They Repented Not
I was reading the Bible the other day and ran across these heart-breaking words – they repented not. Jesus is speaking and He’s talking about the cities where He performed miracles, where He preached the Gospel and they would not listen. They did not have ears to hear. They did not repent. Jesus shared the Gospel, spoke truth to the people and they repented not.
Guess what? Over 2,000 years later and the same thing is still happening today. My friends and I share the Gospel out here on the streets. We plead with people to repent from their sins and trust Jesus and most people do not repent. They repent not. The same thing is still happening today and it’s still heart-breaking. But you also need to know that there is judgment to come. Oh, you can reject salvation, the only salvation found in Christ alone, but there are repercussions for your rejecting our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Please listen to Matthew 11:20-24: Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto you, Chorazin! woe unto you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Shalt Be Brought Down To Hell
But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And you, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in you, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.
You can ignore the pleas to repent and trust Jesus, but there are consequences for rejecting Jesus Christ the Lord. There is judgment to come and you will be without excuse. You will be like people that rejected salvation in Christ alone when He walked this earth and He says woe to you! Beware. God completely destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah over their immoral sexual deeds and Jesus said even Sodom would have remained until this day if they had seen and heard Jesus speaking and doing miracles.
Jesus continues that Sodom would have repented in sackcloth and ashes. In other words, they would have given up their sodomy and other fleshly sins and would have followed Jesus. So how much worse will it be for you at The Judgment? You have heard the glorious Gospel and yet you repented not. Woe unto you! You will be without excuse. Sadly, you will have no defense on that great and terrible day of the Lord.
The Flames Of Hell
Jesus talks about Capernaum being brought down to Hell. They will not be alone. The flames of Hell await all those who reject Jesus Christ the Lord; all those who die in their sins as unrepentant sinners. They repented not. Woe to those who do not repent and surrender their lives to Jesus. This is not a joke and it’s not a game. Hell is real and the punishment is eternal.
Please listen to what is going to happen to you if you continue barreling down the broad road to destruction: …when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power (1 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
Jesus Christ came as a lamb the first time, but He’s coming back as a lion. The Lord will be revealed for all to see and He’s going to take vengeance on those who do not know God and that do not obey the Gospel of Jesus. Now that doesn’t sound very loving, does it? This message doesn’t go over so well in our all-tolerant, all-loving, post-Christian society. But it is God’s truth and it is going to happen. Not only is Jesus going to take vengeance, but He’s going to do so with flaming fire.
There Is Hell To Pay
Again, this is not a joke. There is Hell to pay and you will pay it forever and ever. Unbelievers will be punished with everlasting destruction. The second death is not annihilation, it is eternal damnation. You will feel like you are dying, you will beg for death, but it will not come.
You can go on mocking God today and for as long as He gives you your next breath. But one day you will breathe your last breath. One day you will die. Being unprepared to meet your Maker is an awful way to go. You see, you will bow your knee and confess with your tongue that Jesus is Lord. You can fight it your whole life, but on Judgment Day you will do these things.
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). You will bow your knee, will confess with your tongue that Jesus Christ is Lord. But will you do so in this life? Will you repent and trust Jesus and be saved or will you be like those the Bible describes as: they repented not?
I Willingly Bow My Knee Do You?
My friends and I willingly bow our knees and confess Jesus Christ is Lord. We do so because we have repented and surrendered our lives to Jesus. The verses immediately preceding Philippians 2:10-11 that I just quoted say: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name (Philippians 2:-9).
Jesus is Lord. He is God in the flesh – Emmanuel – God with us. Jesus is God the Son, the one who left His throne in glory to come to this earth 2,000 years ago. Jesus was born of the virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit. He lived a perfect, sinless life. Jesus always obeyed the will of God the Father. The Son was obedient even unto death, even the death of the cross.
Jesus Took The Punishment That He Didn’t Deserve
Even though Jesus never sinned (not one time), He took the punishment that sinful men and women like us deserve. We are the rebels. We are the ones who have sinned against God. You and I are the blasphemers, liars, adulterers, thieves, covetous ones. Each and every one of us have rebelled against God, sinned against Him. We deserve His righteous punishment for our sins. Yet Jesus was without sin, but He came to save His people from their sins.
Jesus took the place of guilty sinners. He was beaten beyond recognition. The Lord endured God’s wrath as He hung on that cruel cross. Jesus suffered, bled and died; was buried and rose from the grave three days later. Jesus defeated sin, death, Hell and Satan. Folks, the good news is that God grants eternal life to everyone who repents and puts their faith in Jesus.
Christ said: All that the Father gives me shall come to me; and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which sees the Son, and believes on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:37-40).
Do Not Harden Your Heart
Are you hearing this tonight? Are you listening? Is God convicting you over your sins and revealing the glory of Jesus Christ the Lord to you? If so, don’t reject such a great of salvation. Do not harden your heart. Recognize that you are a sinner. Admit your sins to God. Cry out for God to have mercy upon you. Come to Jesus through repentance and faith.
Repent from your sins and surrender your life fully and completely to Jesus Christ the Lord. Do not be one of those that repented not all the way to the Judgment. Repent and believe the Gospel and be saved. Receive eternal life. Repent and trust Jesus Christ for your salvation. Then deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Him daily. Don’t continue rebelling and being stiff-necked. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humbly come to Jesus tonight through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
(This message was lifted up in downtown Springfield, MO on September 28, 2018)