WEBVTT 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:07.660 It's been alarming. It's been exhilarating. At times it's been 00:00:07.660 --> 00:00:12.599 heavy the last three months as we have been studying the reality 00:00:12.599 --> 00:00:16.559 of eternity. I've looked at these things before in great detail 00:00:16.559 --> 00:00:21.760 over the last few weeks and so I just want to kind of wrap it up 00:00:21.760 --> 00:00:28.339 and summarize some, give you a summary of some final thoughts 00:00:28.339 --> 00:00:38.179 about the reality of eternity. Acts chapter 1 beginning in verse 6 00:00:38.179 --> 00:00:43.060 and Luke wrote the book of Acts, Luke number 2 if you will because 00:00:43.060 --> 00:00:47.879 he wrote the gospel of Luke and he's talking about the last days 00:00:47.879 --> 00:00:51.600 and the ascension of the last moments and the ascension of Christ. 00:00:52.640 --> 00:00:56.280 He says this in Acts chapter 1 verse 6 through 11. So when they 00:00:56.280 --> 00:00:59.039 had come together they asked him, Lord will you at this time 00:00:59.039 --> 00:01:04.560 restore the kingdom of Israel? And he said to them, it is not for 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:08.019 you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own 00:01:08.019 --> 00:01:12.040 authority but you'll receive power when the Holy Spirit has come 00:01:12.040 --> 00:01:15.299 upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all 00:01:15.299 --> 00:01:19.280 Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. When he had said 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:22.219 these things as they were looking on he was lifted up and a cloud 00:01:22.219 --> 00:01:25.980 took him out of their sight and while they were gazing into 00:01:25.980 --> 00:01:29.179 heaven as he went behold two men stood by them in white robes 00:01:29.179 --> 00:01:34.659 and said, men of Galilee why do you stand looking into heaven? This 00:01:34.659 --> 00:01:39.099 Jesus who has taken up from you into heaven will come in the same 00:01:39.099 --> 00:01:44.939 way as you saw him go into heaven. Let's pray together. 00:01:44.939 --> 00:01:54.179 Lord Jesus I am thankful that you give us insight for this life in 00:01:54.179 --> 00:02:02.900 what the next life will be. Help us prepare ourselves today for all of 00:02:02.900 --> 00:02:11.939 eternity Father. In Jesus name. Amen. The imminent return of the Lord, the 00:02:11.939 --> 00:02:21.659 finality of judgment, the length of eternity, our definites, their 00:02:21.659 --> 00:02:30.979 non-negotiables, and their realities. So to keep those things in mind I 00:02:30.979 --> 00:02:38.300 want to give you four summary thoughts today. One is this, heaven is better than 00:02:38.300 --> 00:02:45.580 we think it is. Heaven is better than we think it is. A few years ago I was at my 00:02:45.580 --> 00:02:48.939 mom's house and mom and dad's house and we were looking through some pictures and 00:02:48.939 --> 00:02:55.580 found one rolled up and that picture was a rolled up picture of the spinning 00:02:55.580 --> 00:03:02.780 department of Brandon Textile Mill from January of 1931 and my grandfather was 00:03:02.780 --> 00:03:09.539 pictured on the fourth row of that picture. Since then I've researched some on that 00:03:09.539 --> 00:03:16.300 mill and it was a 400,000 square foot building filled with workers that were 00:03:16.300 --> 00:03:23.340 were about to hit hard times and the Great Depression hit after that and it would 00:03:23.340 --> 00:03:30.139 cause a downspin until the second war came and there was an uptick in that mill at that 00:03:30.139 --> 00:03:37.099 point because they began making duck fabric for military uniforms. I thought about the 00:03:37.099 --> 00:03:44.699 hard life my grandfather lived and the joy that he carried in his latter days. He was 00:03:44.699 --> 00:03:51.979 going to heaven and he spent the rest of his days wanting as many people to go with him as 00:03:51.979 --> 00:03:58.619 possible and he abundantly shared his faith. He helped a man sell tools at the Anderson 00:03:58.620 --> 00:04:05.340 jockey lot and sometimes we'd go by and see him at the jockey lot. Might even went with him. I was young 00:04:06.300 --> 00:04:12.620 at times. I remember him getting up and making fried egg sandwiches to eat at the jockey lot when he went. 00:04:13.580 --> 00:04:19.660 But what stands out in my mind the most is no matter whether it was at the jockey lot or no matter 00:04:19.660 --> 00:04:24.060 whether when he walked me down to the end of the street and we went to the little store and picked up 00:04:24.060 --> 00:04:30.540 something to eat or drink. The man was abundantly always sharing the gospel with other people. 00:04:30.540 --> 00:04:36.699 It was one of those kind of guys that we all have a responsibility of evangelism if Christ has 00:04:36.699 --> 00:04:42.459 just has changed you and saved you. But he had that gift of evangelism that that way it just rolled in 00:04:42.459 --> 00:04:48.779 every conversation rolled back into Christ and man when he committed his life to Christ when he got saved he was 00:04:48.779 --> 00:04:59.579 radically changed. He's been in heaven for for over 44 years but he still hadn't gotten over it 00:05:00.779 --> 00:05:08.779 and still gotten I hadn't got over the excitement of it. R.G. Lee was the is the former pastor of 00:05:08.779 --> 00:05:15.979 Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis. It's where Adrian Rogers served so long and Steve Gaines is pastor there now. 00:05:15.980 --> 00:05:24.220 R.G. Lee was a brilliant man and he was a brilliant preacher. He pastored there for 33 years and 00:05:25.180 --> 00:05:32.780 in his latter days Adrian Rogers was his pastor and R.G. Lee was on his deathbed and Adrian came by to see 00:05:32.780 --> 00:05:40.220 him and on his deathbed Adrian said Dr. Lee before you go to heaven I wish there was a way that 00:05:40.220 --> 00:05:49.660 we could put your brain in my head. And Dr. Lee looked at him and said my boy that would be like 00:05:49.660 --> 00:06:00.300 putting a grand piano in a closet. But as the time drew near Billy Graham was in a crusade in Memphis 00:06:00.300 --> 00:06:10.620 and Adrian called Billy Graham and Billy Graham and Cliff Burrs, Billy's music man met him and the music 00:06:10.620 --> 00:06:18.620 man at Bellevue and they met by Lee's side. Tommy Lane led the music at Bellevue and he said 00:06:19.259 --> 00:06:25.900 let's sing him into heaven. And they sing one of Lee's favorite hymns and then Cliff sang one. Can you imagine? 00:06:25.899 --> 00:06:32.139 Roger said when he told the story I heard him tell the story he said I was ready to go to heaven myself 00:06:32.139 --> 00:06:42.060 when I heard that. And shortly after they started singing Lee revived. He opened his eyes and he said 00:06:42.060 --> 00:06:53.019 I saw heaven. I saw heaven. I saw Jesus. I saw my mother. I have preached on heaven many times 00:06:54.139 --> 00:07:03.340 but I've never had the vocabulary to adequately describe it. I never did justice to heaven in my sermons. 00:07:03.339 --> 00:07:13.739 And shortly thereafter he died. I assure you today heaven is better than you think it is. 00:07:14.779 --> 00:07:24.139 The words of scripture is attempting to to to dumb down to view and for us in order to view and get a 00:07:24.139 --> 00:07:30.939 vision that is too grand for this finite mind to consider. We have nothing to compare it to. 00:07:30.939 --> 00:07:39.180 Bob Benson, a Christian devotional and spiritual formation writer said this. He said I used to 00:07:39.180 --> 00:07:44.620 think that loving life so greatly that dying would be like leaving the party before it ends. 00:07:45.819 --> 00:07:52.379 But now I know that the party is really happening somewhere else. And the light and the music escaping 00:07:52.379 --> 00:07:58.860 and snatches that make the pulse beat faster and the tempo quicken comes from another place. 00:07:58.860 --> 00:08:06.699 And I know too when I get there the music and the love and the praise will belong to him. 00:08:07.660 --> 00:08:14.379 And the music will never end. Heaven's real. And I want you to go there. 