[0:00] thing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor, yet what I shall choose, I want not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better, I guess I'll read one more verse, nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. There's a thought that, or there's an interesting, strange even, ending to verse 22, where Paul says, yet what I shall choose, I want not, saying I know not, I'm undecided on, it sounds like, and it's an interesting, it's intriguing, it almost opens up a thought that Paul had a choice to make, and some have tried to connect this back to when he was taken up, or saw the third heaven and paradise, and that's a kind of a mysterious angle there to go, I don't know what that, if that's entirely true or not, but one thing Paul describes, he does it in two places here, at the end of verse 21, he said, to die is gain, and then he made the comment in verse 23, that he has a desire to depart, that's death, that's leave this world, leave this body, and to be with Christ, which is, in his words, far better. Now, not too many people can say that, and mean that, and know what they're talking about, and have full assurance. You won't hear that said on the television, you won't see that written by the top journalist of our day, they won't talk like that. They don't talk about dying as if it's a great thing. To us as humans, it's like the worst thing. It's the thing we all avoid at all costs, and yet Paul says, I'm in a straight betwixt two. I kind of want that. Now, he's not some messed up in the head, sadistic kind of guy. He knew something a little more clearly than we know.
[2:14] He even saw some things and heard some things that he said, it's not lawful for me to utter. It's sealed. And he had a special thing with him. He's a biblical character that we can't quite attain to, I'm sure. Nevertheless, I mean, because he'll come to visions and revelations. He can do that. He had stuff like that. We're not there. But Paul said that, and I want you to consider that, and know that there are, I can say that, you could say that, if you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can say with assurance, understanding the scripture and having your eyes open to reality, that to depart, to be with Christ, is far better. It's not just better. It's not just good. It's better. It's not just better. It's best. It's far better than that. It's a comparative term, though, isn't it, to say that one thing is far better than what? Well, then staying here, than abiding in the flesh, as he says, than living. Even though in verse 21, he says that his life is Jesus Christ, for to me, to live is Christ. But you know what's far better is departing and being with Christ. Now, as Christians that know the word of God and that have received Jesus
[3:26] Christ as your personal Savior, and know what it's like to have received eternal life and a relationship with God and the Spirit of God illuminating your mind and understanding to truth and to doctrine and to the Bible, as that person, you can relate to this passage. And you can have that assurance, too, that to die is gain, that it's far better. Living for Christ versus living with Christ is far better.
[3:54] And I want to give you this morning three simple reasons why departing and being with Christ is far better than abiding in the flesh. And we could probably, you could probably come up with 50 of your own reasons. And it's not to say that mine are better than yours. But what I've got here is just some common things that I think we can all appreciate and we can all understand. And the one reason, one reason I believe that to depart and to be with Christ is far better is because being with Christ in heaven is far better because of its beauty. Now, just let it sink in. Let's talk about it for a minute. That sounds simple, I know. But it's far better because of its beauty. You know what you're drawn to in this world? You're drawn to beautiful things. You want beauty. Whether you realize it or not, your eye wants to behold beautiful things. When you go to a store to buy something, you don't say, where's the ugly rack? Where's the stuff that's old and outdated? And I don't, you don't look for those items unless you're dead on clearance, cheap, got to find. But what you're looking for is something that catches your eye as beautiful, as attractive. That's what you're drawn to. That's common. That's natural. The world is obsessed with beautiful people who obtained their beauty through no real effort of their own. They just were born with it. And the world loves them and props them up and takes their picture and promotes them everywhere. We recognize things that are beautiful and even despise things that aren't. If you're just honest and you think it through, and it's not a bad thing. It's just the truth. It's, you don't want the ugly. You want the beautiful.
[5:30] That's what you're, whether it's somebody's face or whether it's a sunset or whether it's a building, you'll look at 50 buildings. But the one that attracts your eye to take a second look at, it's got something to it. There's some form of beauty. It stands out.
