Gospel—Richard Mackewich
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Good evening. I'd like to welcome everyone to the Gospel Meeting. Thank you for being here.
We're going to begin by singing #40.
Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so little one to him belong. They are weak, but he is strong and as we begin the gospel meeting tonight. This is more a song for children. But this afternoon we heard the truth that God is for us and tonight we're going to share with you.
A wonderful message.
That God loves you and that He wants to be your Savior tonight.
#40.
Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so little one through him lay long.
They are we.
Is strong young Jesus, I love me.
East side long play.
If I drop it, should I die?
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He will.
Take Me Home.
Yes, she's not lost me.
Yes, Jesus, I love me.
Yes, Jesus.
Love me.
Love, I love.
To close our mouths and close our eyes and pray and ask the Lord's help.
I bless the God and Father, we just ask for thy health. As we open up the scriptures tonight, we pray that that would prepare the hearts of young and old alike to see their need of a Savior. And we pray that the Holy Spirit would have liberty and that the verses that are preached tonight would be used and that there would be soul saved tonight. We ask this in the name and the power of the Lord Jesus.
Again, thank you very much for coming. If you have been here with the Bible conference that's been going on these past two days, thank you for sticking around. If you have been invited, saw the sign or received an invitation and are joining us tonight, we welcome you. Thank you very much for coming. If you're part of the Wyatt or if you're part of the camp staff here, thank you very much for coming. Hope you get a chance to listen to the recording.
Thank you very much for listening. It's just so good to be back here in Carrollton, to be here at this campground.
Have lots of happy memories for myself way back, I think it was 1991, this is the first young people that I came to was right here so.
It's good to be kind of back home to me. I would like to sing one more song and that's number seven.
It says God loves the world of sinners lost and ruined by the fall. Salvation full at highest cost He offers free to all. Oh, it was love to was wondrous love.
The love of God to me that brought my Savior from above to die on Calvary. And tonight, this is a gospel meeting. We're going to be telling you about the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Savior of sinners. And tonight, as we bring before you verses from the Holy Scriptures, the Bible, we hope that your eyes will be opened and you will see that there is a Savior who loves you and a Savior tonight who is ready to save you from your sins.
And save you from judgment. Oh, it's marvelous. Would you join with us? I'm going to ask the ones who are here in this room if you would stand up. And as we sing #7.
God loves the world.
Of sinners lost and ruined by the fall.
Salvation.
Cold night.
Salvation.
From the power of it through.
Faith and Christ.
Alone.
Oh Christ, life must wine.
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8 Now my face I claim in mine.
The reason I'm gone?
Reconciling.
We're happy to share the gospel. The gospel is wow. It's such good news. And it's a message that the truth is the sun shall set you free. You shall be free indeed. And our country celebrated its independence just a couple days ago. And people were happy and excited to celebrate the freedom that our country enjoys. But the good news is tonight you can leave this room.
A new person.
Marvelous. If the sun therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. The message that we share with you tonight is life changing. It's not a message about try harder. It's not a message about, oh, you can do it. It's not a message about just believe in yourself. That's not what we're here about tonight. We're here tonight to share with you a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. It's marvelous. It's a wonderful message we have for you.
I ask that you listen very attentively if you're trying to do something else. Let's focus on the message. Wow. It can change your life as you meet the Savior tonight. Marvelous, marvelous tonight. I'd like to look at a portion in the book of John. John chapter 3. If you have a Bible, would you please open your Bible to John chapter 3?
Also like to acknowledge the ones who are not here, who are listening to this recording. Thank you for listening to it and we hope that as you're listening to it tonight too, or whenever you're listening to it, that the message will resonate with you and you will be touched.
Throughout the day here at the meetings, we've been learning a little bit about the flesh and the realization that.
In the eyes of God, it comes up short, man's ability to please God. And so tonight we're going to look at a man who from the outside we would look at and say he's like a pretty good guy.
The Lord Jesus, the one that he's going to have the conversation with, is going to share 5 words with him.
Five life changing words and the title of tonight's message is going to be those 5 words. Ye must be born again.
