Gospel—Don Mackewich
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We'd like to thank everyone for coming to the Gospel meeting tonight.
For those who were here last night, thank you for coming back. For those who are joining us tonight for the first time, we welcome you.
And for any of the hotel staff who might have a chance to hear this message or part of it, we, uh, thank you for listening too. It's a privilege to be here at your nice hotel and to, uh, do what we do and have these meetings. And we appreciate your kindness and your generosity. And, uh, we hope that you, uh, enjoy listening to this gospel message too. For those who will be listening to the recording at home or on the Internet, we hope that.
Tonight, you too will accept the Lord Jesus as your Savior. We're going to begin by singing using this hymn sheet. We're going to begin with #2.
It says come to Jesus gently calling ye with care and toil, oppressed with your guilt, however appalling. Come, and I will give you rest for your sin.
Jesus once has suffered on the cross. The work was done.
And the word by God now uttered or spoken to each weary soul is come. And tonight we're so thrilled that you are here. And it would be even more thrilling if tonight you would come home.
And that you would come and know Jesus as your savior #2.
Count is.
In the country.
I will give you the rest.
Or your intent to give a lot of time so I'm curtains on the.
3 Grand St. 10-4, 989-898-9368.
9:10 You know the world's going to take things going on the way I think.
I'm still waiting.
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00:05:23
Nsnoise.
Have a good day.
It's nice to begin with a song that reminds us that every single person in this room is invited. Every single person is invited.
Sometimes in school, when one of my students has a birthday, they give out invitations to their friends. And not everybody gets an invitation. Some people are left out. But when it comes to the good news of the gospel and the way of salvation, every single person is invited. And that includes you and every single person who's listening to this, who's not here in this room right now, You also.
Are invited. Many in this room have accepted that invitation.
And they're going. How about you? Have you accepted? Are you going? If not, I hope by the time tonight we're done. You can say yes. Yes, I am too. I'm coming too.
All right, let's sing one on the Backpage #40 Jesus loves me this. I know where the Bible tells me so little ones to him belong. They are weak.
But he is strong. Let's also stand for number 40.
Jesus.
Dreams of life.
Yeah, I'm seeing like, what's me, ravioli?
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Make me my way till for me and his daughter.
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Las Vegas.
Las Vegas, love me.
Without me so she is not blessed me like may sell where am I barely.
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Take me all my time. You have seen a lot of men? Yes. Do you guys love me? Yeah. I must be a lot of great. The Bible tells me so.
You know, it's a privilege to be able to open up the Bible and go over the wonderful story of how the God of this universe is so interested in your life and how he delights to save and set free. So as we have this message before us tonight, our source is God's holy word, the Bible. It's not what I have to say.
It's what this book has to say. So as we open it up tonight, one of my begin begin by letting us know that everything in this book, from the very beginning to the very end, is 100% true.
It's what God says, and He's got a wonderful message in it for us tonight. The title of tonight's message is Salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. I'd like to begin by turning to a book in the New Testament called First Thessalonians.
And I'd like you to open up the chapter 5.
And look for verse 9.
You can also go ahead and put your finger on it. It's nice to be able to touch the word and follow along as we read. I'll try and go slowly.
It says in First Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 9, For God hath not appointed us to wrath.
But to obtain salvation.
By our Lord Jesus Christ, and that's the message that we're gonna share with you tonight is salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. Tonight I'm gonna focus on sin and the burden of sin, going to focus on that emptiness that you're feeling and let you know how it can be.
Eliminated and how you can have peace with God. And I'm also going to talk a little bit about heaven. And yes, I'll mention the other H word hell.
Because it's a real place and we don't want anyone.
To go there. OK, well, we were driving from Columbus, OH here to St. Louis, MO on Interstate 70. We saw some billboards. Some of them were promoting places like McDonald's and restaurants and, uh, car dealerships and, uh, RV places. But there was also some billboards that had some, uh, questions.
On them and questions that were designed to catch the attention of those who were driving or those who were passengers in the vehicle. And one of the billboards asked this question, it said where will you spend eternity?
That's a really good question. Where will you spend eternity?
Another billboard said this.
Hell has no access.
How has no exit? Another billboard that we saw said Jesus is real. Yes he is. There were others and I can't remember them all, but I was thankful for the ones that I saw and they asked some really good questions and they caused us to take a hard look at life.