[5:43] It captures your attention. I want to compare some things with you just to draw this thought out and make it as clear as I can possibly make it. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes chapter 3 that he, God, he hath made everything beautiful in his time. And certainly what almighty God created is full of beauty. There is real and authentic natural beauty that we behold in this world. And I'll just admit to you, I'm a sucker for it. I can't help it. I'm not trying to be more spiritual than somebody to say this, but it's in my blood. It's the way I am built to, to just stand in awe of certain things in nature. I don't want to just pass them by. It's, it's like, I want to stop and stand and stare at it and take it all in as much as I can. Uh, there's things I I've done things just searching because I can't be there. I'll search Google maps if I'm bored sometimes and find a place that kind of intrigues me and I'll get down on the street view, or then I'll start looking up photos of what that and just be drawn not to the, what man has built, but be drawn to the natural beauty of the place that I'll probably never get to experience in this life. I saw some pictures of, of, I did, I was in Poland once and we traveled South and we caught just a glimpse, but I didn't,
[7:04] I've never been to see the, the true majesty of the Alps and they are rugged and when they're covered in snow, it is breathtaking. I've seen some pretty sunsets here. I think there's some pretty stuff. One time I walked out of Walmart and back East, I walked out of Walmart and we walked in, the sun was out and in there for half an hour or so. And as we walked out, the kids were with me just real little and I was going to get the car and I stepped out and just boom, we're staring west at the sky just screaming with brilliance and light and color and it was just amazing. People were stopping and commenting and I didn't, I'm not trying to be a preacher. I just stepped out and my, my mouth just said, the heavens declare the glory of God. And I was just in awe and I stopped and people were walking and passing and I'm just like, go ahead, because this, I want to take this in.
[7:56] That's just the way I'm built. I love it. The handiwork of God, it, it arrests my attention. It intrigues me. I'll break my neck while I'm driving somewhere just the other day to see the snow on Mount Baldy because it just, I just want to catch a glimpse in between the trees and the houses and the highway structures and I just want to, because it's beautiful and that stuff, I want to see it. My wife yells at me, pay attention. I want to see it. This world is filled with majestic mountain peaks and passes and rugged rock formations that are intriguing. Waterfalls of an entire gorgeous environment, but the waterfall just draws all the attention. No one cares about the rest of it.
[8:37] There's a waterfall there. Have you ever seen the hardwoods in the, in autumn and their display of color or some out west? The aspens screaming their yellow amidst the, uh, the forests of pines and greens and, uh, even against a lake that is as still, as flat as ice and reflecting. There's just pure gorgeous beauty in this world that God created. And I'm not here to talk about this beautiful world.
[9:03] I'm here to tell you that to depart and to be with Christ is far better because of the beauty that's going to be there. If this world's filled with vivid color and things that are just designed, have you ever, have you ever been forced to stop and stare at something? Are you too busy or thinking about, are you too busy staring at a phone or something? Have you ever like fallen in love with a flower?
[9:27] It's not for girls. It's not for weirdos, but you could, you could spend your life, the rest of your life starting today, studying flowers to learn of the differences, the, the, the colors of just one variety can be in all different shades. And if you look at it and get close to it, if you ever take a, an interest in photography, then your mind will really start going that direction and it'll just be completely in all. And we're too busy for all of this. I'm sure oftentimes, but you ought to stop and let it and attempt to allow it to absorb a scene and let it strike you and let it stir you. But you know, those scenes, those sunsets eventually just fade into darkness and disappear. And those flowers, according to the Bible, they wither and they fade and their glory fades away. And the Bible describes treasure on this earth that corrupts the moths and rust doth corrupt and these big, it's, it's gone.
[10:29] It's temporal. And it describes the glory of man and a flower and of grass that it just fades away. But when you describe things in heaven, it uses the term fadeth not away and things in heaven, like a crown of glory or an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, it says it fadeth not away.
[10:48] And there's a difference because it's far better to be in heaven. And the beauty of heaven isn't temporary. It's greater than that. As a matter of fact, it's beyond your imagination. And that's what the Bible says. Look at first Corinthians chapter two. You can turn on, leave your place from Philippians, come to first Corinthians chapter two and look at what the apostle Paul talks about in, and trying to things that we've seen with our eyes. First Corinthians chapter two. And I just want you to read verse number nine. Paul makes application with this statement. He says in verse nine, but as it is written, I have not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him. Yeah, you haven't seen a thing yet. You have seen some things. If you've looked for it, it's there. It's, it declares the glory of God. His handiwork is on display, but what your eyes have seen. What's going to be is far better. Your ears haven't heard it. It, this blows my mind. It hasn't even entered into your heart, which tells me that you cannot even picture in your mind what God is preparing because you have nothing to compare it to.
