Glen Bond
Jan 21, 2007
Picayune MS


Subject:Why be saved?

Jeremiah Chapt. 38

Jeremiah tells king Zedekiah the words of the Lord.
King Zedekiah didn't like what Jeremiah told him.
He didn't want his pride to be hurt  (vs 19)
He didn't believe that the Lord was able to bring to pass what he said.
The king didn't believe God. He called HIM a liar.
But the words of the Lord did come to pass.

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Jeremiah chap. 42, and verse 1,2 of 43

Jeremiah was a prophet that was known to all of the people.
They asked him to pray and ask the Lord what they should do.
They promised to do what ever the Lord told them.
When Jeremiah told them the words of the Lord, they rejected him.
They said that he was a liar.


They came to him first, he didn't influence them.
Then they wouldn't have what he told them.
They were only looking for a yes-man.

Jeremiah was a prophet of God. He was telling the people the words of God.
I stand here telling you the words of God.
You will not believe the words that I tell you just like those people would not believe Jeremiah.

The same death that was pronounced on those people is promised to you if you won't hearken.
Jeremiah 42: 16,17

You MUST believe.

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Contrast this story to the story of Esther

In the time of Esther there was no prophet to bring Gods word, just as there is no prophet today.
There was no prophet.
The people faced death.
The people believed God, trusted God, and God delivered them.

If you will trust God for your salvation, God will deliver you.
The people in Esthers day were in great need of salvation.
When you see your great need of salvation, you will call on the name of the Lord.

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What is the reason that anyone would want to be saved?

    1 You are a sinner, and every sin has a penalty - death.
    2 Heaven is a wonderful place.
    3 To avoid Hell. Hell is a terrible place.
    4 You (your body) will not live forever, so you (your spirit) 
      will go to either Heaven or Hell when you die.
    5 The main reason anyone should want to go to heaven is to praise God

 1 - The penalty of Sin

     Romans 6:23   For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is 
                   eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

	When you come to see the condemnation that you are under, 
	you will see that sin is an undesirable thing.
	The believer is in a constant battle with sin.
	You will see that every sin must be paid for.
	You will see that you have nothing to pay with.
	You will see that you have "earned" Hell.

You have to give up your pleasures
    Hebrews 11:25 
	Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God,
	than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 


 2 - Heaven is a wonderful place.

Jesus called it Paradise (Luke 23:43)

	  Paradise
	     a Persian word (pardes), properly meaning a "pleasure-ground" or
	     "park" or "king's garden." (See EDEN.) It came in
	     course of time to be used as a name for the world of happiness
	     and rest hereafter 
 
   Hebrews 11:26 
	Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures 
	in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 

	Heaven is a place of rest:
		Hebrews 4:9   There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
	Heaven is a place of comfort:
	     Luke 16:25 ...now he is comforted, 

 3 - Hell is a terrible place.
 	Hell is a place of torments:
	     Luke 16:23   And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, 
	Hell is a place of fire:
	     Luke 16:24   ...for I am tormented in this flame.
	     Rev. 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of 
		   fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are,
		   and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 

I heard a preacher one day say that when you are cast into Hell, you will burn up and be no more, but this is not what the bible says.  Look - "shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."


 4 - You will soon die. Then the judgement

	Hebrews 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 

    The death of this body would be insignificant if there were no judgement.
    The judgement is what will send those who are appointed to death into Hell.
    The same judgement is what will send Gods child to heaven, Because Christ has 
    already paid the price of every sin for the believer.


 5 - Praise God
 Rev. 4 8,9,10