00:08:15.660 --> 00:08:24.220 But only those that come to their faith in Christ and surrender their life to the Lord Jesus Christ 00:08:24.220 --> 00:08:32.860 will go to heaven. The great evangelist D.L. Moody said this. He said one day you'll read in the 00:08:32.860 --> 00:08:40.300 papers that D.L. Moody is dead. Don't you believe a word of it? I shall be more alive in that day than 00:08:40.299 --> 00:08:50.379 ever before. And on his deathbed. They said he opened his eyes and said earth recedes. Heaven opens for me. 00:08:50.379 --> 00:09:00.059 If this is death. If this is death. It is sweet. There is no valley here. God is calling. 00:09:01.179 --> 00:09:10.659 And I must go. This is my coronation day. Heaven's better than you think it is. 00:09:10.659 --> 00:09:17.379 Second thing that stands out to me about these weeks that we spent together is this. Hell is worse 00:09:17.379 --> 00:09:18.299 than you think it is. 00:09:21.459 --> 00:09:26.259 We talked about the man suffering in hell that Christ gave us a glimpse of in Luke chapter 16. 00:09:27.639 --> 00:09:32.839 It's an account of a man in hell begging for relief and begging for the message of salvation to be 00:09:32.839 --> 00:09:34.559 personally given to his brothers. 00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:38.779 In addition to that Christ told us that hell is eternal. 00:09:40.039 --> 00:09:44.839 He described it as a place of physical agony. He described it as a place of spiritual agony. 00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:47.299 And that we do not have to go. 00:09:48.279 --> 00:09:51.419 He explained in Matthew 25 the parable of the bridesmaids 00:09:51.419 --> 00:09:55.959 that if we're not ready when the Lord comes back we shall be left out. 00:09:56.379 --> 00:10:00.459 And the door of opportunity will be shut. 00:10:00.460 --> 00:10:06.420 But Jesus Christ has been described as the theologian of hell. 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:12.100 And the reason why is because he says more about hell in scripture than anyone else. 00:10:13.220 --> 00:10:21.600 And only by the grace of God the one that tells us the most about hell is the only one that can save us from hell. 00:10:23.480 --> 00:10:27.200 Now maybe that thought, the thought of God disturbs you. 00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:34.379 Maybe you're here and if you're honest today, you don't really want God's interference in your life. 00:10:34.500 --> 00:10:36.300 It's not really welcome in your life. 00:10:36.440 --> 00:10:40.820 And you wish quite honestly, whether you're here of your own motives or not, 00:10:40.920 --> 00:10:44.240 you wish that you would not be bothered with the things of God. 00:10:44.300 --> 00:10:47.740 That somehow you could be somehow separated from the things of God. 00:10:49.640 --> 00:10:51.000 Let me be clear today. 00:10:52.360 --> 00:10:55.500 You die without Christ, you'll be separated from him forever. 00:10:55.500 --> 00:10:57.799 You'll get your wish. 00:10:59.799 --> 00:11:03.539 But instead, come to Jesus. 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:11.779 Admit that you have done wrong in your life and that the sin in your life has separated you from God 00:11:11.779 --> 00:11:13.860 and you have no help outside of Christ. 00:11:15.059 --> 00:11:16.679 Admit your need for a Savior. 00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:20.759 Accept his offer of salvation if you never have. 00:11:20.759 --> 00:11:28.100 Because I promise you, hell is worse than we think it is. 00:11:29.360 --> 00:11:30.519 Third thing is this. 00:11:31.860 --> 00:11:32.799 There's still time. 00:11:34.899 --> 00:11:37.580 I thank God today that there's still time. 00:11:38.279 --> 00:11:39.419 I'm not sure how long. 00:11:40.720 --> 00:11:43.259 Jesus emphasized the imminence of his return. 00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:44.720 He can come back at any time. 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:50.399 People love to talk about prophecy, especially these days when Israel is at war. 00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:54.100 Let me just say my piece about it. 00:11:54.740 --> 00:11:56.120 I want you to listen to the words of Christ. 