Series Beholding The Lamb 19- “THE WORST WAY TO DIE” John8:20-24
Intro-
Jesus made 4 Astounding Statements: 4 statements that God would not let me get away from in my studies. Every word that Jesus spoke was loaded with Power. Every sentence that Jesus said was for a divine purpose. He was not just talking to pass the time away. May I remind you, I’m not just talking to pass the time away? I’m not a shrink or a psychologist. I’m not one of these feel good ministers trying to impress you or make you feel good. I’m God’s Man standing between the living and the dead pointing souls to Christ.
I.A STATEMENT THAT IS SOVERIEGN-“I go my way” Before Jesus was ever born in Bethlehem, Jesus had a Sovereign Date with Destiny! (I GO my way!) Where was Jesus going? That was the question the Jews were asking in verse 22.
A. Jesus was speaking of His Destiny @GOLGOTHA When Jesus arrived in Bethlehem his Destiny was Golgotha! He was on a mission. He had somewhere to go. If you observe our Lord, you’ll see He was Always on the Go. He was going from the Cradle to the Cross to the Crown. And one of the glad days, he’s going to the Coronation. You say, what’s a coronation? It’s that glad Royal Day set aside for the Official Crowning of KING JESUS. I like that old song Coronation Day. If you look closely at the Life of Christ, He was always on the go! Jesus said “I GO My Way”.
I like being around people that are going places. I want to be a part of a Church that is going places. Let me just give you a glimpse of where we’re going in the days ahead. Where Going to have Revival. We’re going on a Journey through the pages of God’s Holy Word. We’re gonna walk through the desert into Egypt and see where the children of Israel dwelt in their time of bondage. We’re gonna walk across the Red Sea and travel through that land that floweth with milk and honey. We’re going to stand on that Battle field where that shepherd boy faced Goliath. We’re going to visit the palace where King David ruled. And see the wisdom of King Solomon. We’re going to walk those dusty streets of Galilee. We’re going to Calvary and behold Jesus… We’re going to look in at that infant church born @ Pentecost. (As we begin to see how that time and time again, the people of God turned their backs on God. Fell into sin. Then God sent Judgment…and when they turned to God in repentance, the Holy Ghost is going to paint for us a Beautiful picture of the Love & Mercy of God. That Power Gospel is going to break some hard hearts. It’s going to Burn some Cold Hearts. And Revival is going to sweep through here like Water running over the damn. Those Levy’s of pride are going to break and the water of revival is going to flow.)
Jesus said “I GO My Way”. Indicating His Mission was almost complete. Indicating His Job was almost done. His job was coming to this dark worldTurning the Light On! His job was coming to this dry worldletting the water flow! His job was coming to this lost worldsaying I Am THE WAY!
Jesus said, “I Go My Way”- His way was Golgotha, where he would be nailed to a cross. Shed his innocent blood and die on the cross for sins. His Destiny was Golgotha!
B. Jesus was speaking of His Destiny in GLORY Hey I’m preaching about a King! Jesus did not come to this earth to become a King! He was already KING! Look at verse 20- These things spake Jesus in the “treasury”. The treasury was where the court of women was. It was a place anyone would come. What are you saying? In the Holy Temple, GOD dwelt in the Holy of Holies. It was located behind the veil. God would come down and dwell between the cherubim’s on the Mercy Seat. But on this day, GOD had walked out from behind the veil. He had come out of the Holy of Holies and was walking in a place where anyone could come…. Thank God He didn’t stay behind the veil. But he came to where you & I were… That King that said, I Go My Way, after Going To Golgotha was Going Back To Glory! Why? To take His Seat upon the throne!
II. A STATEMENT THAT IS SAD- “ye shall seek me” Those Jews had been Looking for the Messiah to come. They had been Listening to the Priest & Prophets that said He was coming. And there he stood. But they did not believe that he was the One. Jesus said “ye shall seek me”. What did he mean? That they would look for someone who they could trust to deliver them from their sins! They would look for someone who’ddeliver them from Hell when they died! They would look for someoneto take them to Heaven. Jesus said, You’re gonna seek for me- but you’re NOT gonna find me! It’s gonna be too late!
2 Corinthians 6:2b-(“… behold, nowis the accepted time; behold, nowis the day of salvation.) Isaiah 55:6Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Man today spend a lifetime seeking for something that will satisfy their thirsty soul. Woman across this world are seeking for a man that will satisfy their thirst to be loved. But I want to tell you, You can seek in every direction and you’ll Never find someone to fill your void other than Jesus. He is the Void in your life. You were made with an emptiness that only Jesus can fill.
III. A STATEMENT THAT IS SEVERE-“and shall die in your sins” What a Horrifying way to die! *I suppose that man who was on top of that Volcano, just a few weeks ago, when he was posing for a picture and the ground broke loose beneath him and hell fell down into that Volcano. That was a horrible way to die! *I suppose those men & women who were working in the World Trade Towers, when those terrorist crashed their planes into their offices 80 & 90 stories in the air. And they died a crushing death, That was a horrible way to die. *But to DIE IN YOUR SINS is HORRIFYING! WHY? Because it means:
A. You Die UNPREPARED- How in the world do you think YOU are going to stand before a HOLY GOD with your sins? Unprepared to meet God!
B. You Die UNFORGIVEN- What do you plan on doing with your sins, If you Reject Jesus Christ? There’s no one else to wipe the slate clean again? There’s no one else Qualified to die for your SINS. There’s No One Else who Loves You Like GOD Loves You! No one! There has never been another who Promised to Forgive Your Sins and Cleanse you from ALL Unrighteousness!
To die in your sins is without a doubt The WORST WAY TO DIE! I’ve visited Hospitals and stood by the bedside of people who struggled to breath. Their lungs were eat up with cancer from smoking! If you don’t have enough sense to quit smoking, just think of the heart ache your family will have to endure as look on you someday in a death bed. And they watch you struggle to breath each breath. What a horrible way to die, grasping for air!
But to die in you sins & be forever haunted in Hell of your never ending lust! Your uncontrollable passion for sin. To die in your sins means that uncontrollable passion will never be satisfied.
IV. A STATEMENT THAT IS STAGGERING- “whither I go, ye cannot come”
Where was Jesus going? He was going to Heaven!
What is Heaven Like?
A. Heaven Is A Place of PARDON Every Soul that passes through those pearly gates has been Pardoned of all their Sins! Illustration of Pardon-
B. Heaven Is A Place of PEACE All of life’s strugglestrials will be over. The disappointmentsdiscouragements will be no more. No longer will we have to fight the temptation to sin! No longer will face another heartache! No longer will we hear another tragedy caused by sin. No longer will we endure the stress of life. There will be Peace Peace Wonderful Peace!
C. Heaven Is A Place of PERFECTION In Heaven, we will lay aside our wheel chairs and walkers! We will lay aside our blood pressure medicines and daily prescriptions! We won’t have these old worn out bodies anymore. We’re gonna have a perfect body, like our Lord Jesus Christ. These bodies that are filled with pain are going to be as good new one of these days! There will be no more Sickness in Heaven! There will be no more Saddness in Heaven! There will be no more Suffering in Heaven! For the Saints of God, we’re gonna lay our heavy burdens down and put on a robe and crown.
Heaven is going to be a WONDERFUL PLACE! But Jesus said to those UNBELIEVING JEWS- Whither I go, ye cannot come! What a Staggering Statement!
“ye cannot come” means outside of Jesus, there is No Other Way!
Ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come!
Was this message just for you? Are you the ONE God is calling out too? Will you believe that JESUS is the Son of GOD? Will You RECEIVE HIM this Morning?