He must be born again. And if you leave this room and your dad, your mom, your grandfather, your grandmother asked you what was the meeting about tonight, I want you to be able to remember those 5 words. You must be born again. In fact, I'd like to ask that we say them together, all together, on the count of 3123, you must be born again. The story is going to take place in Jerusalem.
It's a story that's going to take place at night time. It's a true story. The sun has gone down, the stars perhaps are out. And the man who has some questions about what he's seen and what he's heard would like to have a conversation with Jesus. And we're going to get to read about this conversation. So we're going to get to read what Jesus says. So tonight as we listen to the message, I'm just, uh, instrument. And what that means is.
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My intent is to share what?
The scriptures say, so don't focus your eyes on me, focus your eyes on what the scriptures say. That is what is important. It's the scriptures which give life. It says the entrance of thy word giveth light. So just picture in your mind size. The sun has gone down, it's dark out and there is a man and his name is Nicodemus. I'm a school teacher.
And have thought for seven years that I've never had a student named Nicodemus. I have had students named Nick. But Nicodemus was a real man who lived and he had a chance to come and talk with Jesus. Could I ask you a question tonight if you could have a conversation with Jesus tonight?
What would you ask him?
What's on your mind tonight?
Is there anything troubling you?
Anything bothering you if you could just have a conversation with him without any of your friends around you without.
Your parents being there, just you and the Lord, what would you tell Him? What would you ask Him? I want you to be thinking about that as we look at this portion. I said chapter 3. I'm going to back up just three verses. So what we're gonna do is we're gonna go to John, chapter 2.
And pick it up at 1St 23. If you have a Bible please follow along as we read it. John chapter 2 and verse 23. The scriptures say Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover in the feast day, many believed in his name when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men and needed not that any should testify of man.
Three knew what was in man. Just kind of setting the stage here. This man named Nicodemus is going to come and have a conversation with the Lord Jesus Christ. Not just any man, the one who created this world, the one who created heaven, the one who created hell.
The one who can work miracles and the one who has already done a miracle, he's going to have a conversation with them. And Jesus is someone who knows everything about you and everything about me, says here in verse 25. He knew what was in man. And the one that I'm telling you about tonight, he knows everything about you.
Knows everything that you said, everything that you've done. He knows what you had for supper tonight.
He knows what you did after supper. He knows whether you went swimming. He knows whether you went on the pontoon boat. He knows whether you went for a stroll. He knows what tomorrow holds. He knows everything about you. And he is the one that I'm going to introduce to you tonight. And nothing that you've said or done can be hid from him. He knows it all. OK, let's take a look, John. Chapter 3.
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher, come from God.
So no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. So here's our man. His name is Nicodemus, and he's come to Jesus. It's night time for the children in this room. If you were living back at that time, chances are you're dead and mom would have already put you in bed. The sun has gone down, stars are shining, perhaps most people are asleep. And this man don't know what he saw, what he had heard, but he wanted to have a conversation.
With Jesus.
I asked you tonight.
Have you ever had a desire to have a conversation with your Maker? The very one who has given you life, The very One who holds your breath in your hand?
Have you ever pondered those questions? Who am I?
Why am I here? Where am I going? What is life all about? Is there really a heaven?
Is there really a hell? If there is a heaven, how do we get there? If there is a hell, how do we get there? Questions like that. The good news is, those questions that you have, those burdens that you have, this is the very one that you can bring them to. For Jesus is the one who can give you the answers, and Jesus is the one who can give you life.
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Because Jesus is the one who loves and cares for you. So as we are beginning in this gospel meeting tonight, we're not trying to teach you about a religion because a religion doesn't save. Jesus saves.
I'll say that again, religion doesn't say Jesus saves. And oh by the way, he is the only one who can save. He is the only one who can save. So Nicodemus came to Jesus and he came at night time. Perhaps he didn't want his friends, his neighbors, the ones who were close.
To him, to know that he was thinking about what he'd seen and what he'd heard.
And perhaps the fear of what they would say if they knew that he that he came to Jesus, kept them from coming while the sun was still shining. The good news is, he came.