00:11:57.960 --> 00:12:02.100 Matthew 24, verse 4 and 6 through 8 says this. 00:12:02.100 --> 00:12:30.000 All these are but the beginning of birth pains. 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:37.659 Thank God this morning that if you're here and you've never surrendered your life to Christ, 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:38.779 there's still time. 00:12:39.960 --> 00:12:41.600 There's still time to come to Christ. 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:47.399 There's also time, thank God, for those of us who have given our heart and life to God, 00:12:47.659 --> 00:12:49.000 to share Christ. 00:12:50.620 --> 00:12:53.519 And so I ask you this morning and I ask you to make it a personal prayer. 00:12:53.519 --> 00:12:59.860 God, who is it in my life that you put in place for me to pray for? 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:04.460 Who is it in my life that you'd like for me to invite? 00:13:04.980 --> 00:13:10.000 Who is it in my life that you've placed in my path that you want me to share my faith with? 00:13:11.879 --> 00:13:14.059 Why did you put that person in my path, Lord? 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:16.000 And what would you have me do? 00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:18.439 Will you commit today? 00:13:18.440 --> 00:13:27.240 That if God will show you somebody to invite, to share your faith with, 00:13:28.120 --> 00:13:30.580 to pray for that you'll do that? 00:13:32.100 --> 00:13:35.760 And watch God work and move in that? 00:13:37.880 --> 00:13:42.680 Acts chapter 1, verse 8 tells us that he has given us the power to share him. 00:13:42.679 --> 00:13:47.739 That he has called us to be his witnesses and to share him. 00:13:48.939 --> 00:13:51.059 And he tells them to start in Jerusalem. 00:13:52.259 --> 00:13:54.019 Do you know what our Jerusalem is? 00:13:55.099 --> 00:13:55.979 It's Pickens. 00:13:56.739 --> 00:13:58.199 You know what our Jerusalem is? 00:13:58.500 --> 00:14:00.259 It's easily for those who live there. 00:14:00.919 --> 00:14:02.779 It's liberty for those who live there. 00:14:03.419 --> 00:14:05.259 It's six mile for those who live there. 00:14:05.879 --> 00:14:07.819 It's sunset for those who live there. 00:14:08.379 --> 00:14:10.279 It's central for those who live there. 00:14:10.279 --> 00:14:13.620 It's bevard for those who live there. 00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:16.819 And wherever else that I've missed, I apologize. 00:14:17.019 --> 00:14:17.919 Don't be mad at me. 00:14:19.419 --> 00:14:22.839 Because God has scattered us around. 00:14:23.799 --> 00:14:29.299 So that those in those places will have the opportunity to personally hear somebody. 00:14:29.779 --> 00:14:33.299 Invite them to know the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:14:34.079 --> 00:14:36.679 He says not only in Jerusalem, but in Judea. 00:14:36.779 --> 00:14:37.879 That's South Carolina. 00:14:37.879 --> 00:14:42.620 In Samaria, that's those close to us that we don't think much of, quite honestly. 00:14:43.200 --> 00:14:44.360 They didn't think much of Samaria. 00:14:44.860 --> 00:14:46.480 But God called them to go to Samaria. 00:14:46.580 --> 00:14:51.799 So those people that in the outer skirts of your life that you don't think much of, that God's called you to reach out to. 00:14:51.939 --> 00:14:53.439 And then the uttermost parts of the earth. 00:14:53.700 --> 00:15:00.620 Thank God he's given us the charge and the ability and the responsibility to go throughout our world and share Christ. 00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:03.500 We pray that God will open doors for us to do that. 00:15:03.500 --> 00:15:06.840 If God is still giving us breath. 00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:11.840 If he is still giving breath to the one that needs Christ. 00:15:11.980 --> 00:15:13.399 Thank God there's still time. 00:15:15.639 --> 00:15:18.620 But please understand we must take advantage of that. 00:15:18.860 --> 00:15:19.799 We must hurry. 