Westside Church of Christ

We are closer to our eternal destination than we have ever been. It is a sobering thought to consider where we will be forever. There will be no mulligans, no do-overs, no second chances. Lord will descend, th Saints will ascend to meet Him in the air and be with Him forever…or not. Separation from God is incomprehensible. His word paints an existence that no one would choose but many will experience.

God is love (1 John 4:8). Can we imagine being someplace that has absolutely no love? We think of the embrace of a loved one. There will be none there. The joy that we feel when we catch that first glimpse of the people who matter to us when they’ve been away for a long time. A smile is spontaneous. Arms extend and hugs abound. All of that may be in our memory but absent in that forever home. God is not there. Love does not exist.

God is light (1 John 1:5). Take Him out of the picture, and all that is left is darkness. Jesus told a parable about the kingdom of heaven, and His closing warning was about the ill-prepared being bound hand and foot and thrown into the outer darkness. It is a place of unspeakable agony. Indeed, many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 22:1-14). Ponder the notion of being up, in total darkness and having zero hope of escaping. Judgment is serious business and closer than ever.

That destination is vividly described in Scripture. It is a place of perpetual torment and fire forever separated from our Creator who cares so deeply for us. So profound is His love for this world that He sent His Son to provide an escape from the horror of that eternal suffering. It is not what He wants for us. He described it with such intensity, so that we would make the better choice.

It is another example of how much we mean to Him. He told us how awful it would be to exist at a distance from Him. If He were not so gracious, He would have kept it a secret but He didn’t. He is a God of full disclosure of all the information needed to make our decision. It is up to us.

“For God so loved the world…(John 3:16).” You know the rest. A unique Son was sent to open a way out of self-destruction. Our choice. Amazing grace made salvation possible for all. Hell defies description. So does heaven. It is in the presence of the Lord, and that will never end. We will not lose it, and no one can take it away. We will be with Him forever, embraced by His love. It could start at any minute. Today is the day to choose. He made His decision. Now, it’s our turn.

Call to Praise: John 3:16-21

His word on it: 1 John 4:9

Sermon: “The God Who Gives”