I Remember one time when I was in Houston when I went to the visitation admitted Seat up Sometimes we visited people who would come to church sometimes we went and knocked on doors and first time you meet someone Now when you knock on doors and Sometimes people don't answer the door because they're not there. Sometimes they're there and they don't answer the door. Sometimes they answer the door and they are not very interested in having a discussion of any length. And so in such situations you try to have a tract with you and you tell them, can I leave this with you? Would you please read it if you don't mind? Now it so happened that we were in a particular apartment complex and the pastor had divided us up in a certain way according to a certain plan. And so he told two of us, you go down this set of doors, knock, knock, knock, knock, and another two people down this set of doors. knock, knock, knock, and so on. And in some sense, it wasn't a bad idea for us to be close to each other in case one way or the other we could help one group, the other group, whatever way that might happen. And so here was I with another person. We were knocking on doors on one side and other people knocking on doors. And the way it works out, as I said, a lot of the time you get to speak to someone for a short time. You don't often get to speak to someone for a long time. When you have the opportunity to speak to someone for a long time, It's a good opportunity and of course you're glad and you want to take advantage of it as best as you can. Knock, knock, knock. We were on this side. Knock, knock, knock on the other side. We were keeping an eye on them. They were keeping an eye on us. We noticed that at a certain door they ended up speaking to someone and speaking to that person for quite some time for quite some time now after we spent a certain time from this time to that time usually we try to end at a certain time then we would go back to the church itself and then the pastor would say to us tell us what happened as you knock doors and we would tell each other, oh, we had an opportunity to speak to this person, that person, and that would be a little bit somehow encouraging to hear from others and others to hear from you. And also interesting, it would give you the opportunity sometimes to learn something about how to speak to people in that situation. So, the other people who had been going down the set of doors opposite us. They said at one point we spoke to someone and he came out of the door and spoke to us. And we said yes, yes, you spoke to him for a long time. And they said yes. But at first, at first while he was listening, he wasn't listening very seriously. He was taking the message as a bit of a joke and what we were doing uh... he was taking it in a funny way uh... in a funny way and then they told us we said to him if you don't listen to this message that we are giving to you you will go to hell and they were telling us afterwards, they said at that point he stopped being very light and he started to listen very carefully and very seriously. Now somehow it didn't work out for him to respond at that point, but at least he listened carefully and the thing that prompted him to listen carefully was that they told him there's judgment and it will come and it will come upon you if you do not heed and respond to this message now this is not always something that people like to talk about and not always something that people like to hear about it is something that people can avoid mentioning and other people can avoid listening to but are we going to take a scissors and cut out so many different passages and parts of the Bible just because they are not to our greatest liking the Bible says in John chapter 3 in verse 18 he that believeth on him is not condemned He that believeth not is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Also John chapter 3 verse 36. He that believes on the Son has everlasting life. And he that believes not the sun shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. وَالَّذِي لَا يُؤْمِن بِالْإِبْنِ لَن يَرَى الْحَيَاةِ بَلْ يَمْكُسْ عَلَيْهِ غَضَبَ اللَّهِ To speak about God's love, to speak about God's grace, to speak about God's mercy Very good to do so. Why? Because these things are biblical. are biblical. However, God's judgment upon sin is also biblical. It is also what the Bible teaches. What did Paul say to the leaders of the church of Ephesus? He said, I'm pure of the blood of all men. Why? Because I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Because I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Because I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Because I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Because I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Because I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Because I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Because I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Because I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Because I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Because I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Because I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Because I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Because I have Second Corinthians chapter 5, the love of Christ constrains us. Yes, very, very true. Before that, a verse or two, knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. We persuade men. Look at the book of Jude where you have two statements similar and also side by side. Jude and verse 22. And of some have compassion, making a difference. And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. What does it say in our reading? Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 31 says that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. It's a fearful thing to deal with God on the basis of what His holiness, His righteousness, and the fact that He will judge wickedness. It's a fearful thing to deal with God in that manner, to fall into His hands in that manner. This is a statement in God's Word. This is a statement of truth. This is a statement of fact. Now you see that around us there are many people who like to think of God as a charming old grandfather. What's the difference between a grandfather and a father? Father is supposed to discipline the children, not always, but when necessary. Grandfather never disciplines the children. Grandfather always shows up with what With candy. With candy. And so, there are many people here and there, left, right, east, west, north, south. There are many people who like to think of God as a charming, old, pleasant grandfather who shows up with candy. With candy. Is there a verse in the Bible that says that? You see, people have their thoughts and their tendencies and their perspective on things. But there isn't a verse or a passage that presents to us that picture. Rather, the Bible says it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. And so where do we get our facts from? One of the things that you hear about these days is fake news. Like other people, like other people, I heard, was it on Friday, Friday, that news came out that the coronavirus had reached this country. And we received word on the phone, five cases. And later on in the day, we turned on the TV to watch some news. And apparently, apparently, there's one case. So the five cases was fake news. And one particular program had the Minister of Health on. And first, I see him. I don't know much about him. I hope that he's a very fine fellow. And I wish him well. And we should pray for people in positions of authority. The interviewers were asking him various questions and one of the things that he said was, no, that's not true. No, that's not true. No, that's not true. Now, I hope he said that sincerely, honestly. He seemed to be saying it sincerely, honestly. It seemed that he was saying what's right. And what he said was, as they continued to ask him questions, he said the problem is social media. The problem is that these days, everyone who sneezes is suspected of having coronavirus. And so you can end up with reports circulating about what? About multitudes of people. About multitudes of people. Pretty soon someone will tell you there are 10 million people in this country who have coronavirus, when in fact that's much more than the population of the country. There are ideas that float around. Now, setting aside, there's a virus and we need to pray for this country, other countries. There are ideas that float around about God. That God is like this or that God is like that. Let's think, as they say, of the record. What is the record? What is the record? When Adam and Eve fell into sin, what had the Lord told them? The Lord had told them, if you eat from this tree, you will die. And they ate from the tree. At which point he said, yes, it's true that I said that. Because I'm a loving God. We'll let this one slide. Because I'm a loving God. I'm sympathetic and kind and understanding. That's not what the Lord did. He said that there is a judgment upon sin, and Adam and Eve fell under that judgment. And not just Adam and Eve, but every human being from that time Until now. With the exception of Enoch and Elisha. The Bible tells us that sin entered the world, and what entered the world with sin? Death. Now, why did death enter with sin? Isn't it because God said that when you sin you will die? And, when he said it, he did it. He did it. If God were charming old grandfather showing up with candy all the time, then how come from the beginning of history up to this time, death has come upon all? Yes, the Bible says that God is love, but the book of Hebrews also tells us that our God is a consuming fire. God will not do this, and God will not do that. This is to recreate God according to my image. This is to tell God what He should do based upon my understanding, my wisdom, my standards, my perspective. It's not our job to do a before and after with God. You know how sometimes there's someone All right, maybe not very good looking and they have these programs, they're interesting programs, where they take this person, let's say it's me, all right, and first of all they put me on a diet. They put me on a diet and then they say something like what, like he's got too much white hair. All right, so in comes some special hair dye and I go back to the hair that I had when I was 18. Yes, it was around that time a long time ago. And then you have these like before-after pictures. You know, so they put before they made all the changes and after. It's not our business to before-after God. To tell him that, oh, you should change this and you should change that. God can't be improved upon. He has done all things well. And we need to rather than try to alter Him even in our own understanding because of course He does not change. We need to rather take Him as He is and respect Him as He is and understand Him as He is because he is truth, because he is right. What did God do? Remember, the record, what does it say? God saw that in the days of Noah, wickedness filled the earth. The imagination of people's thoughts was in every way evil. And God sent a worldwide flood upon the earth. Now there was a means of salvation, and the Bible tells us that Noah was a preacher of righteousness. Nevertheless, the Lord did not say, when the last moment came, you know, I was hoping that maybe at least 10% of the people on the earth would respond, and since the response, and they would get on the ark with Noah and his family, and since the response has been less than 10%, let me Let me think again about doing this. Noah and his family went in. They were the only ones. And a flood came upon the world of the ungodly. And that world and all who were in it, the Bible tells us, was destroyed. Sodom and Gomorrah. Prosperous cities. Lot lifted up his eyes and saw the cities of the plain. He saw that they were well watered. But when God spoke of Sodom, when the Lord spoke to Abraham in particular in Genesis chapter 18, He told him the sin of Sodom. of Sodom is very grievous. So the Lord didn't see Sodom and see, oh, nice big cities, good walls, fertile ground, rich, prosperous. No, the Lord spoke of the sin of Sodom. And even though Lot was there, there wasn't much of a testimony, but there was some testimony. And remember, Abraham was not far away. Remember, when the angel struck the men of Sodom with blindness, there wasn't any repentance on the part of the men of Sodom or on the part of others who witnessed this miracle. And so what does the record say? The record says that Sodom and Gomorrah The Bible uses a term in Arabic, it says, qalabahum. The Lord turned them upside down in a certain sense. In English, the word is translated, I think, as an overthrow. He rained fire and brimstone from the sky upon these cities. Part of the record, as well, is what the Lord did with Egypt. Let my people go. Let my people go. Let my people go. Again and again. And