Flee from the Wrath to come!

[0:00] It's a bit of a somber topic of sorts really but nevertheless it's an important theme.! It's a bible theme and it's very often repeated in the word of God.

[0:10] ! The wrath of God! Now some people spend loads of money to go and watch horror movies, scary movies about monsters! and aliens! and all sorts of disasters! and terror! and people spend lots of money such that these are blockbuster movies that frighten people and fill people with fear and rake in millions at the box office and the masses love this stuff don't they? they love watching scary fearful movies and they call it entertainment. now on the other side of the coin if someone starts talking about the judgment of almighty God that is about to fall upon a wicked and unbelieving world they don't want to know about it do they? that's what they're like and really this sermon is a bit of a shocker in that i pray it will stir us to consider this important subject and awaken souls. warning! it's coming! there was a man called mr truman who lived near mount st helens and people were expecting this mountain to explode at any time.

[1:16] they kept telling people you're living in a danger zone here but despite the many warnings mr truman stayed. perhaps he felt it would never happen or if it did happen it won't be as destructive as what they were saying. on sunday may the 18th 1980 it happened. an unbelievable explosion took place and it took away the top 1,300 feet of the mountain. 400 million tons of ash were thrown into the earth's atmosphere.

[1:34] trees which towered 150 feet high were blown over like mat sticks as far away as 17 miles and over 200 square miles were devastated. a massive mud slide pushed water out of the lake causing a 200 foot high wall of water to crash down into the valley. below. and there was this hot gas and ash and rock travelling at the speed of 200 miles an hour to destroying everything in its path. cars miles away were buried.

[1:55] a massive mud slide pushed water out of the lake causing a 200 foot high wall of water to crash down into the valley below. a massive mud slide. and there was this hot gas and ash and rock travelling at the speed of 200 miles an hour destroying everything in its path.

[2:12] cars miles away were buried with the occupants suffocated by ash and two photographers who were as far away as 8 miles from the blast were killed.

[2:24] it was 9.30 in the morning and the ash was over 10 miles high and yes mr harry truman was killed. his home was destroyed. in fact neither he nor his home have ever been found again.

[2:39] for whatever reason he chose not to listen he chose to ignore the warnings. we can do that with the word of god with such things as this. we can hear god's warnings of judgment and not heed it.

[2:52] now i know we've got a noah in our midst today and noah was one who warned the people of his day didn't he? he warned them i'm sure he warned them time and time again over a long time.

[3:03] that judgment was coming. but did they listen? they laughed at him. they mocked him i'd imagine. it says the flood came and destroyed them all.

[3:15] in luke 17 27 only 8 were saved. so like mr truman we can ignore the warnings. we can go like that. i don't want to hear about judgment about getting right with god. i don't want to get serious about the reality of his wrath.

[3:31] and we can miss heaven. friends the bible says that he that believeth on the son hath everlasting life. he that believeth not the son shall not see life but the wrath of god abideth on him.

[3:45] so it's very important that we're conscious of this truth. it's a repeated theme of god's wrath of fear of god. on the one hand is grace. on the other hand is wrath.

[3:57] which one will we have? will we flee from the wrath to come and come to grace? or will we stay under god's wrath?

[4:08] we can flee from the wrath to come by running to the grace of god. and that's what we would like to really emphasize tonight. and it's really quite fitting that the songs we've selected our brother here are on that theme of grace in particular.

[4:25] because thank god the wrath of god is contrasted with his grace. the bible talks about god being angry. and the wrath of god it says his anger abides on those who do not believe.

[4:38] this is a very important truth. and it's repeated through the word as we see revelation 20 verse 15. it says whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

[4:51] it tells us further in psalm 7 verse 11. god judges the righteous and god is angry with the wicked every day. so we know god's righteous judgment will be vented.

[5:03] he is angry. it's interesting this word angry in psalm 7 verse 11. it's very strong. it's got the intent of even foam at the mouth.

