Well, folks, if you have your Bible with you, I invite you to turn to Luke's Gospel, chapter 13. Just as you're finding the place, I will say this, and I suppose it's about the only church that I can say with a real sincere heart, without pretense, that it is a joy to be with you. Four years it took you to book me after I left. It was traumatic, I know. and but it is a real joy to be with you and a real privilege to stand again in this pulpit where we have so many wonderful memories and to look down and to see so many familiar faces. Notice I didn't say old faces, I said familiar. I'll just use the word older so same as myself but since we left here, the congregation, and went over to Cumber. I have to say the Lord has richly blessed us. In those four and a half years or so, there has been a very fruitful harvest. We've had perhaps some of the most fruitful and bountiful years of our entire ministry for the Lord. I could not tell you how many have come to the Lord, but I know there has been an awful lot of souls saved since we commenced our ministry there. There's no doubt that God is still working. We had a tremendous mission about a year and a half ago, and I think there were 10 professed faiths during that gospel campaign. And many who were saved, they're coming to our own fellowship, they're in our own church, they're out at the prayer meetings, and they're active in the church, they're busy for the Lord, and what a blessing that has been. And this year, I've been praying for a man for over 40 years, know there are folks in this congregation, some are passed away, some are present here tonight, and you were the object of prayer for many, many years, and you came through, and we had the joy of pointing. And I'm sure every church has, as we would call in Cumber, a man called Terence Currie. Everyone has a Terence Currie, a man who sits every year, every week, every month, unconverted, and you wonder, will he ever get saved? And I had the joy of pointing him to the Lord not so long ago, and he's out at the meetings, and he's telling people he's saved, and what a joy, what a blessing. It's really lifted our hearts, and we can truthfully say this year there's been a bountiful harvest and has also been the spiritual one. I think this is my fourth harvest service. I have another one tomorrow night, another one on Monday night. I always have a smile to myself, as you know, because I am as broad as I am long. Nah, I'm just as broad. And I am a townie through and through. If you know what a townie is, he lives in a concrete jungle. That's me. I've lived in a concrete jungle all my life. Know nothing about the country, and that's a fact. You know, farmers, they cut their grass, I powerhose mine. And I have what is known as a blue circle garden. And if you're a child that hasn't been born in the 60s or 70, a blue circle garden is a cement garden. It's the old name for cement they used to make. And my father used to say to me, away out and play in that blue circle garden, son. There was no grass. I know that over the years I have got along reasonably well, that's all I can say with the farming community. I've offended them probably more times than I've encouraged them and I don't mean to but I'll never forget you were singing that hymn and it just brought it to my remembrance. I remember I had picked that hymn for the harvest and I was coming in through those doors and I met a farmer. I'll not mention who it is, not even tell you if the person's here. But he might be here. And he said to me these words. He says, I hope you're not going to sing that hymn. And I says, what hymn? He says, that hymn that says, come ye thankful people, come. And I thought to myself, here we go. Here we go. He's going to whinge. What are you joking? And he says, I says, why? Why? What's wrong with it? He says, think about it. Come ye thankful people, come. Raise the song of harvest home. All is safely gathered in. I want to tell you it's not. I'd pick the hymn. And being the townie, I was determined to sing it. And I have in my hymn book that I brought, I have the word Most. So just in case I met a farmer, I says, well, we'll change it. We'll not say all. So we sung it at our own harvest in Cumber. And I checked with the farmers in my congregation and tell me this, is everything gathered in? And they says, no. See, farmers never have it all gathered in. They'd always want another week of sunshine. They'd want an Indian summer right in the middle of and the end of November to get the fourth cut of the grass. You know what I mean? But anyway, I says, well, we can sing most. But it is. It is. a joy to be with you, a real blessing, and I trust the Lord will bless us as we consider the word of the Lord here this evening. I'll do what I did and have done for over 20 years in Lisburn. I'd set my watch on the pulpit, and I'll not look at it, all right? I'll assure you I'll not look at it. It's not working anyway. It's a wee cheap one. No, it's not. It's actually the one they