1 00:00:01,410 --> 00:00:04,510 Welcome to From the Pulpit in Classic Sermons. 2 00:00:05,170 --> 00:00:07,210 Each week we bring you a different message 3 00:00:07,210 --> 00:00:09,570 from some of today's greatest speakers in the 4 00:00:09,570 --> 00:00:13,450 Christian faith, and powerful sermons from modern preachers 5 00:00:13,450 --> 00:00:13,750 too. 6 00:00:14,650 --> 00:00:17,210 This week we have William Blackburn with his 7 00:00:17,210 --> 00:00:19,710 message, How to About Get to Heaven. 8 00:00:22,140 --> 00:00:25,040 There are a lot of people who are 9 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:28,180 going to almost make it to heaven. 10 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:30,040 There are going to be a lot of 11 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:33,180 people who almost get saved. 12 00:00:33,660 --> 00:00:35,120 You see, there are a lot of folks 13 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:36,240 that are satisfied with that. 14 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:37,460 There are a lot of folks that are 15 00:00:37,460 --> 00:00:37,860 satisfied. 16 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:39,580 You talk with them about salvation. 17 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:41,460 You say, listen, if you were to die 18 00:00:41,460 --> 00:00:43,560 today, do you know for sure that you'd 19 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:44,100 go to heaven? 20 00:00:44,580 --> 00:00:45,960 They say, well, I think so. 21 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:47,660 I hope so. 22 00:00:48,780 --> 00:00:51,260 What they're saying is, I'm satisfied with almost 23 00:00:51,260 --> 00:00:52,300 knowing for sure. 24 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:55,960 I'm satisfied with almost getting to heaven. 25 00:00:56,380 --> 00:00:57,920 Now, I read you a few verses a 26 00:00:57,920 --> 00:00:59,580 moment ago about a man named Felix. 27 00:00:59,860 --> 00:01:01,500 Now, Felix was a good man. 28 00:01:01,820 --> 00:01:02,860 He was a moral man. 29 00:01:02,980 --> 00:01:04,260 He knew the Bible. 30 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:06,400 He wanted to do the right thing. 31 00:01:06,500 --> 00:01:07,700 In fact, he did a lot of things 32 00:01:07,700 --> 00:01:08,540 that were good. 33 00:01:09,180 --> 00:01:12,580 But what we cannot compliment Felix on, and 34 00:01:12,580 --> 00:01:15,240 what we cannot admire him for, is this. 35 00:01:16,580 --> 00:01:18,120 Felix almost went to heaven. 36 00:01:18,700 --> 00:01:19,740 Now, here's the tragedy. 37 00:01:20,180 --> 00:01:23,040 When you almost go to heaven, hey, you 38 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:23,780 don't go at all. 39 00:01:23,780 --> 00:01:25,980 You need to go all the way, friend. 40 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:27,600 And there are a lot of people just 41 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:28,320 like Felix. 42 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:30,000 Felix was the governor of Caesarea. 43 00:01:30,540 --> 00:01:32,100 He was a man who was the warden 44 00:01:32,100 --> 00:01:32,880 of the Apostle Paul. 45 00:01:32,980 --> 00:01:34,620 Now, listen, Paul was out there preaching the 46 00:01:34,620 --> 00:01:35,240 Word of God. 47 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:37,060 And some of the Jews got angry, and 48 00:01:37,060 --> 00:01:38,340 they had him put in prison. 49 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:39,920 And Felix was the governor. 50 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:42,240 He was the man responsible for keeping Paul 51 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:42,940 in prison. 52 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:44,500 Now, he could have let Paul out of 53 00:01:44,500 --> 00:01:46,560 jail at any time, but he didn't. 54 00:01:46,740 --> 00:01:49,060 But while he had Paul in prison, man, 55 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:50,820 he treated him very well. 56 00:01:50,820 --> 00:01:53,700 He treated Paul not like a common criminal, 57 00:01:53,860 --> 00:01:54,920 but a man to be respected. 58 00:01:55,060 --> 00:01:56,280 He talked to Paul. 59 00:01:56,420 --> 00:01:59,140 He shared his philosophy and his theology with 60 00:01:59,140 --> 00:01:59,420 Paul. 61 00:01:59,700 --> 00:02:01,180 And Paul talked to him. 62 00:02:01,540 --> 00:02:02,820 And I want to tell you, Felix had 63 00:02:02,820 --> 00:02:05,600 a wonderful opportunity to be saved. 64 00:02:05,980 --> 00:02:08,539 He had a wonderful opportunity to be born 65 00:02:08,539 --> 00:02:09,880 again by the Spirit of God. 66 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,840 But according to the Bible, Felix is in 67 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:14,100 hell tonight. 68 00:02:14,540 --> 00:02:16,140 Now, I've wondered, how could that happen? 69 00:02:16,140 --> 00:02:19,000 How could a man come face-to-face 70 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:21,040 with a great preacher like the Apostle Paul? 71 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:23,060 Talk with him man-to-man. 72 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:25,840 Hear Paul give his plan of salvation. 73 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:28,180 Give his testimony about being knocked down on 74 00:02:28,180 --> 00:02:30,780 the Damascus Road and meeting Jesus face-to 75 00:02:30,780 --> 00:02:30,960 -face. 76 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:33,720 How could a man come so close to 77 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:37,000 being saved and yet die and go to 78 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:37,320 hell? 79 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:39,540 Well, it happens all the time. 80 00:02:40,300 --> 00:02:43,220 Felix did four things that caused him to 81 00:02:43,220 --> 00:02:45,620 almost get to heaven. 82 00:02:46,180 --> 00:02:48,040 Four things that many of you are doing. 83 00:02:48,340 --> 00:02:50,320 Four things that folks do all the time 84 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:52,340 that they think is good enough in the 85 00:02:52,340 --> 00:02:53,040 eyes of God. 86 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:54,660 They think it's good enough to get them 87 00:02:54,660 --> 00:02:55,600 through the gates of glory. 88 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,020 But the Bible says these four things instead 89 00:02:58,020 --> 00:02:59,300 will take you straight to hell. 90 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:03,140 Four things that will almost get you to 91 00:03:03,140 --> 00:03:03,300 heaven. 92 00:03:03,380 --> 00:03:05,020 Number one, what Felix did was this. 93 00:03:05,020 --> 00:03:07,260 Number one, what will almost get you to 94 00:03:07,260 --> 00:03:10,480 heaven without really getting you there is doing 95 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:14,320 good for less fortunate people. 96 00:03:14,660 --> 00:03:15,940 Now, here's what Felix did. 97 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:17,500 Paul was a prisoner. 98 00:03:17,900 --> 00:03:18,740 Felix was the governor. 99 00:03:19,020 --> 00:03:20,060 And yet, you know what he did? 100 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:21,700 He was kind to Paul. 101 00:03:21,900 --> 00:03:24,340 He let his friends come in and minister 102 00:03:24,340 --> 00:03:25,280 the gospel to him. 103 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:26,440 They took care of him. 104 00:03:26,640 --> 00:03:27,340 They honored him. 105 00:03:27,500 --> 00:03:29,040 They treated him like an honored guest. 106 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:30,780 Here was a man in prison. 107 00:03:30,780 --> 00:03:33,380 And yet, Felix, he treated him with honor 108 00:03:33,380 --> 00:03:36,460 and respect and kindness and provided for his 109 00:03:36,460 --> 00:03:36,820 needs. 110 00:03:37,020 --> 00:03:38,300 I want to tell you, friends, there's a 111 00:03:38,300 --> 00:03:40,960 lot of people in Laurel, Mississippi that think 112 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:43,740 being good to less fortunate people is enough 113 00:03:43,740 --> 00:03:45,300 to get you through the gates of glory. 114 00:03:45,420 --> 00:03:46,740 We have a lot of folks that really 115 00:03:46,740 --> 00:03:48,980 believe if I'll go out there and I'll 116 00:03:48,980 --> 00:03:51,380 do enough, I'll go enough, I'll give enough, 117 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:53,720 I'll be kind enough that somehow God will 118 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:55,940 honor that and take me straight through the 119 00:03:55,940 --> 00:03:56,560 gates of glory. 