Why would anyone?
Acts 26:28; Acts 24:24-25; Acts 16:30
Delivered December 27, 2020.
This sermon this morning is not only for those present in this sanctuary of Temple Baptist Church but also for those at home that may be watching on Face Book. If this morning you are watching on Face Book, grab your bible, and maybe a cup of coffee and join with us in the reading of scriptures.
I am going to do something this morning that I have never done. That is to bring a salvation message.
I realize that most of you are saved. However, this message has something for you as well.
I am going to propose a series of questions, or thoughts that you could ask a lost person. Tom will have them on the overhead as we go through this message. If you are serious about wining souls, take note of these questions and be prepared to ask them of those that are not saved.
This message this morning as I have said is a salvation message. I realize that many of you are saved, but I don’t know the hearts of all of you. God does know. There may be someone either here or at home on Face Book that needs to hear this message.
I preface my sermon by three most interesting and yet opposing men of scripture; that of the King Agrippa, Felix the Governor and the Philippian jailer. They all had a decision to make and each chose a different path to follow that led to very different destinations.
Let’s look first at King Agrippa in Acts 26. The great Apostle Paul had just preached to him about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. He had told king Agrippa in verse 23 these words; That Christ should suffer (the death on the cross) and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead (the first to not die again) and should shew light unto the people (the Jews) and to the Gentiles.”
Here is King Agrippa’s answer in verse 28 “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost, thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”
Wrong choice! Wrong answer! Almost saved but still lost and his eternal destination unchanged. He already stood condemned and nothing changed.
John 3:18-19 tells us this: 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 of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil.
Almost does not count. There is no in between. There is no fence sitting. There will be no mugwamps in heaven. You know, those sitting on the fence with their mugs on one side and their wamps on the other.
Another man that made a poor choice; Felix in Acts 24. We find in verses 24-25.
“And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 25. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time, and when I have a convenient season, I will call for you.
Felix was under so much conviction that he trembled out of fear of the judgment that he faced. Yet he put it off. We do not find in scripture that he ever repented and sought Jesus as Savior.
Many are like that today. They believe that they have time to get saved later. Teens and young people are most guilty of this sin of putting off what should be done. They believe they have a life-time to get saved and serve the Lord.
Connie, Henrietta, and I were out knocking on doors and one of the people that opened the door was an elderly gentleman that must have been in his eighties, when he opened the door, he was barely able to breath. He was by all observations in very poor health. We explained to him why we were there and asked about the condition of his soul. He explained that he wasn’t concerned, he had time to take care of that. He was like Felix, he put it off. I don’t know if he ever got right with the Lord, I pray so.
In the daily devotional “Days of Praise” dated December 15, it said that perhaps the most deadly sin of the unbeliever is that of procrastination. It goes on to say that procrastination may easily become the sin of negligence, then of indifference and finally the unforgiveable sin of irrevocable rejection and belief.
Yes, some have time, but time will rob you of your desire. The world, the flesh and the Devil will persuade you to continue to put it off.
2Corinthians 4:3-4 tells us this “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
Now is the accepted time, today is the day of salvation. You have no guarantee of tomorrow. Life is a vapor that appears for just a little while then vanishes. You don’t know when you will be called out of this life. Don’t put it off.
Now let’s take a look in the scriptures at an unnamed man that made a wise and great choice.
Acts 16:30. Paul and Silas had been jailed for rebuking the evil spirit of a damsel that continued to grieve Paul and Silas, and commanded it to come out of her. The people demanded that the magistrates beat them, which they did, and then had them thrown into the local prison where their feet and hands were fastened in stocks. Their hands and feet may have been shackled but their hearts and mouths weren’t. Because, at midnight as they were singing their praises to God, there was a great earthquake that shook loose their chains and the prison door was opened.
The jailer that was appointed to keep them was fearful for his life because he would have to suffer the penalty that Paul and Silas were to receive. He asked them “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? The answer was simple and to the point; Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
But there must have been more to this. He had heard them singing praises to God even in their pain and misery of the beatings. He heard their devotion to the Lord God in the face of their being in imprisoned. He realized his situation looked very dire indeed. If he died the next day, he would not know this great God and Savior, Jesus, of Paul and Silas. He would be condemned forever.
That is why he asked the all-important question that all people must ask at one time or another if they are to have any hope; Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
The answer was quick and simple; Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. This is not to preach household salvation but rather was a prophecy or a promise. When the jailer took them to his home and they preached to his family the Lord Jesus Christ, they believed also and the prophecy and promise was completed.
My question this day is this; Why would anyone? Why would king Agrippa refuse Jesus?
Why would Felix put it off?
1. Why would anyone refuse a free gift? People of the past as well as of today are looking for something free.
Here we find a simple promise, a very important gift, that of eternal life.
King Agrippa and Felix looked at the very same gift as this unnamed jailer. Both were offered it free of any stipulations except to believe what was preached, nothing added and nothing taken away.
