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Hearing and Heeding The Word
27 Plays1 year ago
Sunday Message recorded 24 March 2024
by guest evangelist Dr. Don Whitt
First Baptist Church -- Columbus TX
1700 Milam St.
Columbus, TX, USA 78934
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction & Gratitude
00:00:06
Speaker
Well, the Lord's already been so good to us. I know he's got a word for us.
Meet Dr. Don Witt
00:00:11
Speaker
Dr. Don Witt was there. It's the pastor of my home church at First Baptist Church in Milan, Tennessee, whenever I was ordained. And so I appreciate him so much being a part of that experience with me.
00:00:24
Speaker
Through the years he's been like a steady mentor, and I've seen him in Ethiopia. I've seen him in Tennessee. I've seen him in Texas. I've spent a lot of time with this man, and he lives what he's saying to us, and so I'm so excited. He's going to tell us, I hope you'll say a few words about the Bible Conference. Let us know a little bit more about that.
Bible Conference Invitation
00:00:46
Speaker
Here we are first speaker tonight.
00:00:49
Speaker
But I thought since he's already here, I would love for him to share with us the gospel as he kicks off the Bible conference tonight. But I hope he'll come again this evening at 6 o'clock as he'll be preaching to us again. But let's welcome Dr. Don Witt, Brother Don, you come.
00:01:15
Speaker
Well, Amen. Thank you. And while I did not turn it around and look, you got a full church. Thank you for allowing us to get to be here with you again and look forward to what God is going to do this week. And let me just share a little bit about the Bible conference and encourage you to be here. Don't miss starting tonight. I'll be preaching the Lord willing tonight on the church in the last days.
00:01:44
Speaker
There's a lot of question about what is the place of the church and about the last days And so we'll be preaching about that tonight and then tomorrow night Dr.
Keynote Speakers Overview
00:01:55
Speaker
Holly Miller Who was the pastor of the severe heights? Baptist Church in Knoxville Tennessee for over 30 years. That was the largest church in Knoxville they ran over 5,000
00:02:10
Speaker
regularly and he is retired and just a great man of God and you're going to be blessed by him and his insight. And so I want to encourage you to be here for that. And then on Tuesday night, there's Dr. Greg Hider.
00:02:30
Speaker
Brother Greg is one of my closest closest friends and also he's one of my board members on my board. He is the pastor of the North First Baptist Church, North Myrtle Beach. That is the largest church in Myrtle Beach. North are Myrtle Beach and they are now in the process of building a eight million dollar auditorium.
00:02:58
Speaker
And I preach there every year, the first Sunday of May. And I'm preaching down three services every Sunday morning that we're there. They're packed. And so he's trying to get them where they all be together. Just a great man. And Brother Victor knows Greg, and you're going to be blessed by him.
Invitation to Experience God's Work
00:03:22
Speaker
And so I encourage you to be here six o'clock, right?
00:03:27
Speaker
Every night and we look forward for what God is going to do and see lives changed I'm gonna ask you if we'll take your Bibles now and open them to the gospel of Matthew Matthew chapter 7 Matthew chapter 7 I'm gonna read there verse 13 down through verse 23 I'm gonna preach on the subject several sobering statements from Scripture Matthew chapter 7
Teachings from Matthew 7
00:03:57
Speaker
beginning in verse 13. If you've got your place there, say, Amen. The words of Jesus, Jesus said, enter ye at the straight gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction. And many there be which go in there at, because straight is the gate, and narrows the way which leadeth in the life, until there be the finding. Beware false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing.
00:04:26
Speaker
But inwardly there are rabbiting wounds. You shall know them by their fruits. The men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit. But a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.
00:04:55
Speaker
Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them." And then these very, very strong words. Not everyone that said to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done within many wonderful works,
00:05:23
Speaker
And then when I profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me ye that work in equity. Father, I do thank you for what we've already experienced in this time of worship. I thank you for the parents who have come and made that commitment to raise their children up for Christ. God, I pray that your hand will continually be upon them.
