THE NATHAN REPORT: October 12, 2014

A bright sunny day, a perfect day made by our Lord. Welcome to 'THE NATHAN REPORT'!

We started of with beautiful praise and worship, here is the playlist:

1) We will worship the Lamb of Glory - Dennis Jernigan

2) Nothing is impossible - Israel Houghton

3) My redeemer lives - Reuben Morgan

4) Here is love - Welsh Hymn

5) How great is our God - Chris Tomlin

Beautiful Praise and Worship followed by the announcements. Here are the list of announcements:

- We have three services every Sunday, 8:00 AM, 9:45 AM and 5:30 PM.

- Men's Fellowship will be on 16th October at 6:00 AM at Hotel Avion.

- VBS will begin on 20th Oct till 26th October. The topic will be "Weird Animals". Bring your children to learn about it.

- There will be a trip to Orissa in November. Pray for the planning and safety during the tour.

- Pastor Vivek is back and he will be leading the service today after almost one month of unwellness.

Today we will be talking about "Witnessing".
Have you ever imagined, a tiny mosquito can be responsible for sending people to hospital beds. If you ever did, then imagine, what man can do to glorify God? How many people he can bring to the beloved savior?

Illustration: On the evening of April 15, 1912, a most horrible and tragic accident took the lives of over 1,500 people. What is more horrifying is the fact that there were 16 lifeboats and four rafts with enough space to accommodate over 1,700. There were almost a 1,000 more people on board the Titanic than there was space in the lifeboats. Many of the dead bodies recovered from this event are now resting in three Halifax Cemeteries. And this is the real tragedy, not the fact the Titanic sank but that there were so many who died, who possibly could’ve lived. In her book “Titanic a Night Remembered” Stephanie L. Barczewski recounts the testimony of the survivors of this fateful night. Several of the crew men who were assigned to the lifeboats testified that they wanted to go search for survivors in the water but the rich and influential passengers convinced them to row away from the scene. They were concerned that the lifeboats would be swamped with people trying to escape the frigid waters and the boat would be overturned. Only one lifeboat ultimately made it back to look for survivors, boat 14, but, it arrived too late and only saved 3 people out of the hundreds who died. Survivor Eva Hart remembered this night, she said, "I saw all the horror of its sinking, and I heard, even more dreadful, the cries of drowning people."

Only one lifeboat out of twenty decided to go back and save the drowning passengers. The other nineteen rowed aimlessly for hours and because of their fear kept a distance from the dying. "I came to seek and to save the lost," Jesus said. And he commissioned us to do the same. But we face a large obstacle: fear. While people drown in the treacherous waters around us, we are tempted to stay dry and make certain no one rocks our boat.

I believe we want to be more like lifeboat 14 than the other boats. Our mission statement says, “we exist to increase and mature God’s people.” So we need to discuss what it means to increase God’s people. What we’re talking about here is sharing our faith with others. There are two reasons why sharing your faith is vital. The first reason has everything to do with life; Eternal life.

There are many people who are drowning, who do not have Jesus. We need to witness them, not for us, but to save them. In our Church, following is the mission statement: "We are convinced that God has called us to make disciples of all people (all nations, tribes, tongues and races) by reaching them with a great offer of the gospel, exhorting them to pursue a love for and knowledge of God, teaching them to obey everything Christ commanded, and equipping them for spiritual service in the home, church, workplace, community and the nations." We need to stay on the path of the Lord and keep on reaching out and witness to ones who are lost. Jesus said, "For I came to seek and to save the lost".

There are only two destinations:
- Heaven.
- Hell.
Every individual's life will determine the destiny. Thousands are dying in front of us everyday, what are we supposed to do? We need to witness and bring the lost to Jesus. It is our choice and not chance that determines our destiny.

Few references:
Daniel 12:2, "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."

Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"

Romans 5:15, "But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many."

Ezekiel 18:20, "The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself."

From the illustration above, people who died in Titanic was not the tragedy. The real tragedy was people who moved away. God has provided the salvation from eternal death - this is the essence of witnessing.

A brief description of Hell
1. Hell is a conscious torment.
- Hell is a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- Fire and brimstone. (will torture but never consume).

Matthew 13:5, "Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil."

Mark 9:48, "Where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched."