[5:14] i'm not saying god is foaming at the mouth. but it's a very strong wording of anger. it's a very serious anger. and of course we know christ is lord. jesus christ is lord.

[5:26] he's got the power of life and death. he is the king with absolute power. and he is rightfully angry at the wicked. it tells us an occasion in mark 3 verse 5.

[5:38] an occasion where there was a healing on the sabbath day. and it says our lord was angry. mark 3 verse 5. he had a violent passion about the hardness of hearts.

[5:50] god gets angry. exasperated. as we see for another example in the parable of the great supper. where there was a great invitation. and people refused that great invitation.

[6:02] and that's in luke 14 verse 21. we see the invite went out. and people made excuse. they were otherwise engaged.

[6:14] and it says the master of the house. which speaks of our god. he was angry. and he said to the servant. go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city.

[6:27] and bring in here the poor, the maimed, the whole, the blind. the blind. the invite had to go out. and it was extended. because those who were first invited were careless. the bible talks about god being a jealous god.

[6:41] in 2. 6. 14 through 15. so god is angry. there's a sense of anger. and he's righteously angry. he's jealous. he wants our full devotion. he wants us to be saved.

[6:53] so why is god angry? you ask. he's got good reason to be. we see some of the things going around in the world at large. but in churches too.

[7:04] where they've got no compass, no course. many are playing games. they're not praying. there's much pettiness. there's a cold casual compromise going on.

[7:15] in some churches they're fighting and devouring one another. it talks about that in the word of god. it's like there's a deadly infection that's spreading through churches. and it's in epidemic proportions.

[7:28] it subtly creeps up on its victim. now get this one. what this infectious disease is called. apathitis. apathitis.

[7:39] in other words apathy. the sense that people couldn't care less. they're just blasé. yeah just. their christianity is kind of just. when it's comfortable. don't be a victim of this virus.

[7:50] let's get serious friends today. some churches they're more like a nightclub. a disco. with the stage and loud music. and the atmosphere is just the same as a worldly thing.

[8:01] a theatrical performance. there's a flippancy. a carelessness about hell. about sin. about satan. about god's judgement to come. and it tells of preachers who. in isaiah 56 verse 10.

[8:13] that they are like watchmen. like dumb dogs that won't bark. what's the point of having a guard dog. that won't bark. i mean. where's julie. a little fat boy out there. he barks sometimes doesn't he.

[8:25] he's not a loud barker though. i don't think i'd be afraid of that guard dog. if i went to. went to burgle julia's house. if you have a little dog. that's just a little yapper. but we want to be a loud barking dog.

[8:36] don't we. he likes that kids. when there's a big barking dog. protects your home doesn't it. and that's the same. god wants us. the ones who preach to be. preaching like a. a barking dog. and warning people.

[8:47] like a. a dog would warn. of danger. of an intruder. and so we see darkness prevails. but many pulpits are silent. there's a lot of silence about. some of the things that we should be speaking out about.

[9:00] and warning people about. think of these truths today. this is a truth. this is recent. i'll check these statistics that they're up today. and it's pretty shocking really. that today.

[9:11] and this is a bit gruesome. but bear with me. today. 125,000 innocent precious lives. of unborn babies were snuffed out. 125,000.

[9:22] one day. their arms and legs torn from their bodies. their skulls crushed. an innocent life taken. but the. the pulpits are silent. around 1.7 billion children experience some form of abuse.

[9:35] over the course of a year. and the pulpits are silent. the world's media routinely mocks christians. and the bible. christian values. ridiculing us as the fundamental right wing christians.

[9:47] and the pulpits are silent. teenage suicide is the highest it's ever been. the number of teenage alcoholics and drug addicts are the highest ever. and christian morality cannot be taught in schools.

[9:58] only an atheistic immorality can. in most schools these days. as far as government schools. and so. and we see divorce taking. about one of every two marriages.