Because we're not guaranteed.
Another day. We're not guaranteed that you don't have the chance to go back to school on Monday. We're not guaranteed that you'll have the chance to go back to work on Monday. We're not even guaranteed that we'll be here tomorrow. So tonight, let's take a hard look at our life.
And let's ask ourselves that question.
Where am I going and where am I going to spend eternity? Don't worry about the person next to you. Don't worry about the person behind you. Let's focus on ourselves right now.
Where?
Am I going and why? And what is that based on? Is that based on hopes? Is that based on? Well, I think.
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Or I'm really looking forward to that. Or is it something that you can say it is based on what the Bible says, And that is because I know Jesus as my Savior, my brother Luke was telling us that Thursday morning about.
A little after midnight.
He heard sirens going down Main Street past my parents house.
Hear lots of sirens and the fire trucks, the police cars and the ambulances were going very quick. You said they were flying by, which means that they were in a very, very quick hurry to get to wherever they were going. And we weren't sure what and where they were going. But with technology, who was able to pull up on the Internet to get some information and apparently.
Just north of the city of Richmond, a vehicle, a truck with four driver or 4 passengers, 1 driver of course, was driving.
And the police in the next village over had gotten a report that there was a potential drunk driver driving, and the police were on the lookout for this truck they are made of. Police spotted the truck, turned on the lights and went to pull over the driver.
The driver did not pull over. The driver accelerated.
The story has a sad ending. The driver lost control of the truck, went off the road, hit a tree.
One person is dead.
The other three were taken to the hospital. One is in critical condition and I'm not sure of the outcome of the other two.
Again, this happened Thursday morning, just a little after midnight.
I don't know the whole story. I don't know where their plans were, but I assume that all four of these ones in the side this truck were probably anticipating having some type of a Thanksgiving dinner Thursday afternoon, either with their parents or with relatives.
Well, one family.
Is missing or was missing someone at Thanksgiving.
And instead of planning a Thanksgiving dinner.
They have a funeral to plan.
Another family.
Did not have Thanksgiving dinner at the house, I'm assuming because they're at the hospital.
Things happen very quickly and lives have been and families have been, uh, situations have been altered. The one who is gone is either in heaven or in hell. For that person, it is too late.
For the one who's in the hospital, our condolences to the family. We hope that this one recovers quickly. And for the other two, we hope that they also recover. And I hope that all three of them take a hard look at their lives and they they ponder seriously this question, where will I spend eternity?
Where will you spend eternity? It was quick, it was sudden.
Lives have been changed.
I hope no one in this room were to get in a car accident heading back home.
But if that were to be the case, where would you be? Where would you spend eternity? Tonight? There's an invitation that goes out from to every single person in this room, and that is come, come to Jesus. And tonight we started off with this person. First Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse nine, it says to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ tonight. Are you wondering where do I start? Yeah, I'm really, I am interested. I want to know more about Jesus, but I just don't know where to start.
I just don't know.
What to do? What my friends tell me at school is different than what my parents tell me. What I found on the Internet is different than what I think should be. Here's a good place to start.
Let's start with what the Scriptures say, because it's true. And if you listen carefully, tonight you can leave rejoicing, knowing Jesus as your Savior. Tonight you can know that salvation is true.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, salvation is not through working. Salvation is not by being a good person and going to church. Salvation is not through the results of your parents or your grandparents. Salvation is through Jesus Christ our Lord. I'd like to turn now to a verse in John chapter 14.
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It's so wonderful that we don't have to guess, we don't have to speculate, we can just open up the Bible to find out the truth.
John, Chapter 14.
And verse 5.
Thomas saith unto him.
Lord, we know not whither thou goest.
Go ahead and put your finger on this part here. We're going to pick it up. John chapter 14 and verse 5.
Here's the question, how can we know the way?
Jesus saith unto him.
I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by me. I love that. Let's read it again. It says Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Tonight the message that we bring before you, salvation is through a person.
It's through the Lord Jesus Christ, He is the only way, not a way, but the only way. And tonight would you like to go to heaven? It's through Jesus because He is the way. It's also turned over to John chapter 6 to get a few more verses. These are verses that Tim Kaiser read this morning.
John chapter 6 and starting with verse 63.