bought me for my 20th anniversary. And I remember, where's Donnie Manor? There he's there. I'll never forget it. They bought me this watch for my 20th anniversary in this church. And the next month at the committee meeting, I says, gentlemen, I'd like just to thank you for the kind gift of the watch. And Donnie piped up, I'm sure it's in the minute. And he says, it's just a pity you don't use it. So I'll, oh, sorry, I swiped the wrong way. I don't know what way that goes. So anyway, I preach by the calendar, as you know. As a man said to me recently, he says, I enjoyed your ministry, but you're long-winded. I says, you're wrong there. He says, what do you mean? I says, I'm long, but I've never been winded. I just keep going. But we keep to the time tonight. Luke chapter 13. We want to read a few verses together from the chapter, beginning at the verse nine, Luke chapter 13. Let us all read and hear the word of the Lord. Luke chapter 13, verse 1. They were present at that season, some, that told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans because they suffered such things? I tell you nay, but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. or those 18 upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them. Think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you nay, but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. He spake also a parable. A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came and sought fruit thereon and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none. Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig it about and dung it, and if it bear fruit well, if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. Then we'll move down to the chapter in verse 24. and is shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us. And he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are. Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught it in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are. Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity. And then, for the sake of time, we read from verse 34, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee. How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate, and verily I say unto you, ye shall not see me until the time come, when ye shall say, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Amen. We'll end our reading there at verse 35. And we know the Lord will indeed bless the public reading of his own precious and infallible word. Let's just bow briefly in a word of prayer, please. Father in heaven, we do thank Thee for Thy presence with us. We thank Thee for the harvest time, Lord. We bless Thee for these tokens of God's mercy and grace. We thank Thee, Lord, that we can raise the song of harvest home. We thank Thee for the produce of the land. We praise Thee, Lord, for that which is homegrown, that which have been imported. We thank Thee, Lord, for this provision for our bodily need, and we thank Thee, too, for the spiritual harvest. We thank Thee for many precious souls that have been harvested and brought into the Father's garner. We rejoice in those who, last year till now, Lord, were unconverted. But now, Lord, we thank Thee that You have saved them by Thy grace. You have worked in their hearts. And even, Lord, in recent days, we thank Thee for the many who have gathered out under the sound of the gospel. We thank Thee for those who have sat in the meetings with tears, have gone out with a heavy heart, And we pray as yet, Lord, that there will be a harvest from these meetings, and sinners will be converted, and thy great name honoured and glorified. Be with us tonight in the commencement of this Harvest Weekend. Remember thy servants as they come to minister the Word of God. Be pleased to bless and to lay liberally to every child of God. And be pleased, Father, to call out a people for thyself. Build thy church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And now, Lord, for this commencement of the harvest weekend, this Saturday evening, God grant that there will be the hush of eternity descending upon this gathering. We pray, O God, for the work of the Holy Spirit. Lord, we pray that you will assist and search the congregation. Thou knowest those that are thine, those who belong to the Lord, It may be some who have a false profession, others who are out of Christ, without a Saviour. We pray, Lord, whatever their spiritual condition is, Thy God see us, may we pray You'll work the Word in, that the Holy Spirit will convince and convert, restore and bless and revive. And Father, in answer now to prayer, grant to me the infilling of Thy Holy Spirit with wisdom and power, and bless the preaching of Thy Word, For we ask these things, believing in Jesus' precious and worthy name. And the people of God said, amen. Luke chapter 13 has often been called the chapter of opportunity. And you only have to read the entire chapter to discover that's exactly what the main thrust and theme and teaching