Is there someone here this evening 2.
Has got those questions in their mind but fear of what your friends at school would think or say if you were to let them know that you've got questions about God Is there someone here tonight who is afraid of letting it known that you really are not saved Maybe you have been pretending and you don't want.
Your parents, you don't want your grandparents, you don't want your Sunday school teacher to know that you are not real, that you are faking it. And if you fake it, you won't make it. If you fake it, you won't make it. So I think he had some fear of what others would say or what others would think if they knew that he was going to see Jesus. Let me tell you candidly.
Let me tell you openly, please don't let fear hinder you or prevents you.
I'm coming to Jesus tonight. Please don't let the fear of what your friends at school might say. Please don't let the fear of the people you work with hinder you from listening to this message. Please don't let the fear of what your friends on Facebook might say. OK, I think Nicodemus had some fears, but.
He went to Jesus and Jesus is going to be able to help him. And tonight Jesus is the one who can help you. Let's take a look. So in verse two, he comes and says, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher, come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with him.
If you were to talk to Jesus tonight, how would you begin the conversation?
Here's the good news. Jesus knows all about you.
And he loves you. Your parents love you dearly.
Jesus loves you more than they do, and Jesus wants you to come to him. Just honestly.
Just honestly and to be able to explain to him what's on your mind and what's on your heart.
First three, Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, which means truly, truly, I say unto thee, Except the man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
**** and Nicodemus.
Was what we might consider a good man. I need just to listen very carefully because I don't want anyone to UN misunderstand what I'm going to say here. Nicodemus was just like every single person in this room and that Nicodemus was born a Sinner and the Bible is very very clear. It says that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. OK and that sounded Romans 3 verse 23.
So there can be no mistaking that that all have sinned. The Bible also says that there is none righteous. No, not one. OK so I don't want anyone to leave and say oh I misunderstood what you said when you said that he was a good person. What I'm trying to say by this is that Nicodemus was not someone who went out and killed someone. This was not someone who stole $1,000,000 from the government. This was not someone who sent malicious text messages to umm, people who weren't his wife or something like that. They didn't have text messaging back then. But what I want you to say is.
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In the eyes of most people, he was what we might call a pretty good band.
He's going to hear something tonight that he's going to change his life. And maybe you're sitting here tonight. Maybe you're not here and you're listening to this and you're thinking I'm a pretty good person. I really am. But tonight, I have news for you and I share it in love. And it's the same words that Nicodemus heard is that you must be born again. That is the message that goes for every single person in this room.
And every single person that can hear this message right now is that you must be born again. Because when God looks at us, he doesn't see us the way we see ourselves. We tend to think of ourselves as being pretty good, pretty impressive. Maybe. Like maybe you were the student of the month in your class at school. Maybe you made the honor roll and congratulations, Keep working hard in school. It's important to do your best. OK? Maybe you were the employee of the month where you work. Maybe you've got other accolades for umm, community service or something that you've done. And those are impressive.
Well done, but in the eyes of God, he looks beyond all that.
And sees at the core of our heart and the core of our being that we are a Sinner and that we need a Savior. And the message to Nicodemus was ye must be born again. And a message to each one in this room who does not know Jesus is ye must be born again. Let's say that again on the count of 3123, you must be born again. How do you think Nicodemus would take something like that if somebody were to tell you?
Now I know a lot of the ones in this room have heard this message.
Before I've heard someone talk about You must be born again, but imagine hearing it for the first time.
Imagine someone saying you must be born again because there may be ones in this room who are listening to this who are hearing this for the first time, and I don't know what that means. He must be born again. What does that mean? Help. Let's turn to the Scriptures. That's that's where we get our help. And if you're saying you must be born again, what does that mean? I want to share with you that Nicodemus kind of had the same question. It says in verse four in Nicodemus saith unto him.
How can a man that How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born?
I'm 36 years old. Could I become really small again and go back inside my mother's tummy and come back out again?
No, I couldn't do that, and neither could you. And she wouldn't want me to try to do that either. So that's not what it means. It does not mean that you have to get small and come out and be born again and go through the process of wearing diapers and everything like that. That's not what it means.