Is everybody there? If I'm going too fast, let me know. I wanna make sure that I'm keeping up at a pace where you can follow along. I sometimes tend to go too quick. John chapter 6 and verse 63, it says it is the spirit that quickeneth. The flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I speak unto you.
They are spirits and they are life spoken by Jesus himself. And then verses 68 and 69.
Simon Peter answered him.
Lord, to whom shall we go?
Thou are, you hast the words of eternal life, and we believe in our shore that thou art to Christ, the Son of the living God. Tonight as we start answering that question, where will we spend eternity? Where we're going to look for that answer and who we're going to look for? We're going to look to the Bible and we're going to look to Jesus.
And we're going to find it. And by the time we're done tonight, there will be no mistake as to how we get to heaven because it's only through one person, It's through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not through our good deeds. It is not by going to church. It is not because our parents are Christians. It is not because our grandparents were Christians. It is not because you went to Sunday school. It is not because you were baptized. It is not because you memorized scriptures.
It is because you repented and put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
If you are sitting here tonight and you are saying, well, I was thinking I got to heaven by being baptized, or I was thinking I got to heaven because of my things that I've done. I was thinking I get to heaven because I donated money to the church. But I was thinking I got to heaven because I learned some verses in Sunday school. You need to listen really carefully, would you please? Because we want you to know the truth. Jesus saves. Jesus saves, and we want you to make sure that there is no doubt.
That you know where you're going and maybe you're here tonight and you're kind of on the fence, not sure what you're gonna do. Listen carefully. Allow the Holy Spirit to work in your heart. And tonight we want you to accept, accept Jesus as your Savior. There's three things I wanna look at tonight. I wanna answer the question of who can forgive us of our sins because we all have sinned. I also wanna answer the question tonight, who can satisfy the longing heart?
Because maybe you're here tonight and you've been looking to the things of this world to satisfy you. You've been looking to, uh, maybe people or entertainment to satisfy you and you realize that it's just not doing the job. I've got good news for you. I can tell you who can satisfy that. And maybe you're here tonight and you've kind of put it in the back of your mind. But we need to bring up the subject of heaven and hell. Just so we're real clear, because those are the two places.
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Where people go when they die.
Let me rephrase that. When someone dies, they either go to one place heaven or one place hell, but those are the two options. OK, let's start off by taking a look at sin. It's not something that we like to talk about, but we need to address it.
I have send.
And the Bible is really clear as to who is sinned. Could you turn with me in your Bible to Romans chapter 3?
Sin isn't just making a mistake. Sin is disobedience to God. Sin is lawlessness.
And the Bible is very, very clear.
And when we read the Bible, it applies to myself too. I'm not any better than anyone else in this room or anyone listening to this message. And the Bible says in Romans chapter 3 and verse 23. Would you look carefully for that verse and put your finger on it and follow along?
It says for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Have you told the lie that makes you a liar? Have you stolen something that makes you a thief? Have you disobeyed your parents?
We could go on and on, couldn't we?
We all have sinned and it doesn't come short of the glory of God. What does it mean to come short? None of us can get to heaven on our own. None of us can get there on our own.
Our sins have separated us from God and we cannot get there on our own and we need to start off by acknowledging that fact that we all have sinned and come short.
Regardless of how many you've done, whether you've done one or millions, and there's nobody in this room who's done just one, there's nobody in this room who's done just 100. OK, we all have sinned and come short. OK, to to use an analogy of coming short.
And I don't mean to bring the world into the gospel meeting, but our Detroit Lions were playing the Houston Texans on Thursday and a Thanksgiving Day. And the game went into overtime and it came down for our kicker for the Detroit Lions to kick a field goal. And he kicked the field goal. And as I understand it, he kicked the field goal and then hit the goal post.
And it went aside. It was so close that it hits a goal post, but it doesn't count.
It came up short.
It hits a post, how much closer can you get? But it came up short. And in the eyes of God, we all come short. We're going to build upon that. Please turn to Isaiah chapter 2.
I'm sorry, Isaiah, chapter 59.
We don't want a single person in this room to come up short.
In other words, I don't want someone in this room to be sitting here saying should I? Should I not understand this? If you leave this room and you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are coming up short. You could be super, super close. Just like that football that hit the goal post and bounced off and was no good. If you leave here tonight and you have not accepted Jesus as your Savior.
