Saturday, April 18, 2015

The Two Reasons I Preach the Gospel Publicly

Why do I go out and tell people about Jesus when the majority are obviously not even listening? Two reasons:
1. Out of love and thanksgiving for what Jesus did for me, He died in my place for my sins.
2. Out of love and concern for you, there is a coming judgment.

You were created in the image of God. God is love, but you have not perfectly loved. You have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

A lawyer once asked Jesus a question, testing Him. "And He said to him, " ' You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. ' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ' You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." (Mt 22:37-40 [NASB]).

Have you loved God perfectly,God who knitted you together in your mother's womb and gave you life? Have you loved your neighbor as yourself, think about that, as yourself? Jesus did! "He is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation." (Col 1:15 [NASB]). He loved God with all His heart, and with all His soul, and with all His mind. He loved His neighbor as Himself.

Jesus deserved eternal life with the Father God in heaven. We all deserve death for our sin, eternal separation from God in hell. But God, being rich in mercy (Ep 2:4) and abounding in lovingkindness and truth (Ex 34:6); gave His only begotten, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (Jn 3:16).

Jesus Promised eternal life to everyone who hears, believes, and follows Him. He calls us His sheep, He speaks to us through His word and we learn from Him. He willingly laid down His own life on the cross for His sheep. He died in our place for our sins. He was crucified, dead and buried, and then on the third day He rose from the dead. Witnessed by His apostles. He is now seated at the right hand of God, and is presently making intersession on behalf of everyone who comes to God through faith in Him.

Repent and believe in the name of the Son of God Jesus Christ. Come follow the Lord Jesus. He is the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Him (Jn 14:6).

Jesus came in human flesh for salvation. Jesus will return at a time of the Fathers choosing for judgment. "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left."(Mat 25:31-33 [NASB]). The sheep blessed of the Father will inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world. And the goats will be cast into the eternal fire, which has been prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt 25:34-46), "and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever" (Rv 20:10).