120 00:03:56,660 --> 00:03:58,640 I had a man get furious with me 121 00:03:58,640 --> 00:03:59,340 one time. 122 00:03:59,340 --> 00:04:01,700 When I told him, I said, listen, if 123 00:04:01,700 --> 00:04:03,580 Mother Teresa was not born again by the 124 00:04:03,580 --> 00:04:05,340 Spirit of God, she went straight to hell. 125 00:04:05,420 --> 00:04:06,400 He couldn't believe it. 126 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:08,540 He said, she was better than you are. 127 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:10,020 I said, well, you're exactly right. 128 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:12,060 I mean, she did more things for people 129 00:04:12,060 --> 00:04:12,760 than I did. 130 00:04:12,980 --> 00:04:14,700 She probably was better than I am. 131 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:15,920 But that's not the point. 132 00:04:16,060 --> 00:04:18,519 The point is Jesus Christ said, your goodness 133 00:04:18,519 --> 00:04:20,240 is nothing but filthy rags. 134 00:04:20,380 --> 00:04:22,040 The Bible says it's not by works of 135 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:23,440 righteousness that get you to heaven. 136 00:04:23,580 --> 00:04:25,060 It's by Jesus Christ. 137 00:04:25,060 --> 00:04:26,980 The Bible says, for by grace are you 138 00:04:26,980 --> 00:04:29,760 saved through faith and that not of yourselves. 139 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:32,220 It is the gift of God, not of 140 00:04:32,220 --> 00:04:34,980 works, lest any man should boast. 141 00:04:35,060 --> 00:04:36,600 I want to tell you, friends, if Mother 142 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,160 Teresa, even though she spent her entire life 143 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:41,160 down there in India with those leper, the 144 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:43,460 leper colony, if she was not born again, 145 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:44,860 she went straight to hell. 146 00:04:45,100 --> 00:04:47,340 Her good works, her good life, and doing 147 00:04:47,340 --> 00:04:49,900 good for less fortunate people was not enough 148 00:04:49,900 --> 00:04:51,740 to get her through the gates of glory. 149 00:04:51,740 --> 00:04:53,040 And we have a lot of folks that 150 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:54,580 go out there, and I'm telling you, our 151 00:04:54,580 --> 00:04:57,320 society today has ruined the gospel of Jesus 152 00:04:57,320 --> 00:04:57,760 Christ. 153 00:04:57,960 --> 00:04:59,900 There was a great, there have been many 154 00:04:59,900 --> 00:05:01,620 organizations that started out right. 155 00:05:01,780 --> 00:05:03,800 I think of one right now, the Salvation 156 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:04,180 Army. 157 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:06,780 They started out with William Booth, winning men 158 00:05:06,780 --> 00:05:07,420 to Christ. 159 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,020 That was their number one goal, win men 160 00:05:10,020 --> 00:05:10,920 and women to Christ. 161 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:12,120 Tell them about Jesus. 162 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,340 And they use those soup kitchens and they 163 00:05:17,340 --> 00:05:20,220 use those things to through food and gifts 164 00:05:20,220 --> 00:05:22,040 to get folks to come in so that 165 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:22,960 they could hear the gospel. 166 00:05:23,100 --> 00:05:25,780 But now they've turned 180 degrees and their 167 00:05:25,780 --> 00:05:28,100 main thing is to provide food and shelter 168 00:05:28,100 --> 00:05:30,420 and not share the gospel of Jesus Christ. 169 00:05:30,580 --> 00:05:32,320 Friend, I want to tell you, being good 170 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:34,840 to less fortunate people, it's nice, but it's 171 00:05:34,840 --> 00:05:37,280 not enough to get you through the gates 172 00:05:37,280 --> 00:05:37,740 of glory. 173 00:05:37,860 --> 00:05:41,220 The Bible says you must be born again. 174 00:05:41,220 --> 00:05:43,620 You see, being good to less fortunate people, 175 00:05:43,780 --> 00:05:47,040 it'll almost get you to heaven, but it 176 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:48,860 won't get you through the gates of glory 177 00:05:48,860 --> 00:05:49,920 at all. 178 00:05:50,100 --> 00:05:51,400 The second thing that will almost get you 179 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:54,660 to heaven is this, showing an interest in 180 00:05:54,660 --> 00:05:56,780 things of the Lord. 181 00:05:56,840 --> 00:05:58,440 Now, here's what it says in verse 24. 182 00:05:58,620 --> 00:06:00,940 It says, and heard him concerning the faith 183 00:06:00,940 --> 00:06:01,920 in Christ. 184 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:03,200 Now friends, listen very carefully. 185 00:06:03,620 --> 00:06:05,480 There was not a greater preacher on planet 186 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:08,080 earth than, than the apostle Paul. 187 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:10,360 Other than Lord Jesus Christ himself, there was 188 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:12,360 no greater preacher of the gospel than the 189 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:13,140 apostle Paul. 190 00:06:13,460 --> 00:06:16,040 And Felix had the greatest evangelist the world 191 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:17,900 has ever known in his own house. 192 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:19,680 And he knew he was a preacher and 193 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:22,080 he invited Paul to come and talk to 194 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:23,300 him about Jesus. 195 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:24,380 He sat him down. 196 00:06:24,580 --> 00:06:26,700 He said, Paul, tell me about this man 197 00:06:26,700 --> 00:06:28,380 you call Jesus Christ. 198 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:30,740 He wanted to know what kind of faith 199 00:06:30,740 --> 00:06:32,900 it was that Paul had that would cause 200 00:06:32,900 --> 00:06:34,900 him to be willing to go to prison 201 00:06:34,900 --> 00:06:36,140 for his faith. 202 00:06:36,140 --> 00:06:38,520 I mean, he was interested in the things 203 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:39,120 of the Lord. 204 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:42,140 He even heard the gospel, sir. 205 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:44,760 Paul told him how to be saved. 206 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:47,460 Paul told him, listen, hey Felix, you're a 207 00:06:47,460 --> 00:06:47,740 sinner. 208 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:48,880 You're a rebel. 209 00:06:49,140 --> 00:06:50,300 You've broken God's law. 210 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:51,640 You've broken God's heart. 211 00:06:51,820 --> 00:06:53,720 And the Bible says the penalty for sin 212 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:54,860 is death and hell. 213 00:06:55,100 --> 00:06:56,760 But Jesus has come out of heaven. 214 00:06:56,980 --> 00:06:58,460 He's paid your sin debt. 215 00:06:58,660 --> 00:07:00,200 He's died so that you could live. 216 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:02,200 He was buried, raised from the dead. 217 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:04,300 Felix, he had an interest in things of 218 00:07:04,300 --> 00:07:04,800 the Lord. 219 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:05,980 He was convicted. 220 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,880 He, he heard the gospel and he almost 221 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:12,000 got saved. 222 00:07:12,780 --> 00:07:14,080 A friend, I will tell you, we have 223 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:15,140 a lot of you that are interested in 224 00:07:15,140 --> 00:07:16,420 things of the Lord that you're not saved. 225 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:18,900 Our churches on Sunday morning are filled up 226 00:07:18,900 --> 00:07:20,900 with people who have an interest in things 227 00:07:20,900 --> 00:07:23,220 of the Lord, but they're not born again 228 00:07:23,220 --> 00:07:24,200 by the spirit of God. 229 00:07:24,540 --> 00:07:26,980 I am convinced that on Sunday morning that 230 00:07:26,980 --> 00:07:28,960 the vast majority of people who sit in 231 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:31,280 our church on Sunday morning in all denominations 232 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:33,480 are lost just like Felix. 233 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:35,640 They will go straight to hell when they 234 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:35,940 die. 235 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:38,000 Friend, just because you come to church, just 236 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:39,860 because you carry a Bible, just because you 237 00:07:39,860 --> 00:07:41,600 teach a Sunday school class, just because you're 238 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:43,260 a deacon, just because you've walked an aisle 239 00:07:43,260 --> 00:07:45,060 and prayed a prayer, just because you have 240 00:07:45,060 --> 00:07:47,780 an interest in things of God does not 241 00:07:47,780 --> 00:07:49,000 mean you're born again. 