[10:10] but the pulpits are silent. it's not a warning to god's people about the world. about these things. the number of children living in broken homes is becoming a majority. but the pulpits are silent.

[10:21] australians are the worst gamblers in the world. south australians lose. and when i first read this it said one million dollars per day. but the latest statistics are this. south australians lose two million dollars per day.

[10:34] on the pokies. in fact it's 2.1 million. 2.1 million per day. south australia. this is shocking isn't it. and the pulpits are silent.

[10:45] meantime what are the important matters that the churches are dealing with. some churches are just caught up in all the love. all the trivia. all the trivia of the world. no wonder god is angry friends.

[10:56] so what is god's anger. how does he show his anger. his anger is expressed in hell. god's anger is hell. but he offers life to men who will receive his life.

[11:09] it tells us proverbs 14 27 that the fear of the lord is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death. now some of these wordings i've captured from.

[11:22] it was an old time preacher that put it and i've kind of changed it a little to modernize the language. but a very strong sermon about hell. so i've got this in a couple of places in fact.

[11:35] so i'm not claiming it's my own work entirely. but we see that the bible says that we should depart from the snares of death. that's the fear of the lord. isn't it? the fountain of life. and.

[11:46] hell. think of it today. just get a sense of it. if you're good. just bear with me. because i know it's a it's a horrific topic. but it's an important bible topic. some people say i don't preach about hell.

[11:57] well the bible preachers about hell. the bible talks about the wrath of god. we should fear god. we should get serious about what does the bible actually tell us about this subject. and again bear with me. i know i've talked on hell lately.

[12:09] i think it needs saying again. nevertheless. friends it says that hell is real. unsaved sinner you shall be turned into hell. this is serious stuff. it tells us that in psalm 9 verse 17.

[12:20] it says the wicked shall be turned into hell. and all the nations that forget god. if you're not saved tonight you're going to hell. this is the reality. and you know sometimes when we're knocking on doors.

[12:32] talking to the lost. uh... it's almost like you just want to shake them. because they're on the road to hell. and they can't see that that's where they're going. it says that those who forget god are going to hell.

[12:43] as long as heaven lasts hell will last. and think of it as this preacher has put it. when you go to hell. there'll be no offers of mercy. uh... or love.

[12:54] the voices of mirth and songs and gladness. they will be gone. there will be no more forever mercy. and never shall you rest again. the black clouds thunder it from above.

[13:06] no rest. the tongs of flame around you say no rest. the souls cry out no rest. the bible says there's no rest in hell. and you must go there. you that are lost. you shall be turned into hell.

[13:18] it says the wicked shall be turned into hell. there's no place shall save you there. there's no power can rescue you. the arm of god almighty will cast you into hell. drunkard.

[13:29] you shall be hurried from your cup. smitten with everlasting thirst. swear it. god will rivet the last oath on your tongue. and drag you into judgment. the last laugh you have at jesus scoffer.

[13:40] will remain in your lungs. and echo there forever. and i warn you decent and respectable sinners. you shall be turned into hell. all you that forget. all you that forget.

[13:51] not despise. nor reject. nor hate. nor deny. nor blaspheme. merely forget god. you shall die the second death. cowardly and unbelieving. you shall have your portion.

[14:02] with the hypocrites where there is weeping and wailing. and gnashing of teeth. your decency is damning you. while it keeps you from jesus. the harlots and the publicans shall go into heaven before you.

[14:13] who make a christ of your morality. decent unbelievers you are going from the communion table to an endless hell. because people. the preacher. that's the end of quote really there.

[14:25] is the sense that some people can go to church. they can you know go through the ritual. they can partake of the communion. and think that they're saved when they're not. but they're going to an endless hell.

[14:37] and it's very important that we know that we're saved. that's the point. and of course we can know that we're saved. that's the good news. the grace. that's we'll talk further on. but really there's a lot of bad news first.

