THE TEACHING AND PREACHING MINISTRY OF JASON GRISSOM The Gospel in Miniature John 3:16 Danger Jason Grissom 7/29/2012
This verse teaches us as Martin Luther said; the Gospel in miniature. It is the summation of the Gospel but not of theology as it does not address important theological truths such as glory of God, calling, regeneration, justification, sanctification, and many more. I want to teach this verse to you in such a way that it leads you to present the Gospel in the course of your everyday life. This is not a presentation even though it has characteristics of a presentation. This is not a process even though it has characteristics of a process. This is a person who alone has the power to save. If people are merely a notch on our belt or a number for our touting then we have missed our role in Gospel ministry. However, if people are viewed as ground, the Gospel as seed, God as cultivator, and ourselves as harvesters then we will honor the Gospel without attempting to help it. Let us not forget that we are called to plant and harvest and it is God who gives the increase. The Gospel in miniature can be spoken using four words; DANGER, DESIGN, DUTY, and DESTINY. We will examine each word separately over the next four weeks. Today our study begins with its most sobering; danger. When we begin an argument with the phrase; I can t believe in a God who would... Who would do what? Do something you wouldn t do or think in a way that is different than the way that you think. Have you ever considered the possibility that the Creator s sense of justice is actually more developed than yours? And that his love and mercy are perfect and that you are the one that is flawed. When we make the aforementioned statement you 1
are putting God s actions under the submission of your reasoning. You are in essences saying that God would not act or think that way because you would not do such. However, throughout Scripture God does and says things that we would never do or say. When we are confronted with these kinds of Scriptures let us submit ourselves to His Word as opposed to us submitting God s Word to our reason. Let us not forget that the words of Isaiah; For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8 9, ESV) That very church which the world likes best is sure to be that which God abhors. Charles H. Spurgeon At the recent annual Beeson Pastors School entitled, "Whatever happened to hell?" Pastors were asked if they had ever preached a sermon on hell to which all participants said no. This verse impresses upon its readers and listeners the DANGER that we are in without Christ. This danger is spoken of by John when he uses the word perish. As we often do in our teaching and preaching we must ask appropriate and helpful questions as a means further our understanding of the given text. In our reading today we must ask ourselves what does Jesus mean by the word perish? This word has many meanings and if we are not careful we could interpret it outside its context and thereby miss its weighty meaning all together. 2
So what does the word perish MEAN. This word means to instruct us as to what an unbeliever experiences upon death. Scripture speaks of this experience in four ways: They experience God s FIERCE wrath. Verse 18, "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already." The issue is not merely dying, but being judged by God. Verse 36 is the most sobering of all in this gospel: "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." Whose wrath is it? It is the wrath of the infinite God. If it were only the wrath of man there would be little to regard. Man in his greatest majesty and strength, clothed in his greatest terrors are but feeble, despicable worms of the dust, in comparison with the great and almighty Creator and King of heaven and earth. All men before God are as grasshoppers; they are nothing, and less than nothing. The wrath of the great King of kings, is as much more terrible than theirs, as His majesty is greater. Don t be afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But fear him, which after he has killed has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear him (Luke 12:4, 5) From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. (Revelation 19:15, ESV) Consider this, those who remain in an unregenerate state will experience God s 3
fierce anger which implies that He (God) will inflict wrath without pity. When God sees the overwhelming extremity of their case, and sees their torment to be so vastly disproportioned to their strength, and sees how their poor soul is crushed into an infinite gloom; He will not abstain the execution of His wrath, nor will He in the least bit lighten His hand: there will be no moderation or mercy, as He will have no regard for their welfare, nor be at all careful lest they should suffer too much in any other sense, than only that they should not suffer beyond what justice requires: nothing shall be withheld, because it is too hard for them to bear. Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them. Ezekiel 8:18. If they cry to God for pity, He will only tread them under foot: and though He knows that they cannot bear the weight of Omnipotence treading upon them, yet He will not relent, but He will crush them under His feet without mercy. He will not only hate them, but He will hold them in the utmost contempt; and no place will be thought fit for them, but under His feet, to be trodden down as the sludge of the streets. Though there is no pity for them in hell, God stands ready to pity them today; today is the day of mercy. Once the day of mercy is passed, their most anguished cries and shrieks will be in vain; they will be completely lost and cast away by God, without regard for their welfare. God will have no other use for them, but to suffer misery; and this will be the purpose of their continuance! They will become vessels of wrath fitted for destruction; and they will only serve to be filled full of wrath. 4
God will be so far from pitying them that when they cry to Him, it is said He will only laugh and mock. Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; (Proverbs 1:24 32, ESV). How awful are those words of the great God;... I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel. (Isaiah 63:3, ESV) They experience God s FIERY torment. John further explains this fiery torment in his apocalyptic book. In Revelation 14:10 he describes the one who is perishing like this: He will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 5