242 00:07:49,180 --> 00:07:50,780 It does not mean you're going through the 243 00:07:50,780 --> 00:07:51,600 gates of glory. 244 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:52,960 Friend, I will tell you, I see it 245 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:53,640 all the time. 246 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:55,940 I see revival after revival. 247 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:57,420 I see folks come to church. 248 00:07:57,520 --> 00:07:59,420 They sit there and they, they hear the 249 00:07:59,420 --> 00:08:01,140 message and they'll nod with you. 250 00:08:01,180 --> 00:08:02,320 Yeah, I agree with you, preacher. 251 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:02,940 That's right. 252 00:08:03,100 --> 00:08:04,480 They know you're telling the truth. 253 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:06,220 They know in their heart, they've not been 254 00:08:06,220 --> 00:08:06,840 born again. 255 00:08:06,940 --> 00:08:08,280 They know they ought to make it right 256 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:08,840 with God. 257 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:10,500 They know they ought to get serious about 258 00:08:10,500 --> 00:08:10,920 God. 259 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:13,140 But when you give that invitation, they grab 260 00:08:13,140 --> 00:08:15,040 hold of that pew and they will not 261 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:15,660 give up. 262 00:08:15,780 --> 00:08:17,320 They will not surrender their will. 263 00:08:17,540 --> 00:08:19,260 They will not come down and humble themselves 264 00:08:19,260 --> 00:08:19,960 before God. 265 00:08:20,140 --> 00:08:21,720 They will not get saved. 266 00:08:21,940 --> 00:08:23,380 They will not go to heaven. 267 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:26,940 They refuse, even though they have an interest 268 00:08:26,940 --> 00:08:30,540 in things of the Lord. 269 00:08:31,159 --> 00:08:33,220 I'm telling you what, friends, it's amazing how 270 00:08:33,220 --> 00:08:35,440 many folks out there are studying their Bible 271 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:38,140 and these Bible fellowships and, and Bible study 272 00:08:38,140 --> 00:08:38,559 groups. 273 00:08:39,020 --> 00:08:39,840 I want to tell you, I've got, I 274 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:41,919 know folks that know the Bible better than 275 00:08:41,919 --> 00:08:43,500 I know the Bible that are lost on 276 00:08:43,500 --> 00:08:44,120 their way to hell. 277 00:08:44,420 --> 00:08:45,980 I want to tell you, you can memorize 278 00:08:45,980 --> 00:08:48,140 this Bible from cover to cover and go 279 00:08:48,140 --> 00:08:48,880 straight to hell. 280 00:08:49,100 --> 00:08:52,100 Don't you understand, sir, that the Pharisees were 281 00:08:52,100 --> 00:08:54,260 the most religious men of their day? 282 00:08:54,620 --> 00:08:56,600 To be a Pharisee, you had to memorize 283 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:57,500 the Bible. 284 00:08:57,500 --> 00:08:59,520 The first five books of the Bible, you 285 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:01,720 had to memorize word for word. 286 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:03,720 These men, they loved the Bible. 287 00:09:03,860 --> 00:09:05,200 They loved the church. 288 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:06,740 They loved the ceremony. 289 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:08,680 They loved all the things that went around 290 00:09:08,680 --> 00:09:09,240 the church house. 291 00:09:09,500 --> 00:09:11,900 They had an interest in things of God. 292 00:09:12,140 --> 00:09:14,360 Hey, but buddy, when Jesus came, they didn't 293 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:15,660 even recognize God. 294 00:09:16,300 --> 00:09:17,700 Just because you have an interest in things 295 00:09:17,700 --> 00:09:19,980 of the Lord, hey, it'll almost get you 296 00:09:19,980 --> 00:09:20,300 to heaven. 297 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:24,000 But instead, it'll take you straight to hell. 298 00:09:24,620 --> 00:09:26,620 Old Felix was good to less fortunate people. 299 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:28,440 He had an interest in things of the 300 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:32,240 Lord, but it was not enough to save 301 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:32,400 him. 302 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,780 You know, attending church is better than not 303 00:09:35,780 --> 00:09:36,500 attending church. 304 00:09:37,420 --> 00:09:39,120 Reading your Bible is better than not reading 305 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:39,600 your Bible. 306 00:09:41,020 --> 00:09:42,660 Being good to your parents is better than 307 00:09:42,660 --> 00:09:43,380 being mean to them. 308 00:09:44,580 --> 00:09:46,320 Being nice to little children is better than 309 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:47,120 kicking them around. 310 00:09:48,140 --> 00:09:49,900 But none of that stuff gets you to 311 00:09:49,900 --> 00:09:50,100 heaven. 312 00:09:50,780 --> 00:09:52,220 Hey, Zacchaeus was a man who had an 313 00:09:52,220 --> 00:09:53,260 interest in things of the Lord. 314 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:54,540 Hey, remember Zacchaeus? 315 00:09:54,540 --> 00:09:57,080 He heard Jesus was coming to town, so 316 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:59,280 old Zacchaeus, he climbed up in a sycamore 317 00:09:59,280 --> 00:09:59,600 tree. 318 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:02,240 And Jesus Christ came by, and old Zacchaeus 319 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:05,260 said, Hey, Jesus, Jesus, hey, I'll sell everything 320 00:10:05,260 --> 00:10:07,040 I own and give my money to the 321 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:07,380 poor. 322 00:10:08,460 --> 00:10:09,340 That's pretty good. 323 00:10:10,100 --> 00:10:12,200 He said, Lord, if I've done anybody wrong, 324 00:10:12,380 --> 00:10:15,020 I'll return four times the amount I've wronged 325 00:10:15,020 --> 00:10:15,120 them. 326 00:10:15,220 --> 00:10:16,200 That was pretty good too. 327 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:18,800 But it was not enough to get Zacchaeus 328 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:19,440 into heaven. 329 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:20,020 You know why? 330 00:10:20,020 --> 00:10:22,460 Because Jesus Christ had made it very clear 331 00:10:22,460 --> 00:10:24,740 in Luke 19, verse 10. 332 00:10:24,900 --> 00:10:27,440 He said, the Son of Man is come 333 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:31,560 to seek and to save that which was 334 00:10:31,560 --> 00:10:32,300 lost. 335 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:33,660 You know what Jesus was saying? 336 00:10:34,140 --> 00:10:37,380 He was saying, Zacchaeus, hey, you sell everything 337 00:10:37,380 --> 00:10:38,480 and give your money to the poor. 338 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:41,280 Hey, you return four times the amount of 339 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:42,520 how you've wronged people. 340 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:44,740 Hey, Zacchaeus, you even climb up a tree 341 00:10:44,740 --> 00:10:45,720 if that's what you want to do. 342 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:47,820 But when it's all said and done, you 343 00:10:47,820 --> 00:10:50,300 are either saved or you're lost, and I 344 00:10:50,300 --> 00:10:51,840 have come to save you. 345 00:10:51,860 --> 00:10:53,620 Friend, it is the same way today. 346 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:55,980 I care not how good you are or 347 00:10:55,980 --> 00:10:58,360 how moral you are or how religious you 348 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:00,600 are, what you've done, what you've given. 349 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:02,460 If you want to go to heaven, you 350 00:11:02,460 --> 00:11:04,580 must be born again. 351 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:06,520 There must be a day in your life 352 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:07,980 when you do what the Bible says to 353 00:11:07,980 --> 00:11:09,360 do, and that is to repent of your 354 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:11,460 sin, surrender your will to the will of 355 00:11:11,460 --> 00:11:13,680 God, and are changed by the Holy Spirit, 356 00:11:13,860 --> 00:11:16,700 because being good to less fortunate people, it's 357 00:11:16,700 --> 00:11:17,140 good. 358 00:11:17,460 --> 00:11:18,760 I mean, having an interest in things of 359 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:19,620 the Lord, that's good. 360 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:23,280 They'll almost get you to heaven, but they 361 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:24,940 won't get you through the gates of glory 362 00:11:24,940 --> 00:11:26,420 at all. 363 00:11:27,140 --> 00:11:29,460 Being convicted of his sin, that's what Felix 364 00:11:29,460 --> 00:11:31,860 did next that almost got him to heaven. 