[12:23] You have nothing to relate what God is doing in heaven to this. It's, it's, there's comparisons, mild ones to make, but in the greater scheme of it, it hasn't even entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared. When Christ left this earth, he told his disciples, I go to prepare a place for you. Now come to Revelation chapter 21, and here's just a little glimpse that John is able to write down about something God prepared. That's the word.
[12:54] Look at Revelation 21. And what I'm trying to get at here is what's far better. It's the same architect and it's the same designer. It's the same mind. And if you like the work that you've seen here on this planet, and it stops you in your tracks and you, it blows your mind here. If you find breathtaking beauty in this fallen, cursed planet, I am confident that you're going to love what he's prepared on the other side. In Revelation 21 and verse two, and I, John saw the new, the holy city, new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
[13:43] And now this city is described and we can try to picture it. I'll leave you to read this through this on your own, on your own time here about these precious stones clear as crystal and the, the gold, the building of the wall, Jasper, the city's pure gold, like clear glass and the colorful descriptions of certain foundations of the city and walls and gates. And all of that put together, John sees this thing descending from God out of heaven, something that Jesus Christ went to prepare.
[14:17] And after it's prepared as something that eyes have not seen, ears heard, neither entered in the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him. When John finally, later on, after Paul writes that John gets a glimpse of something, he tries to write it. You, I've seen people try to artistically display it, but I know better. They don't know what they're doing.
[14:37] They don't know what this thing looks like and what it's going to be, but I can tell you to be with Christ is far better because of the beauty that we're going to behold and enjoy. Um, look at, uh, well, we'll stay there in revelation. We'll come back to a spot. I think if you like beauty and I know you do, I know every one of you like beauty. And if you like to decorate your home and you enjoy looking at certain things and you pick out your clothes to look as best as you can, you like certain things like that. It's, that's not terrible at all. You don't want that. You don't want ugly stuff.
[15:09] You like beauty. You desire beauty and you enjoy beauty and you're drawn to it. And I believe to be with Christ is far better. And the beauty of this place and the beauty of being with Christ is going to make what we've seen down here, not even worth mentioning. It's not going to be able to compare. Uh, just a thought I'll throw this out. I mentioned this in a previous message about this city. Look at, look at verse 23 of revelation 21. It says that the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it. And the lamb is the light thereof. And if there is the glory of God, which you don't know what that is, it's being compared in places to the sun shining in its strength. But, uh, if I talk about light, if I just say the word light, I say candle light, you can picture that. If I say, uh, the lights in the church, you can see it. You can image. If I say the sun, you can picture that. But when I say the glory of God, all you can do is relate it to things you have seen, but I have not seen. And what I'm telling you is when the glory of God's in that place, that alone is beyond what you can imagine. And then on top of that, a city, a structure that has all this transparent high-end material and colorful stones, precious stones that are garnishing this place. What do you think is going to happen when the glory of God is shining through that place? All that transparency, but there's color. And that's a, that's a staple of God and his presence and heaven is color. You see it in chapter four, around the throne's a rainbow. It's not just, oh, there's a rainbow. I mean, that's all he can use to describe it, but it's color just, just screaming and pumping out that you can't picture. You're trying to, and I'm trying to give you what I can, but just let that be another mystery like Sunday school was. You're not going to get it, but I'm telling you, it's beautiful and it's going to be better to be with Christ because of its beauty. Here's another reason. Stay here in Revelation 21 to depart and to be with Christ is far better to be with Christ in heaven because of its purity, because of its purity. Look at Revelation 21 and verse 27, where the Bible says there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie.
[17:42] That's not coming in. Look at chapter 22 and verse 1. He showed me a pure river of water, of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In verse 3, and there shall be no more curse, no more curse in that place. Verse 5 says there shall be no night there. So no night and no curse and no abomination and nothing that defileth. It's just purity. The city is pure. It's made of pure elements. The inhabitants are holy and without blemish, and they're arrayed in fine linen, clean and white. The atmosphere is clean. Nothing's getting in that defiles or maketh a lie. It's going to be far better to depart this place and to be with Christ because of its purity. You've never experienced a place like that. You don't know what that's like. You can't imagine it. You can't. Purity, holiness.
