Open: Acts 3:19. Almost Making Heaven Your Home
There was a women who came here and was from an other church, leader in an other church, teacher in an other church...
Came here and heard the message of holiness, the message of living a transformed life
Came up to my wife and I and said "I thought that I was right, I thought that I had it made, But I realize that I wasn't even converted to Christ."
She had gone from church to church, all along never committed to Christ.
"With tears in her eyes she said this is what she had been looking for all along."
But the cares of this life stole the Word right out of her. Now she de sieves herself... James1:22 hearer, but not a doer
Acts 26:28-29
Today we read about King Agrippa said, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian”.
What a shame to almost accept Christ. It is confusing to me Why would somebody do the right things, and live the right life, only to almost make it into Heaven? It is like to be at the door, but yet still outside
It is either you are, or you are not. You shouldn’t want to think you are going to heaven. You should know that you are. And His desire is for you to know that you are saved.
1 John 5:12-13
*Almost Christians are know about the Gospel,
*Christians are messengers of the Gospel.
*Almost Christians are interested in the Gospel,
*Christians are involved in the Gospel.
*Almost Christians enjoy the Gospel,
*Christians are filled with Joy because of the Gospel.
*Almost Christians don’t fear Hell and don’t fear God,
*Christians pray for almost Christians that they would live in fear of God...
Either you’ve got it, or you don’t. You are either saved, or you are lost.
Some one who is almost saved is just as lost as someone who never shows any desire to be.
So why are there people who want to almost make it to heaven?
Many people hear the truth. King Agrippa heard Paul’s testimony.
He heard Paul recount his conversion on the road to Damascus.
He heard how the light from Heaven
Paul found out that Jesus was the Son of God.
He found out that Jesus was who He said He was and that He did what He said he
would do
How He wanted Paul to be the one to tell others how to get from the darkness to the light.
King Agrippa heard the gospel,. He heard the truth. And yet he chooses to wait.
He must have thought he had more time to make that decision.
Young people think they want to have some fun first. Until often it is too late
As far as can be determined, he never heard Paul again. It was probably his last chance to hear the gospel and be saved.
I would like to make a call for a decision
Jesus said there is a broad road. He also said there is a narrow road.
Jesus said some people build their houses on sand. He also said some build their houses on a Rock.
Jesus said some people follow darkness and some people follow light.
Jesus said there are those who are the children of the devil
there are those who are children of God
Someday he will separate us, …goats on one side and His sheep on the other.
The wheat from the tears
The righteous from those that practice iniquity
Have you noticed…there is no “inbetween”???
There are those who are SAVED and there are those who are not.
Those who are blind and those who can see.
Those who have light and those who abide in darkness
Why do many almost want heaven?
Many think they are good enough
Many think that the way to heaven is just to make sure the good out weighs the bad.
The problem is that we can never be good enough.
Some think well if I do enough good for others, God will take it into account And somehow make an exception for me Matthew 7:22-23
Now I don’t know about you but that sounded like a bunch of good deeds.
And Paul himself told King Agrippa that before accepting Christ, he was a very religious man. Acts 26:4-6
Paul told King Agrippa that he was a very righteous man. According to the Jews religion
He was a good man. But just being good doesn’t cut it.
There are going to be a lot of good people who go to hell. Many will be there who had good intentions,
You see you can do absolutely nothing and still be on your way to hell, The truth is as David put it... Ps.51:5
And if you think that God would not send a good person to hell; you are right! They send themselves by trying to build their own way to heaven
Jesus said, “I AM THE WAY, I AM THE TRUTH, I AM THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME”.
It is not what you do for Him, it is what He did for you. Doing good will almost get you to heaven
Then finally, people almost make it to heaven because…
Many think they just have to believe in God
Many will think, well I believe in a supreme being called God and because of that, I will get to heaven.
Paul even insinuated that the King knew about God.
Vs.27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.
But it is more than just believing. James 2:19, You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe-and tremble.
Believing in God is good but simply believing in God will almost get you into heaven.
You not only have to believe. You have to receive.
Not only do I believe that he is God, but I receive Him as The Lord of my life. Otherwise , He is not really your God.
So how about you today? Do you KNOW or do you THINK you will go to heaven?
2 Corinthians 6:2b, Behold, now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation.
Like King Agrippa you have heard the truth today. And if you leave here without knowing for sure then you will almost make it to heaven.
Where are you in your relationship with Jesus Christ?
Or do you even have a relationship at all?
Want to get to Heaven? Unless you are changed and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven. Matt. 18:3
Hebrews 6:11 full assurance too the end...
