Hell's Best Kept Secret? Ray Comfort

[Pastor Keith]

Originally Posted by J-Roc

Let’s see the Jesus way of evangelism…what did Jesus do? Did he use hell fire to convince his crowd, did he use scare tactics to win them over?

Begins his ministry in Matthew 4 after telling the disciples come follow me and I will show you how to be fishers of men and women.

In verse 23, Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

You see, these crowds recognized that life’s baggage is tough to bear and it weighs heavy on the soul.

Then Jesus proceeds and what does he say, “FIRE FIRE FIRE, YOU WILL BURN IN FIRE”……no, no, no….that is not what he said, instead he tells them:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.


Those beatitudes sure sound like wonderful promises to me, they sure make me feel good and give me purpose!!! Jesus tells me great is my reward in heaven…he keeps painting a beautiful picture for me in heaven, he keeps alluring me with the promises of giving my soul rest, he keeps emphasizing if I do good to others then good will come my way. Does this sound like a message of hope or a message of despair? I call it hopeful….therefore, SOMEONE PLEASE POINT ME TO THE CROSS!!!

Jesus only came after John the Baptist prepared the way with a message of repentance, JROC I am all for the blessings of the Kingdom, I preach a message that is filled with the Good News of healing, deliverance that we can have now. But the entrance to the Kingdom remains the same, repentance and the New Birth message.

Not be a success in life, come to Jesus and he will make you happy!

Someone once said, you really don't appreciate the Good News until your first know the bad news. Yes I agree we should minister healing to suffering humanity, but they will continue to suffer if they don't repent and turn fully to Jesus.

[SDG]

Yes the Good News is His Salvation ... first ... above all ...

[Pastor Keith]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

Yes the Good News is His Salvation ... first ... above all ...

Healing and signs and wonders only are signs of the Kingdom, they don't replace the ticket of turning fully to God (i.e. repentance)

[SDG]

There is no reward in heaven if their is no salvation from sin ...

[Pastor Keith]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

There is no reward in heaven if their is no salvation from sin ...

Amen, amen.

[J-Roc]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

Same sermon ...

The Narrow Way
13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14Because arrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

The invitation is to come hang with him in his domain...heaven!

[SDG]

Originally Posted by J-Roc

The invitation is to come hang with him in his domain...heaven!

and you can't in sin ... Cmon Jeff you know better ...

[SDG]

To Whom Did He Preach It?

Virtually every picture of this Sermon, whether in a movie or painting, portrays Jesus speaking to a large multitude. Some reason exists to assume this because Matthew 4 ends with great multitudes following Him; chapter 5, as the sermon begins, opens with Him seeing the multitudes; and when chapter 8 begins, great multitudes follow Him again. In Mark and Luke when He was preaching other messages, "great multitudes" and "innumerable multitudes" describe the size of the crowds listening to Him. Undoubtedly, Jesus attracted large numbers of people to hear Him.

However, in this case the stronger evidence lies with the understanding that it was a sermon intended for His disciples. Though others besides the twelve may have been listening, Jesus did not speak to a great multitude. Matthew 5:1 begins with, "And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain . . .," clearly giving the impression that He went up the mountain to withdraw from the multitudes. Then the verse says, ". . . and when He was seated, His disciples came to Him."

The multitudes did not consist of disciples. The disciples were those already committed to Him and His way. It is they who gathered before Him, and at this time in His ministry, it was a very small number. Verse 1 gives the distinct impression that Jesus gave His concentrated instruction to a small group of people. When He came down from the mountain, multitudes again became part of His following.

There is no doubt, though, to whom this message applies. Some parts of its instruction might be considered as of a general nature, yet the overwhelming majority of it applies only to the converted, those having the Spirit of God. Its thrust is not evangelistic—intended to call people into the church—but internal, as it sets standards for those already converted to prepare them for God's Kingdom when it comes in its fullness. The instruction is intensely practical; it deals, not as much with things to be believed, but with things to be done.

The Sermon tells us what our attitudes must become and admonishes us to be lights to the world. We must not lust or allow our anger to be uncontrolled or frivolous. We must turn the other cheek, agree with our adversary quickly, go the extra mile and love our enemy. It tells us how to pray, fast, do charitable deeds, lay up treasure in heaven, be single minded, exercise our faith in trusting God, seek Him before all other things in life and much more. The point is clear. These are all things the converted must actively do to witness for God, glorify Him and be in His Kingdom.
They are not intended to be the limit but a summary of the attitudes, thoughts and works of one striving for the Kingdom of God.

[J-Roc]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

I Never Knew You
21 "Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22Many will say to Me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

The invitation is to do the will of God which is to bear fruit and bring Him glory among many things...again, the emphasis is on what to do, what makes God happy and proud of us and how gets glory from us when we obey....the focus is on the good things about Christianity....

[rrford]

If memory serves me correctly, and I could be wrong since I am over 40, it seems to me that Jesus mentioned hell more than He mentioned heaven.