judgments coming upon Egypt. Judgments, you might say, that were at first not as heavy, serious, consequential as the judgments that came later on. Let's face it, to deal with frogs is not the same as having the death of the firstborn. And there were plagues of frogs and gnats and lice and things of that nature. And there was a rejection of what was happening. Magicians of Pharaoh did some things and then they said we can't do this anymore. The magicians of Pharaoh said this is the finger of God. And so the Lord said at the ninth plague, He said, I was thinking of keeping going and actually judging with the death of the firstborn, but maybe, you know, that was, that was a threat that maybe now I will not carry out. That's not the way it worked. And when Pharaoh and his army pursued, judgment came upon them at the Red Sea. Not that. their chariots broke down, but rather that the sea itself closed upon them and they were destroyed. Judgment came upon the inhabitants of the land because of their wickedness. God allowed them to be defeated. God allowed their land to be taken from them. Various times Enemies came upon the people of the Old Testament. Sennacherib came with his army, Sanharib, Umberator Ashur, the emperor of Assyria. And the Bible tells us that the angel of the Lord went into the camp of the Assyrians and he smote 185,000 soldiers. The people themselves, as they fell into idolatry, as they departed from the Lord, the Lord told them that I will remove you from this land. And He did. And He did. Now, here, some people say, oh, you've mentioned lots of things from the Old Testament. But in the New Testament, God is different. It's one Bible. It's not two Bibles. It's one God. It's not two gods. It's not two gods. Look at Matthew chapter 10. These are the words of the Lord Jesus, and it has been said many times, and it's true, not just has been said, that the Lord Jesus spoke of judgment, spoke of hell more than he spoke of heaven. That is not to deny the reality of heaven. But at the same time, it is to realize that there is a part of the message that we should not ignore. Matthew chapter 10 and verse 28. Fear not them who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew chapter 13 and verses 40 to 42, As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be at the end of this age. The Son of Man shall send forth his angels, they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and those who do iniquity, and will cast them into a furnace of fire. There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 22 and verse 13, then said the king to the servants, bind him hand and foot, take him away and cast him into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 25 and verse 41, then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels Matthew 25 the last verse verse 46. These shall go away into everlasting punishment But the righteous unto life eternal mark chapter 9 and verse 43 If your hand offends you cut it off it is better for you to enter into life maimed than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched, where their worm dies not, and their fire is not quenched. And if your foot, verses 45 and 46, and if your eye, verses 47 and 48. Luke chapter 16, The story not the parable. All right, there is very good reason to believe that this is an actual real life story not a parable Luke chapter 16 and verses 23 and 24 and in hell he lifted up his eyes being in torments and sees Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom and he cried and said father Abraham have mercy on me and and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame." Why did the Lord Jesus suffer? Because He was bearing the punishment, the judgment that should come upon us for our sin. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him and with His stripes we are healed. And so if God's judgment is a small thing, a minor matter, a little slap on the hand, then why did the Lord Jesus have to suffer so greatly? The answer is He bore awful things because God's judgment on sin is an awful thing. Because it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. The Bible tells us, the record of history, the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, the sufferings of the cross, they all tell us that God's judgment upon sin is something real. It is a fact. Now some people don't like this fact, so what do they do? They deny it altogether. Well, like I said, we would have to throw away large passages of the Bible, and if we believe the Bible to be God's Word, then we believe that every word of God is pure. There are some people who believe that God's judgment takes a different form. Annihilation. The Bible doesn't teach that. The Bible teaches everlasting punishment. The Bible says that the smoke of their torment arises forever. It says they are tormented day and night forever and ever and ever. The Bible says that for them, the book of Jude and verse 13, for them is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. Some people think this judgment will end. after a hundred years, after a thousand years, ten thousand, hundred thousand, million years. Why? Because actually there is something called purgatory. Well, yes, there is something called purgatory in the minds and in the teachings of certain people. But the question is not whether it is in the minds or the teachings of certain people. The question is whether it is in the Bible. And it's not. Not at all. An idea which is very clearly without any Biblical basis, without any Biblical support, without any Biblical justification. An idea that is wrong, false, a lie, fake news. Oh, fire will purify the souls of men. The souls of men are not made of gold or silver or of other similar matters. And if suffering could purify the souls of men, then why did the Lord Jesus come and die upon the cross? Because people would then just pay for their sins for a certain time, possibly a long time, possibly a very long time. but the Bible says there is no salvation in any other there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved and furthermore we would say that we could turn to the book of Revelation and see people who are subject to strong and fearful judgments upon the earth and these people do not repent They do not somehow become better. They are not purified by undergoing and experiencing these judgments. It says in Revelation 16, 9 that they were scorched with great heat and they blasphemed the name of God. It says that they were stricken with pains