[14:49] so bear with me. tells us about the ungodly. that they're going to have no light. it says they're going to have no life. no hope. no excuse. it's a terrible state.

[15:00] isn't it? to come to hell where there's none of that. no light. no life. no hope. no excuse. and you have an appointment you shall keep. death. that's an appointment we're going to keep.

[15:12] and it tells us of the wicked. psalm 11 verse 6. upon the wicked he shall rain snares. fire and brimstone. and a horrible tempest. this shall be the portion of their cup.

[15:24] so friends the bible tells us very clearly. this shocking reality. that hell. has this great fire. this continual fire. this unquenchable fire. this everlasting fire.

[15:35] now meaty said. i cannot preach on hell. unless i preach with tears. this is not a subject we want to take lightly. or. there's no. joy for the preacher in talking about hell.

[15:46] because it should grip us the reality. that eternal souls are going to hell. there was a convicted criminal. called charles pierce. upon hearing of hell. so coldly spoken by a prison chaplain.

[15:58] that he said this. he was on his way to his execution. as he said these words. sir i did not share your faith. but if i did. if i believed what you say you believed.

[16:10] then although england were covered with broken glass. from coast to coast. i would crawl the length and breadth of it. on hand and knee. and think the pain worthwhile. just to save a single soul.

[16:21] from this eternal hell. of which you speak. it's a very serious subject isn't it. for we that are believers. we want to tell the world. that's why we want to inconvenience ourselves. we want to tell others.

[16:32] we want to suffer that. embarrassment at times. of being a witness for christ. because we want to reach the lost. because we must tell them. it tells us in revelation 14 10 through 11.

[16:45] that the wine of the wrath of god is poured out. it's the cup of his indignation. and it says that. the wicked shall be tormented. with fire and brimstone. and the smoke of their torment.

[16:56] ascendeth up forever. and ever. this fire. will ever be burning. there's no end to it. it tells us of an alarm going off. a fire alarm.

[17:07] if you like. in joel 2. it says blow ye the trumpet. blow ye the trumpet. sound an alarm. in the holy mountain. it says for the day of the lord is great. and very terrible.

[17:18] who can abide it. therefore also now saith the lord. turn ye even to me. with all your heart. with all your heart. and with. fasting and with weeping and with mourning.

[17:29] and rend your heart. and not your garments. and turn unto the lord your god. for he is gracious and merciful. slow to anger. and of great kindness. and repenteth him of the evil.

[17:41] again we see the wrath. contrasted with. he is gracious. he is gracious. thank god. he is gracious. he is merciful. and we can take heart in that. today. further it reads in.

[17:53] further it reads in. in zephaniah. 1 verse 14. of the great day of the lord. it says that day. is a day of wrath. the day of trouble. and distress. the fire of god's anger and wrath.

[18:04] will burn fiercely. hellfire is unquenchable fire. matthew 3 verse 12. says he will burn up the chaff. as contrasted with the wheat. with unquenchable fire.

[18:15] it tells of hell. that is a place where their worm dieth not. and the fire is not quenched. thank god. this side of your grave. god's anger may be quenched.

[18:26] by the blood of jesus. amen. the anger of god can be quenched. because of the blood of jesus christ. and the fire of hell can be prevented for you. that are yet to trust him. but then.

[18:38] it will be too late. how long will eternity last? forever. when will it end? never. it tells us jeremiah 17 4.

[18:50] you have kindled a fire in mine anger. which shall burn forever. let me quote again. as i've adapted it. what someone has put about hell. the danger of it. thousands have gone to hell through a mistake.

[19:02] all are not on the way to heaven. that pretend to it. some have a false faith. and a false hope. stressing here the danger of it. far from saving you.

[19:13] this false hope. will fasten you more strongly in satan's chains. and drag you into hell. how long will you sleep on sinners? how long will you slumber in such imminent danger.

[19:25] you that sleep upon the brinks of the burning lake. will nothing rouse you. and awaken you out of this sleep. have you been called already so long so loud. so frequently so fervently.

