Good News Week 37: GOOD NEWS OF SALVATION FROM JUDGEMENT & DESTRUCTION

Jesus is warning the religious leaders and those who have rejected His coming that if they continue in their rejection of Jesus and His Kingdom come that they will not be welcome into His Kingdom.

Remember, the Hebrew people were looking for the Messiah, the Christ, the one Isaiah and the prophets foretold would come to bring the Kingdom of God to earth and rule the nations.

The King who would rule in the line of David, whose rule would be eternal and who all the earth would find hope and healing in.

Isaiah 9:6–7 CSB

For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Armies will accomplish this.

But they didn’t understand that for this King to rule he would have to die and be raised to life.

Isaiah 53:5–12 CSB

But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished him for the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not open his mouth. He was taken away because of oppression and judgment, and who considered his fate? For he was cut off from the land of the living; he was struck because of my people’s rebellion. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, but he was with a rich man at his death, because he had done no violence and had not spoken deceitfully. Yet the Lord was pleased to crush him severely. When you make him a guilt offering, he will see his seed, he will prolong his days, and by his hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished. After his anguish, he will see light and be satisfied. By his knowledge, my righteous servant will justify many, and he will carry their iniquities. Therefore I will give him the many as a portion, and he will receive the mighty as spoil, because he willingly submitted to death, and was counted among the rebels; yet he bore the sin of many and interceded for the rebels.

Psalm 16:10 CSB

For you will not abandon me to Sheol; you will not allow your faithful one to see decay.

This is Jesus in the faces of those who where rejected his appearance, his miracles, his teachings, and even his resurrection.

Jesus is saying to them, I am the one you have been looking for.

I am the one promised.

I’ve worked miracles to prove it to you.

I’ve forgiven sin to prove it to you.

I will die and be raised form the death to prove it to you.

I’ve shown you how I fulfill the OT to prove it to you.

You you reject me.

I’m here to save you.

I’m here to give you the Kingdom.

I’m here to show you the Father.

I’m here to prove the Father’s love.

I will not make you follow me.

I will not make you trust me.

But I am here to show you, to bring you the Kingdom and eternal life.

I am the fulfillment.

Look at Jesus words in Luke 12:56

Luke 12:56 CSB

Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why don’t you know how to interpret this present time?

Jesus is saying,you understand weather patterns, you understand the seasons, yet you don’t know how to interpret what, who is right in front of you.

When you feel the weather change you know to prepare for winter or summer.

But I’m right in front of you and you haven’t realized it time to prepare for the Kingdom.

Jesus is telling them that your wisdom and your knowledge cannot save you if you will not recognize your need for Jesus.

You need Jesus.

We need Jesus.

The Prophets told the people of Israel that they need a Messiah.

Look at Jesus words in Luke 13:28-30

Luke 13:28–30 CSB

There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in that place, when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown out. They will come from east and west, from north and south, to share the banquet in the kingdom of God. Note this: Some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last.”

Jesus is warning them, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the Prophets are with me.

He is telling them that rejection of Him is rejection of the prophets.

He is telling them that rejection of Him is rejection of their God.

And He is telling them that if they continue in rejection they will be rejected.

Jesus would not force them to follow him, but He would die to open the door for them to come in.

Jesus is also telling them that as the descendants of Abraham they had a special covenant with God.

They were the first.

And they were first to have the Messiah come to them.

But He is also telling them that even though they were first in line to hear the goodnews of the Kingdom they will be the last.

And Jesus is telling them that those who they considered outside the Kingdom would be first in the Kingdom.

It’s the great reversal.

Those who were invited in first rejected the invitation and those who were last to hear where first to come in.

So hear me, this talk by Jesus is primarily audience is with his contemporaries.

It was a warning to the Jews of Jesus day that rejection of Him was rejection of the old covenant, a rejection their prophets, a rejection of their God.

It was a warning that God will not make you enter into His Kingdom if you do not want to enter into His Kingdom.

But that Jesus had come to open the door to the Kingdom so that anyone who would receive Him would be welcome to enter into the Joys of the Kingdom.

And that truth is universal.

And that truth is for you and for me.

Jesus came to open the door to the Kingdom so that you and I could enter into the Kingdom eternal by receiving Jesus.

What About Now?

So, you may be asking, “Pastor, so if all of that was for those folks 2000 years ago what does about now?

So, while the primary audience was the contemporaries of Jesus, there is some vital application for us.

Jesus Will Return To Welcome The Faithful Into The Kingdom

Titus 2:11–15 CSB

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, eager to do good works. Proclaim these things; encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

It the Glorious Appearing of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

He will bring salvation to those who turn from godlessness and worldly passions.