Anywhere to pass away tonight you would come up short. The Bible says in Isaiah chapter 59 and verse two it says but your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear God is holy. God cannot allow sin in his home, not even one that's right. When you go to some people's houses, they ask you to take your shoes off because they don't want you to come into their house with their shoes on because your shoes bring in dirt and stuff and then they have to vacuum the.
Or you have to, uh, get out the broom and sweep it out. They want to keep the dirt out. They have rules to, uh, keep their house clean, right? And God cannot allow even one sin into His home. And it says that our iniquities have separated us from Him.
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The situation isn't looking good, is it? We know that we all have sinned and we know that our iniquities have separated us from God. Is there any hope? Is there any good news tonight in Saint Louis? Is there any way that that the question of sin can be settled? There is good news. I'm thrilled to be able to share it with you. Would you turn to 1St John, chapter one?
I'm sorry, let's back up John chapter 8.
John chapter 8 and verse 21.
So we've all been we. That's a fact. That's not an opinion, that's a fact. Our sins have separated us from God. Now look at this John chapter 8 and verse 21. It says, Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins. Whether I go, you cannot come.
Tonight, if you die in your sins, or whenever you were to die in your sins, or if the Lord Jesus were to come back and you're still in your sins, it's very clear.
Look at that again, Whither I go, or where I go, you cannot come. Verse 24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins. For if you believe not that I am, you shall die.
In your sins.
So let's re establish what we've got going so far. The fact is that we all have sinned. The fact is, is that our iniquities have separated us from God. God is very clear that He cannot allow sin into His home.
And that's where the good news of the gospel message comes in.
Is that men, women, in all their sins, can hear the news that there is one in heaven, the God of this universe who loves you, and who sent his Son the Lord Jesus to die on the cross, so that the question of sin could be settled, so that God's holiness could be maintained.
And that a way of salvation could be made.
So that each and every person have the opportunity of having those sins forgiven. Now we can turn to 1St John chapter one.
It's not really good for me to tell you that there's a good remedy out there if you don't know that you need one. So that's why I've been working so hard to bring before you the Scriptures, to let you know that you have a need that's got to be filled. And now I can bring before you the good news that Jesus can fill that need.
In first John chapter one and verse seven it says towards the end of it.
Let's read it from the beginning, put your finger on it and follow along, please. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another.
And the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.
I'm going to read that again. Isn't that marvelous? The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son cleanseth us from all, every sin. Verse nine, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Tonight would you be free from the burden of sin?
Here's how.
Jesus, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. Don't go on another day trying to hide your sins. Don't go on another day trying to suppress your sins. It's kind of like putting a beach ball underneath the water. Real difficult to keep it down there. It's going to pop out real soon. We can try and cover those sins, but the Bible is very clear and here's what it says. He that covers his sins will not prosper. And you know what? You're dealing with a God who you cannot fool.
He knows everything about you. He knows when you were born. He knows where you were born. He knows who your parents are. He knows when you celebrated your first birthday. He knows what you wore on your first birthday. He knows when your first tooth came in. He knows what color your bedroom walls are. He knows when you learned how to he he was watching the day you went to kindergarten.
He was watching you every single day you were in school. He remembers when you entered middle school.
00:35:01
He remembers if your locker was clean. He remembers when you took that first step in high school.
He remembers the first under score verse he learned. He remembers how nervous you were, or how not nervous you were when you did your first driver's Ed test.
He remembers the day you graduated.
He was watching as your parents were. Some of them had tears in their eyes. The point is, he's got it all recorded. He knows it all.
Trying to fool God is the most foolish, one of the most foolish things you could ever do because you can't. So tonight I want to encourage you the sins that you've committed. Don't leave this room saying, well, I'm just going to just going to try and repress them. Just gonna try and ignore them. Just gonna try and forget about them. Don't do that. Don't do that. You can't hide them. They're not gonna go on their on away on their own. And also they're gonna keep you out of heaven.
Would you like to have peace tonight? Would you like to know your sins forgiven? It's through Jesus Christ. Our message tonight is salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. The blood of Jesus Christ His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.
I'm gonna switch an address.
Ones in this room, or ones who are listening to this, who have been trying to satisfy their soul, thinking that what this world has to offer will fill that void in your heart.
