Gospel—John Kaiser
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I love to preach the gospel.
Been my privilege to do it for, believe it or not, 52 years.
I began preaching the gospel.
In jails at the age of 13.
My grandfather who loved to preach the gospel.
Took me with him.
And sort of made me do it.
But it's been a wonderful privilege.
I remember going into these jails at age 13 and I'd see.
Because in those days they didn't have juvenile detention centers.
And they would have young people, teenagers in these jails as well as older.
Criminals.
They just put them in different cells.
And I look into those cells.
And I'd say why?
Are these people my age behind bars?
I'm not.
And I knew the answer.
Because I knew.
The Lord Jesus Christ and he had kept me.
And I never was a good gospel preacher.
But I was thankful I had something to say.
I had a message.
And I have a message for you tonight.
It's from my privilege now. Often. Usually once a week, sometimes oftener.
To speak in a detention center. And over the years I've developed little lessons and I didn't know I was going to have this gospel meeting when I left Addison to come down here. But I've learned to travel prepared.
And I brought with me a little lesson that I've used before.
And I want to.
You tho, those of you who are older, you'll just have to pretend that you're not so old.
And, uh, I'm going to invite participation as I usually do.
I'll start by telling you a little story. When I was very young, I can hardly remember how young, but I was quite young, I, uh, went to my grandfather's farm often in Madrid, Iowa. And as I grew older, I started wandering around that farm and I wandered out in the fields and found a pond. And lo and behold, in this pond was a boat.
This pond was just a stagnant pond. I don't even know why they needed a boat in a pond only maybe 30 or 40 feet across, but the boat was there and you can imagine what my first thought was. Try it out.
I learned.
Fairly quickly that there was a reason why that boat was left there.
And I'd never heard about it before.
Because the boat was full of holes, it was sitting on the bank and I couldn't tell it. But believe you me, I mean, when I push that boat out and try to get into it, I found it right away. It wasn't gonna keep me above water.
Now everyone in this room is looking forward to a voyage, a trip. You're going somewhere you're expecting. I don't think is anybody expect to be here 48 hours from now.
You're going somewhere and let's say you're going to take a voyage and you have a choice between boats.
A&B and these are boats that are big boats so it's not something you paddle yourself, but you're going to take a trip on a boat and you have a choice and 1St off we'll say.
Uh, we'll consider who made the boat.
It was a boat made by expert boat builders, experienced, experienced boat builders. So we'll put down here.
Experienced builders.
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And our experienced builder, OK, and we'll say that boat.
A This builder has probably never built a boat before, certainly not the kind that you're traveling on this time. OK, so the answer is and put a no here, an N for no, but both B built by experienced builders, all right.
Well, you're going to recruit too.
The better to sail with an experienced crew or inexperienced crew, common sense says.
An experienced crew.
And again, vote A. The answer is.
No, this crew that you're going to sail with.
Has no previous similar experience, but vote B. The answer is yes.
And of course, crew needs a captain.
And the question is, do we have an experienced captain?
And the vote, first vote, the answer is no. And the second vote the answer is yes.
Now, umm.
When you go on a voyage, you want to know where you're going.
And vote A has a definite or the umm. The question is, shall we say, an expected destiny?
A definite destiny in the first vote, of course it's it's According to pattern, the answer is no, and the second vote yes.
Now these are. This is common sense.
I'm going to ask you how many are interested in going on Vote A Hold your hands up, please.
Now, how many are interested in going on Vote B?
Yeah, sounds pretty good.
But you know you don't have all the factors yet I want to show you.
This is Vote V.
Vote me. The Titanic had ex best builders in the world and experience them. But the best crew in the world, the most experienced captain that the White Star Line could supply it was to go from Northampton to New York City. They had a definite plan. They had plans all made out. They forgot there was one thing they didn't have and you know.
When the when this boat sailed the story is told how?
Umm. 1 passenger who was a little bit nervous? Asked the crewman.
Uh, could this boat sink? And the crewman is reported to have replied, Madam God himself couldn't sink this boat.
There was a lot of self-confidence.
Well, what's the other boat?
This is a modern rendition of what they thought Noah's Ark looked like.