It is so simple a very young child can understand it yet powerful enough to take them into the presence of Jesus in heaven.
How simple is it? You find it simple enough to drink water. And Jesus said Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
We will drink water and thirst again but refuse the Water of Life that is eternal. The only water that can quench the spiritual thirst.
It is as simple as eating bread. Jesus said that “Then said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world (John 6:32-33).
He went on to state, I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst (John 6:35).
I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world (John 6:51).
People today will dine on the most delicious meals in some of the finest restaurants, yet refuse the Bread of Life, Jesus, the only bread that can ease the hunger for righteousness.
It is as simple as walking through a door. Jesus said in John 10:9 after He had explained about the door of the sheepfold these words, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
People today can travel around the world and have many doors of opportunity opened to them and refuse the Door of Heaven, Jesus, the only door for which they have sought.
Any child can eat bread, drink water and walk through a door.
The jailer found the door, ate of the bread and drank of the water, king Agrippa refused it all and lost it all. Felix put it off and probably lost it all as well.
Here is what I find incredible, why would anyone not accept this free gift? It is so simple, yet so powerful. It has eternal consequences and value.
2. The second thing that I wonder why about is why would anyone want to pay his own debt when someone else has not only offered to pay it but in fact did pay it for him or her?
A person would be extremely foolish to refuse an offer like that.
Many people today would love to hear someone say, “I will pay off your mortgage, your car and all of your credit cards.” But they will refuse to have Jesus pay their sin debt that will condemn them for all eternity.
However, many people today as well as in the past have refused this generous offer.
They would rather pay for their sin debt on their own rather than let Jesus pay for it.
We all have incurred a sin debt. The Holy Spirit inspired scriptures tells us in Romans 3:23 that all have sinned and come short of God’s glory. There is none righteous no not one.
This is what we have accumulated over a lifetime of sin. It is a debt that must be paid to our Creator God who demands our love, devotion, obedience and service and perfect holiness.
We cannot escape it. We cannot wish it away. We cannot explain it away. It is there in the record book ready to be revealed at the Great White Throne of Judgment. Revelation 20:11-15 tells us this; 11. And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was no place found for them. 12. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
What a tragedy. How unnecessary for anyone to be there.
This is the wages what we have earned. Romans 6:23 says this “For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
This death is the second death already mentioned. Everyone dies a first death with the exception of those alive and remain when the Lord returns in the rapture of the church. The saying that born once die twice: born twice die once is so very true.
This is the payment due, the debt; all mankind that has not accepted the free gift and payment for their sin debt. They must pay it themselves in eternal judgment.
Why would anyone refuse this wonderful gift?
3. The third thing I cannot grasp in my mind is why would anyone choose being a loser over being a winner. Ask any athlete if he would rather win or lose and no doubt, they would choose to be a winner. Many people are very competitive when playing games, they play to win. Ask them if they would rather win or lose and again the answer would be to win.
Satan is a loser. He has already lost and he knows it. He was defeated at Golgotha when Jesus cried from the cross, “It is finished.” When Jesus arose from the tomb, that sealed Satan’s defeat. He has been judged guilty and sentenced to the Lake of Fire. The sentence is waiting to be carried out. Jesus will win. He cannot lose. Every person alive must choose to either be on the losing side with Satan or on the winning side with Christ. Why would anyone choose to be a loser with Satan when they could and will be a winner with Christ?
4. Another thing, the fourth thing I wonder why about is why would anyone choose eternity in the lake of fire over spending eternity with the One who purchased our salvation from this lake of fire? It completely boggles my mind. It is inconceivable to me. Eternity in pain and torture over an eternity of peace, lack of pain, no lack of anything needed? That is utter foolishness.
In this eternal punishment there is no reprieve, no door of escape, no appeal such as promises to do better. It is final, over, done with, forever.
5. The next thing I wonder why about is why would anyone choose a life of sin, degradation, wickedness, and peril over a life of peace, joy and contentment? Why would anyone choose bondage to sin from freedom? I realize that we think that sin will make us happy. Just ask Adam and Eve how that worked out for them.
When we entered this world, we wanted to be fed, taken care of and made happy. What changed?
What changed is how we view being fed, taken care of and made happy. We still want those things but our view of them is different. We first had our parents to clothe, feed and house us. Now we look to Uncle Sam to feed us; we look to society to take care of us, and at entertainment to make and keep us happy.
We now see happiness as fulfilling our lust of the flesh. We desire sexual permissiveness, freedom to ingest into our bodies any and all destructive and addictive drugs. We want to control our own bodies and lives. But is that real happiness? Just ask the many addicts on drugs, alcohol, sexual perversions if they are truly happy. How many would be willing to forsake those things if they were able? How many feel they have gone down that road too far to return? They have sold themselves into bondage to sin for a few moments of pleasure.