00:05:52
Speaker
I thank you for the songs that we've heard today and the truths have been presented. Thus, Lord, I thank you for each person who has chosen to be here. And I pray especially now for that man, that woman, that boy, that girl that's in this building that's nearest to hell. I pray today that come to Christ and be saved. Lord Jesus.
00:06:16
Speaker
Through your strong name and through the power of your shed blood, bind the demons of hell from this room. And may the only spirit that be here be the Holy Spirit. And I do pray that he'll have freedom to walk up and down these isles and then out these pews. And when the invitation's extended in a few moments, I pray that there be a freedom for people to respond to your call and come to Christ.
00:06:48
Speaker
May your perfect will be accomplished. May the name of Jesus be
Authority of the Bible
00:06:51
Speaker
honored. In Christ's name I pray. And all those people say, amen. These are the very words of Jesus. Now all the Bible is the inspiring, the inerrant, the infallible, perfect word of God. Amen? But these are the very words
00:07:15
Speaker
of Jesus. I got a text and sometimes they're useless and sometimes they're good. But I got a text this morning early from one of my friends, Dr. David Levils. And he said, what's not in the Bible? I thought, that's some question. What's not in the Bible? And then he answered it, your opinion.
00:07:46
Speaker
whole lot of truth there. Well, Jesus is speaking to his congregation and he says there's some things that you need to understand about eternity. There's some things that you need to understand before you leave this life. Now, the message today is going to be applicable for you who are Christians. The Bible says that we're to go to all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. You have
00:08:15
Speaker
family members, you have friends, you have coworkers, you have neighbors who need Christ. We have people in Ethiopia where we'll be going in just a few weeks who need Christ. And we do not have an option. We must take the gospel to them. Amen?
00:08:43
Speaker
But then also this message is going to be applicable to you if you're lost, if you're not a Christian.
Faith vs. Works for Salvation
00:08:50
Speaker
The Bible says that the point of demand wants to die, but after this is judgment. We don't know when we're going to die. You may be here today and you're lost and you die lost. You're going to be held responsible for what I'm going to preach.
00:09:09
Speaker
I mean, one day you're gonna come eyeball to eyeball with God. And if you die lost, you're gonna be responsible for what you hear today and what you would have heard if you'd listened. I mean, one day you will stand before the great white throne judgment of God if you're not saved.
00:09:36
Speaker
And you're gonna have to bow your head and acknowledge that at First Baptist Church in Columbus, Texas, when Don Witt was preaching, that the Holy Spirit spoke to your heart and you rejected God's call on your life. And you're gonna have to hang your head and say, guilty.
00:10:01
Speaker
Now in this passage, we find several sobering stables. You may have thought of them. They're not unique. You may have heard other preachers preach on them, but they're very simple, but also they're very profound. Let's look at them. Number one, there is a hell.
00:10:23
Speaker
Now there's some people who say that God is already determined and already chosen who's going to go to heaven and who's going to go to hell. That's a lie.
00:10:36
Speaker
John 3 16, let's say it together. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. The Bible says in 2 Peter 3 9 that God is not willing that any should perish
00:10:58
Speaker
But that all should come to repentance.
God's Will and Salvation
00:11:01
Speaker
I can look at any person here today and say it is God's will for you to be saved. I can look to those in this section and say it's God's will for you to be saved.
00:11:16
Speaker
We are gonna go to the jungles of Ethiopia in a few weeks. And when we go there, I can say to anyone there in those jungles, it is God's will for you to be saved. I mean, that's God's will. But if a person dies launched and they go to hell, they're gonna go there as an intruder.