It's the realization that the body that you have and in your sins, you cannot get to heaven as you are. You need to be born again. You need to have new life. And I'm going to use words like born again, new life saved. I'm just going to use those interchangeably for simplicity. But each and every single person in this room must be born again. That was Jesus word to Nicodemus and that's his word to each one in this room. You must be born again. And no, he's not talking about coming back inside your mother and coming back out again.
Let's see what it says. Verse 5, Jesus answered verily, verily. Which means truly, truly.
I say unto you, except the man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. And so tonight the Holy Spirit is going to take the Scriptures which I believe represent the water, and the Holy Spirit is going to take those and he's going to use those to speak to your heart and to your conscience tonight. Well, what does that look like?
If you're sitting here tonight and you.
Kind of hear that, something in your chest. What he's saying is true. He's talking to you.
It's time for you to be born again. That's the Holy Spirit working in your heart right now.
Don't ignore it. Don't say I'm not going to listen. Listen tonight to the message. Holy Spirit is working tonight. You know who you are. God knows who you are. Don't fake it, OK? We want you to get saved. We do not want you to leave tonight.
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Unsaved we do not want you to go to bed. Unsaved, we don't want you to close your eyes in the dorm room where it's dark.
And have your head on the pillow and you know that if the Lord were to come tonight.
And he were to come that almost all in this room would be taken out and you could be the only one in the cabin or dorm tonight. If he were to come before this meeting is over, you might be one of the only ones in this room.
Do not say I'm not gonna listen. Do not close your ears. Do not close your mind to what you're hearing tonight. If you hear that pumping in your heart, he's talking about me, that that means you listen. Listen.
For six, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Marvel not, or don't be surprised that I say unto thee, You must be born again, Nicodemus, you must be born again. You cannot get to heaven as you are, and no one in this room can get to heaven as they are. You must be born again. You must have a new life, a body that is fit for heaven.
Verse 8 The wind bloweth, where it listeth, thou hearest the sound thereof, but can't not tell when to come with it, whither it goeth, so is everyone of that is born in the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be tonight? Are you starting to wonder how can this be? I mean starting to see that yes, yes I need to be born again. Yes it's true, it's the Lord Jesus who's telling me, yes, I need to be born again.
I hope the Spirit is working tonight in your heart. I hope that tonight you will be one who will accept them as your Savior first hand. Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou master of Israel and knowest not these things?
Tonight, you may be very intelligent and know more about computers than a lot of the people in the room. Or you may be an expert in your field of engineering, a business of teaching. You may be the star student in your class in math. Maybe you've gotten some awards for your excellence in social studies. Maybe you have the best handwriting in your class. Maybe you've read more books in your class than than any of your other classmates. Maybe you've accomplished great things. But.
Is it possible that you have done all those good things? But when it comes to the fact of how to get to heaven, you say, and no, it's not these things. You know, looking around, there should be most of the ones in this room should know the way of salvation. But I preach the gospel with with the realization that I don't know if everyone in this room is saved. I don't know. I can only see the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. Are you real tonight? Are you saved? You must be born again.
1St 11 barely, barely, I say in today we speak what that we do know and testify that we have seen and ye receive, not our witness. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, tonight you can leave this room knowing for sure 100% where you're going.
UK no 100% salvation, going to heaven for rejecting God's plan of salvation and ending up in hell. It's not confusing. In fact, verse 36 you'll realize that you are either one who believes and has everlasting life or one who does not believe and you have the wrath of God abiding over you. OK, we speak that we do know. We speak with assurance. We know.
What we're talking about tonight, this is not speculation. This is not, well, we hope that what we're saying tonight is, umm, is going to be relevant. It says in another partial portion of the Scriptures these things that we've written unto you, that you may know that you have eternal life. Verse 12 If I have told you earthly things and you believe not, how shall you believe if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven.
Even the Son of Man, which is in heaven. So Nicodemus was not talking to what you might call a religious person. He was talking to the Lord Jesus Christ, the very one who created heaven and hell, the very one who came from there. And now he is going to lay before him some marvelous, some wonderful truth. Listen very carefully to this verse 14.