Remember that it was said in God’s word that sin has a debt to pay? These people did not start out with the thought in mind that they wanted to be addicts. It began as a lark to be enjoyed. It was a time of rebellion against parents, or other authorities. Nobody was going to tell them what to do or how to behave. Then one day they woke up addicted or pregnant or even perhaps with a sexual disease. They had a choice; they made their choice and now are paying dearly for it. How many would regret these sins of choices? I don’t understand why anyone would desire this type of lifestyle over a life of joy, contentment and real happiness, the abundant life; bondage over real freedom.
6. This next thing that I don’t understand is why anyone would prefer the wrath of the Lamb over the love of the Lamb. Why would anyone choose fear over hope? The bible tells us that perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18).
If a person has not already or will slip into eternity unsaved, or if they are alive without Christ when the rapture occurs, they will face the wrath of the Lamb during a terrible time known as the Great Tribulation. This is a time of the wrath of God, not the love of God. There will be much fear.
Revelation 6:12-17 “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? Great question; who shall be able to stand? None of those left behind to reap the wrath of God.
It completely astounds me that anyone would choose this over the love of the Lamb.
John 3:16-17 “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.17 For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. 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 of God.
It is very clear that to be lost and condemned for all eternity is to do nothing. To be saved for all eternity is simple; believe on the only Begotten Son of God. Trust in what He done on the cross in your place and place your faith in Him.
We go now back to the three men that had a choice to make, king Agrippa, Felix and the unnamed guard of the prison house where Paul and Silas were being held.
Why did King Agrippa make the choice that he did? Why did Felix put it off?
I can only speculate, but based on what I see today and why many make their choices, it is not too far off to say that they did not want to give up his temporal pleasures for eternal ones.
They lived a life of pleasure and ease; one was a king over a land, the other a governor. They thought that they would need to repent of a life of excess and follow a man considered dead by his society. It might mean living like the man in front of him, a prisoner, a man beaten on many occasions, a man stoned and left for dead. Did they want to live like that? No way!
They did not want to give up their life of sin even for an eternity of pleasure in the presence of the God of the Universe.
Hebrews 11:24-26 tells us of a man that made the right choice; “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
He gave up the life of ease in Pharaoh’s house in Egypt; he gave up the privilege of being called the son of the Pharaoh. He gave up the pleasures of sin that would be for a short time. He gave it up for the reproach of Christ. Believe me, he got the better deal. He may have given up much in the eyes of the world but didn’t lose anything, he gained it all. Turn in your bibles to Revelation 21:4-8 “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away. 5 And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful and the unbelieving and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
The prison guard made the choice of verses 4-7; look again at those verses; he inherited all things; and king Agrippa and Felix made the choice of verse 8 they have their part in the lake of fire.
What a contrast. What a choice to make; either an eternity of life as described in verses 4-7 or an eternity like that of verse 8.
There may be someone here, or on Facebook this morning with this same choice to make.
What would your choice be?
If your choice is that of king Agrippa you need to do nothing, you have already made your choice. If you are like Felix, putting it off, beware. It is dangerous to tempt the Lord God.
If, however, you want to make the choice of the unnamed guard or you see it is something that needs attention now, it is as simple as ABC. This is a simple plan learned from J.D. Farag a pastor in Hawaii.
A. Admit or acknowledge that you are a sinner in the eyes of God. As noted before, everyone is a sinner, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; There is none righteous, no, not one. That every mouth stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
You may not be a sinner in the eyes of man, but God has a better, more clear knowledge of you than man. You may feel that your sin is not as great as someone else’s. But that does not count with God. You are guilty.
B. Believe that God has raised His Son Jesus from the dead, you will be saved. This is to say, that you believe, or are trusting, or have faith in only what He has done for you on the cross and was resurrected again and is now in heaven on your behalf.
C. Call. Call on the name of the Lord Jesus. In your own words confess you are a sinner that is guilty and deserves God’s wrath. Tell Him that you need to be saved from an everlasting hell. Tell Him that you believe in your heart that Jesus died to pay your sin debt and you want Him to be your Savior. The scriptures are clear that anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Not maybe, but will be saved: not for a while but for eternity: not if you do certain things and obey certain laws but because of what He has already done.
In closing, I want to recite Deuteronomy 30:19 “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore, choose life that both you and your seed may live.”
Invitation.
Every head bowed and every eye closed. Please no looking around. This is the most important time of the service. If you were standing at the gate of heaven and Jesus was there and asked you “Why should I let you into My heaven, what could you answer? Would you explain all the good things you have done? Would you tell Him how you have been baptized and joined a church? It is not a matter of what you have done, it is a matter of what you have not done. If you have not accepted Jesus as you Savior, then He will have to say “depart from Me you worker of iniquity, I never knew you.”
If you are here or at home and have been putting it off, you are tempting God. A terrible position to be in. If you are at home and make the decision for Christ, you have received the greatest gift ever. Please let us know. The church office is closed for Christmas, but contact us on facebook.
Right now is the time to do business with the Lord.
If you are saved and need to know how to answer someone that is not saved, use these questions to inquire of them.
The altar is open.