00:11:43
Speaker
The Bible says in Matthew 25, verse 41, that hell was prepared for the devil and his angels. I mean, hell was never prepared for man. Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels. And God's intention is not that anyone
00:12:03
Speaker
You're to hell. But the Bible says in Isaiah five, 14, that hell has enlarged herself and opened her mouth without measure. That means if you die lost, God will make room for you in hell. In Luke 16, we read about the rich man who was in hell. And you remember he was crying out and he was saying, I'm tormented.
00:12:33
Speaker
in this flame. The Bible says about hell that hell is a place of outer darkness. That hell is a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 22 13 Mark 9 44. The Bible says that hell is a place where the worm dying not and the fire is not quenched. I heard about a preacher
00:13:01
Speaker
They had to come up on a group of bikers, and he began to witness to them. And one of the bikers began to make fun of him and said, well, if I die lost and go to hell, I'm just gonna party there with my buddies. And so the preacher walked over and put his hands on this fan's shoulder, and he began to pray. And he said, now, Lord,
00:13:29
Speaker
This man wants to die and go to hell. And so God, I pray right now that you will send a bolt of lightning down and strike him dead and send him to hell so he can party as he thinks he would with his buddies in hell. And then God went back to the preacher and said, you crazy? Listen, you may act tough.
00:13:57
Speaker
But you won't be one second in hell until you realize the reality of hell. Jesus wants every person to understand, young or old, rich or poor, educated, uneducated, that as you die lost,
00:14:19
Speaker
It's not that you won't pass gold. It's not that you won't collect $200. I mean, this is not monopoly. This is not a game. But if you die lost, you're gonna wake up one day in the very pits of hell with the devil and his demons. Now you don't hear much preaching about hell anymore. But you know, Jesus had more to say about hell
00:14:50
Speaker
than it did heaven. Now I know in this church, you hear from this pulpit, from this preacher, the whole council. Amen? I mean, he's gonna preach about the reality of heaven, and he's gonna preach about the reality of hell. But you know, there's many churches today never hear the truth about hell.
00:15:19
Speaker
I was preaching a couple years ago, and I'm not going to tell you the name of the church, and I'm not going to tell you the name of the pastor. If I were, you would recognize the name of the church, and you would recognize the name of the pastor. I preached there on a Sunday morning. We had over 30 people saved that Sunday morning.
00:15:40
Speaker
And when the service was over, I was out in the foyer, and I had the books that I've written, and Victor will say more about that this morning, I don't sell books, okay? I give them away. And so we were there in the foyer, and one of the men, he was an attorney, one of the deacons in the church came up to me, and he said, three of my teenagers got saved today.
00:16:08
Speaker
And he said, I'd like for you to address each one of book and put this day's date down there because I want them to remember it. And then he said, I'd like to have one of the books. And so I let him have four books. And then here's what he said to me. He said, I've been a member of this church for over 20 years.
00:16:36
Speaker
And I love my pastor, I love my preacher. But he said, the day was the first time I've heard a message on hell from that pulpit in 20 years. You know, I really fear, Brother Victor, that there is a subtle universalism that has crept into many of our churches today. Now we won't say it out.
00:17:05
Speaker
But in reality, we're acting and we are believing, in essence, that ultimately, nobody's gonna go to hell. That everybody is gonna get to go to hell. But that's not what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches there is a hell.
The Narrow Path to Salvation
00:17:27
Speaker
And then sobering statement number two, not everyone is gonna be saved.
00:17:34
Speaker
Notice verse 13, verse 14 again, look at it. Jesus said, enter the straight gate, wide as the gate, and broad as the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in there at, because straight as the gate, and narrow as the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Did you notice immediately he begins to divide the saved and the lost, the sheep and the goats,
00:18:02
Speaker
the damned and the blessed, those that are going to heaven, those that are going to hell, those that are going down the narrow way, those that are going down the broad way. Not everyone is going to be saved. You know, it's a strong possibility in a congregation of its size this morning that there's someone here that will spend an eternity in hell.