00:15:20.139 --> 00:15:22.340 Because Jesus also said in Matthew 24. 00:15:23.159 --> 00:15:24.360 Verse 36 and 44. 00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:24.919 He said this. 00:15:24.919 --> 00:15:33.099 Listen to verse 44. 00:15:33.099 --> 00:15:36.539 Therefore you also must be ready. 00:15:36.919 --> 00:15:41.699 For the Son of Man is coming at a time, an hour you do not expect. 00:15:41.700 --> 00:15:54.300 Let us be so dedicated to praying and sharing Christ that our prayers and our sharing usher people into the kingdom. 00:15:55.220 --> 00:15:57.680 While God has still given us time. 00:15:59.920 --> 00:16:05.140 Lorna Harris was probably my favorite voice in Christian music in the 80s and early 90s. 00:16:05.139 --> 00:16:09.679 What a wonderful instrument God gave him in his voice. 00:16:09.899 --> 00:16:12.960 And he was a premier singer in Christian music. 00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:14.299 He's the son of a bootlegger. 00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:16.159 Who needed Jesus. 00:16:17.699 --> 00:16:24.019 And Lorna says that his mother's prayers lifted the cot of the spiritually lame daddy to the roof. 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:33.759 And each individual prayer tore off the individual pieces of the roof over the head of the Lord and brought that man to Jesus. 00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:38.000 God has empowered us. 00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:40.519 He has commissioned us. 00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:41.759 We have a responsibility. 00:16:42.519 --> 00:16:43.159 There's still time. 00:16:45.139 --> 00:16:47.480 May we be steadfast until the Lord comes. 00:16:48.679 --> 00:16:50.600 May he look at us and say well done. 00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:53.100 You were faithful to the end. 00:16:53.740 --> 00:16:54.340 There's still time. 00:16:55.700 --> 00:16:59.460 Lastly, there's not as much time as you think. 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:03.200 There's not as much time as we think. 00:17:04.759 --> 00:17:08.000 There's a legend about Satan and his imps. 00:17:08.920 --> 00:17:12.660 Strategizing about how to attack the message of the gospel on the earth. 00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:18.339 And what I'm piped up and said when I get to the earth and take charge of people's thinking. 00:17:18.839 --> 00:17:20.579 I'm going to tell them there's no heaven. 00:17:20.579 --> 00:17:26.000 And the devil said, ah, don't ever believe that. 00:17:26.939 --> 00:17:30.259 This book of truth is full of messages about the hope of heaven. 00:17:30.819 --> 00:17:33.859 When their sins are forgiven, they won't believe that. 00:17:34.740 --> 00:17:36.819 They know there's a glory in the future. 00:17:38.579 --> 00:17:40.799 Another one piped up and said, I've got a plan. 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:44.139 I'll tell them there's no hell. 00:17:46.059 --> 00:17:48.299 And the devil responded and said, no good. 00:17:49.720 --> 00:17:51.899 Jesus talks more about hell than heaven. 00:17:52.599 --> 00:17:56.000 They know in their hearts that their wrong will have to be dealt with. 00:17:56.759 --> 00:17:58.680 They deserve nothing more than hell. 00:17:58.680 --> 00:18:03.240 And then another one piped up and said, then I know the answer. 00:18:04.840 --> 00:18:06.400 I'll tell them there's no hurry. 00:18:07.640 --> 00:18:09.120 They have plenty of time. 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:13.659 And that's the lie the devil chose. 00:18:16.099 --> 00:18:19.459 In Acts chapter 1, our passage for the day. 00:18:20.839 --> 00:18:24.639 The angels told them not to stand there gazing in the sky. 00:18:25.500 --> 00:18:26.879 That he's coming back. 00:18:27.699 --> 00:18:29.019 Just like he went. 00:18:30.339 --> 00:18:31.679 And I thank God he is. 00:18:32.939 --> 00:18:36.719 We've been given the responsibility to prepare ourselves for his return. 