of this chapter is. It's a chapter of opportunity. In verses 6 through 9, we read about the parable of the barren fig tree. And here, opportunity is lengthened. And you know, when you read that parable, that the Lord said that for three years he came looking for fruit. And the owner of the vineyard ordered that fig tree to be cut down. But the dresser The individual who was taking care of that vineyard and was working with that fig tree, he begged for another year. And the owner of the vineyard who had planted already that fig tree said, I'll let it alone this year. But if it doesn't bear fruit, then I'll cut it down. So opportunity is lengthened in the parable of the fig tree. And then opportunity is limited when you come to verses 24 through to 30. He speaks about entering in at the straight gate, and we know that broad is the way that leads to destruction, and narrow is the way that leadeth to life. And then the Lord goes on to say, when once the master of the house is risen up and shut to the door, that is, closed it permanently, opportunity is limited. And if you think of the theme that the Lord brings together in this chapter, the Lord lengthens the opportunity for men and women. to get right with God. The Lord lengthens even the opportunity for individuals who belong to the Lord, who may be cold at heart and backslidden in their own soul and in their own life. He lengthens the opportunity, but there comes a time when the Lord limits his working with individuals, and especially with the unconverted. And we think of how the Lord has lengthened out the year and kept the door of grace open for so many. But there is a limit because there is a line by us unseen. It crosses every path. It's that hidden boundary between God's mercy you're saved and God's wrath you're lost forever. Where do you stand with God? Opportunity lengthened. Opportunity limited, my spirit shall not always strive with man. And then opportunities lost. The Lord stood that day and he looked over the city of Jerusalem and the Lord wept. There's only three times in scripture that you will find our Lord Jesus Christ weeping. It shows to us that he is truly human. Tears belong to humanity. They do not belong to angels. They do not belong to devils or demons. They do not belong to the animal creation. Tears are the distillation of the emotion of the soul. They either express joy and happiness or sorrow and grief. And on this occasion, the Lord looked over the city of Jerusalem, and the Lord wept because opportunity was lengthened. for the Jew. Opportunity was limited for the three and a half years of his public ministry. And then he stood, and opportunity now was lost, because he cried, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how oft would I have gathered thee, and ye would not. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate, and even to this day The nation of Israel has been left desolate, void of gospel truth and belief in the true and the living God. It's a secular nation. It's an atheistic nation except for the Orthodox Jew. Most Jews do not care about God. And I say this to you, the veil is over their eyes, even in the reading of the Old Testament, the books of Moses. And I'll say this, opportunity was lengthened. Opportunity is limited, and opportunity was lost. And I want to think about that theme, opportunity, lengthened, limited, and then lost. Now, I don't want to deal with all three of these parables, and one, I believe, is a parabolic saying, so it's classed in the area of the parable. When the Lord speaks about the city of Jerusalem, he uses a natural thing on earth, the hen gathering her chicks, to give us what is known as a parabolic saying. So it's linked in with the parables. I don't want to deal with all three, but I'll deal with one. that has all three of those thoughts inside that parable. And it is the parable of the barren fig tree. You see, the parable centers on a fig tree that was planted in a vineyard. It's not the natural place, by the way, for a fig tree. A vineyard is full of the vines to bring forth the grapes. But this fig tree was planted in the midst that vineyard. And for some unknown reason—we don't know—it did not bring forth any fruit. Now, on a Saturday morning, if you want to become a nerd, there is a gardening program on Radio Ulster. I like to listen to it. It's hard to believe, I know. You see, you're having a laugh. I like to listen to it. And everybody comes on, and they name all these plants that I've never heard of, and all these shrubs. And you've got these experts, and here's what they say. You know, I planted it, and it hasn't grown. And they'll tell that person why it hasn't grown. They will tell it to lift it, and they'll tell it to move it, to give it more light. They'll tell it to put it in a place that's wet, or they'll keep it in a place that's more dry. And they tell them everything. And they seem to know everything about plants and shrubs and trees. And it's amazing just how expert they