00:18:33
Speaker
That's an awful thought. But there is a probability that there's someone here that will wake up one day with a devil and his demons in hell. I hope that never happens. Not everyone is going to be saved. That's what Jesus is saying. It may be that person sitting next to you. It may even be you.
00:19:03
Speaker
unless you give your heart to Christ. You say, well, don't you believe that everyone is a child of God? No. Everyone is a creation of God, but you've got to be born again to be a child of God. Jesus said to the most religious people of his day, the Pharisees, you are of your father the devil.
00:19:33
Speaker
He said, when I'm a good boy, don't count. I'm a good girl, don't count. Mama and daddy are Christians, don't count. I got baptized, don't count. I'm a church member, don't count. I'm a Baptist, that sure don't count.
00:20:01
Speaker
I'm a Methodist, I'm a Presbyterian, I'm a Catholic. Don't count. Only Jesus can get you into heaven. Jesus said in John 14.6, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father except through me. Jesus said in John 10.10,
00:20:30
Speaker
I have come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly. Jesus said in John 10, nine, I am the door by me. If any man enter in, he shall be saved. Jesus said in John 11, 25, I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, he shall live. Jesus is not an option.
00:21:01
Speaker
He's the only way. All will send you to hell. Buddha will send you to hell. Confucius will send you to hell. The New Age movement will send you to hell. Only Jesus will get you to heaven. John 1, 12. But as many as receive him,
00:21:28
Speaker
To them gave he the power to become the sons, the children of God, even to them that believe on his name. John Acts 4, 12, neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none of the name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Listen, this is not Burger King religion. Have it your way.
00:21:57
Speaker
This is when the old fashioned, hot and juicy, amen and amen. And then, suffering statement number three, more people are gonna be lost than are gonna be saved. Look again there in Matthew 7, 13 and 14. Jesus said, broad is the way that leadeth to destruction. And many there be which go in their act.
00:22:26
Speaker
Because straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leads them to life. And few there be that find it. In comparison to those that are going down that broad road to destruction, there are few who are going down that narrow way that leads to life. I'm convinced one of the greatest fields of evangelism are the church roads of America.
True Conversion
00:22:57
Speaker
People have church membership, but they're not members of the family of God. They have joined the church, but they've never joined Jesus. Years ago, I passed through the North Athens Baptist Church in Athens, Tennessee, and it was on a Sunday night. I preached, extended the invitation,
00:23:27
Speaker
One of our deacons, Gene Pierman, made his way down this side of the church, walked over to me, stood right in front of me, and he looked at me and said, Pastor, I've come tonight to make my public profession of faith. And I want to follow the Lord in believers baptism. I said, Gene, what in the world are you talking about?
00:23:58
Speaker
He said, well, Barbara and I got married when we were just older teenagers. We had no church background whatsoever. We'd been married for a couple of months, and one Saturday morning, there was a preacher who came by, knocked on the door, asked if he could come in. I invited him in. We sat down on the couch.
00:24:22
Speaker
We talked. And then he looked at me and he said, would you like to become a Christian? And he said, well, anyone with good sense would want to be a Christian. And the preacher said, well, I want to pray that you will be a Christian. And he said, he knelt there beside my couch and prayed that God would make me a Christian. Amen. And he looked at me and he said, now you're a Christian.
00:24:51
Speaker
He said he was the preacher. He's supposed to know what it takes to be a Christian. And he said, I didn't know. He said, I went on and found me a church, and he told me I need to get baptized. He said, I got baptized. I got active in the church. I began to work in Sunday school. And then he said, I began to work only.
00:25:15
Speaker
The buses, we had a big bus ministry at our church. And actually we became a bus captain. He had more on his bus every Sunday than anyone else. And then he became a deacon in our church. But he said, every time we would have a revival, I realized there was something that was missing in my life.
00:25:41
Speaker
And he said, I would come to the altar during the invitation. He said, I would try to rededicate my life. But he said, I soon realized that you cannot rededicate something that's never been dedicated to first place. And he said, this afternoon at two o'clock, I came over here and I knelt, he pointed right over there. He said, I knelt there in that altar and I repented of my sins.
