I Don’t Know
Last Friday Jeff was open-air preaching and he engaged several people in conversation as they walked by. One question he liked to ask was: Where will you go if you die tonight? One guy said that he’d probably go to Hell and he thinks it will be a wonderful place. (Obviously he hasn’t read how the Bible describes Hell. There are no parties there, just pain and suffering. Weeping and gnashing of teeth). But when Jeff asked a couple of young women where they think they will go, both answered “I don’t know.”
I don’t know. That’s what two different women said at different times. Sadly, they wouldn’t stick around to talk about it. Just, I don’t know, and on their way kept going. Obviously, where they spend eternity doesn’t bother them, at this moment. But one day it will bother them and it will do so greatly.
It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). We are all going to die someday. Ten out of ten people die. Seven billion out of seven billion people die. Over 150,000 people die each and every day. Nearly two people die every second. Folks, one day you and I will be that ultimate statistic. One day will be my last day on this earth. The same is true for you. One day you will breathe your last breath.
People Don’t Usually Wake Up Thinking This Is My Last Day
Most of the people that died today did not know this would be their last day on earth. I doubt very many of them woke up and thought, today will be my last day on this earth. What shall I do? No, most of them had no idea that they wouldn’t see tomorrow. If this were your last day, what would you do? How would you like to spend your last day in this world?
More importantly, are you prepared for eternity? You and I have an eternal soul. God made us after His own image and He breathes life into human beings. We are not evolved from monkeys or any other animals. God made each animal after their kind (that’s why you don’t see any transitory animals). But men and women are different. God breathes life into us and He has given each and every one of us a soul. An eternal soul. Our soul is who and what we really are. We are a soul wrapped in a body. Your body is temporal or temporary, but your soul is eternal.
If you die today, where will you go? Where will your soul go? Where will you spend eternity? If your answer is “I don’t know,” that is a wrong answer. If you don’t know where you are going after you die, one thing is for sure, you aren’t on the way to Heaven. You can’t get to Heaven taking the path of I don’t know. There is no maybe path to Heaven. Only the narrow road reaches there.
I Don’t Know Is The Broad Road To Destruction
I don’t know is the broad road to destruction. If you are taking any path besides repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, then you are on the wrong path. Jesus is the way. He is the only way. Jesus said I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).
Did you hear what Jesus said? He said I am the way. There is no other. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Jesus is the way, the only way of salvation. He is the only Savior. There is no other. Please notice that Jesus didn’t say I am a way or I am one way of many ways or I am the best way. No, He said emphatically that He is the way. Also notice that Jesus wasn’t wishy-washy.
The Lord Jesus didn’t hem-haw around and leave us doubting, thinking we don’t know where we will go. It’s black and white, cut and dry. You are either saved or lost. You are either on the narrow road to Heaven or the broad road to Hell. There is no third option and there is no doubt about. If you die tonight, your eternal soul will either go to Heaven or go to Hell. If you don’t know where you are going, then you are still on the broad road to Hell.
Only One Savior
Jesus is the only Savior and He tells us clearly in the Scriptures that we must repent and believe the Gospel. We must repent and surrender our lives fully and completely to Him. The very first message that Jesus preached when He started His earthly ministry was repent and believe the Gospel. Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:14-15).
Again, this is very clear. Either you have repented from your sins and you believe the Gospel, you trust Jesus – in His finished work on the cross and your sins have been forgiven, or you are still spiritually dead in your trespasses and sins and you have not repented and trusted in Jesus. It is either one or the other. There is no I don’t know about it. It’s yes or no, up or down.
If you don’t know where you are headed when you die, then you are headed for eternal damnation. This is no place to be. Don’t continue barreling down the broad road to destruction. Repent! Repent! Repent! Turn from your sins and turn to Jesus. Surrender your life to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Name Above Every Other Name
Jesus is Lord. He is Lord of all. He has a name above every other name. Why? Because He came to earth 2,000 years ago. He was born of the virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life. He never sinned one time. Not once. Jesus never lied, lusted, coveted or stole anything. He always did the will of God the Father.