But the wonderful thing about this, it had inexperienced builder. He did have a good plan, but it we didn't mention that an inexperienced builder, inexperienced crew, inexperienced captain and I don't think Noah knew where he's going. As a matter of fact, he didn't even have a rudder far as we know, and didn't have it rudder or navigation equipment. What made the difference?
I'll tell you what made the difference.
God's guarantee.
God told Noah that he was going to go on that boat.
And his life and the lives of those who went with him would be preserved. And it made all the difference. And there may be somebody in this room.
Who thinks they've got life figured out and they can get along without God?
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And they may have all their ducks in a row, so to speak. Things look pretty good.
But I'm telling you, if you haven't got God's, go ahead.
You're sailing this I the Titanic.
Let's turn to.
First off, Hebrews Chapter 11.
Hebrews Chapter 11 verse seven. It says by faith.
Noah warned of God.
Being warned of God, of things not seen as yet.
There's not a single person here has ever seen heaven or hell, but they're ahead of what you one or the other.
Being warned of God, of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark.
We don't like the word fear, but fear can be a very healthy thing.
I'll be frank with you. I had fear coming up here.
And it caused me to depend that much more on God.
Because if God doesn't speak to you tonight, I'm wasting my voice.
He was moved with fear, but also besides fear, there was something else here, it says by faith.
Noah. He recognized the danger.
And he believed God.
Now let's turn to.
Excuse me?
First Corinthians First Corinthians, chapter one.
First Corinthians chapter one it says verse.
17 For Christ sent me, not to baptize, but to preach the gospel.
Not with wisdom of words.
Lest the cross of Christ should be made of not effect.
You know the world admires wisdom of words.
You get people who can string words together in funny ways and they're called comedians, and they can get them to string them together and persuasive ways, they're called politicians.
And there's auctioneers and other things that we find entertaining. We're not here to be entertained.
We're here to be warned. This may be your last opportunity. You know there came a time.
When it says Noah and it said it went in the ark and God says God shut him in.
And in so doing, everybody else was shut out.
Not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of non effect, for the preaching of the cross is.
Foolishness.
Or what? Not quite the way it says there is it to them that perish, it's foolishness. And I know there have been people who have sat in meeting after meeting after meeting and said this is not for me.
Yes, God has got you labeled here. To them that perish, it's foolishness. Do you hear it?
It says here the preach in the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved. It is the power of God.
For it is written, I will destroy.
Who says that? God says that I will destroy God's engaged here today.
We are in the presence of God.
God says I will destroy the wisdom of the wide and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? You know, there were many who thought going on the Titanic was the greatest adventure of their lives and it turned out to be the greatest adventure and the last adventure of their lives.
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They died.
But they trusted it, and if you hadn't tried to warn them and say that that that ship's going to sink on its maiden voids, they would have said you were crazy.
But it did. Now nobody knew that it would except God.
And that's the point. God knows things that you and I don't know.
I will, it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to understand to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God.
It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them who believe. You know there were some saved from the Titanic.
They had to trust a lifeboat and then the Kaparthia came and they had to trust that ship as well. And there's trust involved in everything in life.
But there's we don't know everything in life, only God knows.
We need so we need to trust somebody bigger.
Than ourselves, you know, that's what it comes down to when people say I don't believe.
The issue is who do you believe and who don't you believe? If a person says I don't believe God, they believe they, they're, they're saying I think I am qualified to judge.
Who is trustworthy better than God is?
Do you really think you're qualified to judge concerning life and death and guilt and eternity?
It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them the belief.
For the Jews require a sign. The Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified.
Unto the Jews a stumbling block, unto the Greeks, foolishness. But unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God.
And the wisdom of God. You know this arc when Noah was building the ark? I meant to put this picture up here.
I know I was building the ark.
That wasn't done overnight.
Here was this man, maybe with some help building this great boat. And I am sure people ridiculed Noah.
For building the ark, What are you doing there is this for And no one could tell them God is going to send judgment on this world and we're going to need this. And they thought he was ridiculous.
They probably thought he was ridiculous after he went into the ark until.
The sky became overcast, the winds picked up and the and the rain started to fall and I'm not even sure how it all happened, but it was something that hadn't happened before.
You know God's word is always fulfilled.
There have been lots of things happen in this world for which man has not been prepared.