If you're here tonight and you're thinking, well, yeah, I learned about Jesus in Sunday school. I memorized some of those verses. But you know what? I want to go out and do my own thing. I want to live my own life. And right now I'm not really interested in someone trying to help me out.
Tonight I need you to listen really carefully because I know the one who can satisfy the longing heart that you have.
OK, and you don't have to spend any more money trying to, uh, entertain yourself trying to do this, that or the other. I know the one who satisfies the longing heart and I want you to know that person too. Would you open up your, or would you turn in your Bible to, uh, Psalms chapter, uh, 107?
Maybe you're sitting here tonight and said, you know what? When I was a young person, I heard about Jesus in Sunday school. But.
You know, now, now that I'm older, I, I'm smarter and, uh, you know, I really want to be able to make my own decisions in life and want to do my own thing. I kind of think that my parents were a little old fashioned and uh, yeah, the Bible was good for them, but, uh.
It's my life, I want to live it.
Listen very carefully that you will not be able to satisfy yourself with what this world has to offer. And there's evidence of it in Scripture, what's called the prodigal son in Luke 15. He, he wanted to go off and do his own thing and he found out that.
When his money ran out.
When, uh, Anita Rose, this world would not satisfy his heart.
And I hope you don't have to learn the hard way. But if you do, and you choose to leave tonight thinking you're gonna do your own thing and continue to go on your own way, I hope that you remember this verse. And I hope that the Holy Spirit planted in your heart Psalm 105 and verse.
I'm sorry, Psalm 107.
In verse nine, sorry, I get nervous when I'm up here and I make mistakes and but the good thing is Scripture, there are no mistakes. Here's the answer. Psalm 107 and verse 9. For he satisfieth the longing soul and Philip the hungry soul with goodness. That's Jesus. He's the one who's going to satisfy and fill that void that you have.
We said, man, I want to just go out and hang out with my friends and go to happy hour and grab a few beers and watch a game or, you know, I'm kind of want to have a smoke some cigarettes. And actually I'm interested in what I just kind of like to look at what I look at on the Internet and the *********** or this, that or the other, you know, I just kind of want to do my own thing. I just really don't want to look at what the Bible says. Listen very carefully if that's the path you're going to go. The Bible is very clear.
That you're going to have a very miserable life and the only one who can satisfy your soul is Jesus. And oh by the way, if you go through life without Jesus, you will end up in hell.
And that's not where we want you to go.
People have been praying for you, people have been praying for the gospel message tonight and we don't want any single person in this room.
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This side of the room, this side of the room, anyone who's listening to this recording to end up going there, we want you to know that Jesus Christ is the way.
Where can I find peace? It's through Jesus. One other portion in connection with that, before we get into heaven and hell, turn to John chapter 14.
You guys are doing such an excellent job listening and I appreciate that and it's just so nice and we can open up the scriptures to find the answers.
Isn't this comforting? Isn't this encouraging? Isn't it nice when we can proclaim hope?
And one who can save.
John, Chapter 14.
And verse 27.
Another verse reminding us that this is the one who can give us peace. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you.
Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Are you looking tonight for peace that this world cannot give you? It can be found in Jesus. He is the one who gives peace.
That this world cannot give. And maybe tonight you've noticed that.
When people who are Christians, when they go through trials, when they go through a difficult time, when a loved one gets sick or someone gets hurt in a car accident, or when they're frustrated with things that happen at work, they don't quite respond the same way. They don't step outside of work and smoke a cigarette. They don't go down the street to grab a beer. There's something about them that's different. You know what it is? They have peace.
That this world cannot give. They have peace that Jesus gives.
Peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth. Do you have a longing heart tonight? You're not going to find it in this world.
The prodigal son had to come to the realization that he had to come to repent and say, Father, I have sinned.
And tonight you need to come to that point where you say I've blown it, I have sinned and not only am IA Sinner, I am a helpless Sinner and I need God's forgiveness. And tonight the good news is that when you are ready to do that, He is ready to forgive right now. Don was talking about getting that Jingle. You don't need a phone to call God. He's been in the wireless business for forever. You just let him know right now.
Lord, I need you. No text messages apply. You just let him know and he will hear that call. He will hear you and he will save your soul. And if you're looking for another example, we don't have time to get into it, but in the Old Testament there was a man named Solomon who had it all.