365 00:11:32,140 --> 00:11:33,740 I find this very amazing. 366 00:11:33,740 --> 00:11:38,260 In the 25th verse it says, And as 367 00:11:38,260 --> 00:11:41,320 he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to 368 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:44,860 come, Felix trembled. 369 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:46,680 Now think about that, fellas. 370 00:11:47,680 --> 00:11:49,200 Felix heard the Word of God. 371 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:51,680 He heard how he was a sinner against 372 00:11:51,680 --> 00:11:52,640 the Most High God. 373 00:11:52,940 --> 00:11:55,260 He heard how he was doomed and down 374 00:11:55,260 --> 00:11:55,900 to hell. 375 00:11:56,340 --> 00:11:58,980 He heard how Jesus was the only way 376 00:11:58,980 --> 00:11:59,860 to be saved. 377 00:11:59,940 --> 00:12:00,960 And you know what happened, young friend? 378 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:02,680 The Bible says he trembled. 379 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:04,800 He trembled. 380 00:12:05,300 --> 00:12:06,620 He was under conviction. 381 00:12:06,740 --> 00:12:07,820 He knew he was lost. 382 00:12:07,980 --> 00:12:09,480 He knew he wasn't saved. 383 00:12:09,680 --> 00:12:11,240 He knew he wasn't right with God. 384 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:12,140 But what did he do? 385 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:15,080 He put it off to a more convenient 386 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:16,460 time. 387 00:12:16,620 --> 00:12:17,560 I see it all the time. 388 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:19,680 I see men come down there. 389 00:12:19,860 --> 00:12:21,440 They'll sit back there and tears will be 390 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:22,100 in their eyes. 391 00:12:22,300 --> 00:12:23,840 They'll be squeezing that pew so hard their 392 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:24,880 knuckles turn white. 393 00:12:25,140 --> 00:12:26,840 People will be praying for them, begging them 394 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:27,380 to come down. 395 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:28,500 They're under conviction. 396 00:12:28,500 --> 00:12:29,940 They know they ought to get saved. 397 00:12:30,020 --> 00:12:31,840 But they say, no God, no God, no 398 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:32,840 God, no God, no God. 399 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:34,540 And I'll tell you, sir, one time you're 400 00:12:34,540 --> 00:12:35,980 going to say no to God one time 401 00:12:35,980 --> 00:12:36,420 too many. 402 00:12:36,660 --> 00:12:37,440 And He's going to leave you. 403 00:12:37,500 --> 00:12:38,480 You're never going to be saved. 404 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:40,340 You see, you can have conviction. 405 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:42,480 You can come here and if you're under 406 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:44,880 conviction for your sin, that's a good sign. 407 00:12:45,060 --> 00:12:47,640 Because you cannot get saved until first you 408 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:48,900 are convicted of your sin. 409 00:12:49,100 --> 00:12:50,440 Now you know what conviction is? 410 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:53,120 Conviction is when the Holy Spirit shows you 411 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:53,740 you're a sinner. 412 00:12:53,940 --> 00:12:56,100 The Holy Spirit shows you you're lost. 413 00:12:56,220 --> 00:12:58,300 The Holy Spirit points you to Jesus. 414 00:12:58,300 --> 00:13:01,460 You must be convicted of your sin before 415 00:13:01,460 --> 00:13:02,620 you can get saved. 416 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:05,020 But conviction is not salvation. 417 00:13:05,680 --> 00:13:07,500 You can be convicted of your sin and 418 00:13:07,500 --> 00:13:08,840 still die and go to hell. 419 00:13:09,140 --> 00:13:10,700 You can come to church and hear the 420 00:13:10,700 --> 00:13:11,020 message. 421 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:12,960 The Holy Spirit can speak to your heart. 422 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:14,440 You can know that you're a sinner. 423 00:13:14,680 --> 00:13:15,880 You can know you're lost. 424 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:17,380 You can know that Jesus is the only 425 00:13:17,380 --> 00:13:17,900 way to be saved. 426 00:13:18,100 --> 00:13:19,460 Your heart can be beaten fast. 427 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:20,980 The palms of your hands can be sweated. 428 00:13:21,220 --> 00:13:22,860 You can know that you need to give 429 00:13:22,860 --> 00:13:23,680 your heart to Christ. 430 00:13:23,680 --> 00:13:25,940 But if you don't do the right thing, 431 00:13:25,940 --> 00:13:29,980 it means absolutely nothing to you. 432 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:32,920 You see conviction is not salvation. 433 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:36,040 Conviction is God trying to save you. 434 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:38,420 But you must be willing to do the 435 00:13:38,420 --> 00:13:39,220 right thing. 436 00:13:39,660 --> 00:13:41,620 You must be willing to come to Christ 437 00:13:41,620 --> 00:13:45,100 and be born again by the Spirit of 438 00:13:45,100 --> 00:13:45,560 God. 439 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:47,980 And the final thing Felix did was this. 440 00:13:48,140 --> 00:13:51,620 Number one, he helped folks who were less 441 00:13:51,620 --> 00:13:52,400 fortunate than him. 442 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:54,380 Number two, he had an interest in things 443 00:13:54,380 --> 00:13:54,780 of the Lord. 444 00:13:54,940 --> 00:13:56,980 Number three, he was convicted of his sin. 445 00:13:57,060 --> 00:14:00,860 But number four, he made an excuse to 446 00:14:00,860 --> 00:14:04,840 say no to Jesus Christ. 447 00:14:05,700 --> 00:14:07,120 I tell you what, I wish I could 448 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:09,820 take you with me sometime and hear the 449 00:14:09,820 --> 00:14:13,180 excuses that men make not to be saved. 450 00:14:13,660 --> 00:14:14,940 I know all the excuses. 451 00:14:15,100 --> 00:14:15,800 You know why, men? 452 00:14:16,060 --> 00:14:17,840 Because I made every one of them. 453 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:19,540 I didn't get saved until I was 36 454 00:14:19,540 --> 00:14:20,320 years old. 455 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:22,100 Oh, I walked an aisle when I was 456 00:14:22,100 --> 00:14:24,460 12, got baptized, joined the church, but I 457 00:14:24,460 --> 00:14:25,260 wasn't saved. 458 00:14:25,460 --> 00:14:26,400 You know how I could tell I wasn't 459 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:26,720 saved? 460 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:28,900 I didn't have the righteousness of Christ. 461 00:14:29,060 --> 00:14:30,560 I didn't have a hunger for God. 462 00:14:30,700 --> 00:14:32,240 I didn't have a passion for the things 463 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:32,560 of God. 464 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:34,520 I walked that aisle, joined that church, got 465 00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:36,320 wet, but I was not born again by 466 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:37,640 the Spirit of the living God. 467 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:39,520 But I'm here to tell you, friends, that 468 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:40,940 they used to send people over to visit 469 00:14:40,940 --> 00:14:43,280 me and I'd hide and I'd run and 470 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:45,340 I'd talk about the hypocrites and I'd talk 471 00:14:45,340 --> 00:14:46,100 about the phoniest. 472 00:14:46,100 --> 00:14:48,640 I made all kind of excuses, but there 473 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:50,940 came a day when God, He took away 474 00:14:50,940 --> 00:14:51,520 the excuses. 475 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:53,660 He said, I was lost and doomed and 476 00:14:53,660 --> 00:14:53,960 damned. 