[19:36] and yet do you deafen your ear. you have been told often of your guilt and danger. yet you harden your heart. lift up your eyes and look a little before you. yonder.

[19:47] yonder. look sinner. yonder is a horrible burning tempest. driving towards thee. a dreadful burning lake. prepared for thee. but you cannot see it. catch a glimpse of the fire of hell.

[19:59] see that horrible pit. filled with that burning fire. filled with damned men and women. lay your ear to the mouth of this pit. and hear the shrieks and yelling.

[20:10] danger of it. think of the loss of hell. all your riches will be taken away. oh how poor and miserable you will be. your honour will be taken also. and you'll be in everlasting shame and contempt.

[20:22] all your delights and pleasures of this life will be at an end. they are now but for a season. but for a moment. Hebrews 11 25. Job 20 verse 5.

[20:35] nothing will remain of all your sweetnesses and pleasures here. but bitter regret. the never dying worm of conscience. and you will lose all that you now count so important.

[20:47] that you put your happiness in. all that you esteem and love. friends I know these are quite stirring sombre words tonight. we think of loved ones yet to trust him.

[20:58] it's important to stress the reality of hell. trust him now. in psalm 2 verse 12 it talks about kiss the son. which means worship him. worship Christ. lest he be angry.

[21:10] his wrath is kindled but a little. blessed are all day that put their trust in him. in other words worship him. worship the Lord Jesus. now some years ago there was some hikers that came across a skeleton of a man.

[21:25] he was a miner apparently. and one arm of his skeleton was thrown over this great big piece of metal. it looked like gold. it looked like gold. it was not gold. but iron pyrites.

[21:37] fool's gold. and he had this scrap of paper where he scrawled two words. died rich. died rich. oh the pathos.

[21:48] the irony. the tragedy. involved in that brief message. he thought that he died rich. because he had this lump of gold. gold. but it was fool's gold. it was actually worth.

[21:59] next to nothing. it was worth nothing. in that region beyond the grave. some people they are like that man aren't they. they're deceived. they're taking comfort in such things that.

[22:12] are worthless beyond. we think of the pain of hell. the punishment. the certainty of it. now we have pardoned peace and salvation offered.

[22:24] but then. it's too late. if you die. in unbelief. it's too late. think of the nearness of hell. the sands of your life are running swiftly.

[22:36] and our bodies will quickly be in the grave. if you die in your sins. your soul will be as quickly in hell. so let's get serious friends tonight. we see another scripture.

[22:48] psalm 21 verse 9. it talks about the fiery oven. his anger again. God is angry at the wicked. we don't want to be on his anger side. we want to be on the grace side.

[22:59] we want to trust him. think of the everlasting torment of hell fire. the smoke of your torment. if you go to hell. will ascend up forever and ever.

[23:10] and ever. Isaiah. it reads. who among us shall dwell. with the varying fire. who among us shall inhabit. everlasting. burnings.

[23:21] so it's a big question. is there someone among us. who's going to go to this. devouring fire. then we should really earnestly seek after God. seek after him.

[23:32] trust him. know his grace this evening. so then how are we to escape God's anger. how can we escape. thankfully God's anger is avoidable.

[23:43] we see scriptures such as these ones here. 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 9. further saved. it says God has not appointed us to wrath. but to obtain salvation.

[23:54] by our Lord Jesus Christ. this wrath does not follow us now. we're not going to enter into wrath. because we've obtained salvation. so there's a wonderful blessing there.

[24:06] we see that the Lord Jesus has delivered us. from the wrath to come. he saved us. he's our deliverer. he's rescued us from the wrath to come. and then we see we're justified by his blood.

[24:20] and saved from wrath. through him. we're saved. that's the wonderful truth isn't it. sometimes we use that phrase saved. we're saved a bit glibly. but think of what it means. i'm s-a-v-e-d.