and with sores. And they repented not of their deeds. We were talking about Lazarus and the rich man and of course Abraham, Luke chapter 16. What did Abraham say? Luke 16 and verse 26. There is between us and you a great gulf which has been fixed. وُضِعَتْ هُوِّ عَظِيمِ بَيْنَّ وَمَيْنَكْ so that there is no passing over there is no passing over you cannot come here and Lazarus cannot take you a drop of water a drop of water there were some people who were speaking to a certain between quotes preacher and this preacher did not believe in hell, did not believe in God's judgment on sin. They had an interesting answer, interesting statement that they made to this person. You come here to tell us that there is no hell. If you are right, we don't need you. And if you are wrong, we don't want you. We don't want you. If you're right and there is no hell, then we don't need to listen to you or to any message that comes from you. And if you're wrong, you're telling us that there's no hell and in fact there is, then you're telling us a lie, a falsehood, and in a very important matter, and so we don't want to listen to you. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. As God's mercy and love and grace are great, so also God's wrath and judgment upon sin is great and fearful. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but unto them that believe to the saving of the soul. Last verse of Hebrews chapter 10. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, to know Him as judge. But Christ on the cross knew Him as judge. so that you and I do not need to meet Him in that capacity. The one who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Yes, the flood came, but there was an ark. There was an ark. And there was an open door. Now they did not benefit from that open door. But what about you? Sodom and Gomorrah were going to be overthrown. But into those two cities, or into that city I should say, the angels came. And there was a way to escape. Book of Hebrews, our reading, chapter 10, tells us that there is a new and living way, verse 20. That is to say, through his flesh, which was broken for us. It says in verse 38, the just will what? Will live. He will live by his faith. He will live by his faith. Ezekiel 33 and verse 11 says as I live say to them Ezekiel Ezekiel 33 and verse 11 say unto them as I live says the Lord God I Have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. I Have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, you know, sometimes you have Individuals young or old who take a kind of sadistic pleasure In what? In... I remember there were some kids in the vicinity, in our building and in our neighborhood, when we were young, who liked to do what? Who liked to catch a cat off the road, and to do what? And to do harmful things to the cat. Alright? I don't take pleasure in the death of the wicked. Now, the Lord says that, at the same time, it's very clear He will judge, because that is right, that is true. But I don't take this pleasure. Maybe that's one way to understand it. In the death of the wicked. I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O house of Israel. Why should you die of famine in the far country? Why should you desire and even not be able to obtain the food that is given to the pigs? How many servants in my father's house have bread and enough to spare, and I perish with hunger? I will arise and go unto my father and say unto him father i have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy son and he arose and he went and he met with what when he was still a great distance away his father saw him and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said, I have sinned against heaven and thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. And the father said, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him. Put shoes on his feet, a ring on his finger, bring forth a fatted calf, and kill it. Let's eat. Let's rejoice. For this, my son was dead and is now alive. He was lost. And now he is found. There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus. Lashayt minadaynuna allatheen fil masiyyih yathoo. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that hears my words and believes on him that sent me. Al haqq al haqq, aqoolu lakum man sama'a kalami wa aamana billadhi arsalani. He that hears my words and believes on him who has sent me. The Bible says, has everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. Man sama'a kalami wa aamana billadhi arsalani. Lahu hayat abadiyya wa lan ya'ti ila The just will live by faith. We are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them who believe to the saving of the soul. Who are you? Are you of those who believe to the saving of your soul? The door is still open. Jesus is the door. Jesus is the way. He wants to lead you, to take you from darkness to light. He wants to take you from death to life, from judgment and condemnation to forgiveness and blessing. What did they say to Rebecca? They said, will you go with this man? Will you go? Will you go where Jesus wants to take you? He paid the price. All you need to do is receive. Let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for the glorious mercy of our Savior, the One who bore the punishment, the condemnation, the judgment, which should be our portion, justly, rightly we would be condemned, for we are sinners. And yet He came to take our place, to take our sins and our judgment upon Him to give us His righteousness so that in Him we would be accepted before You. We know, Lord, that Your words are true. We know that Your ways are righteous and just altogether. If you judge sinners, and you do, then this is only just, right, and holy. We pray that you'd help us to understand that there is a way. There is an ark which will bear the flood for us. There is a salvation. There is a Savior. There is a cross on which He suffered, bled and died. A tomb from which He rose. All these things He did for our sake. So that we could come unto Him in repentance and faith. So that we could experience that compassion and tenderness which the Father had for the prodigal son. We pray for any here who do not know you as Savior that you would speak to their hearts and that today if they hear your voice they would not harden their hearts because today is the day of salvation and now is the accepted time. We thank you for our Savior the One who bore all these things for us. We pray that His name would be glorified. Amen. is all we have, all of us have.