2 Corinthians 6:2Urgency – Bible study

2Corinthians 6:2 Urgency I draw your attention to the phrase "now is the accepted time" and more directly to the word "now." The call of Christ is a call to change people. Whether we realize it or not, things are not well with any of us. 1. We are born sinners. Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 2. We are born condemned. John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 3. Unless we are changed by trusting in the death of Jesus as payment for our sins, we hopelessly lost. Jesus came to pay for our sins. Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. God wrote that message in a Book so that it could not be altered. God gave the message to preachers so that it could not be silenced. God gave the message to the church sot that it would trickle down to every crevice of society. . Yet there is great resistance to that work. 1. The devil wants to corrupt the message. 2. Reason and logic want to alter it. 3. Doubt wants to stiffle it. 4. Rebellion wants to stop the message. However, the greatest resistance against the change that Jesus can bring is complacency. Complacency means that we are content with the way things are. Some are complacent to the place where they simply despise change. 1. People grow complacent in their jobs, with their work, in their marriage. 2. Children grow complacent in their school. 3. Mankind has grown complacent with the condition of their souls. The opposite of complacent is urgencythe desire and need for immediate change. There is an urgency to being saved, that is, there are reasons to be saved right now, not waiting another day. The title of the message this morning is URGENCY. Let me share with you three reasons why you should not be complacent with your spiritual condition this morning. I. There is urgency because of death. A. The Bible makes it clear that life is short. James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a VAPOUR, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 1Peter 1:24 For all flesh is as GRASS, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: Psalms 39:5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an HANDBREADTH; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. Job 9:25 Now my days are swifter than a POST: (a messenger) they flee away, they see no good. 1. What does all of that mean? It means that you are going to die. 2. 10 out of 10 people in every generation but one will die. 3. That is 100%. Every ancestor ever born in your family tree either has died or will die soon. B. What is the danger is dying without Christ? Death seals you spiritual condition for all eternity. Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: C. Now, maybe you have heard some rumors that death is not the end that there is purgatory or someplace like that from which you can have a second chance. 1. That is a devils lie. Listen to that verse again. 2. Then consider also: Luke 16:22 the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, D. Maybe you think that you have time to trust Jesus. Maybe you do. 1. The Bible lists a good long life as between 70 to 80 years. Psalms 90:10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. 2. Have you ever known anyone who did not live to be 70 or 80 years old? car accident, heart attack, stroke, cancer, murder? Sure you have. To risk an old age salvation is a demonstration of your complacency. 3. Might I also point out, that for many here, the greater portion of that time has already passed? At what point do think you will cast off that complacency? a. There are six great illusions of life: youth, strength, beauty, goodness, time, and intelligence. b. You do not have as much of any of them as you think. 4. Listen to what the Scripture says: 2 Corinthians 6:2 behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 1. God says that today is the day of salvation. 2. There is an urgency to being saved before death. E. You say, "I am not sure that I believe in hell. After all, a loving God would not cast us into hell." 1. I will tell you what God Himself said. Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books. Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. 2. That is Gods warning to you! F. Perhaps you say, "I understand and I will be saved just later." 1. Such thinking is flawed and fatal. 2. It assumes you will have a later, but even more, it assumes God will call you later. Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him 3. There is such a thing as sinning away your opportunity to be saved. Ps 81:11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. 12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts lust: and they walked in their own counsels. 4. Friend, salvation is not for tomorrow. Death cometh. This is urgent. Trust Christ today. II. The Urgency before Jesus returns. A. As surely as Jesus came the first time, Jesus has promised to come a second time. John 14:2 In my Fathers house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. Acts 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. B. The Bible warns us against being complacent in this truth. 1. It tells us that the unsaved will mock this truth. 2Peter 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 2. It tells us that even the saved will be tempted to be complacent concerning it. 1Thess 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 3. Consider the resume of the one who promised He would return. a. He is the One who created time, matter, and space. b. He then arranged all of those things into the created world and with nothing but His word, He hold them together. c. With a resume like that, do you think you should believe what He says concerning His return? D. What is the danger in Jesus returning while we are unsaved? 1. The Bible teaches that after Jesus returns, God will begin a seven year period of judgment upon this world called the tribulation. a. It is called THE DAY OF THE LORD. 2Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up. b. This is where the Book of the Revelation fits. c. It describes some of the events of those seven years. (1) Supernatural plagues from God. (2) Wars and famines that kill billions. (3) The demonic rule of the anti-Christ. d. To be saved before death is an urgent necessity for we know not when we will draw our last breathe, but I personally believe that the greater necessity is to be saved before the 2nd coming of Jesus. e. I truly believe it could happen at any time! f. "NOW is the accepted time." 2. Yet, it is not even the dangers and demonism of the tribulation that scares me the most any longer. It is the deception that God has promised would come. 2Thess 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. a. That delusion is not coming. It is here. b. It will intensify, but it is here. c. Nothing bears record of what the world believes like a political cycle. The last six cycles (since 1993) have been eye opening. d. What do men believe? (1) People now think man is good and getting better. (2) They believe God, the devil, sin, hell, and the Bible are all myths. (3) They believe in evolution. III. The Urgency before sin destroys you. A. I am preaching to you about the need to be saved today. I am urging you to cast away your complacency and see the urgency of salvation. 1. I have given you two reasons. a. Because death could come at any moment. b. Because Jesus could come at any moment. 2. The third reason I give you for this urgency is the opposite of the other two. 3. The third reasons is because you may live, and if you live without Jesus, sin will destroy you. B. What do I mean? 1. All sin is destructive. a. For every sin, there is a judgment, either now or in the life to come or both. b. That is true for every lie, every lust, every bad deed or thought. 2. Gods mercy has been holding back the destroying power of sin, but Gods mercy is vanishing away. 3. I do not have the time this morning to explain more, but the longer your live with Jesus, the more sin will pervert your mind and soul. a. There are many demoniacs of Gadara today! Mark 5:1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. b. They just arent living in caves. 1Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: c. Evil spirits are uniting and inhabiting the souls of godless people. Matt 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. d. If Jesus does not return, if death does not come, how wicked is this world going to get? e. Your only hope is to trust Jesus NOW. Matt 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. I close with the verse with which I began. 2Cor 6:2 behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. You must trust Jesus as your Savior and you must do it NOW. It is URGENT.