Sermon Cloud

Text: John 17:3, 3:17-18

1.     god created mankind in his image which includes  an awesome capacity for self-destiney and self-will

a) The power of divine decree has determined ‘the human will shall be a free will, and its eternal choices shall be irrevocable’’.

b) We have been given a sovereign will and an endless existence.

c) Our wisest course is to cease argument with our creator and come to Him

d) Our greatest capacities will never be discovered if we set ourselves outside of a humbly ordered relationship with God our Creator

2.     where will you go or what will happen to you  when you die

a) Assurance of life for the believer abounds in scripture (2 Corinthians 5:1-8)

b) By what authority do you base your assurance upon? (Revelation 1:17-19)   

c) Every human being will give an account before God and will live eternally with Christ or Christ-less  (Daniel 12:2, Rev 20:11-15)

3.     eternity is certain but how we live in eternity is a choice

a) The reality of hell is described by Jesus and He made it clear the hell was not intended for man but was prepared for the devil and his angles (Matt 25:41)

b) C.S. Lewis said: “There are only two kinds of people in all the universe: those who say to God “thy will be done” and those to whom God ultimately says  “thy will be done”

c) Jesus and the Apostles spoke of hell and it cannot be denied or  ignored:

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  • Hell fire (Mark 9:47)
  • Everlasting fire (Matthew 25:41)
  • Unquenchable fire (Matthew 18:8, Mark 9:43, 45, 48; 2 Peter 3:7)
  • Eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46)
  • Everlasting torment (Revelation 14:10-11)
  • Everlasting destruction (2 Thes 1:8-9, Phil 3:18-19; Mt 7:13; Rom 9:22)
  • Outer darkness (Mt 22:13; 2 Pt 2:4, 17; Jude 6, 13)
  • Separation from God (Luke 13:25, 28)
  • Hell itself is ultimately cast in to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14)

d) Heaven is mentioned more than 200 times in the New Testament

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  • Ours is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10)
  • Great is your reward in heaven (Matthew 5:12)
  • Believers store up treasure in heaven (Matt 6:20; 19:22; Mark 10:21)
  • Unless converted and become as children you cannot enter (Matt 18:3,4)
  • All authority in heaven given to Jesus (Matthew 28:18)
  • The believers citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:17,20)
  • There is hope laid up for us in heaven (Colossians 1:5)
  • We have a better and enduring life in heaven (Hebrews 10:34)
  • Jesus will return to the earth from there (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

e) The gift of free will carries with it consequences of choices made. The judge of the earth will always ‘do right’ but even His administration of justice cannot reverse the choice of any human’s will

4.     the goodness of man does not satisfy the penalty of sin

a) Your creator provided the sacrifice for the penalty in His Son Jesus

b) “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (Deuteronomy 13:19)

c) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)