477 00:14:54,180 --> 00:14:55,560 And I will tell you, you can run 478 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:57,540 from a preacher, sir, but you cannot run 479 00:14:57,540 --> 00:14:58,260 from God. 480 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:01,800 And all the excuses in the world are 481 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:04,620 not worth going to hell. 482 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:06,260 You know what Felix said? 483 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:11,640 Felix said, listen, I'm interested, but I'm under 484 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:14,920 conviction, but why don't you go and come 485 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:17,700 back at a more convenient time? 486 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:19,580 He said, let me think about it for 487 00:15:19,580 --> 00:15:19,980 a while. 488 00:15:20,380 --> 00:15:22,160 I mean, that's pretty interesting, Paul, but let 489 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:22,840 me think about it. 490 00:15:22,980 --> 00:15:24,420 I mean, come back later and we'll talk 491 00:15:24,420 --> 00:15:25,040 about it later. 492 00:15:25,100 --> 00:15:28,000 And he put off the most important decision 493 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:28,700 in the world. 494 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:30,400 I want to tell you, friends, I've heard 495 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:33,180 men make excuses like this, too many hypocrites 496 00:15:33,180 --> 00:15:33,820 in the church. 497 00:15:33,820 --> 00:15:35,640 Well, sir, would you rather come to church 498 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:36,980 and be with a few hypocrites or go 499 00:15:36,980 --> 00:15:38,380 to hell and be with all the hypocrites? 500 00:15:38,580 --> 00:15:40,160 I'm telling you that the fact that there 501 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:42,060 are hypocrites in the church is not a 502 00:15:42,060 --> 00:15:44,040 good reason not to be saved. 503 00:15:44,180 --> 00:15:45,280 You say, well, you know, when I was 504 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:47,200 a little boy, my mother, she just made 505 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:48,040 me go to church. 506 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:49,160 And that's why I don't want to be 507 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:49,760 saved. 508 00:15:49,860 --> 00:15:51,720 I say, fellas, Hey, did mama make you 509 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:52,700 take a bath when you were a little 510 00:15:52,700 --> 00:15:53,040 boy? 511 00:15:53,340 --> 00:15:54,580 Are you still taking baths? 512 00:15:54,620 --> 00:15:56,220 See, it doesn't make sense to say, I 513 00:15:56,220 --> 00:15:57,740 don't want to be a Christian because my 514 00:15:57,740 --> 00:15:59,380 mama made me go to church when I 515 00:15:59,380 --> 00:16:00,160 was a little boy. 516 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:01,960 I had no boy said, well, you know, 517 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:03,360 I just think there's too much to give 518 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:03,760 up. 519 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:05,520 That's why I don't want to be saved. 520 00:16:05,940 --> 00:16:07,280 And I said, buddy, that's kind of like 521 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:09,420 a guy in the hospital dying of cancer. 522 00:16:09,580 --> 00:16:10,640 And he said, you know, I'd like to 523 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:11,760 get well, but I don't really want to 524 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:12,780 give this cancer up. 525 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:14,520 You see that stuff you don't want to 526 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:16,220 give up, sir, that sin in your life. 527 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:18,540 It's like a cancer eating you up. 528 00:16:18,660 --> 00:16:20,920 It's going to destroy your life, destroy your 529 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:23,700 home, destroy your family and drag your soul 530 00:16:23,700 --> 00:16:24,520 straight to hell. 531 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:26,680 It doesn't make sense to say, I don't 532 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:28,220 want to go and live in heaven and 533 00:16:28,220 --> 00:16:30,240 be with God because I've got all these 534 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:32,500 dirty, rotten sins that I don't want to 535 00:16:32,500 --> 00:16:33,000 give up. 536 00:16:33,300 --> 00:16:35,180 I won't tell you friends what the devil 537 00:16:35,180 --> 00:16:36,080 will do right now. 538 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:36,440 Tonight. 539 00:16:36,660 --> 00:16:37,820 There are many of you that need to 540 00:16:37,820 --> 00:16:38,440 be saved. 541 00:16:38,700 --> 00:16:40,100 God, you know it in your heart. 542 00:16:40,180 --> 00:16:41,260 You've not been born again. 543 00:16:41,340 --> 00:16:42,700 The Holy Spirit is going to draw you 544 00:16:42,700 --> 00:16:44,220 to salvation and you're going to make up 545 00:16:44,220 --> 00:16:46,600 some crazy excuse not to get saved. 546 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:48,980 And the devil would love to drag you 547 00:16:48,980 --> 00:16:52,060 into hell with some kind of silly excuse 548 00:16:52,060 --> 00:16:54,800 of putting off God. 549 00:16:55,180 --> 00:16:57,300 Do you know what the main excuse is? 550 00:16:58,980 --> 00:16:59,660 Procrastination. 551 00:17:01,220 --> 00:17:01,900 Procrastination. 552 00:17:01,980 --> 00:17:02,960 That's what Felix did. 553 00:17:03,319 --> 00:17:07,680 He procrastinated and he missed God. 554 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:11,359 And if tonight somehow we could bring old 555 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:12,680 Felix back from hell. 556 00:17:13,180 --> 00:17:14,560 And if we could bring him to this 557 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:17,220 platform tonight and let him speak to you, 558 00:17:17,300 --> 00:17:19,579 I promise you, he would say, I wish 559 00:17:19,579 --> 00:17:22,480 I hadn't put it off that day. 560 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:24,119 He would have said, I wish I had 561 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:26,140 done more than just be good to people. 562 00:17:26,540 --> 00:17:28,000 I wish I'd done more than just have 563 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:29,360 an interest in things of the Lord. 564 00:17:29,660 --> 00:17:31,220 I wish I'd done more than just be 565 00:17:31,220 --> 00:17:31,720 convicted. 566 00:17:31,820 --> 00:17:33,160 He said, I wish I'd have come and 567 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:35,060 made it real when I had the chance. 568 00:17:35,780 --> 00:17:37,520 And some of you are going to procrastinate 569 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:39,240 yourself right into hell. 570 00:17:39,860 --> 00:17:41,880 There are many of you men here tonight. 571 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:43,660 You're just like I was. 572 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:45,200 You walked an aisle when you were 10 573 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:47,680 or 12, but you've not been born again. 574 00:17:48,120 --> 00:17:49,340 You know how you can tell, men? 575 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:52,020 You were never changed by the Holy Spirit. 576 00:17:52,460 --> 00:17:53,300 You walked an aisle. 577 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:54,160 You prayed a prayer. 578 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:56,340 You come to church on Sunday, but Monday 579 00:17:56,340 --> 00:17:58,440 through Friday, you're out there living like all 580 00:17:58,440 --> 00:17:59,080 the other men. 581 00:17:59,180 --> 00:18:00,760 Men, that means you're lost. 582 00:18:01,420 --> 00:18:03,000 Teenager, you come to church on Sunday, but 583 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:04,380 on Friday and Saturday night, you're out there 584 00:18:04,380 --> 00:18:05,840 living in sin like all the other teenagers. 585 00:18:05,980 --> 00:18:07,180 That means you're lost. 586 00:18:07,180 --> 00:18:08,720 You see, my friends, the Bible teaches this. 587 00:18:08,980 --> 00:18:11,420 When a man is really born again, he 588 00:18:11,420 --> 00:18:13,480 gets the Spirit of God in his heart. 589 00:18:13,700 --> 00:18:15,320 It produces a change. 590 00:18:15,460 --> 00:18:16,480 Now, men, look at me. 591 00:18:16,660 --> 00:18:18,380 Are you trying to tell me that the 592 00:18:18,380 --> 00:18:22,280 God who created the universe can come into 593 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:23,900 your life and it not change you? 594 00:18:25,060 --> 00:18:26,480 Are you trying to tell me the God 595 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:28,860 that just by speaking put the stars and 596 00:18:28,860 --> 00:18:31,320 the planets in the orbit can come into 597 00:18:31,320 --> 00:18:32,900 your life and it can't cause you to 598 00:18:32,900 --> 00:18:34,400 put that alcohol and cigarettes down? 599 00:18:35,300 --> 00:18:36,800 Are you trying to tell me the God 600 00:18:36,800 --> 00:18:38,240 that reached down and picked up a handful 601 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:39,740 of dirt and breathed on it and made 602 00:18:39,740 --> 00:18:40,320 a man? 603 00:18:41,220 --> 00:18:42,820 Are you trying to tell me the God 604 00:18:42,820 --> 00:18:45,240 that did that can come into your heart 605 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:47,440 and it not change the way you live? 606 00:18:48,380 --> 00:18:51,260 On the authority of God's Word, men, if 607 00:18:51,260 --> 00:18:54,320 you were never changed, you were never saved. 