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:41.880 And to help others prepare themselves for his return at the same time. 00:18:42.980 --> 00:18:45.120 We don't have time for stargazing. 00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:48.279 We don't have time for daydreaming. 00:18:49.319 --> 00:18:51.140 We don't have time for mulligreving. 00:18:54.160 --> 00:18:57.079 We need to get about the work of the Lord. 00:18:58.579 --> 00:19:00.559 Until we see him face to face. 00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:03.920 We've got work to do. 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:07.320 And there's people that need to see Jesus. 00:19:08.820 --> 00:19:09.620 In us. 00:19:11.259 --> 00:19:16.060 Let's allow the reality of eternity to change our lives. 00:19:17.080 --> 00:19:20.539 And therefore God through us change other lives. 00:19:22.080 --> 00:19:24.740 With every head bowed and every eye closed this morning, I ask you. 00:19:26.019 --> 00:19:28.620 Have you ever given your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ? 00:19:29.759 --> 00:19:32.259 Do you have that nailed down in your life? 00:19:32.259 --> 00:19:35.259 If you don't, I want you to know in just a moment we're going to stand and sing. 00:19:35.539 --> 00:19:38.799 And it's your opportunity to respond to him as he speaks to your heart and life. 00:19:39.779 --> 00:19:41.019 I'd love to guide you in that. 00:19:41.059 --> 00:19:42.359 You don't have to know what to do. 00:19:42.420 --> 00:19:43.299 I'll take care of all that. 00:19:43.879 --> 00:19:44.559 You just come. 00:19:46.599 --> 00:19:48.720 Maybe you're here this morning and you have done that. 00:19:48.740 --> 00:19:50.059 But you've never made that public. 00:19:51.359 --> 00:19:52.859 You've never acknowledged that. 00:19:55.660 --> 00:19:58.759 Jesus says, if you're ashamed of me before others, I'll be ashamed of you before my Father. 00:19:58.759 --> 00:20:01.660 It means your relationship is not real if it's not public. 00:20:02.879 --> 00:20:07.319 You never see in Scripture somebody privately come to the Lord with any success. 00:20:07.440 --> 00:20:09.460 Instead, they did it and went out and shared it. 00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:14.099 And if you've never acknowledged Christ publicly, I encourage you to do that today. 00:20:14.759 --> 00:20:18.400 Jesus, by his example and by his commission, tells us to follow that with baptism. 00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:19.920 It's a first step of obedience. 00:20:20.140 --> 00:20:24.319 And if that's never happened to you, we'd love for you to join this church by baptism. 00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:28.319 Maybe you're here this morning and God's leading you to be a part of this fellowship. 00:20:29.579 --> 00:20:33.319 God's stirring and moving in a mighty way in First Baptist Church, and I'm so thankful for that. 00:20:34.139 --> 00:20:35.379 God's leading you to be a part of that. 00:20:35.460 --> 00:20:36.339 I want you to come. 00:20:36.419 --> 00:20:37.619 I'll guide you in that process. 00:20:38.379 --> 00:20:39.839 Maybe God's just giving you a burden. 00:20:40.879 --> 00:20:42.619 These stairs up here is a makeshift offer. 00:20:42.740 --> 00:20:44.379 You can lay that burden down before the Lord. 00:20:45.399 --> 00:20:46.539 Maybe you want somebody to pray for you. 00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:47.559 I'll be happy to do that. 00:20:48.679 --> 00:20:53.299 I have no idea what God's telling you to do, but I know you'll never be satisfied unless you follow exactly what he'd have you. 00:20:53.299 --> 00:20:57.379 So I encourage you just to be obedient this morning as he speaks to your heart and life. 00:20:58.039 --> 00:21:00.940 Lord Jesus, I love you, and I thank you, dear God, for your love for us. 00:21:01.039 --> 00:21:04.579 Lead us today to simply be obedient, work and move in our lives. 00:21:04.639 --> 00:21:07.299 Oh, God, I pray in Jesus' precious name. 00:21:07.700 --> 00:21:07.980 Amen.