We are going to deal with a couple of questions dealing with two topics so we are going to shift gears during this message:
- Is being filled with the Holy Spirit and Speaking in other tongues necessary to be born again?
- Is there a difference between the terms Holy ghost and Holy Spirit?
- What is death ?
- What happens to the soul after we die?
- Is hell really eternal?
- And then the second most popular question always asked, What about my pet?
- No idea what happens to our pets biblically
- Why not be in heaven?
- No soul so they can be recreated and it is not reincarnation.
- There are animals in heaven according to Isaiah — so why not?
- What is death?
- to define this term, lets look at the opposite of this:
- John 14: 6 I am the way the truth and the Life No man can come to the Father except through me.
- Jesus is Life so the opposite of Jesus is death.
- 1 Corinthians 15: 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam. (Death has reigned since Adam Romans 5: 14)
- Belong to Jesus we have life
- Belong to Adam we all die. Problem is we all belong to Adam.
- I’m breathing, how can you say I am dead?
- Life more than eating and body more than clothes. Matthew 6: 25
- No lasting satisfaction in the things we pursue
- EXAMPLE: Metal for 30 years work in company
- We are dead because we are no longer in relationship with Jesus Christ who is life.
- We break rules because it is stimulating to us forget the consequences.
- Make the most of this life
- Make a difference
- History filled with billions of people who have made a difference in others and are now gone from memory
- The consequences which we choose to forget result of this is Death. (Wages) Romans 6: 23
- We are dead because of our state in which we live so it is more than just our bodies passing away, but eternal separation from God. (LIFE)
- to define this term, lets look at the opposite of this:
- Hell
- Sinners want a life of rejection of God and having their own way = hell
- Description of hell is metaphors which we do not understand.
- Darkness
- Fire
- Torture
- EXAMPLE: It would not matter if hell was a condo on beach front property, if God is not there.
- We lived in this world separated from Christ… don’t know the covenant promises… living in this world without hope and without God. Ephesians 2: 12
- Paul talked more on judgement (80 times) than forgiveness (7) mercy (27) or heaven (21)
- Hope
- Without God, without hope; with God, with hope.
- Back to first verse: I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life, No man comes to the Father except through me.
- “Except through me”?
- Dead in our trespasses and sins Ephesians 2: 1
- Man born to die once and then face judgement. Hebrews 9: 27, 28
- We are dead so there is nothing in front of us but judgement
- I have been crucified with Christ I no longer live but the live I live is by faith in the Son of God who loved and gave himself for me. Galatians 2: 20
- Stay dead and face a second death (Lake of Fire) Revelation 20: 13 – 15
- Accept Christ’s death on the cross
- Crucified with him fulfill the must die once
- Face judgement. Christ fulfilled it on the cross
- That is our hope. Nothing else I can add to it.
- Filled with Spirit and speak in tongues? Acts 4
- Facebook: “If you share this post of me on Facebook you will prove you love me and you will receive answers to prayers and money. If you do not repost a picture of me then you prove you don’t love me signed Jesus.
- 2 Peter 3: 11 Because there is a destruction coming, live holy, godly lives.
- Empowered to share
- Go and make disciples
- The cause is so great it is worth it to even attempt to share the Gospel then you can look into Jesus eyes and say I tried.
- Be empowered by my Holy Spirit or Ghost same wording to be my witnesses.
- Essential for salvation? No
- Essential for witnessing? Most definitely
- Ask God to fill us and do more than we can do in our own power.