608 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:56,480 I'm telling you, when a man gets the 609 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:58,400 real thing, you don't have to send a 610 00:18:58,400 --> 00:18:59,440 committee to find him. 611 00:18:59,620 --> 00:19:01,480 When a man gets the real thing, what 612 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:03,620 he has is a passion for God. 613 00:19:03,620 --> 00:19:05,660 If you're a preacher, he'll be beating on 614 00:19:05,660 --> 00:19:07,580 your door 24 hours a day wanting to 615 00:19:07,580 --> 00:19:08,640 talk to you about Jesus. 616 00:19:08,900 --> 00:19:10,260 He'll worry you to death wanting to know 617 00:19:10,260 --> 00:19:11,180 more about Christ. 618 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:12,880 He'll be telling his friends how to be 619 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:13,160 saved. 620 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:15,160 He'll be reading his Bible day and night. 621 00:19:15,380 --> 00:19:17,780 When a man really gets saved, it produces 622 00:19:17,780 --> 00:19:20,200 a hunger for the things of God. 623 00:19:20,380 --> 00:19:21,740 Men, do you have that hunger? 624 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:24,180 Do you have a hunger for the things 625 00:19:24,180 --> 00:19:24,780 of God? 626 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:27,260 Do you have righteousness in your life? 627 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:29,340 If I were to get your wife to 628 00:19:29,340 --> 00:19:31,080 stand up because you say that you're a 629 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:33,840 real born-again Christian, would your wife stand 630 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:35,380 up and tell this crowd that you have 631 00:19:35,380 --> 00:19:36,840 a passion for God? 632 00:19:38,460 --> 00:19:39,840 I'm just saying, friend, you need to check 633 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:40,220 it out. 634 00:19:41,220 --> 00:19:42,820 Because having an interest in things of the 635 00:19:42,820 --> 00:19:44,900 Lord, being good to less fortunate people, even 636 00:19:44,900 --> 00:19:48,200 being under conviction, but if you make excuses 637 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:50,320 for yourself, you'll die and go to hell. 638 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:52,020 My friend, I want to ask you, if 639 00:19:52,020 --> 00:19:54,400 you were to die tonight, what would happen 640 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:54,760 to you? 641 00:19:55,300 --> 00:19:57,140 If on your way home tonight, you get 642 00:19:57,140 --> 00:19:59,020 in your automobile and suppose death gets in 643 00:19:59,020 --> 00:20:01,720 that automobile with you, and suppose tonight you 644 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:04,080 have an automobile accident, or suppose you go 645 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:05,820 home tonight and you lay down and death 646 00:20:05,820 --> 00:20:07,000 puts his hand on your heart and you 647 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:07,400 die. 648 00:20:07,900 --> 00:20:10,100 Just suppose for a moment that tonight you 649 00:20:10,100 --> 00:20:10,580 die. 650 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:12,720 What would happen then? 651 00:20:13,260 --> 00:20:15,060 You say, William, I believe I'd go to 652 00:20:15,060 --> 00:20:15,280 heaven. 653 00:20:15,980 --> 00:20:17,560 Well, let me ask you, why do you 654 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:18,200 believe that, sir? 655 00:20:18,820 --> 00:20:20,260 What makes you think you're going to heaven? 656 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:22,200 What makes you think that you're going to 657 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:22,880 heaven when you die? 658 00:20:22,940 --> 00:20:24,480 How can you be so sure about that? 659 00:20:24,900 --> 00:20:26,540 You say, well, when I was 10 years 660 00:20:26,540 --> 00:20:27,960 old, I walked an aisle and made that 661 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:29,640 profession of faith in Jesus Christ. 662 00:20:29,780 --> 00:20:31,900 That's the biggest lie the devil's ever told. 663 00:20:32,580 --> 00:20:34,620 The Bible never says make a profession of 664 00:20:34,620 --> 00:20:34,900 faith. 665 00:20:35,900 --> 00:20:38,040 You know what Jesus said about a profession 666 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:38,440 of faith, men? 667 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:41,440 Jesus said there are many men in Mississippi 668 00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:43,780 who've made a profession with their mouth, but 669 00:20:43,780 --> 00:20:46,320 with their heart and their life, they're a 670 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:47,340 long way from me. 671 00:20:47,500 --> 00:20:51,360 See, a profession of faith means absolutely nothing 672 00:20:52,220 --> 00:20:54,780 unless your heart has let go of sin 673 00:20:54,780 --> 00:20:57,780 and it has been converted by the Holy 674 00:20:57,780 --> 00:20:58,280 Spirit. 675 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:01,500 You say, well, I believe in Jesus. 676 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:03,680 That's another trick of the devil, man. 677 00:21:03,980 --> 00:21:05,720 You can believe in Jesus and go straight 678 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:06,360 to hell. 679 00:21:06,660 --> 00:21:09,060 Don't you understand the devil believes in Jesus 680 00:21:09,060 --> 00:21:10,920 while the devil has talked to Jesus. 681 00:21:11,180 --> 00:21:14,420 The Bible says repent and be converted by 682 00:21:14,420 --> 00:21:15,280 the Holy Spirit. 683 00:21:15,500 --> 00:21:17,320 To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ does 684 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:18,980 not mean to have a head knowledge. 685 00:21:18,980 --> 00:21:20,940 It means to commit your heart and your 686 00:21:20,940 --> 00:21:22,260 life to the Lord Jesus. 687 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:24,940 Man, it means to turn from sin, repent. 688 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:27,160 If you have not turned from sin, you 689 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:28,300 have not been saved. 690 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:30,300 If you have not repented, you have not 691 00:21:30,300 --> 00:21:30,920 been saved. 692 00:21:31,020 --> 00:21:32,960 If you have not surrendered your life and 693 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:34,720 your will to God, if you have not 694 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:37,920 made Jesus the boss, the God, the owner, 695 00:21:38,180 --> 00:21:39,980 the Lord of your life, you are not 696 00:21:39,980 --> 00:21:40,580 saved. 697 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:43,720 And you'll almost make it to heaven one 698 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:44,040 day. 699 00:21:45,140 --> 00:21:48,340 But you're not going to make it all 700 00:21:48,340 --> 00:21:48,720 the way. 701 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:52,880 When I was 36 years old, I came 702 00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:55,640 to a point where I was just empty 703 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:56,920 on the inside. 704 00:21:58,080 --> 00:21:59,840 And I tried it all and I'd done 705 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:00,240 it all. 706 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:02,720 I'd even tried to turn over a new 707 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:03,460 leaf, man. 708 00:22:04,060 --> 00:22:05,480 Tried to reform my life. 709 00:22:05,580 --> 00:22:07,480 I'd gotten back in church with my wife 710 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:07,960 and daughter. 711 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:10,180 I was teaching Sunday school. 712 00:22:11,060 --> 00:22:12,140 I was singing in the choir. 713 00:22:12,900 --> 00:22:14,740 Now, Brother Phil, if you'd have liked that, 714 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:14,960 brother. 