[18:43] The Bible calls this world and this present evil world. That's where we live in, an evil world. You do know that, right? The Bible says that this whole world lieth in wickedness. That's what was down here, but up there, oh, far better, far better, far better than this wicked place. The Bible says men love darkness rather than light. But you know what's not going to be up there? Darkness. No night there.
[19:15] But men love darkness. The world promotes things. You know this all too well. The world promotes and glorifies and encourages those very things that God says are an abomination to him. This place feasts on that. And we don't enjoy it. We despise it. And it gets in us somewhat and on us and around us.
[19:36] And it's not exciting. But one day it's not just gone. But one day it's forever gone. And I can't even, it's not just a matter of the absence of the filth. But to be in a place that is pure and is far better, you're going to be infused in your being with holiness and righteousness. You as a person, a vile sinner, are going to put all that down and take on a new body, incorruptible. You'll be holy and without blame before him in love. It'll be far better because of its purity. Come back to Romans chapter one. You can keep your place. I think we'll come back to Revelation. I forget, but keep it for now.
[20:18] I'll come back to Romans chapter one. I want to read a little passage here. This world loves those filthy things that God repulses him. He intensely hates it. What the world calls love, they've taken that term love, and they've even taken that rainbow and try to plug that into it too. Something that is part of God's very surroundings, his nature. And they've taken the term love to mean something that God absolutely despises and hates. And one day we'll be out of this thing. It'll be far better. Take a look here at Romans chapter one. Look at this little list here, considering this thought. Verse 29, being filled with, this is the world. This is what we're surrounded with down here, the people. Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, fool of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful, who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. And that, in a nutshell, in four verses, is this society and culture and the world. And to depart and to be with Christ is to leave all of that behind and to not have to know it and to not have to experience it and not to be surrounded and rub shoulders with haters of God who don't have understanding, that are filled with unrighteousness and wickedness. It'll be far better, church. It'll be far better. It'll be far better because down here, things like this steal your joy. And they take your mind away from things that are pure, that you're supposed to be thinking on. These things, they steal from you what you want to be and ought to be.
[22:40] They quench your zeal for Jesus Christ. They quench and distort your desires. You're in and you're among sin and sinners. So to depart and be with Christ, it's going to be far better. Far better because of its purity. It's far better not only to be absent from the filth, but to take on holiness and to feel it. I don't know about some of you. I don't know if you can relate to this. This is the only thing I can touch on that I've experienced that has gotten a glimpse in my mind of what this will be like.
[23:19] Have you ever been in a meeting? This is the only times I've experienced this. Being in a meeting, which means like a revival meeting, and maybe some of you felt a little touch of it just this past week, coming to church every night and just being around God's people and preaching and away from the world and television, those things, it tends to turn your mind to where it ought to be.
[23:41] But I've been in certain meetings. Sometimes it's at a camp with kids that builds over the week's time. Sometimes it's at a meeting where you're going to church in the morning and in the evening, and it goes on for days, and there's two and three preachers and more, and then there's singing, and there's specials, and it's a weariness. But you're with Christians the whole time, you're in the church, or you're out to eat with them, or you're just, you go to bed, and you get up and do it again the next day. And so your whole world is like closed to sinners, to outside things. You're just not doing those things anymore. And for that time of the meeting, the week or weekend or however that is, you're so concentrated on the scriptures, the emphasis is on the word of God, on the Lord Jesus Christ, on singing together, on the specials that just stir your heart. It just happens one day, the next day, the next day. It's happening so much.
[24:38] There's response to the word of God. People praying and getting things right in their life, or crying and tears are shed, and a clearing of yourself. It feels so good. The meetings, it's high ground. Have you ever been in one of those where it goes several days, and you just put off the cares of this life, and you shout, you weep, you pray, and you're tired, but you don't care.
[25:02] And you're hungry, but it doesn't matter, because you're stirred on the inside. It's overtaking those kind of things. You're tired in your body. It's getting late, but the environment is so good.
[25:14] You just don't want to leave it. And it's so healthy. And I've often felt and thought in those meetings, and sometimes like toward the end, where the final preacher preaches, and the invitation's given, and people respond, and it's just such a clean atmosphere. And there's like a hush.