are. They're genius. But on this occasion, I would suggest to you if you brought this fig tree problem to those on Radio Ulster on a Saturday morning, and you say, I have a fig tree, and it's in a vineyard, the first thing they would say, why did you plant it in a vineyard? But it's not bearing fruit, and we've done all we can, and you've suggested this, this, and that, and I guarantee you they'll be all baffled. Why did it not bring forth fruit? We don't know. The owner for three years came every year at harvest time and he pulled back all of the foliage and he had a look and he found no ripe figs. It had the lush green leaves all right. It gave every impression externally that all was well. But when the Lord came, and the master of the vineyard, and he pulled back those leaves, and he stripped that tree of its foliage, he found no fruit whatsoever. However, the dresser of the vineyard, the one who kept the vineyard, he heard the master say, Cut it down. Three years, what a waste. Cut it down. Be better burning it in the fire. Be more profit burning this in the fire than having it cumber the ground and sap the life out of the vines. But the dresser comes with a plea. And he sounds forth this compassionate plea. Let it alone this year. And I will dig around it. And I will fertilize it. and I will cultivate it, and I will do everything to encourage growth. And after this year is over, then you come and you inspect it. And if you pull back the foliage and you find no fruit, then cut it down, but let it alone just one more year. And while I know the parable in its primary context relates to the land of Israel, to the Jewish nation in our Lord's day, who for three full years had gospel privilege, the Son of God walked the very soil of Israel. God manifest in human flesh, spoke the words of eternal life to an entire nation, A people were more privileged than any other nation in all of God's creation to have the Son of God, the creator of the ends of the earth, veiled in human flesh, walk among them, live among them, perform miracles in front of them, and preach the everlasting gospel to them. This was a fig tree that had privilege to be planted among the vine, And then it was nurtured. And the vine dresser and the owner, they had done all they could to encourage fruit. But year after year, and so the Lord says, and the vine dresser says, let it alone this year. The final six months, literally, of our Lord's three and a half years ministry, this fig tree was examined. whenever Christ was betrayed and arrested. Whenever Christ was brought in before Pilate, this fig tree still produced no fruit. In fact, this fig tree brought forth evil fruit. If you think of how the Lord, and I follow the traditional line at Easter time, the Lord on Thursday evening before Good Friday, He makes his way to the upper room, and he says with desire, have I desired to eat this Passover with you? He enters into the upper room, he institutes the Lord's table with the bread and the cup. He then sings a hymn, and I believe that hymn, and I know the Bible doesn't tell us this, but I would guarantee you 100% that that hymn was the Paschal Halal, which is the praise of the Passover. Psalms 113 through 118. They were sung that night in the upper room. And then the Lord makes his way, knowing he had a bitter cup to drink, knowing the fig tree would not bring forth any more fruit, knowing that he had already placed the curse on another time. That was the outworking, I believe, of this parable, when he met that fig tree, and he cursed it, and it withered and dried up, And then he was walking down from the upper room into the Kidron Valley. And from the Kidron Valley, he made his way to the olive press. That's what Gethsemane means. It was there, at the foot of the Mount of Olives, in the garden of Gethsemane, when Christ was pressed out of measure, and the fig tree bore no fruit. Along comes Judas, representing really the betrayal of the Jewish nation. No fruit unto God, no repentance, no faith in Christ. They reject the Lord. He's betrayed. He's taken to the house of Annas. It's there. There, before the religious leaders, there was no fruit unto God, no belief in him, no acceptance of him. And it was there that he was put on trial before Annas, the previous high priest, and he was falsely accused. Then he was placed into the hands of Caiaphas, and on two occasions before Caiaphas and the seventy-two strong Sanhedrin. They met contrary to Jewish law, and they tried Christ in three religious trials, and never found Him guilty, with trumped-up charges. They sent Him to Pilate, and Pilate examined Him, and sent Him to Herod, and Herod found no fault in Him, and sent Him back to Pilate, and Pilate cried to the Jews, after three religious and three political trials, and exonerated the Son of God. He now says, What shall I do then? with Jesus, which is called Christ. And he said to the crowd, Which will you have, Barabbas or Christ, who is king of the Jews? And there was no fruit unto