Sermon Tone Analysis

*NOT EVERYONE GETS TO GO TO HEAVEN*

*TEXT: Matthew 7:21-23*

*Introduction* You might not think it, but our world is very heavenly minded.

That is a strange statement considering just how wretched and wicked our world is, but in a recent CNN poll, it was discovered that *81%* of the people asked believed in a literal heaven where people lived with God after death.

*81%*!

*61%* of those polled said that they believed they would go to Heaven immediately when they died.

Another *88%* believed that they would see departed family and friends when they arrived in Heaven.

I find these numbers astonishing in light of the wickedness that fills our society, don't you?

Of course, there is another side to this story.

Of all those polled, *6%* believed Heaven could be reached by doing good works.

Another *57%* believed that Heaven was available to all who place their faith in God and did good works and *34%* believed that Heaven was for those who had faith in God alone.

Now, here is where a problem begins to be seen.

A full *63%* of those who responded believed they were going to Heaven, but they cited the wrong reason for getting there.

The other *34%*, who believed that Heaven came to those who placed their faith in God, may be just as wrong as those who believe salvation comes s a result of works.

I want you to know this morning that not everyone goes to Heaven when they die!

I know we want to believe they do, but the fact of the matter is, not everyone who thinks they are going to Heaven really is.

In what is, without question, the most important area of any person's life, most people, are sincerely wrong concerning what they believe about salvation.

It is my prayer that you will allow the Spirit of God to speak to your hearts today.

It may be that there are some here this morning who have never been truly saved.

Perhaps this is the day when you will meet Jesus as your Savior.

Maybe there are those who think they are saved, but in truth, you're not.

I am praying that God will speak to your heart today!

Perhaps there are those who know you have never been converted.

There is no better time than right now to get that taken care of.

Let's join Jesus as He teaches us the truth that "*Not Everyone Gets To Go To Heaven*."

!

I.          *A STARTLING COMMUNICATION* V. 21a

!! A.        Jesus makes one of the most startling statements in all the Bible.

!!! 1.

He says that not everyone who claims Him as Lord will be saved!

He is telling us that there will be some people who will think they are saved, but who, in fact, are still lost and headed to Hell!

!!! 2.      Jesus makes it clear that not all who profess Him possess Him!

!! B.        A mere profession of Jesus as Savior is not enough to save!

!!! 1.

A person may believe in the doctrines of the faith.

They may be sincere and good.

!!! 2.      Merely saying you know Jesus is not enough to save your soul.

!!! 3.      Belonging to the church, being a good person, doing religious things, etc, are all good, but none of them can save the soul!

Salvation come only through the new birth, */John 3:3, 7/*/./

!! C.        I think it is clear that Jesus is telling us that there will be some who will think they are saved and in reality they are deceived.

Why would I believe this?

Because the Bible has much to say about this matter.

!!! 1.      "For *many* are *called*, but few are chosen/.",

Matthew 22:14./

!!! *2.      *The parable of the Wheat and the Tares, */Matthew 13:24-30;/

!!! 3.      Paul also knew that there would be some in the church who would be fooled by their profession.

!!! *2 Corinthians 13:5 *Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.

Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

!!! 4.      Simon Peter also mentioned this phenomenon,

!!! */2 Peter 1:10 /*Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

!! D.        Why is this such a major concern?

!!! 1.

Because without Jesus, there is no hope for salvation.

!!! 2.      There is hope for nothing but Hell fire!

!!! 3.      Sadly, there are too many in our day who base their "salvation experience" on what their mother or daddy told them happened.

!!! 4.      Too many are trusting a time when they had a strange experience.

What we need to get firmly nailed down this morning is that there are many people who are trusting in some "fuzzy" experience to get them to Heaven.

Friend, you had better be sure where your faith is today!

Why?

Your eternity depends on what you trust in!

Remember, not everyone gets to go to Heaven!

!

II.

*A SIMPLE CONDITION* V. 21b

!! A.        Here, Jesus clears up the matter of what brings salvation to a life.

!!! 1.

He says that people are saved by "doing the will of His Father."

!!! *2.      *Does this mean that people are saved by works?

Of course not! */Ephesians 2:8-9./

!!! 3.      If we are going to understand this verse, we are going to have to find out what the will of the Father is.

!! B.        The Bible makes it clear that salvation comes to those who see the Son and believe in Him.

!!! 1.

The bottom line?

Salvation is by pure faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross.

!!! 2.      If you can come to the place where you are trusting nothing but the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to save you from your sins, that is biblical salvation.

!!! */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.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

!! C.        God has made salvation so easy to receive that He is able to invite anyone to come to Him for salvation,

!! D.        Salvation is simple,

!! */Acts 16:31/ *Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved..,.

!! E.        Where is your faith this morning?

It had better be in Jesus because not everyone gets to go to heaven!

!

III.    *A STUNNED COMPLAINT* V. 22

!! A.        When these people hear the requirement for salvation, they begin to recount all the things they have done in life.

!!! 1.

They had done some pretty impressive stuff!

!!! 2.      They had preached the Word of God!

!!! 3.      They had cast out devils!

!!! 4.      They had done many wonderful works!

And, they had done it all in the Name of Jesus!

!! B.        You see, they were sincere!

They were busy!

They were doing good stuff in a good Name.

They were making a difference.

They were so busy working for the Lord that they never took the time to get to know Him personally!

!! C.        These people appealed to their works to save them.

!!! 1.

They even call Him Lord, but they do not know Him!

!!! 2.      If this verse teaches us anything at all, it teaches us that salvation cannot be produced by works!

!!! 3.

You can do it all!

You can work and give and visit and preach and teach and go to church and on and on and on, but the truth still remains.

Salvation is by "faith through grace and that not of yourselves.

Not of works lest any man should boast."

!! D.        Do you hear these boasting?

!!! 1.      Notice that their whole claim to Heaven rests in what "they" have done!

!!! 2.      The focus is on them and not on the Lord.

!!! 3.      May I just remind you this morning, your salvation will never be about you?

It will never be about what you have accomplished or what you may have done.

!!! 4.      Salvation is all about Jesus and what He did when He went to the cross and took the sins of the world on Himself at Calvary.

Salvation is about Him! Salvation is about the One Who suffered, bled and died to accomplish what a million lifetimes of religious works can never do,