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As Moses lifted up the serpent into the wilderness, Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. Would you put your finger or put a bookmark, or just mark that place in John three and turn to the Old Testament, to the Book of Numbers?
Enter to the Numbers, Chapter 21.
Kind of took me a while to learn the books of the Bible. So if you're looking for it, the first book is Genesis, the 2nd is Exodus, the third is Leviticus, and then the 4th is number. So it's.
Just a little ways into your Bible in the Old Testament. And so we are going to look for a chapter called chapter 21.
And we are going to start with verse 4.
And they and they journeyed from Mount Court is everybody there number is 21 starting with verse 4.
And they journeyed from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom. And the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way to hear. The people are very discouraged. And the people spake against God and against Moses. Wherefore have he brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness. For there is no bread, neither is there any water. And our soul loathes this life. Kind of a tongue twister, our soul Lotus, this light bread.
And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people when they bit the people, and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee. Pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole, And it shall come to pass that everyone that is bitten when he looketh upon it.
Shall live. And Moses was obedient. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole. And it came to pass that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
All the people were discouraged, the people were complaining, and the Lord didn't like it and so he sent these serpents or snakes. And if you were living back then and you got bit by one of these serpents or snakes, you would die.
And as people started to die, the realization came among the people. We have sinned. Have you gotten to the point in your life where you said.
I am the center.
Yes, it's true, I am a Sinner. If not, I hope tonight you'll get to that point, point where you recognize and admit before God is saying I am a Sinner. It says there the people said we have sinned.
For we have spoken against the Lord and against thee. Pray unto the Lord that he take away the serpent from us. And Moses prayed for the people. All the people wanted deliverance. They wanted to be free from these fiery serpents. Think of the ones there. Maybe there was a family, and maybe one of the boys in the family had gotten bit by the snake and had died. Or maybe one of the children had gotten bit a girl and had died. Or maybe there was a family whose father wasn't there because he had gotten bitten. For a picture of family without a mother, Now the mother had gotten bitten.
They wanted deliverance for tonight. There's deliverance in the Lord Jesus Christ.
What did the Lord say? Verse eight, Make thee a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole. So here's the pole. The serpent is on the pole. And what's the news? And it shall come to pass that everyone that is bitten when you look at the Pontius shall live. That's all that was required is just turn the head, turn the eye, look at the pool.
And you will live. God had made a way for them to be delivered. And tonight God has made a way for deliverance in its through the Lord Jesus Christ. OK.
And Moses, uh, sorry, I read that in verse 10. Should I read that? Sorry, verse nine. And Moses made a serpent of brass and put it upon a pole. And it came to pass that at a certain serpent had bitten any man. When he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. That's the story that is being referenced. We can turn back now to John chapter 3 and verse 14.
Even today, for those of you that are observant, if you see, umm, an ambulance and sometimes our, uh, fire trucks too, on the back of those, umm, vehicles, those emergency vehicles, you'll see the pole and the, the snake wrapped around it.
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Symbolic of the fact that when you're in dire straits, when you're in an emergency, turn to us and we'll save you, we'll rescue you. OK, so next time you see an ambulance go by or next time you see a fire, I don't know if they're on the fire truck so much, but usually on the ambulances just look, it's kind of a symbol amongst people that.
It's you. Put your faith in us. If there's a medical emergency, you need help right away. We'll be there. Look to us tonight if you have a medical condition.
You need to go to a doctor, but when it comes to a spiritual, spiritual thing, you need to look to the one who died on the cross. And that one is Jesus verse 15, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life. I'm going to back up to 14 again. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. Jesus is telling Nicodemus that just like Moses.
Made that pole and put the serpent on it. The Son of Man is going to be lifted up.
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. You mean, is it true that if we turn to the one who died on the cross, we can have life? Is it true that we can turn to the one who died for us, and have our sins forgiven? Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it is true, be it known unto you, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. It is true that if you look to the one who died for you.