Perishing is not, as some say, going out of existence. It is staying in existence and suffering in the fiery torments of hell. They experience a FIXED separation from God. Paul describes the perishing in 2 Thessalonians 1:9, These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. Here in this world God reveals himself in a thousand ways every day, if we would see. In hell the perishing will be cut off from all his work except the work of wrath. In Luke 16:26 he says there is a great chasm fixed between heaven and hell, so that no one goes from one to the other. Perishing is eternal and irreversible. They experience a FOREVER sentence. Here in John 3:16 it's the opposite of eternal life. Jesus calls it "eternal punishment" in Matthew 25:46. It is everlasting wrath. It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of Almighty God one moment; but you will suffer it for all eternity. There will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery. When you look forward, you will see a long forever, a boundless duration, before you, which will swallow up your thoughts, and amaze your souls; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance's, and end, any mitigation, any rest at all; you will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when many ages 6
have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains. So your punishment will indeed be infinite. O, what can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is! All that we can possibly say about it gives but a very feeble, faint representation of it; it is inexpressible and inconceivable: for, Who knows the power of God s anger? How dreadful is the state of those who are daily and hourly in danger of this great wrath and infinite misery! But this is the dismal case of every soul that has not been born again, however moral and strict, sober and religious, they may otherwise be. O that you would consider it, whether you be young or old! There is reason for fear that there are many who will hear this glorious Gospel, who will actually be the subjects of this very misery for all eternity. We know not who they are, or what thoughts they now have. It may be they are now at ease, and hear all these things without much disturbance, and are now flattering themselves that they are not the persons of whom I speak, promising themselves that they will escape. If we knew that there was one person, and but one, of those that we know, that was to be the subject of this misery, what an awful thing would it be to think of! If we knew who it was, what an awful sight would it be to see such a person! How might every Christian lift up a lamentable and bitter cry over him! But alas! Instead of one, how many is it likely will remember these solemn reflections in hell! And some may be in hell in a very short time, before this year is out. And it would be no wonder if some hearers, who are now in health, and quiet and secure, may be there before tomorrow morning. Those of you who finally continue in a natural condition, who may keep out of hell longest, will be there in a little time! Your damnation does not slumber; it will come 7
swiftly, and, in all probability, very suddenly, upon many of you. You have reason to wonder that you are not already in hell. It is doubtless the case of some whom you have seen and known, that never deserved hell more than you, and that heretofore appeared as likely to have been now alive as you. Their case is past all hope. They are crying in extreme misery and perfect despair; but here you are in the land of the living, blessed with Bibles and Sundays, and ministers, and have an opportunity to obtain salvation. What would not those poor damned, hopeless souls give for one day's opportunity such as you now enjoy? And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open, and stands calling, and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners... How can you rest one moment in such a condition? Let us not look only to what the word MEANS but what it MAGNIFIES. God created HELL to magnify the following... His PERFECTION by His PUNISHMENT of sin. Hell is about God keeping his word. God sends the wicked to hell shows God to be faithful and just. If God does not enforce the terms he has set, he does not keep his word and he is unfaithful. If he does not send the wicked to hell, he has not upheld his own righteous standard and he has not been just. If he does not punish rebels in hell, the righteous are not vindicated. In fact, if there is no hell, we conclude that the righteous were wrong for having trusted God. In sum, hell glorifies God because 8
it shows that he keeps his word; it shows his infinite worth, lasting forever; it demonstrates his power to subdue all who rebel against him; it shows how unspeakably merciful he is to those who trust him; it upholds the reality of love by visiting justice against those who reject God, who is love; it vindicates all who suffered to hear or proclaim the truth of God s word; and it shows the enormity of what Jesus accomplished when he died to save all who would trust him from the hell they deserved. If there were no hell, there would be no need for the cross. The question should not be; why would a loving God punish anyone but why would a just God forgive anyone. Hell shows the glory of God s justice. Hell vindicates those who obey God s terms, even if they suffered terribly for doing so. Hell vindicates the righteous who were persecuted by the wicked. Hell glorifies God. God created HEAVEN to magnify the following... His PERFECTION by his POWER over sin. 9
Let us not look only to what the word MEANS and MAGNIFIES but let us feel the weight of this MINISTRY to which we are now being called to participate. The RESCUED are called to be agents in the hand of the RESCUER. He said also to the man who had invited him, When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just. When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God! But he said to him, A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, Come, for everything is now ready. But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame. And the servant said, Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room. And the master said to the servant, Go out to the highways and hedges and compel 10