00:26:08
Speaker
And I trusted Jesus Christ to save me. And he said, I've come here tonight to make my public profession of faith. And I want to follow the Lord in believers baptism. I wonder if I'm looking somebody like that here today. You've joined the church, you're active in the church, but you've missed Jesus. You've never been saved.
00:26:39
Speaker
And then sobering statement number four, there will be many who think they're saved, who will be launched. Look again there in verse 21 through verse 23. Look at it, follow it. Jesus said, not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven. Many will say to me of that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?
00:27:07
Speaker
And in thine name cast out devils, and thine name doesn't mean any wonderful works, Lord. Did not preach in your name. Did not leave singing in your name. Did not teach in your name. Did not I do this? Did not I do that? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you that work in England. Now you'll see the,
00:27:38
Speaker
statement that these are making, they're only talking about what they have done. I did this, I did that. They're depending upon their works rather than the grace of God. They're depending on what they have done rather than what Christ did.
00:28:06
Speaker
Ephesians 2, 8 and 9. For by grace were you saved through faith. That none of you says it is the gift of God. None of the works that any man should boast. Count as three, five. None of our works of righteousness, which we have done. But according to his mercy, he has saved us. Listen, we're saved by the mercy of God. We're saved by the grace of God. Amen?
00:28:38
Speaker
One of the best definitions I ever heard of grace was about an older preacher years and years ago who was teaching a group of junior boys and junior girls in a Sunday school class. Now, I know most of you don't have any idea about junior boys, junior girls in Sunday school. I mean, intermediates, primaries. I mean, how many of y'all understand that terminology?
00:29:08
Speaker
Okay, all the old people. Well, this was a group of junior boys, junior girls, and he was teaching them, you know, in Sunday school, and he's having a hard time getting them to understand the difference between grace and works.
00:29:26
Speaker
And he said later that week, he was on his way to conduct a wedding. It was a very cold winter day, snow on the ground. And he was walking through the city square. And this was years ago when the preacher had a long tail coat and a high top hat. And there was one of the little boys there in that Sunday school class named Johnny. Every church has a Johnny. Victor.
00:29:54
Speaker
I've spotted him. I've got him. After service, I'm going to tell you. I've spotted him, okay? And so little Johnny was there in the city square, and he got him a snowball. And he said, when would it be fun? The Dr. Pat Preacher's hat off his head. And so he threw that snowball, and rather than hitting the Preacher's hat, it hit him right between the eyes.
00:30:24
Speaker
Richard got so upset he started to chase after him and then he just stopped. And he said, no, I've been trying to teach them the difference between works and grace. And so he went on and conducted the wedding. He began to think that Johnny liked to fish. And so he went downtown to the hardware store and they bought a fishing pole.
00:30:49
Speaker
And he went over to Johnny's house and knocked on the front door, and about the time he knocked on the front door, little Johnny ran out the back door. And the mother came to the door, and the preacher asked, is Johnny here? She said, well, he was here, but said, I don't know where he is now. And the preacher said, well, I've got to think that Johnny likes to fish. And I want him to have this fishing pole. I give it to him.
00:31:19
Speaker
It's his. I give it to him. That next Sunday morning when the preacher was in front of that group of junior boys and junior girls at the Sunday school class, he asked the question. He said, is there anyone here that can tell me what grace is? And immediately, little Johnny held his hand up. He said, I'll tell you what grace is. And the preacher said, what's grace? He said, grace is a fishing pole.
00:31:51
Speaker
I mean, if he got what he deserved, he would got the licking of his life. But instead of he got grace. Listen, if we got what we deserved, we'd all get hell.
The Urgency of Salvation
00:32:02
Speaker
But thank God, praise God, Jesus cut my hell.
