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January 13, 2022 7:00 am
Today on the Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ there's no one is not yet got to the gate yet, but he's and then these two words which change everything. But God is the intervention, but God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he looks even when we were dead and at-risk transgressions.
He made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been silencing God love the roots of my two sons sentiment is the perfect life and items are substitute got changed in so God is with God was a joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana Pastor Bill Gebhardt now is again he shows us how God's word meets our there have always been, but to systems of religion, one is God's system of divine accomplishment. The others man system of human achievement.
One is the religion of God's grace.
The others religion of men's works. One is a religion or faith in the others religion of the flesh. One is the religion of a sincere heart in the internal and the others religion hypocrisy and the external within man system are thousands of religious forms and names but they are all built on the achievements of man and the inspiration of the devil himself. Christianity, on the other hand, is the religion of divine accomplishment in the stands alone is true. That's bothersome to us. We don't really like that we wanted a different way so he also says there is a wide path note expected. Matthew seven he said the way is broad that leads to destruction. The gate is wide. It's like wow it's easy to be on this path he will honor with all your friends and all your family and the culture is an easy thing to be on but it's endless catastrophic and I don't know about you but that really bothers me to understand the scope of this when someone gives the gospel and I hate when this happens you not trying to get someone to to come over to your side of an argument not trying to get someone to join your church. That's not we are trying to do your dealing with the eternal destiny of a human being that's what you're doing with were people going to be forever. You see, where is that going to happen and in our heart. It's exactly what we want. Let me illustrate this to show you how much you want and I want I been here a long long long time I've been involved in countless funerals. Some people in the church. Lots of people the church some people at the court. Some people way out on the periphery. I've never been to one funeral ever where there was an assurances given that the deceased is now in heaven.
Not once.
Now that's some coincidence, and it by the way, think about it for yourself.
Think of the people you've known and loved and died, drawing heaven see what I mean, how we think about this.
Why is that because we want them to be there.
It's emotional to us. I don't want to condemn anybody. You see, so weak, it's amazing. Jesus said few and many but ironically the few work apparently all of us and everybody we ever knew or bought involved with the few she that's a really difficult thing for us. When I was in Pennsylvania we were going to the first church we went to was very liberal Protestant church and that's where I got started preaching and am very grateful that but I was very good friends with the pastor and he was a very liberal man and that he preached on one Easter morning. He preached that everybody in the world goes to heaven and it was universalism while you know and the people in the church work are all looking at me funny like can't you say something now so but I talked to Jeff after the service and I said Jeff I think I was clearness but you said everybody goes to heaven he said yeah. I believe that while I thought will wait wait a minute I said but that if that's true I started quoting versus what Jesus said any Jeff just looked at me so will Jesus never said I sort writers and also note that the Jesus would never said Isaac.
So what's the distinction of Christian is a will be in a Christian you can have a relationship with God now, but if you're a Muslim, a Hindu and atheist, Inc. you don't have a relationship with God now, but y'all get one with him at the end.
Now what was Jeff doing he made up of a faith that he liked and I remember saying this to. I wish you were right, but I can't believe you see, I know why.
He said it.
I don't know about you but I don't want to be exclusive. I don't care about that we love people to come to Christ the notice of Jesus, and you have to make a choice and you have to make it on your own and you better make it now you see that's his words not mine and his conditions are clear. No other name given among men, I am the way the truth and life.
No one can come to the father but through me. She that's the point that is trying to make. This is very very serious stuff go with me now to Ephesians chapter 2 and started getting imagery of this from the apostle Paul, a little more theological base Ephesians chapter 2 Paul starts off by describing something he said we are all on the wide path before he came to Christ were just moving on. You might've been on the religious path you might have been a moral path. You see, but going up you're a big wide path he says and you were all dead in your trespasses and sins everybody before you enter the gate. The narrow gate is that spiritually, because all sinned and fall short of the glory of God and the wages of sin is death. That's pretty simple. He said in which you formerly walked according.
I watch why did I walk that way.
According to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the year of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. This philosophy is the philosophy of the world. The lots of ways to get to God. This is also the philosophy of the enemy who uses it is the philosophy of the world the principality or Lucifer himself.
He said you were there. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lust of the flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind and whereabouts and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. So he says everyone on the broad path is lost.
Everyone there is no one is not lost. He hasn't got the gate yet, but he's lost his on the broad path and then these two words which change everything. But God, there's the intervention, but God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trust cans aggression's he made us alive together with Christ. For by grace you have been side saved a God intervened to love the world so much he sent his son son love this so much.
Live the perfect life and died as our substitute on the cross, God changed everything. It's all God's work. That's what God was able to do notice how final what is after he says, for by grace you have been saved. He says and he raised us up with him and he seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. That's an amazing step. I love you grandpa is a little abstract, but that's amazing. I'm only saved I'm glad I did make the choice to enter the narrow gate, but in one way because it I'm in Christ and he's in me. That's what the Bible teaches. So where I am right here he's here. In fact even says were two or three are gathered. I'm in your midst, but here Paul says the opposite where he is. You are so you may say you're seated here.