The Lord Jesus, you can have those sins forgiven. And now he goes on to tell Nicodemus in verse 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. You know, a lot of us have heard it many times. A lot of us can quote it. But think of Nicodemus hearing this. The Bible wasn't written then for this portion wasn't written then. Hearing for the first time that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. That whosoever.
Which is a big word, which means you, me, anybody else believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. So just like those ones who could turn and all they had to do was look at the pole and they could be healed. Tonight you can turn to Jesus and He will save you. Isn't it marvelous? Isn't it exciting? It's a message of deliverance. It's a message of freedom. Tonight you can be free.
Burden of sin. Tonight you can go. Instead of being on the road to hell, you can be on the road to heaven. Tonight. That empty, that void that you have in your heart can be filled. Jesus saves. Say it with me.
I'm sorry, going back to the first ye must be born again in the country 123 He must be born again for 17 For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him.
Might be saved.
What do you think Nicodemus thought?
I don't know what happened that night.
It wasn't just an ordinary night, I believe it was a night that changed his life.
I'm so thankful that he came to Jesus, even though it was night time, even though he might have been afraid of what others would think of him. Nicodemus came to Jesus. How about you?
We are going to shift from Nicodemus. We are going to focus on ourselves now.
Do you believe tonight that you are a Sinner? Do you believe that tonight you are a helpless Sinner and can't get to heaven on your own? Do you believe tonight that you need a Savior?
Do you believe tonight that Jesus can be your savior?
Do you believe tonight that Jesus is ready and willing to save you?
Tonight I ask you this question. Will you let him save you?
I ask you another question, what's keeping you from coming to him tonight?
Is this your friends? Is it the fact that you've told your parents for the last few years that you're a believer but are really not and would be kind of embarrassed if you told them tonight that you got saved?
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Is that you tonight? I want you to know that they would be extremely happy.
If you were to tell your parents that tonight, you got saved.
Jesus is the only one who can save verse 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. Are you a believer tonight? Is your faith and trust in Jesus? He's the only one connect and save you. He's the only way to heaven. Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by me. There are not many ways. In fact, there are not even two ways.
There are not even two ways. There is only one way, and that is through Jesus. That is through Jesus.
Verse 36.
There's one way. Now where are you? Where do you stand? Verse 36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.
So as we start getting ready to, umm, to wind down and to closeout the Gospel meeting in the next 10 minutes or so.
You either believe this message tonight or you don't.
If you do believe, thank the Lord and help spread the word. Help. Continue telling your friends about Jesus. Continue living for him. Share the message of hope. Share the message of deliverance. And tonight, if you're not tonight, if you're not, well, let's not leave this room. Let's not go to bed tonight. Being an unbeliever, you do not want God's wrath abiding on him. This world is guilty of killing the Lord Jesus.
God is not forgotten. What is happening? You do not want the wrath of God hovering over your head.
You do not want that judgment that is coming. It's just a simple illustration, but it doesn't even do justice. So think of a little Ant running across the floor right now and that foot hovering over, ready to come down and stomp it out. Or think of the family on the window in that spice water. That hand is about ready to swat it.
Oh, tonight, do not put it off. Do not say I'm going to wait till tomorrow. I'm going to wait until I get home from the conference. I'm going to wait until I'm just a little bit older.
And I'm gonna wait until I understand it's just a little bit better. Don't do that. Do not wait.
Umm, Chase Asheville was up at the Vacation Bible School and we're here on this and he was telling the story, a true story. He was in either 4th or 5th grade and uh, he was about 10 years old and he had a good friend named Kenneth and he and Kenneth would often play basketball together.
And they were really good friends.
And after school.
And they had played some basketball together. And Chase said to Kenneth, see you tomorrow.
Remember, he's only about 10 years old, he said to his friends. See you tomorrow. To his friend Kenneth. That evening, Kenneth was delivering newspapers.
And was hit by a car.
And was killed.
See you tomorrow.
He didn't get the chance to see his friend tomorrow.
His friend was killed.
I don't want to sound negative, don't want to sound.