God. They said, Crucify him. And he was led as a spectacle of shame and woe, and nailed to the cross. suspended in the blackness of darkness, bearing our sin, shame, and sorrow, shedding his life's blood to pay the price for our sin. And there was still no fruit unto God. And the Lord says, cut it down. And the privileges that Israel enjoyed, they lost. Opportunity was lengthened. Opportunity was limited. Three and a half years. And then opportunity was lost. the lament of Christ over the holy city, oh, Jerusalem. And while I said to you, in its context, in its primary meaning and application, it refers to the Jewish nation, even to this day, God pulls back the foliage of Israel, and there's still no fruit unto God, no national acceptance of the Messiah, Yeshua. No submission to his claims to be the Redeemer of Israel and the Savior of the world. To this day, God still examines the fig tree, and he finds no fruit. In its secondary application, we can still use it in the gospel, because the Lord comes tonight to this very house And even if we're streaming on live, to those that may be tuning in, in the various social media platforms. And he's pulling back the leaves, the foliage of your life and mine. And the Lord's looking for fruit. He's searching. And what does he find? Justice comes. Justice comes and says, cut it down. But mercy pleads, let it alone another year. And maybe last harvest, you were lengthened in your opportunity. God has spurred your life till now. He examined you last year. He looked into your heart. He pulled back the foliage, and He gazed, and He saw no fruit of repentance. He saw no fruit of faith or a holy life. There was nothing there. Neither was there imputed righteousness, nor was there transferred righteousness. That is, there was no justification, and there was no sanctification. There's nothing there. And the Lord pleaded in mercy and in love in the light of the justice of God that would have cut you down. Let it alone this year. And if after a year you look and you pull back the leaves and there's nothing there, then cut it down. It may be that mercy, love, and grace will plead once again for your soul, that you may not be taken out into a lost eternity. But remember what I'm saying. The Lord's speaking to your heart. Opportunity's lengthened. Opportunity, however, is limited, and opportunity can be lost. Let me think in closing. the teaching of the parable of the fig tree. Notice, first of all, that a produce is sought. In verses 6 and 7, that's exactly what happens. For some mysterious reason, this fig tree was not producing fruit for its owner, even though it was planted on good soil. even though it was cultivated to the highest standard that a man or a woman could make and do, even though it had encouragement in the most fertile conditions, every year for three years solid, nothing. And yet it gave every impression that all was well. It had lush, green leaves. Outwardly, externally, the foliage seemed to suggest that this was a very healthy fig tree. And when the Lord came, and the owner of the vineyard came and looked at that and pulled the leaves back, there was nothing there. You would be amazed, there was nothing there. And I wonder, year by year as the Lord comes, and he pushes back the external and the outward, You see, the leaves could represent anything, and I don't want to use sanctified imagination, but those leaves could represent everything. They could represent church going, carrying your Bible, dressing up to go to church, giving your tents and your tithes, doing the best you can, being a good husband and a good wife and a good father or mother, being a good person. All of those things are just externals. But when the Lord pulls the leaves back and he examines, What does he see? Even for those of us who were saved, if the Lord pulls back the external and the outward, what does he really see in my heart? If there's one time, and I'm sure a brother will agree with me, if there's one time in our lives as pastors, ministers, and evangelists, that we do more soul searching and heart searching, it's during gospel campaigning. And I never has cried as much to the Lord for myself that I wouldn't go and preach the gospel with pretense or hypocrisy, but with a sincere and an honest heart. I don't believe I've examined my own life as much. I don't believe the Lord has ever, in all of my created history and salvation, pulled the leaves back of my life to have a look into my heart and to examine me. And there is a word for the believer. If the Lord pulls back the externals, does He see a heart that loves him? Does he really see a soul on fire for God? Does he see someone who is faithful, who loves the Lord, who's walking in the way of the Lord, who spends time alone with God? Listen to me, I want to say this, and I love preaching. There's nothing more important in my life, and I love my wife and my family, and I love the ministry of preaching, and I love gospel campaigning, but there's no substitute for