the counter-culture now and persecution has already begun. It is not enough to remain silent and keep your opinions to yourself either. Refuse to bake a cake that violates your beliefs about the sanctity of marriage and the mob will come to shut you down.

So what is it that we believe? What is our responsibility to the man and woman on the street? What is our responsibility to God and His Kingdom?

We live in a heathen culture. A god-less, demon filled, wicked culture. So did Paul. He was called to the Gentiles…who by the very definition of the term were pagans.

The Gospel, as outlined in chapters 1 and 2 is a great mystery, a mystery entrusted to Paul for the purpose of the evangelism of the pagan world.

Paul realized 2:10 for himself meant a missionary journey to pagans in order to share the faith so some might be saved.

He saw the administration of grace for his calling as a gift from God. He saw himself as a servant of Christ and as such a servant to the gentiles. And this is who we are as well. We have been entrusted with the Gospel, called to the pagans, given grace and power for the task.

The question is simple…will we rise and move the gates of hell?

Servant

Paul says that his life became one of service to Christ on behalf of the Gentiles. He was now the apostle to the pagan world. His life, ambitions, plans and future were no longer his own as they had been. Paul was a new man with a new purpose.

Ephesians 2:10

Do you see your life as one with purpose? What is God’s calling on your life? To your family, this church and the world? Think about yourself. Think about why you are here…why you are still here…what is it that God intends for you?

Is it even remotely possible that God only wants you to live comfortably, in a nice house, with a beautiful wife, with good kids , plenty of savings and a entertaining retirement. Is it even remotely possible that this is the dream God has for you? Could these be the good works He intended for you since before the foundation of the world?

We know the answer to that question don’t we? We have been entrusted with the mystery…the words of life…salvation. Do we really believe it or not?

Is heaven real? Does God exist? Is there an eternity ahead? Is there such a thing as sin? Is there need of salvation from sin in order to meet God and know a perfect future in Him?

If what we preach is true then what we do now is of infinite importance.

“Is what you are living for worth Christ dying for?”

Someone is about to go to hell…they will do so before the words of this sentence leaves my mouth. They just entered…there are no doors there…no exits…this is just their first moment of realization of what lay ahead for them…forever. There will be no escape, no second chances…they are doomed in a place with weeping and gnashing of teeth…forever.

A young man converted during special evangelistic meetings held in a mining village, desirous of doing something for God, bought some tracts. He was distributing these one day when he met some of his old companions, who derided him as he spoke to them of Jesus. "Here," said one of his companions, "can you tell me where hell is?" After a moment's hesitation, the young man looked up and said: "Yes, it's at the end of a Christless life."

All that is left for this poor soul to do is weep and remember all of the missed opportunities for faith and salvation in Christ. To rehearse in their soul all of the moments God reached out, revealed Himself and was rejected.

But what about you and me? Does this information bother us? Are we concerned or are we broken? If not broken then we must pray, pray, pray…pray that we might know the calling of the Lord our God…the responsibility, privilege and opportunity to be a part of His work here on earth...

The greatest single tragedy that ever occurred in Texas. It was an explosion that killed four hundred school children and their teachers in the New London school house. The school was dismissing for the day when a streak of lightning coming from the ground instead of from the skies, the great building was blown to ashes, and lives of teachers, boys and girls were snuffed out in a flash. One family had five children (all they had) in the explosion. Scores of families lost three or four, their little bodies were so mangled that identification of many was impossible. A gloom of deep, dark sorrow swept over our state and the nation. The government sent secret service men to investigate the cause. They labored for days. One of the investigators was questioning a lady, the wife of a man who had worked on the construction of the building. She said: "My husband told me before this tragedy happened that he knew there was faulty construction in the gas line under the building." "What?" said the inspector. She repeated her statement. Then the inspector asked: "Did your husband know that the construction of the gas line was faulty?" "Yes," she answered. "Did he report it to anyone?""Then your husband is a criminal," he said.

My friend, Christian people know there is a Hell and that lost people are doomed to go there unless some saved person leads them to Christ. Are you concerned for the lost? Are you picturing to them the doom that awaits them? If not, you are just as responsible for their doom as that man who knew of the faulty construction in the gas line, was for the death of those children

Pray that we might capture a vision for eternity and never lose sight of it…never lose sight of the love and severity of God, salvation and judgement.

Conclusion

Are we living in light of eternity? Are we living a life worth Christ dying for? Do we see the immensity of our time here on earth?

Immensity — the extremely large size, scale, or extent of something.

Our life, is of an extremely large size, scale or extent…because we have been joined to Jesus and connected to His mission for the lives of humanity around us. We have been joined to His mission to seek and save the loss so He might make a peculiar people, a holy people, unto Himself.

Confess your sin, repent and ask God to give you a love a passionate love for Him.

Ask God to ask God to keep you in obedience to Him and give you the love for holiness that He has.

Ask God to give you the same concern for souls that His has…ask Him to make you love others the way He does.

Then pray for and share the gospel with the lost.

Right now I have 4 men and myself committed to pray 30 minutes each day for these things…for revival in our life and the church. Would you be the 5th? Would you join us? And would you ladies start a group to do the same? Would you pray with my wife 30 minutes a day for revival in your life and the life of this church, city, state, country and world?