What do you, what's even the right word? But the reason why I share this is if you're sitting here tonight and you're saying I know I need to get saved, I really want to get saved, but I'm just just going to put it off just a little bit. My message to you is don't do it tonight.
Tonight, do not put it off. Do not put it off. He must be born again. We're not guaranteed tomorrow. Just kind of summarizing some of the points that we've gone over tonight. Jesus loves you and he cares about you.
Religion does not save. Jesus saves. Salvation is found in a person, your morality, the family that you come from, the connections that you have. Both cannot save you.
00:50:07
Tonight, many people know that fear keeps them from coming to Christ. Do not let fear keep you.
From coming to Christ, do not let fear.
Salvation is based on faith in a person. That's not based on a feeling. Tonight salvation is found only in Jesus. It's not a feeling.
A reminder that every single person must experience the new birth. He must be born again. That's for everyone. And there's only one way to get to heaven, and there's not. There's not two or more. It's only one way. Also a reminder that the death on the cross was necessary. Sin must be dealt with and it must be judged, and it was judged at the cross.
And lastly, two groups of people there in verse 36, He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.
Are you in that group? I'm in that group, I think your parents are in that group, maybe your brothers in that group, your sister, but are you in that group? Are you in the group that can say I believe or are you in the group that says he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. As we close tonight, if you would like to accept the Lord Jesus as your Savior.
Here's how you can do it.
You can do it right where you are, and you can do it quietly.
When you talk with God, just like you would talk with me, you're open. And you can say it without even verbalizing it. You can put it in your own words.
Lord Jesus.
In the center.
I deserve to go to hell.
But I believe you died for me.
And I accept your son as my savior.
That's how we get saved.
If you have any questions based on what you've heard tonight, if there was something said that doesn't make sense, or if you'd like further clarification.
You can come see me, I'll just be sitting over here by my wife. Or talk to someone, even if you don't know their name, they're here to help. We don't want anyone to leave this room unsaved. You must be born again. Let's say that altogether. Ye must be born again. In closing, could we sing the song #29?
A ruler once came to Jesus by night to ask him the way of salvation and light.
The Master made answer in words true and plain. Ye must be born again. Verse two of the song is the solemn one. It says, Ye children of men, attend to the word so solemnly uttered by Jesus the Lord, and let not this message to you be in vain. Ye must be born again. O ye who would enter this glorious rest, and sing with the ransom the song of the blessed.
The life everlasting, if he would obtain, he must be born again. And before we sing the song, I need to share how the story ended. I almost forgot, sorry about that. Later on in the book of John we read that after Jesus died, and very likely Nicodemus was there to see the death of Jesus on the cross, probably going through his mind. Those words, the Son of Man must be lifted up.
Those words God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. After Jesus died, Nicodemus and another man, Joseph, they helped take down the body of Jesus and use the spices on him and then put him in a sepulchre. I believe that we will see in Nicodemus in heaven, and when we get there, if we were to ask him, Nicodemus.
Are you glad that you came to Jesus? He would say yes. Are you glad that you came to him that night? He would say yes, I am. Yes. I'm very glad. Nicodemus, do you have any regrets about what you did? No. No, I don't.
And I'm just putting the words you might have said, You know, I wish I had it done it sooner. Boys and girls, do not put it off. Do not put it off. OK #28 I'm sorry #29 Let's stand and sing it.
Ruler One came to chase us by night, to ask him the way of salvation, and my.
00:55:11
Answers.
Yeah.
Close with this short poem before we pray, reminding us of our need of a Savior. If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer.
But our greatest need was forgiveness.
Cigar.
Sent us the Savior. Hi Evan. I am the Lord and beside me there is no savior. Shall we pray?
Lord Jesus, we just thank you for this wonderful message. We pray that these words would not be in vain, that they would not fall upon deaf ears, but that everyone would see their need of a Savior and the truth that you must be born again. We pray that tonight there would be rejoicing in this room and rejoicing in heaven as boys and girls and older ones too, except the their own personal Savior, and wherever the gospel is preached, that there would be souls who get saved tonight.
We give the thanks, Lord Jesus, and thy worthy and precious name, Amen.