It’s the blessed hope.

It’s our great longing.

It’s the next event in the church age.

Jesus will return.

Revelation 21:1–5 CSB

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.”

Jesus will return to welcome the Faithful into the Kingdom.

Those who have put their faith in Jesus.

Those who have been washed by the blood of Christ Jesus.

Those who have been made new.

Jesus will return for the faithful.

And the Kingdom will be open to them.

Who Are The Faithful?

Here is the beauty of the Kingdom.

All are invited.

Even the last can be first.

How?

Jesus.

1 Corinthians 6:9–11 CSB

Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males, no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom. And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Do you see this?

Jesus makes the unfaithful worthy and welcome into the Kingdom.

Jesus turns the unrighteous into the righteous.

Jesus turns the faithless into the faithful.

Jesus does it.

Paul says, hey some of you were sinners.

You weren’t covenant people.

You were righteous people.

You were living in ways that were ungodly.

You were doing things that went against the nature and character of God.

You were hurting yourself and hurting others.

But when you accepted Christ you accepted newness.

2 Corinthians 5:17 CSB

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!

You have been washed - Cleansed from your sin and guilt.

You have been sanctified - Seperated from the world and seated with Christ

You have been justified - Declared innocent and righteous.

Are you perfect? No.

Are you new? Yes.

Are you living in light of Jesus? Yes.

Are you pursuing faithfulness? Yes.

You are a new creation in Christ Jesus.

The Kingdom awaits you!

What About Those Who Reject

Hear me, God longs for you to be saved.

John 3:16–17 CSB

For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

2 Peter 3:8–9 CSB

Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

God does not want any to perish but desires all to be saved.

But God has set before us a choice.

Deuteronomy 30:19–20 CSB

I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, love the Lord your God, obey him, and remain faithful to him. For he is your life, and he will prolong your days as you live in the land the Lord swore to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

God has given us a choice.

His desire is that we choose life.

But he honors our choice if we choose death.

Jesus came and died to demonstrate God great love for us.

To demonstrate God great desire for us to live eternally with Him.

Romans 5:8 CSB

But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus is God proving His love for us.

Jesus is God opening the door and making us ready to come in.

Jesus is God loving us to death.

But God doesn’t force us to follow Jesus into the Kingdom.

The same passage of Scripture that says God is patient with us and that God wants all to come to repentance also says that those who reject Him recieve what the want, eternity seperated from God.

2 Peter 3:7–14 CSB

By the same word, the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed. Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming. Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat. But based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found without spot or blemish in his sight, at peace.

Judgement and destruction await those who reject the Kingdom.

Is that fair? Yes. The choice was yours.

Is that just? Yes. Jesus paid the price for you to enter.

You may say well why can’t God make it so everyone enters? He could, but you wouldn’t have free will.

Why can’t he do both, He’s God? Because would not be just or fair.

God is confined by his nature, character, and word.

So those who reject by their own free will and choice are determining their own eternal state.

We eithe choose the Kingdom of Heaven or we choose our own Kingdom.

CS Lewis puts it like this,

There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “Thy will be done”, and those to whom God says, in the end, “Thy will be done.” All that are in hell choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find to those who knock, it is opened.’

We have been given authority.

When we were created God made us his representative in the earth and gave us authority to rule and to choose.

When we choose our own way we are exercising our authority to rule and our authority to choose.

God honors that.

It doesn't please God.

It brings no joy to God.

Ezekiel 18:23 CSB

Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “Instead, don’t I take pleasure when he turns from his ways and lives?

God Finds Pleasure In Saving

Did you read that?

Did you hear that?

Lets read it again...

Ezekiel 18:23 CSB

Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “Instead, don’t I take pleasure when he turns from his ways and lives?

God take no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

God desires to save.

God takes pleasure in the wicked finding salvation and life.

God takes pleasure in redeeming us from the curse.

God takes pleasure in rescuing us.

God takes pleasure in saving us.

God takes pleasure in welcoming you into the Kingdom of Christ Jesus.

God takes pleasure in calling you a citizen of Heaven.

God takes pleasure in adopting you and calling you His son or daughter.

God takes pleasure in giving you and eternal inheritance.

God takes pleasure in you.

We said it last week, and it’s actually part of this same talk by Jesus, God Delights In You.

Jesus is God opening up the door to all who were in last place, who were sinners, who were seperated from God, who were living for themselves.

Jesus is the LOVE OF GOD FOR YOU on full display.

He is jealous for you.

He sees you and He longs for you because He created you.

HE LOVES YOU

OH HOW HE LOVES YOU

Not willing that any should perish...

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