And he still could say it is all vanity. It is not going to satisfy my soul. Again, we don't have time to get into it, but you could turn to uh.
Ecclesiastes, chapter 2.
The last portion I'd like to look at tonight is we need to bring before it's the reality of heaven and hell.
They are real places.
And I want to begin by looking at a very serious and solemn question. It's found in the book of Isaiah.
Chapter 33.
See, our time is going. We only have 14 minutes to help. You're as excited as I am about the gospel. And I hope that tonight as we've been opening up the Scriptures, you'll say yes, yes, yes, I see that I'm a Sinner. Yes, I see that I have a void. I, I want Jesus tonight. That would be wonderful if you would accept Jesus tonight.
Again, we said if you die in your sins where I can, where I am, you cannot come. There's heaven. That's the bad place. It's called hell.
It's a very, very, very bad place.
We don't want you to go there.
I remember hearing the gospel when I was younger and I didn't want to go there.
And I would ask the Lord Jesus to save me. And I hear someone else take the gospel and.
Then I, I really don't want to go there and I'd ask the Lord Jesus again to save me because I didn't have assurance. And I don't want anyone to misunderstand. I only needed to be saved once and I was only saved once. I wasn't saved, uh, you know, 55 times. But uh.
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Boy, when it came to hell, I I wanted to be absolutely sure I was not going there. OK, And let's make sure that we're absolutely sure that we are not going there too. OK, here's the verse Isaiah chapter 33 and verse 14. It's a question.
It says this, the sinners in Zion are afraid.
Fearfulness has surprised the hypocrites.
Here we go. Are you ready? This is a loaded question.
Who among us?
Shall dwell.
With a devouring fire.
Who among us?
Shall dwell with everlasting burnings.
It's in the Bible. Let's look at that again.
Two among us shall dwell with the devouring fire. Who among us?
Shall dwell with everlasting burnings.
We need to listen really carefully. If you're on your phone right now and you're on Facebook or checking out the scores on ESPN.com, or you're checking to find out what's going on in the news, you need to log off and you need to listen real carefully. If you're thinking about something else, we need to focus.
Because this is serious.
I believe.
There are ones in this room.
Right now.
And if you don't know Jesus as your savior, I mean you.
Who if you were to die tonight?
You would end up in hell.
I also believe that there are those who are listening to this or who will be listening to this, who are in the same situation.
Is that where you want to go?
We have these meetings to let you know that you don't have to go there.
And that salvation is through Jesus Christ our Lord.
But we have to be real clear when we preach the gospel. It's not a feel good. Oh, you look good. Let me give you something positive so you can leave with a smile on your face and come back tomorrow.
We need to bring the truth and love before you.
There is a heaven and there is a hell. God is holy and he can't allow sin into his home. But God is also love and he has made it possible. Where you?
Do not have to go there.
Guys, we gotta be real. We can't be faking it.
You need to answer this question for yourself tonight.
If you are one in this room who has accepted Jesus as your Savior.
Sure, I'm your brother.
And we're going to heaven.
If you're in here tonight then.
You haven't answered that question.
We're going to different places and I want you to come with me and I want you to go to heaven.
No, I think there might be some in this room whose parents who have parents who are saved. I wouldn't be surprised if you have a grandparents who are saved too.
And they're praying for you.
They know what the Bible says about this place.
Let's continue on with our discussion. Turn to Luke chapter 2. I'm sorry, Luke chapter 16.
Luke chapter 16 and verse 23.
The word torment or torment is used at least three times in this portion.
Not a happy place.
Yeah, people at Halloween may make light of it. They might have tombstones in front of their houses. They might People might dress up as the Grim Reaper. They might make a joke of it.
But it's a very, very bad place and we don't want anyone to go there.
Luke 16 verse 23 it says.
Speaking of one who went there.
And in how he lifted up his eyes.
Being in torment.
And seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his Buddhism, and cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me. And send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water.
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And cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. Oh, it's a terrible place. And we don't want a single person in this room or a single person who is listening to this to go there.
And the good news is, you can have salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. You do not have to go there.
You do not have to go there, and here's why. Because God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And the good news is, God came into this world as a baby, live the real life, went to Calvary's cross there, was punished for those who would put their faith and trust in Him.
He died. He was buried. Three days later he rose from the dead.
40 days later, he went back to heaven where he is alive today. We serve a God who is alive and a God who wants to save you tonight.