a personal walk with God. for fruit unto the Lord, the fruit of a holy life, the fruit of a sincere spirit, a genuine interest in the Word of God. And year by year, the owner comes, and he pulls back the leaves, and he does it for saint and sinner alike. You see, there was nothing but leaves, and there was no life. There was literally foliage, but there was no fruit unto God. And I want to tell you the Lord comes by at another harvest time. And the Lord will do it tomorrow morning. And he will do it tomorrow night. And he will do it as well on Monday night in the will of the Lord. And for years the Lord has planted the soul of many individuals in the gospel privilege and spiritual opportunity. He has, I believe, literally caused men and women and young people, boys and girls, to sit under the most fertile gospel preaching and solemn messages they could ever hear. And year by year, His Holy Spirit has literally come and blessed the Word to the hearts of individuals. And yet we have people in our congregations, and we have so many in evangelical circles, and there is no life, and there's no fruit unto God, and there's only leaves. That's all there is. That's all there is. There's been no fruit of repentance. There's been no peace with God, no fruit of belief and faith in Christ. And the Lord says, these three years, that represents great failure on the part of the fig tree, not on the vine dresser or the owner, on the part of the fig tree. This year also, another year has gone, wasted, squandered, And as yet, there's only foliage and no fruit, only leaves and no light. I want to read to you from my notes because I don't want to get this wrong. This story and this incident is vouched for many years ago by a godly, and you'll not find too many now in that denomination that are godly, by a godly minister in the Church of England who knew these circumstances very well. says, a young woman who had been brought up in a Christian home and who often had very serious convictions regarding the importance of coming to Christ when she was young, she chose instead to take the way of the world, much against the wishes of her godly mother, She insisted on keeping company with wild and an ungodly crowd, and it broke her mother's heart. She lived for the passing of that moment and tried to forget about the things of God and eternity. Again and again, she was pleaded with to turn from her sin to Christ. Literally, she was persistently prayed for, witnessed to, talked to, but she refused to heed every admonition that was ever addressed to her. Throughout her sinful and rebellious life, opportunities were given by God, lengthened out for this woman and this young girl to believe the gospel and to make her peace with God through faith in Christ. They were all abandoned by her in favor of sin and pleasure. Finally, she was taken with a very serious illness, and it became very evident, after the tests were done, that she was a hopeless case, and death was now inevitable. Still, she was hard and obstinate, and whenever she was urged to turn to God in repentance and faith, she literally rejected it with venom. One night she awoke out of a deep sleep, and she called to her mother, and she says, Mother, Mother, what does the Bible say in Ezekiel 7, verses 8 and 9? Because I feel a presence in this room, and I have been woken up, and believe me, I have heard a voice. It says, read Ezekiel 7, verses 8 and 9. Mother, Mother, what does Ezekiel 7, verses 8 and 9 say? And the mother, she says, I'd never heard of those verses. Being a born-again Christian, she opened her Bible, and a look of horror came across her face. The daughter says, Read me those verses. And so she read those verses with a heavy heart. Thus saith the Lord, Now I will shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee, and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations, and mine eyes shall not spare, neither will I have pity. Cut it down. I will recompense thee according to thy ways and the abominations that are in the midst of thee, and ye shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth. Cut it down. Opportunity was lengthened. Opportunity was limited, and thy opportunity was lost. Don't trifle with the matter of your soul tonight, and your relationship with Christ, your fellowship with God. But if you're unsaved in this meeting house, or listening online, or even if you listen later on as an unsaved man, woman, or young person, boy or girl, then I say to you, the Lord comes by. Opportunity has been lengthened for many years. Opportunity is limited. Your moment is now. before opportunity is lost. Can I say secondly, very quickly, not only is a produce sought in this parable, but notice there is a punishment that is solemn. It says, cut it down. Why comberth it the ground? What a solemn sentence is pronounced against this barren fig tree. On another occasion, it was cursed, and it withered and died, and the disciples marveled, and they said these words, behold, the fig