[25:34] And I've heard a guy one time get up at the end of it, and he's just like, I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do. Like, are we supposed to stop and go home and go back to our lives? Nobody wants that. But it's like 11 o'clock, and it's going to be 11 30, and there's kids in the nursery, and he's like, I don't know what to do. And so we just prayed and dismissed. But it's that moment, it's that feeling of, it feels like this is the closest thing I've ever experienced to what it'll be like when we're with the Lord, because we're going to be surrounded by redeemed believers, washed in the blood, there to glorify Christ, and exalt the things that God exalts, and the sin, and the flesh, and all of that's just put aside and gone. And it's hard to do that, and it's down here. It's hard to do that. And I've only been in those meetings, and when you leave, sometimes you go to a restaurant afterwards, and you walk in, and the music is playing, and it's stinging your ears, because you haven't listened to that, or heard that, or been in this kind of environment for a while. You've been around people, glory, and now this worldly garbage is just like, oh, shut that off. You start looking at people around you, and you're like, I wonder if they're saved. I wonder if they're lost. Do they know the Lord?
[26:57] And you're consumed with it. Those are the times that I feel I've been the closest to experiencing and understanding what it's going to be like, and that's just, you know, that's just this. That's not the place, and the Savior, and the beauty. It's just being around Christians. It's just kind of eliminating the filth for a little while, and it feels so good. It's pure. It's purity. I'd say get to the church as often as you can. It may not be that element quite, but it's as good as you're going to get right around here for now. Now look back at Revelation 21. One more thing I want to say, and it's kind of leading into that. It's far better to depart to be with Christ in heaven because of its company, because of the company in heaven. Number one, to be with Christ. I mean, that's, do we need to go any further? There's the company. He's not here with you right now like that.
[27:50] You say, he's in me. Yeah, I understand what's going on now, but do you understand the difference of what it'll be then? Do you know what they're doing when they see him in this book of Revelation?
[28:03] They're not just like shaking hands of fellowship and going for a meal. They are falling on their face. There's a difference when you're with Christ. Now in Revelation 21, look back at verse number three.
[28:17] It says, and I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, behold, the tabernacle of God is with man, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God. Look over at chapter 20, no, verses 22. It says, I saw no temple therein, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. The presence of God, the company of that place, far better, far better. It's no longer just his spirit dwelling in you, and now you making these choices and trying not to quench him and trying to heed him and obey him.
[29:02] His person, his presence, it'll be present and apparent. The song we sing in the hymnal says that forever I will be with the one who died for me.
[29:16] What a day. What a day. Glorious day. What a far better day that will be. The company. It's far better because of the company. The Bible describes certain created beings.
[29:29] I'm not really going to talk about them. There's not really much I can say except read a verse or two. But certain created beings that are there will be in their company. It describes an innumerable company of angels.
[29:41] angels. They'll be in the company. But I really can't speak too specifically to that. But on top of that will be some people maybe that we know. And those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
[29:54] Those whose names are written in the book of life. They'll be there. That's part of the company that we'll see. And I can't accurately convey to you what it'll be like to be in that company.
[30:06] Your mind's going to go, this is natural, it's okay, to the people that you know that have died. You're going to think on Brother So-and-so or Pastor So-and-so or my grandmother or this.
[30:17] You're going to think of those few. And you can think on them and you can anticipate a reunion. But I want to take you like way beyond that if I can. It's not just going to be seeing Grandma and being reunited and saying, hi, Grandma.
[30:31] That's not what heaven is. That's not the company that we're stepping into. Understand, they'll be there. They'll be part of the multitudes of multitudes of multitudes.
[30:45] They're going to blend right in with us. You understand that it's not just the people we've missed and lost. I have no idea. I truly have no idea of the number that we're talking about.
[30:57] I have no clue what it's going to be like to be glorified together. You may imagine certain Bible characters, but that's just a few. You may imagine these that you've known in this life, but that's just a small, small portion of what's up there.
[31:13] I don't think we get it. And I'm trying to maybe point out to you that there's going to be multitudes of men and women you've never heard of, that you've never met, never knew existed, that have been born by the same Spirit of God, been forgiven of their sins because of Calvary, and they've done things for Christ and lived a life for Christ, some good, some bad, but they're going to be there if they've been born again.
[31:38] And there's going to be a crowd. And that's our family, church. That's our family. That's our true heavenly, got the same Father, experienced the same mercy, called upon the same Lord Jesus Christ.
[31:51] That's our family. And we're going to step into that multitude. We're going to step into that praise toward the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ, you're going to see some people that, while you're down here, you miss them.