715 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:18,960 I was singing in the choir, teaching Sunday 716 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:25,540 school, teaching church training, going on visitation, tithing, 717 00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:30,260 had a new Bible, trying to clean up 718 00:22:30,260 --> 00:22:32,540 my act and live for God. 719 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:36,000 But on a Thursday night at a CWT 720 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:37,140 meeting, I sat there. 721 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:40,120 And I was sitting there and reading that 722 00:22:40,120 --> 00:22:41,980 presentation and God spoke to my heart. 723 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:42,480 And here's what he said. 724 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:47,280 He said, William, you've received me, but I've 725 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:48,140 not received you. 726 00:22:49,360 --> 00:22:51,320 You've called upon my name, but I have 727 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:52,220 not done my part. 728 00:22:52,300 --> 00:22:54,300 I've not come in and created a new 729 00:22:54,300 --> 00:22:54,680 heart. 730 00:22:55,420 --> 00:22:56,880 You see, friends, the question is not what 731 00:22:56,880 --> 00:22:57,640 have you done. 732 00:22:57,940 --> 00:22:59,660 The question is what has God done. 733 00:22:59,940 --> 00:23:01,680 You may have walked an aisle, prayed a 734 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:02,840 prayer, been dunked in some water. 735 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:05,140 But if God has not come into your 736 00:23:05,140 --> 00:23:07,840 heart and changed your life, you are not 737 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:08,140 saved. 738 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:10,000 See, it's not what you do that saves 739 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:10,100 you. 740 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:12,720 It's what God does that saves you. 741 00:23:12,860 --> 00:23:14,260 And I got on my knees, and with 742 00:23:14,260 --> 00:23:16,640 a broken heart, I said, God, be merciful 743 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:17,300 to me, a sinner. 744 00:23:17,540 --> 00:23:20,020 I said, God, I've lived my own life. 745 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:21,160 I've rebelled against you. 746 00:23:21,360 --> 00:23:22,500 I've tried to clean up a God in 747 00:23:22,500 --> 00:23:22,860 my heart. 748 00:23:22,900 --> 00:23:24,280 I know I'm a rebel, but I believe 749 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:25,100 you died for me. 750 00:23:25,180 --> 00:23:26,700 And I said, God, the best I know 751 00:23:26,700 --> 00:23:29,180 how, I turn away from sin, and I 752 00:23:29,180 --> 00:23:32,540 surrender my life, my heart, my will, everything 753 00:23:32,540 --> 00:23:34,960 I have, I lay it at your feet, 754 00:23:35,100 --> 00:23:35,300 God. 755 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:37,660 You come in and be the boss, the 756 00:23:37,660 --> 00:23:39,460 master, the God of my life. 757 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:41,460 What happened? 758 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:45,220 I stood up after praying that little prayer, 759 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:48,480 and I'm telling you something supernatural had happened 760 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:48,840 to me. 761 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:50,420 I got up the next morning. 762 00:23:50,500 --> 00:23:52,440 I'm telling you, friends, don't tell me about 763 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:53,100 being saved. 764 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:55,060 I woke up that next morning, and I'm 765 00:23:55,060 --> 00:23:56,540 telling you, I just looked out into the 766 00:23:56,540 --> 00:23:58,280 world, and I saw things differently. 767 00:23:58,280 --> 00:23:59,560 I was a different man. 768 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:01,340 The way I saw things, I mean, the 769 00:24:01,340 --> 00:24:02,120 world was different. 770 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:02,960 The sky was bluer. 771 00:24:03,020 --> 00:24:03,960 The grass was greener. 772 00:24:04,180 --> 00:24:05,700 My heart had been changed. 773 00:24:05,940 --> 00:24:07,800 Nobody had to tell me to stop drinking. 774 00:24:08,120 --> 00:24:10,220 I ran in the kitchen. 775 00:24:10,500 --> 00:24:11,220 I took all the beer. 776 00:24:11,380 --> 00:24:12,160 I poured it down the sink. 777 00:24:12,220 --> 00:24:13,640 Nobody preached to me about drinking. 778 00:24:14,020 --> 00:24:15,520 Nobody had to preach to me about abortion. 779 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:17,200 Immediately, I knew it was wrong. 780 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:19,100 Nobody had to preach about homosexuality. 781 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:20,640 Immediately, I knew it was wrong. 782 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:22,200 Nobody had to beat me over the head 783 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:23,360 and say the Bible's the word of God. 784 00:24:23,540 --> 00:24:25,720 I knew immediately it was the word of 785 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:25,960 God. 786 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:28,080 I'm telling you, I went out, bought me 787 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:28,980 a brand-new Bible. 788 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:29,940 Here it is right here. 789 00:24:30,140 --> 00:24:31,720 I bought it when I got saved. 790 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:32,900 I wrote my name in it. 791 00:24:33,020 --> 00:24:34,340 The only guy I've ever had sign my 792 00:24:34,340 --> 00:24:34,960 Bible was J. 793 00:24:35,060 --> 00:24:35,520 Harold Smith. 794 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:38,180 He was the man who was the pastor 795 00:24:38,180 --> 00:24:39,580 of my pastor who led me to the 796 00:24:39,580 --> 00:24:39,800 Lord. 797 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:41,100 I bought me a Bible, man. 798 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:42,300 I burned this thing up. 799 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:43,840 I began reading it every day. 800 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:45,680 I couldn't read enough of the Bible, man. 801 00:24:45,780 --> 00:24:47,080 I began to memorize Scripture. 802 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:49,300 I just loved God, and I told you 803 00:24:49,300 --> 00:24:51,240 several nights, I used to come in the 804 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:53,560 church house during my lunch break and just 805 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:54,940 sit out there in the middle and just 806 00:24:54,940 --> 00:24:55,880 sing by myself. 807 00:24:56,100 --> 00:24:58,200 Hallelujah to the Lamb of God, I'm telling 808 00:24:58,200 --> 00:24:58,400 you. 809 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:01,160 God became the number one thing in my 810 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:02,980 life, and I began to tell folks about 811 00:25:02,980 --> 00:25:05,680 Christ, and I began to seek for God's 812 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:08,840 will in my life, and everything in my 813 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:10,200 life took a second place. 814 00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:13,520 My job was boring and dull from that 815 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:14,220 moment on. 816 00:25:15,180 --> 00:25:17,080 All I wanted to do was be around 817 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:20,020 God's people and talk about Jesus. 818 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:25,100 All the guys I knew in town quit 819 00:25:25,100 --> 00:25:25,960 talking to me. 820 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:28,300 I didn't want to talk about bass fishing 821 00:25:28,300 --> 00:25:28,760 anymore. 822 00:25:29,620 --> 00:25:31,340 Didn't want to talk about deer hunting anymore. 823 00:25:32,020 --> 00:25:33,460 When you talk to me, I want to 824 00:25:33,460 --> 00:25:34,360 talk about Jesus. 825 00:25:34,380 --> 00:25:36,500 That's all I want to talk about, and 826 00:25:36,500 --> 00:25:37,380 they didn't want to hang around. 827 00:25:37,500 --> 00:25:38,480 They had a little boy in our church 828 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:38,960 one time. 829 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:40,880 He was one of those guys always joking 830 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:42,320 and carrying on silliness. 831 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:44,820 He was supposed to be a friend of 832 00:25:44,820 --> 00:25:46,280 mine, but one day I just took him 833 00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:48,340 off to the Burger King and set him 834 00:25:48,340 --> 00:25:48,580 down. 835 00:25:48,580 --> 00:25:50,220 I said, son, I'm a different man. 836 00:25:50,540 --> 00:25:52,560 I don't want that joking around me anymore. 