00:32:07
Speaker
He took your help upon himself there at the cross, amen? He took my sin, he took your sin upon himself there when he gave his life and shed his blood upon that cross. Sometimes I won't ask the person, are you a Christian? And they will say, well, I'm trying to be. I can do the best I can.
00:32:37
Speaker
Listen, the Bible makes it very clear if you're trying to be saved by keeping the Ten Commandments, by giving money to the church, by being a good church member, that you're lost. Because those things do not save. Now look up here, look up here. Why is it that these people could not be saved by works? And why is it that we cannot be saved by works?
00:33:08
Speaker
But one reason is God has determined that Jesus and Jesus alone is gonna give glory in heaven for our salvation. I mean, can you imagine if God were to let an old loud mouth Baptist get into heaven, braggin' about what all they've done, it'd ruin it for the rest of them, say bam. And then another reason we cannot be saved by works. You'd have to live a perfect life.
00:33:36
Speaker
from the cradle to the grave. I mean, is anyone here who can say you've always lived the perfect life? James 2.10, if we keep the whole law. And yet we offended at one point, we were guilty of all. And the Bible says, we've all sinned comes short of the glory of God.
00:34:00
Speaker
The Bible says if we say we have not sinned, we deceive ourself and the truth is not in us. Now if you want to know that you're not perfect, God's just asking your wife. Amen? Now don't leave here today and say, well that preacher says it does not matter how I live. I'm not saying that.
00:34:28
Speaker
You don't live a good life in order to be saved. You live a good life because you have been saved. I mean, when you get saved, your life is different. Not perfect, not gonna be perfect till you go to be with Jesus in heaven. But you're gonna be different. You're gonna talk different. You're gonna long different. You're gonna think different.
00:34:57
Speaker
I believe he even spelled different. I mean, when you get saved, your life is different. Second Corinthians 5, 17. Therefore, for any man being Christ, he's a new creature. Old things have passed away, but hold all things are becoming new. Listen, when you get saved, your life is different. When you get saved,
00:35:30
Speaker
You no longer stay a drunkard. When you get saved, you no longer stay a sodomite. When you get saved, you no longer stay a drug addict. When you get saved, you no longer stay a prostitute. Now don't look down, stay up here, look up here. I ain't finished.
00:35:59
Speaker
When you get saved, you're changed. Now it's not the change that saves you, but the change is an indication that you have been saved. All God's people say, amen. And then sobering statement number five, there'll be no more chances to be saved after death. You're gonna have to make that decision in this life.
00:36:30
Speaker
When a person dies, it's not purgatory. It's not annihilation. It's not reincarnation. When a person dies, they either go to heaven or they go to hell. Did you notice in this passage, it's not that Jesus says to those who are in hell, well, one of these days, we'll meet up again and we'll make a deal.
00:36:58
Speaker
And we'll just make a deal on how to get out of hell. That's not what Jesus says. Praying when you go to hell, you go there for eternity. I mean, you go get the best lawyer you can find and he's not gonna get you out of hell. I mean, Morgan and Morgan is not gonna do you any good when you get in hell. Right? When you die, you either go to heaven or hell. No second chances.
00:37:28
Speaker
The Bible says, behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. And then, sobering statement number six, this may be your last chance to ever be saved. You say, well, preacher, I don't want to think about death.
00:37:53
Speaker
I'm just a teenager. I don't want to think about this. I've got a long life out in front of me. Teenagers die. Brother Victor, you and I know a young teenage girl in Milan, Tennessee, where you were raised for our pastor years ago. I was her mother's pastor when she was a youth.
00:38:22
Speaker
Remember Candace Blue? Her daughter got killed five minutes from our house just a couple of months ago in a car accident. Teenagers died. Go out here to the graveyard with me, and I'll show you many, many tombstones of teenagers. You say, but I'm just a young adult.