tree. Look at it. Look at it now. It can never produce fruit now. It's dead. It's been cursed. It's been cut off. Give it no more opportunity. It's had enough time. Why should I waste my time and effort, cut it down, and cast it into the fire? And sinner, friend, that's exactly what happened to Israel. That's exactly what happened in this chapter, because opportunity was lengthened, opportunity was limited, and then the Lord stood and wept over Jerusalem, and He says, your opportunity's gone. Now the justice of God will cut you down. And we know that in AD 70, that Titus the Roman governor came in, and he literally butchered hundreds of thousands of Jews. He desecrated and burned the temple down in Jerusalem. He took over 200,000 captive, and he left the weak, and the sorrowing, and the suffering, and the aged, and the infirm in Jerusalem. And he literally did Jerusalem to death. Your house is left unto you desolate. And God cut the nation down in AD 70. But you know, sinners who refuse to repent and believe after opportunity has been lengthened, they remember opportunity is limited. My spirit will not always strive with man. The Bible says, every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, repentance and faith and holiness, is hewn down. And here's what happens to it. It's cast into the fire. The fire is hell. It burns as I speak. And listen, I wonder, as hell inquiring about you tonight, if you ever read the story of Belshazzar in Daniel 5, you'll read the Holy Spirit's interpretation of those events in Isaiah chapter 14. And it has these words. I think the most startling words in all of the Bible, I trembled when I first read them and understood their meaning. It says, hell from beneath is stirred up to meet thee at thy coming. What a reception. Hell from beneath stirred up on the Hebrew, I'm not trying to be smart, the Hebrew means to violently erupt, to meet thee at thy coming. What it really means is this. that hell awaits with expectation that there might be a barren fig tree that'll be cut down at the harvest weekend, and would enter into the caverns of the damned, and hell would get excited. That's what the verse means, to meet thee. That is to mean they would stir themselves up as if they're expecting, as if they're asking the question, is he coming? Is that her now? Is that him? Will he be here tonight? Will he join us in our sorrow and suffering, in the blackness of darkness, and the terror and torment, and the horror of hell itself? That's what happens when a barren fig tree is cut down. It's cast into the fire. You think the Lord cares for the fig tree? It's a picture. It happens to the lost soul. They die in their sin. cast into hell. And hell's not a popular word today. I preached on one occasion in an evangelical church. I didn't preach on the subject of hell, but I mentioned it a few times. And a gentleman come up to me after the service, and he says, I enjoyed your word, but I want to say something. And I says, what's that? He says, you mentioned hell. I says, I did. But I didn't preach on it, but I mentioned it. He says, I want to tell you something. That's the first time that I've heard the mention of hell in this church in 10 years. Think of it. In 10 years, hell was never mentioned in that evangelical church. I was shocked. To this day, I've never forgotten what he said. I want to tell you of how opportunity can be mocked and squandered. A man stood at Niagara Falls, and I've been there myself. And he watched this eagle swoop down on the carcass of a frozen lamb as it was floating on the Niagara River, heading toward the rapids and then speedily down Niagara Falls. And he watched the eagle as many others were gathered. And in amazement, the eagle stood on that block of ice encasing a lamb. And it picked its way through the ice and got to the frozen flesh and began to eat that lamb. And everybody could see that the ice with the eagle and the frozen lamb was getting close to the rapids. And if it got to the rapids, then it would be hurried over the Agra Falls. And as that eagle literally was there, it seemed to lift its head and look around, as if to say, I know what I am doing. I'm an eagle. My wingspan will take me up beyond the Agra Falls. It continued eating. the very last minute, it literally stooped and pushed itself up and flapped its wings. The very talons were frozen to the ice, and the squeals of that eagle as it went over Niagara Falls. One preacher using that illustration said, how often sinners with a proud look Think they've plenty of time. Opportunity is limited. One year and then cut it down. That eagle could have left, even on an empty stomach, and let the lamb, frozen, go over Niagara Falls. But with a proud look, it looked up as if to say, I'm an eagle. I have the strength to lift myself up. Maybe even thought it could take the lamb with it. went over to its death. And sinners do the same. They leave it too late. Another harvest time. Thirdly and finally, you have a plea that is sounded, verses