[32:06] You'll be reunited up there in some way. But you're going to see some people even that you've disagreed with down here. And you're going to have all that ironed out up there. And you're going to see some people that you prayed for down here.
[32:20] And if things go the way it should, it's going to be all patched up up there. It's going to be ironed out, the Lord Jesus Christ. All of that's done. It's in the past.
[32:31] And it's under the blood. There's going to be a reunion, but it's going to be more than that. Heaven's going to be far better because of the company.
[32:42] Down here, you don't belong. Down here, it's not your home. And it shouldn't be. And there's nothing really down here that should really take your heart and say, stay.
[32:57] The Apostle Paul kind of is like, I had a choice. And I'm in a straight betwixt too. But what I really, really, really, really want to do is depart.
[33:08] And to be with Christ, which is far better. And then he says, nevertheless, to abide in the flesh, to stay with you. It's better for you. You need me. And this is what God's calling me to do.
[33:19] I'll do it. But what did he want to do? There's a company that awaits us. And it'll be far better. Now, before we dismiss here, I want to point something out.
[33:31] That if you don't know Christ as your Savior, and you don't know what's going on with all of this talk about departing and being with Christ, I want to point out that there's another company that you may find yourself with.
[33:42] Look at Revelation chapter 20. Not everybody's going to get to be with Christ. Not everybody's going to get to be with Christ.
[33:55] Only those whose names were written in the book of life. But the ones that aren't, they're going somewhere else. Look at verse 15. It says that whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
[34:12] Just as much as I believe everything I said from the Bible about being with Christ and its beauty and its purity and the company, there's somewhere else that's not beautiful.
[34:23] And it's not pure. And the company there is something you don't want to be anywhere around. It's the lake of fire. And that place is just as real. They say hell is just as real as heaven.
[34:34] And there's a company there you don't want to be part of. What you need to do at all costs is get your name written in the Lamb's book of life. You need to get your name in that book.
[34:45] How do you get it in that book? It's not hard. You think God would make it hard? Why would he make it hard? I know what you do. You have to be born into a religion. And if you're in that religion and you get sprinkled with water, well, men tell you that, don't they?
[35:02] I mean, priests and preachers and churches and societies and cults, they tell you different things. But what did the Bible say?
[35:13] You better find out what the Bible says. That's what God said. I want to, well, I'll skip that. We're about out of time here. I want you to consider, you better know what God said.
[35:26] Forget what grandma said. Forget what your dad said. Forget what your heart says. Forget what your mind says. And find out what God said. Find out how God said he'll receive you into heaven to be with Christ.
[35:41] You don't get to depart and be with Christ because you're a good person, because you attend any church anywhere on this planet. You don't get to attend heaven or be with Christ because you're born in the good old U.S. of A.
[35:53] You don't get to go to heaven for that. No one was ever born into God's family. No one inherited Bible Christianity by default.
[36:05] They had to receive it by faith. And Jesus Christ said these words, Ye must be born again. Ye must be born again. You're born once.
[36:17] Good for you. You're alive. Thankful for that. By the mercy of God. But ye must be born again. Why did Christ say that? If you're born into some religion and it's okay then.
[36:28] And if you can just be a good person. Why did he say you have to be born again? That's something you better find out. Because that's what the Bible says. I found out there's a spiritual birth that needs to be taking place in your life.
[36:43] Where you recognize that you're a sinner and you're in need of God's forgiveness. And that you understand what Jesus did when he died on the cross for your sins. You need to receive him by faith as your savior.
[36:56] The Bible calls it the free gift. It's a free gift of eternal life. And you can obtain it. If you want to be in that company that I'm talking about. The one that's far better.
[37:07] But I'll promise you this. If you're not saved. The lake of fire is far worse. It's far worse. You're not getting out. The Bible says the smoke of their torment ascended up forever and ever.
[37:18] That they had no rest night or day. It's a dark, ugly, hard, hot, terrifying place. It was prepared for somebody that rebelled against God.
[37:30] And for a crowd of angels that he took with him. Christ said it's prepared for the devil and his angels. And God's not willing that any of you should perish. He's not willing to send you there.
[37:43] But he will. If you reject what Jesus Christ did for you. Let's bow our heads today. And we're going to have a word of prayer in a moment.