837 00:25:52,820 --> 00:25:54,020 If you want to talk to me, talk 838 00:25:54,020 --> 00:25:54,940 to me about Jesus. 839 00:25:55,140 --> 00:25:56,800 I ain't got time for jokes and play. 840 00:25:56,860 --> 00:25:58,060 When I come to God's house, I want 841 00:25:58,060 --> 00:25:58,900 to worship God. 842 00:25:59,080 --> 00:25:59,640 You know what happened? 843 00:25:59,780 --> 00:26:00,820 He didn't speak to me for about three 844 00:26:00,820 --> 00:26:01,320 years. 845 00:26:01,780 --> 00:26:02,440 I don't care. 846 00:26:02,660 --> 00:26:03,940 I'm telling you, man, when you get the 847 00:26:03,940 --> 00:26:05,760 real thing, it changes your life. 848 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:07,940 And if your life's not been changed, you've 849 00:26:07,940 --> 00:26:08,880 not met Jesus. 850 00:26:09,380 --> 00:26:11,200 You may have walked an aisle, been dunked 851 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:11,720 in some water. 852 00:26:11,940 --> 00:26:14,620 You may have been baptized so many times, 853 00:26:14,820 --> 00:26:16,400 you know every frog in the pond on 854 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:17,380 a first-name basis. 855 00:26:17,380 --> 00:26:19,540 But my friend, if there's not been a 856 00:26:19,540 --> 00:26:21,800 supernatural change in your life, if you don't 857 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:24,200 hunger for God, you don't know God. 858 00:26:24,620 --> 00:26:26,440 And tonight you need to come and make 859 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:28,900 it real before it's too late. 860 00:26:32,540 --> 00:26:33,980 You see, my dear friends, listen to me. 861 00:26:34,040 --> 00:26:36,420 I don't care whether you're a Baptist, a 862 00:26:36,420 --> 00:26:41,940 Methodist, a Catholic, an Episcopalian, Church of Christ, 863 00:26:42,540 --> 00:26:44,840 Church of the Nazarene, charismatic. 864 00:26:46,220 --> 00:26:47,620 Or as that little girl once told me, 865 00:26:47,700 --> 00:26:48,920 one of those other abominations. 866 00:26:51,580 --> 00:26:56,000 It makes absolutely no difference to God. 867 00:26:57,140 --> 00:26:58,280 The one thing that will get you to 868 00:26:58,280 --> 00:26:59,660 heaven is you must be born again. 869 00:27:00,580 --> 00:27:01,780 And that's my question to you tonight. 870 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:03,200 Have you been born again, man? 871 00:27:03,940 --> 00:27:04,940 Have you been born again? 872 00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:06,700 I'm not asking you, have you walked an 873 00:27:06,700 --> 00:27:08,100 aisle and made a profession of faith? 874 00:27:08,540 --> 00:27:10,260 Everybody in Mississippi has done that. 875 00:27:10,700 --> 00:27:12,240 I'm not asking, have you been baptized? 876 00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:14,360 Everybody in Mississippi has been baptized. 877 00:27:14,900 --> 00:27:16,540 I'm not asking, do you believe in God? 878 00:27:16,580 --> 00:27:18,220 I'm not asking, are you a good person? 879 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:20,220 I'm simply asking you this. 880 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:22,480 Was there a day in your life when 881 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:24,080 God spoke to you personally? 882 00:27:24,460 --> 00:27:26,340 And God revealed to you for the first 883 00:27:26,340 --> 00:27:29,240 time that you personally were a sinner against 884 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:29,760 God. 885 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:31,120 That you were a rebel. 886 00:27:31,420 --> 00:27:33,740 You had done absolutely nothing good your entire 887 00:27:33,740 --> 00:27:33,940 life. 888 00:27:34,120 --> 00:27:35,820 You had lived a selfish and self-centered 889 00:27:35,820 --> 00:27:36,180 life. 890 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:38,640 You had rebelled against the Most High God. 891 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:40,880 And because you had sinned against God, you 892 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:41,900 were condemned to hell. 893 00:27:41,900 --> 00:27:43,980 There was nothing you can do to save 894 00:27:43,980 --> 00:27:44,620 yourself. 895 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:46,140 You know why you remember it? 896 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:48,480 Because it was the most desperate moment of 897 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:48,940 your life. 898 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:50,640 It felt like the weight of the world 899 00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:51,360 was on your shoulders. 900 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:52,840 Your heart began to beat fast. 901 00:27:52,980 --> 00:27:54,560 The palms of your hands began to sweat. 902 00:27:54,820 --> 00:27:56,320 You had sinned against God. 903 00:27:56,520 --> 00:27:57,580 You were doomed to hell. 904 00:27:57,740 --> 00:27:58,960 What were you going to do? 905 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:02,420 And then somebody took a Bible and told 906 00:28:02,420 --> 00:28:03,280 you about Jesus. 907 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:05,380 How he had died on a cross to 908 00:28:05,380 --> 00:28:06,600 pay your sin debt. 909 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:08,280 How he had been buried in a tomb 910 00:28:08,280 --> 00:28:09,400 and then raised from the dead. 911 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:11,300 And how if you would make a decision 912 00:28:11,300 --> 00:28:13,020 to turn away from your sin. 913 00:28:13,360 --> 00:28:15,060 And to surrender your will and your life 914 00:28:15,060 --> 00:28:15,700 to Jesus. 915 00:28:15,900 --> 00:28:16,960 He would forgive you. 916 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:17,940 He would save you. 917 00:28:17,940 --> 00:28:18,720 You know what happened then? 918 00:28:18,860 --> 00:28:20,460 You got down on your knees and you 919 00:28:20,460 --> 00:28:21,600 cried like a little child. 920 00:28:21,700 --> 00:28:24,340 Oh God, be merciful to me a sinner. 921 00:28:24,980 --> 00:28:25,820 God, I admit it. 922 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:26,400 I'm a sinner. 923 00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:27,100 I'm a rebel. 924 00:28:27,220 --> 00:28:28,000 I've lived my own life. 925 00:28:28,100 --> 00:28:28,960 I've done my own thing. 926 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:29,800 But God, I'm sorry. 927 00:28:30,360 --> 00:28:31,780 But God, I believe you love me. 928 00:28:32,180 --> 00:28:34,000 And I believe Jesus died for me. 929 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:36,040 And the best I know how, I turn 930 00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:36,900 away from the world. 931 00:28:36,980 --> 00:28:37,960 I turn away from sin. 932 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:40,280 I give my will, my life to you. 933 00:28:40,380 --> 00:28:41,680 I want you to be the boss of 934 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:41,980 God. 935 00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:43,260 The master of my life. 936 00:28:43,380 --> 00:28:44,460 God, save me. 937 00:28:45,160 --> 00:28:46,980 And man, when you stood up. 938 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:50,220 Something supernatural happened to you. 939 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:52,420 You were changed. 940 00:28:53,060 --> 00:28:54,840 Your character was changed. 941 00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:57,040 Your love was changed. 942 00:28:57,380 --> 00:28:59,060 Your vocabulary was changed. 943 00:28:59,860 --> 00:29:01,060 You were changed. 944 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:03,560 And from that moment until tonight. 945 00:29:04,380 --> 00:29:05,900 You've never been the same. 946 00:29:06,540 --> 00:29:08,220 Have you had such an experience? 947 00:29:08,980 --> 00:29:10,620 Have you been born again? 948 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:12,940 Do you know for sure. 949 00:29:13,620 --> 00:29:15,300 That if you were to die tonight. 950 00:29:16,380 --> 00:29:17,540 That you'd go to heaven. 951 00:29:22,580 --> 00:29:24,200 You have been listening to the From the 952 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:25,800 Pulpit in Classic Sermon Series. 953 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:29,140 This week, you heard William Blackburn with his 954 00:29:29,140 --> 00:29:29,580 message. 955 00:29:29,860 --> 00:29:31,560 How to about get to heaven. 956 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:34,740 Tune in next week for another powerful message 957 00:29:34,740 --> 00:29:35,760 from God's word. 958 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:38,740 On From the Pulpit and Classic Sermons.