eight and nine. The vinedresser stood between the owner and the unfruitful fig tree and it sounded a final plea. I believe that's the love, the mercy, the grace, the compassion of God. The justice cannot show compassion. I want to tell you God's righteousness and holiness demands the sinner be cut down from the day they were born. as a sinner and a rebel from God, but it's mercy, it's grace, it's love. The vinedresser represents the blessed mediator. There's no one else can make a plea for you or me between a holy God and a sinner who's lost and perishing. Only Christ, I believe the vinedresser, is Christ himself, and he speaks in mercy, love, and grace, as the God-man, as the mediator, as the lover of man's soul. And the compassion of God says, give it another year. But that could have been last year. Don't you presume, well, it's now, I've got another year. You don't. For the Bible says this year, this year, that's it. But friend, that year was over. within a very short space of time. And grace will not always be extended to you, and the door of mercy will not always be open to your soul. My spirit shall not always strive with ma'am. This could be your last opportunity. This could be your final harvest service. I want to tell you now, You don't know the day of your death, and neither do we know the time of the Lord's coming, but I can tell you this, things are gearing up for the coming of the Lord, and the Lord is about to return. He's at the door, and I don't know how many years we've got left. I can't tell you because nobody knows, but what if there was only two? What if the events that you're seeing in Israel now, and prophecy that has now been fulfilled, that can now facilitate and accommodate the coming of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, the rise of Antichrist, the world's economy about to fall, the nations coming against Israel, Britain and America and NATO and others and the UN will abandon Israel and all the nations will gather. And at that precise moment, I believe the Lord comes and He delivers the nation. He stands where He left to go to the cross. only he's on top of Mount Olivet, rather at the bottom. He's not in the wine press at the bottom. He stands on the top of the Mount of Olives. We'll not go into prophecy, but we say this to you, we don't know the day of your death, you don't know when the Lord will return. What if he was to come tonight? What if the death angel and the angel was commanded as you read, read it in Revelation, where it says the angel was commanded to put the sickle. Now here's an interesting phrase, into the vine of the earth. Do you know there are two vines? One's the true vine, Christ. The other's the vine of the earth, the ungodly sinner. And the angel is commanded to put the sickle into what is known as the vine of the earth. That is, those grapes of wrath are growing on the vine of the earth. and they're ripening for judgment, and they'll be cast into the wine fat of the wrath and judgment of God, Isaiah chapter 63 and Revelation chapter 19 and chapter 6. I close by saying this to you. Many summers you have wasted, ripened harvests you have seen. Winter snows by spring have melted, yet you linger in your sin. tonight, come believing. Come believing. Come to Jesus. Look and live. Come believing and Christ-receiving. Come to Jesus and look and live. Come to the one who suffered and bled, died, and rose again for your sin. Come to the fountain filled with blood. Come to your only Redeemer. Come to the Savior of sinners. Come to Christ, the one who agonized in pain and sorrow and horror and terror on the cross of Calvary to pay the price for sin, who shed his life's blood to wash away the stain, and to extinguish forever the guilt of sin, and give men and women peace with God. Come in repentance, come in faith, but come now. Don't leave it till another time. Come now. Seek the Lord while he is to be found. Call upon him while he is near. Today, if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. My spirit shall not always strive with man. And in coming to Christ, he will save you. He will save you. He will save you now. Opportunity lengthened. Opportunity limited. Don't let it be said, sinner. Opportunity lost. Let's bow in prayer. Our Father, we thank you for thy presence, for help given in the Special singing, the leading of the service, congregational worship, the reading of Holy Scripture, the preaching forth of the Word. When we come to an end of ourselves, we're asking that the Spirit of God will speak on. We pray, Lord, you will trouble hearts. We pray you'll speak to individuals. If there are any here tonight who are out of Christ without a Saviour, mercy pleads. Love is sounded. Lord, have mercy. While justice would cut down, mercy will save. We cry to Thee for the salvation of lost souls, the restoration of a backslider, the reviving of the church. And Father, be pleased to glorify Thy dear Son. We ask these things in His precious and worthy name. Amen. you