[24:32] he saved me. he's rescued me. it's like the picture of someone diving in to save the drowning man. isn't it? we're saved. there's a great danger for mankind these days.

[24:44] and really it's not climate change. the great problem is that there is no fear of God before their eyes. that's this nation isn't it. this Aussie, Oka nation. Australia has lost the fear of God.

[24:56] and they worship other gods, it seems. and the Bible says we should worship no other God. God is jealous. he's jealous. let's not neglect to honour him who is the Lord and give him that due honour.

[25:15] friends, it's a reality that we're all on the way to our grave. and I know this is telling thoughts but we should be very much aware of this truth. there was a young lawyer who was approached by a preacher and the man was in training.

[25:30] the preacher said to the lawyer, what are you going to do when you finish your course? and he said, set up my business and practice law. and then the preacher said, then what?

[25:41] I'm going to get rich. and then what? I'm going to retire. and then what? I'm going to die. and then what? then the words came back tremblingly, the judgment.

[25:52] it's a reality, isn't it? however, our life plans are laid out. ultimately we're going to die and ultimately we're going to face the judgment because the Bible says every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

[26:04] it's interesting that a neurologist tells how the brain contains a permanent record of your past that can be reviewed like a film strip. has anyone seen that?

[26:15] you know, it was your life, the chick track, how he reviews the life of the man as like a film strip, isn't it? and all the things that he, oh, oh I don't want anyone to see that that I've done and they're replaying that film strip of the life that he lived.

[26:32] there's that sense where our life will be replayed. of course, as believers, if we have sinned, God's washed it, he's taken it away, it's cleared and it's in God's sea of forgetfulness and he's blotted out our transgressions.

[26:48] but for the unbeliever, it's all there in vivid colour, in technicolour for the review of the judgment day. and Moody tells of a time where he witnessed a Chicago fire and again let me quote the man Moody, the evangelist Moody and he talks about seeing this fire imagine that, who's ever seen a big fire?

[27:08] might have seen it on telly or you know in passing as it would be shown in a movie and such but we think of a fire, it can be a very daunting sight and Moody saw this fire, it was in the city of Chicago and I'll just quote him for a moment he says, as the flames rolled down our streets, destroying everything in their onward march I saw the great and the honourable, the learned and the wise fleeing before the fire with the beggar, the thief and the harlot all were alike, he's making the point, doesn't matter what station in life everyone's going to run away from that fire you don't want to be around it and he carries on as the flames swept through the city it was like the judgment day the mayor, nor the mighty man, nor wise man could stop these flames they were all on a level then and many who were worth hundreds of thousands were left paupers that night they lost everything when the day of judgment comes, there will be no difference when the deluge, the flood come there was no difference in Noah's ark in Noah's ark when the flood came it says the day before the ark was like a laughing stock you know they would have looked at Noah and that big ship there

[28:22] I'm still kind of quoting but ad-libbing here imagine if that great ark was there in that desert place in that dry place it might have just been worth a bit for maybe firewood or you know it wasn't worth really much at all but when the flood came, when the deluge came it was worth more than all the world together and when the day of judgment comes Christ will be worth more than all this world more than 10,000 worlds it was a terrible thing in the day of Noah to die outside of the ark, wasn't it?

[28:55] if you're in the ark you were safe if you weren't in the ark you suffered God's wrath and judgment and it's the same today if you're in Christ you're safe amen if you're in Christ you're safe 100% safe but if you're outside of the ark then you're in great danger of a Christless grave and of judgment God's wrath hell and so it's incumbent on us brothers and sisters as God's people as it reads here in 2 Corinthians 5 verse 11 knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade man you know some people might think we're a bit of a broken record when we keep imploring them trust Christ trust Christ don't put it too late don't put it off but this is the terror of the Lord that's why we care about witnessing as this church that's why we put effort and energy and resources into tracts and materials that we can use to reach out and whatever means and media we can get out there to get this message out there because it's the terror of the Lord we want to persuade man get right with God don't put it off get right with God get a serious understanding and concern about the fear of God about the wrath of God about the judgment of God you can be saved today tomorrow could be too late the preacher Spurgeon said this it's a kind of famous quote he says if sinners be damned at least let them leap to hell over our dead bodies and if they perish let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees imploring them to stay if hell must be filled let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for it's our call as God's people to tell to tell the nations to tell the neighbours to tell and keep on telling the lost get saved