Yet He was bruised for our iniquities. By His stripes we are healed. We are the sinners. You and I are the ones that have broken God’s Law. We are the liars, thieves, drunkards, sexually immoral, covetous people who murder in our hearts. You and I are the ones who have broken the 10 Commandments. We’ve all sinned against God. Each and every one of us. We really do deserve eternal punishment for our sins. You and I deserve to suffer the torments of Hell forever.
But God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). We are the rebels, the sinners. Yet, God demonstrated His love toward us, in sending Jesus to suffer, bleed and die on the cross for guilty sinners like us. We did the crime, but Jesus paid the fine.
Jesus Willingly Went To The Cross
Yes, Jesus willingly went to the cruel cross where He was beaten beyond recognition. Then He was nailed to the old rugged cross. His hands and feet were pierced. Jesus hung there for six long, grueling hours. Not only suffering unimaginable pain, but also enduring the wrath of God over sin. Receiving God’s righteous anger over sin, the same anger that we deserve.
Jesus died on the cross after saying it is finished. His work was done. He was faithful to the end. The sinless died in place of the sinful. The just for the unjust. The perfect one for the wicked. Jesus took the place of guilty sinners and bore the full wrath of God over sin. Jesus was buried and then rose from the grave three days later. Up from the grave He arose. Jesus is the victor. He defeated sin, death, Hell and Satan and God offers eternal life to each and every person that repents from their sins and puts their trust in Jesus.
Oh, don’t continue going through life saying “I don’t know where I’ll go after I die.” Don’t continue rejecting such a great of salvation. Repent and believe the Gospel. Put your faith in Jesus. Trust in Him. Trust in His finished work on the cross. Oh, tonight, repent from your sins and put your faith in Jesus. We are to have repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21).
Repent And Be Baptized
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38). Jesus mentioned repentance many times, including Luke 24:46-48: And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Recognize that you are a sinner. Admit that you have sinned against our Holy and righteous God. Confess and forsake your sins. Cry out for God to have mercy upon you. Repent from your sins and surrender your life to Jesus, fully and completely. Don’t hold anything back.
You can’t hold onto the world or the devil with one hand and walk with Jesus. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:15-17).
What Has Your Heart Tonight?
Oh, what has your heart tonight? What has your attention? Why are you downtown? What are you searching for; what are you looking for? Why are you here? Are you looking to satisfy the pleasures of the flesh? Did you come downtown to drink alcohol? Are you looking for sexual encounters? Why are you here tonight?
Yes, sin is pleasurable for a season, but it doesn’t stop there. Satan draws you further and further in. Just one more drink. What’s one more going to hurt? The devil will continue luring you farther and father in until you wake up one day and it’s too late.
He keeps wooing and wooing you until he snags you. Until you end up with a driving under the influence ticket. Or until you lose your family and your job. The Bible says silver never satisfies. If you lust after money, enough is never enough. The same way with alcohol or immoral sexual relations. You always want one more drink or one more encounter. No matter how much you get, it never satisfies. You always want more.
Aren’t you tired of the hangovers? Don’t you get tired of the lies and broken promises? Aren’t you tired of the casual sexual encounters that leave you empty? The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life never bring true joy. You can have joy today. You can have peace, peace with God. Jesus Christ is the Prince of peace. He is the only way to be reconciled to God.
Peace Through The Blood Of His Cross
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister (Colossians 1:18-22). The apostle Paul was talking to Christians. Before they were followers of Jesus, he says they were enemies of God and their works were wicked.
Be reconciled to God tonight through Jesus. Through His shed blood on the cross. Jesus suffered, bled and died for guilty sinners who repent and trust Him. Oh, tonight, receive peace, true peace, lasting peace, receive the peace that surpasses all understanding. Repent from your sins and surrender your life to Jesus Christ the Lord. Then you will never have to say I don’t know where I’m going after I die. When you are reconciled to God, you receive His peace and you know without a doubt that you are Heaven bound. Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. Do this tonight.
(This message was lifted up in the open-air in downtown Springfield, MO on March 16, 2018)