00:38:52
Speaker
We're going to get married. We've got a lot of plans. I don't want to think about death. Go out here to the graveyard with me today. And I'll show you many, many tombstones of young adults who died. You see, I'm in the middle age of my life. I mean, my kids are getting out of the house. They're finishing school. We've got a lot of plans. We're going to travel.
00:39:19
Speaker
I don't want to think about death. Go out here to the graveyard with me today, and I'll show you many tombstones of middle-aged adults. You say, preacher, I'm a senior adult. I'm a golden age. And I know I don't have a long time, but I really don't want to think about death. I just don't want to think about it. Go in the eye here to the graveyard today, and I'll show you many, many tombstones.
00:39:48
Speaker
of senior adults who died. You say, you trying to scare me? You got it. You got it. You promise me you won't die? I promise you I won't preach about death. This may be the last sermon you'll ever hear. This may be the last imitation that you'll ever have extended to be saved.
00:40:21
Speaker
Look at that pew where you're setting it right now. You look at that pew where you're setting it right now. There's been someone who's set exactly where you are right now. Brother Victor got up and preached. The Spirit of God convicted them. They realized that they were lost. They realized they needed to be saved. But they said no. And they walked out those doors.
00:40:51
Speaker
and they died and they're in hell today. What are you gonna do today? What are you gonna do now in regards to accepting Christ? When I was in seminary, Southwestern at Fort Worth,
00:41:16
Speaker
My evangelism professor was Dr. Roy Fish. Did you have Dr. Fish? I majored in fish. Great, great man of God. And I remember many, many times he would cherish testimony. I'm sure you remember. And he would cherish testimony in the class. And he said when he was about eight or nine years old in one of our large Baptist churches,
00:41:44
Speaker
The Spirit of God was speaking to him and convicting him that he needed to be saved. He said he went forward and that church took the preacher by the hand and said, I want to be a Christian. And the preacher answered and said, well Roy, praise the Lord. Put him on the front pew, filled out a church membership card, baptized him the next Sunday, still lost without Christ. He said several years passed and he was a teenager.
00:42:13
Speaker
And the Spirit of God, again, began to convict him that he'd never been saved. And again, he went forward to that large Baptist church and took the pastor and said, I want to be saved. And the pastor in essence said, well, Roy, we've been praying for you. Filled out another church membership card. Baptized in the next Sunday, still also without Christ. Several years went on. He was off to college.
00:42:43
Speaker
came back home. And again, the Spirit of God began to spirit, began to convict him that he was lost, that he needed to be saved. And again, he went forward to that large Baptist church. Tucked a pastor by the hand and said, I want to be a Christian. I want to be saved. And the pastor in Edson said, well, hallelujah, Roy! Filled out another church membership card. Was going to baptize him that next Sunday.
00:43:13
Speaker
still lost without Christ. He said he went back to college that week, and he said one evening, there was so much turmoil in his heart that he was not saved. And he said he went out on the front porch of that little house where he lived there on the college campus, and the words of the old song came to his mind, only trust him, only trust him.
00:43:42
Speaker
And he said, I lifted up my hands and my face toward heaven. And I cried out and I said, oh God, with every ounce of me, with every inch of me, I now trust you to save my soul. And he said, when he did that, salvation flooded his soul. One time, two times, three times he went forward in a church.
00:44:11
Speaker
But it was not until he personally trusted Christ that he was saved. I wonder if I'm looking at some people like that today. You walked down a church aisle. You've taken the preacher by the hand. You've nodded your head to a few questions. You got baptized. You became a member of the church.
00:44:41
Speaker
But you never trusted Christ. You're a religious but lost. And I want to appeal to you today. I want to plead with you today. Come to Christ. Come to Christ. He'll save you. He'll save you.
00:45:11
Speaker
All of us heal safely. And then one day when you die, you have the assurance that you're gonna be with Jesus forever and forever in heaven. This is a ministry of First Baptist Church, located at 1700 Milam Street, Columbus, Texas.