[31:01] I urge you that are not saved to call on his mercy today today are you ready for the wrath of God there was a great meteor shower in Scotland where there was this great big cosmic event and all these meteors falling down in Scotland and people were really terrified they thought it was the hour of the final judgment and there was one mother who shook her son up he was asleep and she yelled out to her son she said Sandy Sandy get up will you the day of judgment has come she thought it was the day of judgment it was so serious trying to wake her child her son the day of judgment has come and instantly the boy was alive and on his feet and he shouted glory to God I'm ready glory to God I'm ready wouldn't that be good if that was your response the day of judgment I'm ready take me Lord I'm ready to go to heaven and that's what the young boy said glory to God I'm ready now a bit of a Bible question we're coming to the close shortly a bit of a Bible question for all you that are very scholarly knowledgeable Bible students what is the shortest verse in the Bible who knows that one

[32:13] I know that what is the shortest verse in the Bible okay Isaiah Jesus wept very good answer very good answer John 11 35 actually there's another one who knows what the other one is some of you might know it yeah Chloe oh amen that Bible student on the back row there Chloe oh you had some help you caught a friend for that one so yeah there's two short Bible verses here we are the two shortest Bible verses in your word in the Bible in the Bible Jesus wept John 11 35 and rejoice evermore 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 16 in fact someone has reckoned well actually and not that we make much of the Greek but Jesus wept in the Greek it's three words and 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 16 is two words so strictly speaking as far as you know as it was written in the Greek the 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 16 is the shortest of the two because it's only got two words whereas Jesus wept in the Greek is three words so interesting thought isn't it but just comparing these two shortest words these two shortest verses in the Bible we see really the twofold heart of God here don't we that we see the grace of our Saviour don't we his sympathy his grace

[33:41] Jesus wept and because Jesus wept we can rejoice evermore because Jesus suffered as we know he suffered in the garden he suffered on the cross he paid for our sins he showed his great love as he showed to Lazarus and his sisters he knows the feelings of our infirmities he knows the hardship and suffering of life Jesus wept and then we can rejoice evermore because Christ came God became man and dwelt amongst us he suffered and died for us rose again we can rejoice we have joy because of his coming and so we see these verses kind of complimentary aren't they we see the word of God tells us to not fear those who can kill the body but he says this one you should fear fear him after he hath killed hath power to cast you into hell yea our Lord says I say unto you fear him friends the bottom line is we should fear God we should have that godly awe of him it says serve the Lord with fear rejoice with trembling really this fear of God it's not an irksome loathsome burdensome thing it actually sets us free to know his fear we can serve him gladly we can rejoice we can have joy with the trembling we can have joy rejoicing with the trembling and tells us how we can humble ourselves and praise him for his salvation as it reads in Revelation 14 it tells of those who say fear God and give glory to him so in kind of coming to a close here as we humble ourselves we think of God's wrath his anger we should fear him and honour him stand in awe of him revere him and so that means as we exalt him we we realise our low position don't we we humble ourselves before him interesting to consider have you ever thought that only the smaller birds sing now I know we've got some trouble sleeping at night some of us and there's noisy birds sometimes in the middle of the night just this little twitter twitter going on of the sparrows the smaller birds and it's sometimes sometimes when you think about it it's the smaller birds that sing we don't hear so much the eagle or the ostrich but we hear from the canary and the sparrow and such and the one who wrote this makes the point that the sweetest music comes from the Christians who are small in their own estimation and before the Lord you know it's just it's coming to humility isn't it to fear him to honour him and as we realise how great he is we humble ourselves don't we and it says that the Lord will bless those who fear him think of it for your life what matters what counts there was a Scottish man there was a Scottish man