And we know that my experience. Now let me ask you a question. Are you prepared for what's coming?
Are you sure you're prepared? You're ready for what's coming?
Verse 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than man, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh.
And not many mighty, not many noble are called for. God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. Nothing looked more foolish than the ark.
Until it was too late.
I imagine there were those who realized too late Noah knew what was going to happen and it was too late to do anything about it.
They were shut out as surely as Noah and his family were shut in.
We talk about people being shut insurance. We feel sorry for them. You don't feel sorry for Noah.
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That was a wonderful thing to be shot in. It's a terrible thing to be shut out.
To bear God's judgment.
Verse 28 and base things of this world and things which are despised.
Has God chosen? Yeah. And things which are not to bring to not or bring to nothing. Things are everything in this world is going to come to nothing.
And God uses despise things.
We did just before we, just before I got up here, we sang about looking at the crucified One. You heard about Him before the Lord Jesus Christ.
Turn to Luke chapter 22.
23 Sorry Luke Chapter 23.
Verse 35.
And the people stood beholding, and the rulers also with him, derided, mocked, laughed at him, saying he'd have saved others, let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar. They ridiculed the Lord Jesus Christ. And maybe you're afraid.
They'll ridicule. Somebody will ridicule you.
And I imagine.
Noah's family came in for ridicule, too.
You think they regretted that once they were in the ark?
Where are you going? How are you making your choices? Are you making them in the light of God's Word?
Says here.
It says here we read it earlier.
To us which are saved, the gospel, the preaching of the cross is.
The power of God we've experienced in our lives.
And you know.
Umm Noah's children had observed Noah. Noah's sons had observed him. His neighbors had the opportunity to observe him, and they made differing decisions. Noah's sons followed him into the ark.
And nobody else.
And that was a dreadful mistake.
Verse 28 again the base things of the world, things which are despised, has God chosen.
The weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty, and the base things of the world which are despised, hath God chosen, and things which are not.
To bring to nothing things that are. And here's the verse I want to leave on your conscience that no flesh should glory in His presence. That applies to everyone here. We had the privilege of sitting in the presence of God for the past two days.
Has your flesh been glorying in God's presence? What does that mean?
Well, you know.
The flesh glorying. That's sitting a lot of ourselves. That's what it means to be self confident and self occupied. Maybe you've been thinking about the impression you're making on somebody else here today.
You've been occupied with how you looked.
Or maybe you've been occupied with your thoughts. Let's turn to Genesis chapter 6 and see just how serious this is.
Genesis chapter 6.
And verse five And God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth.
And God saw that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart.
Was only evil continually. God wasn't just concerned with the outside.
Maybe human think about your outside your appearance, maybe the impression you were making on somebody here today and God was looking on the inside. God says it says God saw the imagination of their hearts was only evil continually.
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That no flesh should glory in his presence, you say, Well, I'm going to get out of here pretty soon. Turn to Psalm 139.
Verse 7. Whither shall I go from thy spirit, or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
You can't get away from God.
It'll be a terrible thing to stand before God in judgment and know that everything you did.
Is still on your record and all things were and are naked and open before the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. You know scripture is not redundant when it says naked and open.
That means the pretensions are shipped off, like taking the clothes off. You're talking about going to a hospital. It's like going to the hospital. The first thing they do is they take your clothes off and they're going to do surgery, and then they open you up on the inside too, naked and open. And that's just the way every person is here before God. Look, you look pretty respectable sitting in your seats. It's not the way God sees you. He sees you naked and open, every one of us.
And so we have this verse I want to con close with.
That no flesh should glory.
In His presence no flesh should glory. In His presence you've got nothing to be proud of. Jesus had to die to make you fit for heaven.
Is he your savior?
And if not, what are you going to do without him? Let's pray.
Our God and Father, we thank Thee again for this solemn time. We thank Thee for Thy word, which is quick.
Living and sharper than any two edged sword. And we count on the to use Thy word in our hearts, in our lives for Thy glory. We thank You, our God and Father, for the privilege of being here, all the mercies we've enjoyed.
We, as many, will be heading home now. We pray for Thy mercies for them, and pray that they might travel safely in time.
And eternity we ask in Jesus name, Amen.