people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet. (Luke 14:12 24, ESV) The RECONCILED are called to be agents of RECONCILIATION. For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ 11
controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:1 21, ESV) If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for. Charles H. Spurgeon Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you're not saved yourself, be sure of that! Charles H. Spurgeon Now is the acceptable time, today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). The great news of John 3:16; God s love rescues us from the wrath of God through faith in Jesus Christ. 12
Therefore, let everyone that is out of Christ, now awake and flee from the wrath to come. The wrath of Almighty God is now undoubtedly hanging over every unregenerate sinner. Let everyone flee out of Sodom: Escape for your lives, Look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed. The use of this awful subject is meant to awaken unconverted persons to a conviction of their danger. This is the case of every one out if Christ. That world of misery, that lake of burning brimstone, is extended under you. There is a dreadful pit where glowing flames of God s wrath abides; hell s wide gaping mouth is open; and you have nothing to stand upon, nor anything between you and hell but the air; it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up. Many, if not most, are unaware that it is God s hand that currently keeps them from perishing. They do not see God s hand of preservation but they give glory to good genes, DNA, or care for their life. However, these things are nothing; if God should withdraw His hand, they would cease to keep one from perishing any more than thin air can hold up a person who is suspended in it. Your wickedness makes you, heavy as lead, and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink, and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf; and your good genes, DNA, cautious care for your body, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you, and keep you out of hell, than a spider s web would have to stop a falling rock. Were it not for the sovereign pleasure of God, the earth would not bear you one moment, for you are a burden to it; the creation groans with you; the creature is made subject to the bondage of your 13
corruption, not willingly; the sun does not willingly shine upon you, to give you light to serve sin and Satan; the earth does not willingly yield her increase, to satisfy your lusts; nor is it willingly a stage for your wickedness to be acted upon; the air does not willingly serve you for breath to maintain the flame of life in your vitals, while you spend your life in the service of God s enemies. The world would spew you out, were it not for the sovereign hand of Him who hath subject it in hope. There are the black clouds of God s wrath now hanging directly over your heads, full of the dreadful storm, and big with thunder; and were it not for the restraining hand of God they would immediately burst forth upon you. The sovereign pleasure of God, for the present, stays His rough wind, otherwise it would come with fury; and your destruction would come like a whirlwind, and would be like the chaff of the summer threshing-floor. The wrath of God is like great waters that are restrained for the present; but they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given; and the longer the stream is stopped the more rapid and mighty is its course when once it is let loose. It is true, that judgment against your evil works has not been executed yet; the floods of God s vengeance have been withheld; but your guilt in the meantime is constantly increasing, and you are every day treasuring up more wrath; the waters are constantly rising and waxing more and more mighty; and there is nothing but the mere pleasure of God that holds the waters back, that are unwilling to be stopped, and press hard to go forward. If God should only withdraw His hand from the flood-gate, it would immediately fly open, and the fiery floods of the fierceness and wrath of God, would rush 14
forth with inconceivable fury, and would come upon you with omnipotent power; and if your strength were ten thousand times greater than the strength of the stoutest, sturdiest devil in hell, it would be nothing to withstand or endure it. Therefore all you that never experienced a great change of heart, by the mighty power of the Spirit of God upon your souls; all you that were never born again, and made new creatures, and raised from being dead in sin, to a state of new, are in the hands of an angry God. The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much in the same way as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect, over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked; His wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else but to be cast into the fire. You have offended Him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince; and yet, it is nothing but His hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment. It is to be ascribed to nothing else, that you did not go to hell the last night; that you were suffered to awake again in this would, after you closed your eyes to sleep; and there is no other reason to be given, why you have not dropped into hell since you arose this morning, but that God's hand has held you up. There is no other reason to be given, but His mercy; and no other reason can be given why you do not this very moment drop down into hell. O sinner, consider the fearful danger you are in! It is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire and you hang, at this moment, by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder. 15
Perishing means wrath; it means fiery torment; it means separation from God; and it lasts forever. Now I tell you this plainly as a warning to flee from the wrath of God to the love of God through the door of Jesus Christ. This is an awesome moment for us in this service. Because what this moment means is that any of us who stands before the throne of judgment unbelieving will not be able to say to the Lord, "Nobody ever told me what was at stake." The Lord will say, "On this day, at Eureka Baptist Church, I appointed you to be there and I appointed my servant Jason Grissom to warn you. You were there and he did warn you." 16