[36:51] Sir James Simpson he was the one who discovered chloroform which is used for anaesthetics he was a Christian man Sir James Simpson and so he's allowed we today that need to be assisted with a pain free surgery we can thank God for Sir James Simpson as one of the doctors who brought that great breakthrough of medicine and Dr Simpson was lecturing one day at the University of Edinburgh and a student asked Dr Simpson what's the most valuable discovery of your career and everybody thought Dr Simpson would say well I invented chloroform that was the most valuable discovery but no he said this my most valuable discovery was when I discovered myself a sinner and that Jesus Christ was my Saviour he gave the glory to God and that's the same for you and me isn't it the greatest discovery the greatest discovery we can make young people older people today the greatest discovery of life is to discover the Saviour is to discover him to know him and to trust him as our own Lord and Saviour and so we can know that wonderful relationship with God it says as a father pitieth or has compassion for his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him it talks about the mercy of the Lord it's everlasting it says we should be not wise in our own eyes but fear the Lord and depart from evil and it says and the fear of the Lord is strong confidence it's not a weak thing it actually makes us strong to fear God to be a God fearing people and we see as we fear the Lord right worship will happen you see Psalm 96 verse 9

[38:31] I worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness fear before him all the earth and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the holy is understanding there's many things more we could say but really it boils down to having that godly fear here's another appropriate one appropriate one that we serve God acceptably with godliness with reverence and godly fear and last verse here is as the Lord addresses Israel in Deuteronomy 10 verse 12 what did the Lord require of thee?

[39:04] but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in all his ways to love him and to serve him to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul now I know tonight I've been labouring somewhat about the fear of God about the wrath of God about the judgment of God about hell on the other side of the coin there's grace and really that's it's the kind of sunshine and shadow of the cross isn't it?

[39:31] on the shadow side we see our sin we see Christ nailed to the cross bearing our sin in his own body on the tree that's kind of the shadow side of the cross but then on the other side there's the sunshine side in the sense that there's the grace of God God's grace is revealed at the cross the wrath of God was venced against our Saviour for our sin on that shadow side and on the other side we that trust him and have received that gift and know his grace we're on the sunshine side we have that joy we have that knowledge of salvation we have that trust we have that assurance that we are saved people and so I urge you tonight to consider your own direction that you receive his grace really it's one or the other isn't it?

[40:19] you either receive his grace or you receive his wrath it's your choice receive his grace or receive his wrath I pray that you'll receive his grace today that you'll know his grace today the grace of God amazing grace wonderful grace wonderful grace we're going to be singing marvellous grace it's the grace of God that's what we can trust in today let's pray Lord we thank you that the grace that took your son to the cross is such grace so amazing we can't describe it or really fully grasp it or comprehend it that grace that you paid for our sin as undeserving sinners as we that you should take our place and pay our penalty Lord we thank you that in your grace you save us such that we no longer face your wrath we're saved from wrath we're delivered from wrath because of your saving Lord we pray each one might have that trust that simple trust to say Lord I trust you to take my sin and pay for it I trust your sacrifice where you took my penalty and paid for it

[41:23] Lord I trust you as my saviour and Lord and that we'll each have that trust today and then that certain hope and assurance that we have everlasting life Lord we pray it won't be a false hope but a true hope it won't be a false faith but a true faith that knows you truly as one that we trust entirely as our saviour Lord we thank you for each heart each person here gathered those that might be tuning in later Lord we thank you that your great grace is all that we can trust in it's all that we can rest in and we know that that grace that grace totally counteracts and totally matches that wrath that we no longer have that wrath we have your grace Lord we thank you for that great gift in Jesus precious name Amen