The Lord may say you're seated there because that's what he seated now that's at sensing thing. I'm seated, I'm no longer working. Arriving else to do.
I'm seated in the heavenly Wyoming Christ. Why put my faith in Christ is an amazing phenomenon that he saying we shouldn't take it for granted and then he says, so that in the ages the come he might show the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. It's all grace the unmerited favor of God. What can I do to earn it.
Nothing can or no one can hurt the word karst means gift is a gift.
All I can do is receive it. That's what grace of God is this unmerited favor as a gift and all we ask you, is to receive it and is it such an interesting thing that he says because he said he he's if there's one thing you and I will be grateful for all eternity is the grace of God I don't think obeying the moment in heaven.
You don't think men I am in this place of no sorrow, no triggers the infinite beauty and joy of heaven. And it's all his doing. It's not mine I just be grateful so he then reiterates his famous verse he said. For by grace you have been saved through faith. It's not of yourselves. It's a gift of God can be more clear how my saved by grace. It's a gift what's the instrumentality of my salvation, my faith I put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ is that simple. Remember in acts 16. The Philippian jailer hears Paul and Silas, singing hymns and nerve centers in earthquake and he thought he was going to be executed because he thought there were to leave the prison and they don't any writer why you still here. He was astounded by that is I finally was convicted and sent what must I do to be saved and all Paul and Silas, Artemis, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved and it says he did and anyone home and shared it with his household and they did. That's that salvation the thief on the cross.
A minimum of the horrible irreligious life. A man who was crucified for his crimes and all he did was look to Jesus Christ and say remember me when you come into your kingdom and Jesus looks at him and said this day you will be with me in paradise.
He just entered the gate all we did is put his faith and trust in Christ. It seems so simple and it seems to simple to someone he thinks I have to work for this.
There's something I've got to do. I gotta earn this notice the next verse. Paul was out of his way to make sure you don't do that, not as a result of work, so that no one will boast there's one thing will be no bragging in heaven don't know but you know how I got here to be none of that.
I'm just thankful that I am here you see that's what he's trying to say two gates to pathways to destinations one believes in the way of life. It's narrow if you find it.
The other the way of death from see that sobering to me.
Jesus is saying that every soul on earth will end up in one of two places. Everyone there is no third place.
That's it. Sometimes what people do go say sometimes like what I kinda like that idea that I can have my sins forgiven and go to heaven but I'm enjoying my life too much use of this and so up I think I try to maybe think about that later.
Okay member. I told when Jesus said enter the gate.
It was in error's imperative you better do it now. Maybe think that right now sitting there.
I can wait on us and you go out in an out-of-control bus runs over on Clearview Parkway and your leaders), you'll get a later I'm sure that is a close this.
Go to Luke 13 Luke chapter 13 verse 22. It says he that's Jesus passing through from one city and village to another and he's teaching and proceeding. On his way to Jerusalem and I love this someone ask him. Someone is hurt him teach and then when I asked him a question. Lord, other just a few who are being saved it interesting he heard Jesus teaching is wait wait wait. Are you saying there's just a few that are being saved. This is interesting because that's exactly what Jesus was teaching. He picked up on it. I'm sure is puzzled by because we don't really want it that way doing. I don't want to be that way.
There's only a few being saved from. So when ends up happening. Jesus said, strive to enter through the narrow door so what's his door like narrow what was the gate like narrow spinoffs and work is not misunderstanding. This Jesus said in remembering John what did Jesus say I'm the door memory. I'm the door you are walking the kingdom. Here I am on the door he says strive to enter the narrow door for many I tell you, will seek to enter not be able to be a time you see here is a very important thing God is such a God of mercy and forgiveness. Maybe when you get the great white throne, you could throw yourself in God's mercy and Tommy made a terrible mistake you'd rather believe in him and go to heaven and not go to hell. She maybe just for yourself in God's mercy.
I was acting foolish enough to ask the question. A classic dulcimer Dr. Pentecost class I asked my seductive Pentecost.
Why would people to great white throne just throws himself in God's mercy is animated as he is a merciful God and he just looked at me so well gotta say two things. One is you don't have a clear idea of the holiness of God and to you don't understand human beings all he said no one is going to ask for that. He said you wanted imaging ahead of the great white throne people Wagoner had gnashed her teeth and defiantly walk away from God that human beings there is none that seek God no not one. So he said that will never happen, but if it did.
Jesus is covering this what's what he says. He said once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, Lord, open up to us. He then will answer you know say to you I do not know where you're from, he said, and then you will begin to say, wait, wait. We ate and drank in your presence and you taught in our streets. I was right there when I heard you and he will say to them.