Marvelous, isn't it? Tonight, how can you have your sins forgiven? Jesus is the one who can forgive you of your sins. Tonight how can you have that void in your heart satisfied? How can the longing soul be filled? He satisfied at the longing soul and the question of eternity. How can we?
Avoid going to that very bad place called hell. It's salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. And that's why we are so excited to be able to share the gospel, because it's a message of hope. It's a message of deliverance. The invitation goes out to every single person in this room, to every single person who's listening to this, to every single person who has a pulse. The messages come.
Come unto me are you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
He is the only one who can save, it says in Acts 40. Let's look at it, Acts chapter 4. Guys, this is so exciting. It puts a smile on my face to know that Jesus is the one who can save you.
We are almost done, but we just need to make sure that everyone leaves with a very, very clear understanding that Jesus did salvation through Christ Jesus. It says in Acts chapter 4 and verse 12.
That there is neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. It is only through Jesus. He's the one who can forgive you of your sins.
He's the one who can satisfy the longing heart. He's the one who can save you from going to hell.
Because he is the one who loved you. He's the one who died for you. He's the one who shed his precious blood.
It's salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, and the good news is that He paid the price when he gave his life on Calvary's cross. So tonight you don't have to pay a thing.
It's a free gift. It's marvelous. Yes, it's a free gift because he gave his all. He gave his life so that you and I could have our sins forgiven. It's marvelous, isn't it?
Wonderful salvation through Christ Jesus our Lord.
I'm looking at the clock, I see we have 4 minutes left.
We got to start asking ourselves the questions now.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, if you could look this way, please.
You are responsible for what you've heard tonight.
You are responsible for what you've heard.
You cannot walk out the doors and truthfully say.
I didn't know.
I think we all have a good understanding and I hope I've done a good enough job keeping it simple for you tonight, but I hope that you understand that we all have sinned.
I hope that we've all understood that there's only one person who can satisfy the longing heart. I hope that we're really crystal clear on the fact that there's only one person who can save us from going to hell.
And that's Jesus.
So I need to ask you a few questions.
Do you believe what you've heard tonight?
The Bible says that all have sinned. Do you believe that?
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The Bible says that because of our sins.
We deserve to die. Do you believe that?
Yes or no?
The Bible says that if you die in your sins where I am, you cannot come.
Do you believe that?
The Bible says, Jesus says, or Jesus says in the Bible, I am the way, the truth and the life. Do you believe that?
Tonight, Jesus wants to save you. Do you believe that you need a Savior?
Follow up with question #2 is when is Jesus?
When does Jesus want to save you?
He wants to save you right now. Are you willing to let him save you? I want to close with this first.
And it's found in.
Numbers, Chapter 22.
Stop.
And I'm taking a verse out of a story, but it's got a good uh.
Got a good thought?
It says in Numbers chapter 22 towards the end of verse 16.
Let nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
I pray thee hinder thee from coming unto me. Let nothing, I pray Thee, hinder thee from coming unto me. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, let nothing hinder you from coming to Jesus if there's something in your life that's keeping you from coming to Him tonight.
Turn to the Lord in repentance and justice. Bring it before Him. Don't let it keep you from coming tonight. Don't let it keep you from accepting Jesus as your Savior. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, tonight.
Is tonight is the day of salvation, do not put it off. We're going to sing a song and afterwards if you have any questions if this didn't make sense to you.
You feel your pulse beating.
You know the Spirit's working.
Please see me afterwards.
My name is Don Mackwich. It doesn't matter. But uh, just so you have a name, I'll be just up here. Just come up and we can talk. Don't put it off.
Don't wait tonight.
Tonight, Jesus is the answer.
I'd like to sing that song that says.
About not putting it off.
The one that says, umm, that would be saved. Why not tonight?
I'm sorry, I don't know what number that one is.
#36.
Oh do not let the word depart and close thine eyes against the light, for Sinner harden not thine heart that would be saved. Why not tonight?
Verse four, the world has nothing, nothing new to give. It has no true, no pure delight. Look now to Jesus Christ and live. Thou wouldst be saved. Why not? Tonight we're gonna sing verses one and four of #36.
Oh, do not let the word.
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Last person closing John 14 six Jesus said I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Thou wouldst be saved.
Why not tonight?