I do not know you, where you're from, depart from me, all you evildoers what you mean is not a second chance here. You'll get to rectify this choice. Later, that's what he said you have to enter now. He said in that place don't notice the place where the wide gate leads. Here's Jesus words in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
When you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but yourselves are thrown out some really profound words onto the purple. I mean her overwhelming emotion.
You're out there's a time when you're out. He said they will come from the East and West from the north and south and will recline at the table of the kingdom of God.
And behold, some who some are last who will be first, and some who are first will be last. The first will be last of the Jews.
It didn't believe in Jesus whenever the narrow gate thought they could believe in the religious but who are the last of her now first you guys me. We came from the East and the West for the Gentiles. We made it in. How do we make it in. We entered the narrow gate. That's a Jesus say you see they won't get in. There's no second chance for them and he makes it abundantly clear as possible so you have two gates to pathways and to destinations that want to disclose an illustration I think will make my point. If you've never went through the narrow gate. I beg you to do so, so much at stake, and is so easy in the sense that I don't do don't do anything you just put your trust and faith in Christ. That's what is asking. He's the way he's the truth he's the life. No one will enter Norma come to the father except through him. This seems so easy but you know, one of the reason you haven't done it is because you don't like that you don't want to be that way you wanted to be your own way. That's why you don't. I wanted to be my way. Whatever we have come up with a close. Was she hard it is for someone to come to Christ back in the Melbourne daily and Australia. Billy Graham did a crusade. Years and years ago in Australia and a man wrote a letter to the Melbourne daily and this is what he wrote.
He said after hearing Dr. Billy Graham on the air, viewing him on TV and reading reports and letters concerning him and his mission. I am heartily sick of the type of religion that insist my soul when everyone else's need saving.
Whatever that means. I have never felt that I was lost nor do I feel that I daily wallow in my own sin. Although this repetitive preaching seems to insist that I do. Give me a practical religion that teaches gentleness and tolerance that acknowledges no barriers of color or creed that remembers the aged and teaches children about goodness but not about sin. If, in order to save my soul.
I must accept such as philosophy, as he preached that I hurt him recently preached. I prefer to remain permanently and forever damned, and he signed his name from what they do their inventors own religion.
And so that's the one I want what you fail to do their I'm not a sinner.
He just said I am, but I'm not see he wanted to have a relationship with God on his own terms and of my terms arm and I rejected.
I'm looking to buy this at all. He made his choice. I hope later in his life made a different choice. That's his choice. That's all of us. Jesus Christ comes to the end of this in the first thing he talks about is you have to make a choice. You can choose to enter the narrow gate. You can take the wide gate.
Everybody does. You see, it's easy to get a lot of support destinations are really different. The profoundest of this passage is not that out just that I'm so thankful that I'm saved. I hope you are to so thankful for what Christ did, but it motivates me to constantly be a witness for my Lord were not asking people to join the club, which had were talking about the eternal destiny of human beings is the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only hope they have.
It's a wonderful beautiful thing. It's a gift just to be received so it motivates me to share as well, so Jesus Christ is made it clear I want you to choose because you have to choose spring father. These words are the kind of words and only the son of God could say dogmatically if anyone else that would be skeptical, but not him and the words are so profound and and what they represent. He's telling us that every human has to make a choice. Choose the narrower you choose the wide you choose a philosophy or religion or you choose Christ, but the choice is yours.
God will not coerce the choice, but you will demanded of you. Father I pray for those especially on through the radio and maybe hearing this for the first time and is there hearing it there wondering about the choice whether they'd made it or not. I pray they do that moment for those of us in the church. I pray for anyone is in that same predicament of never made the choice, I pray that they do so this day, but for all of us who have made the choice. Father, I just pray that we understand the magnitude of what Christ did for us and that we are thankful and grateful and joyful for the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross and the assurance that we have. We are forever true disciple through the magnificent Jesus Christ, the great pastor broke apart on the radio ministry of fellowship Lord, if you ever missed one of our broadcast or maybe you just like to listen to the message one more time.
Remember, you can Google a great website called in one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen to Fellowship in the Word online at that website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of our previous audio programs as well at Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. We ask all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help his radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting a monthly fourth is the 100 support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie, LA 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is is a sermon that Pastor Bill delivered during a Sunday morning service at Fellowship Bible church should visit our website FVC Nola.org that SBC and oh LA.O RG at our website you will find hundreds.
Pastor Bill sermon. You can browse through our sermon archives to find sermon series you're looking for or you can search by title. Once you find the method you're looking for. You can listen online work you prefer, you can download the sermon and listen at your inquiry and remember all this absolutely free of charge. Once again our website is FVC Nola.org forecaster Bill Gebhardt and Jason Denhardt thanking you for listening to fellowship in order