Revelation 14:10, "He also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb."

Revelation 19:20, "And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur."

It causes unquenchable intense pain and agony.

Ezekiel 20:147, "Say to the forest of the Negeb, Hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you and every dry tree. The blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from south to north shall be scorched by it."

Matthew 12:20, "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory."

Mark 9:43-48, "43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.[b] 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched."

2. Hell is eternal and irreversible
Matthew 18:8, "And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire."

Matthew 25:41, "Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

Matthew 21:46, "And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet."

Revelation 14:11, "And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name."

The gospel is the great means whereby men are brought to fear God, and to give glory to him. The preaching of the everlasting gospel shakes the foundations of antichrist in the world, and hastens its downfal. If any persist in being subject to the beast, and in promoting his cause, they must expect to be for ever miserable in soul and body. The believer is to venture or suffer any thing in obeying the commandments of God, and professing the faith of Jesus. May God bestow this patience upon us. Observe the description of those that are and shall be blessed: such as die in the Lord; die in the cause of Christ, in a state of union with Christ; such as are found in Christ when death comes. They rest from all sin, temptation, sorrow, and persecution; for there the wicked cease from troubling, there the weary are at rest. Their works follow them: do not go before as their title, or purchase, but follow them as proofs of their having lived and died in the Lord: the remembrance of them will be pleasant, and the reward far above all their services and sufferings. This is made sure by the testimony of the Spirit, witnessing with their spirits, and the written word.

How can we save people from going an eternal hell? By witnessing them!

Revelation 2:14-15, "14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."

The word of God is a sword, able to slay both sin and sinners. It turns and cuts every way; but the believer need not fear this sword; yet this confidence cannot be supported without steady obedience. As our Lord notices all the advantages and opportunities we have for duty in the places where we dwell, so he notices our temptations and discouragements from the same causes. In a situation of trials, the church of Pergamos had not denied the faith, either by open apostacy, or by giving way so as to avoid the cross. Christ commends their stedfastness, but reproves their sinful failures. A wrong view of gospel doctrine and Christian liberty, was a root of bitterness from which evil practices grew. Repentance is the duty of churches and bodies of men, as well as of particular persons; those who sin together, should repent together. Here is the promise of favour to those that overcome. The influences and comforts of the Spirit of Christ, come down from heaven into the soul, for its support. This is hidden from the rest of the world. The new name is the name of adoption; when the Holy Spirit shows his own work in the believer's soul, this new name and its real import are understood by him.

3. Hell is an utter impenetrable darkness.
2 Peter 2:17, "These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved."

Jude 1:3, "Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints."

Matthew 22:13, Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Some people don't believe that heaven or hell exist. I believe in this, because the word of God says this. Those that walk unworthy of Christianity, forfeit all the happiness they presumptuously claimed. Our Saviour here passes out of the parable into that which it teaches. Hypocrites go by the light of the gospel itself down to utter darkness. Many are called to the wedding-feast, that is, to salvation, but few have the wedding-garment, the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Spirit. Then let us examine ourselves whether we are in the faith, and seek to be approved by the King.

The word of truth is the water of life, which refreshes the souls that receive it; but deceivers spread and promote error, and are set forth as empty, because there is no truth in them. As clouds hinder the light of the sun, so do these darken counsel by words wherein there is no truth. Seeing that these men increase darkness in this world, it is very just that the mist ofdarkness should be their portion in the next. In the midst of their talk of liberty, these men are the vilest slaves; their own lusts gain a complete victory over them, and they are actually in bondage. When men are entangled, they are easily overcome; therefore Christians should keep close to the word of God, and watch against all who seek to bewilder them.

4. Hell is also for them who reject Jesus.
God's desire is that no one should go to hell. It was originally designed for satan and demons.

Matthew 25:41, "Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

Matthew 13:41, "The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers,"

Matthew 13:50, "And throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Revelation 20:10-11, "10 And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them."

Revelation 20:15, "And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."

Revelation 21:8, "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."

Illustration: Pastor Rick Warren put out a survey about the Purpose of the Church that shows why some Christians aren’t motivated for Evangelism. In the survey, 89% of the church members said the Church’s Purpose is to “take care of my needs and those of my family.” Only 11% said, “The purpose of the church is to win the world for Jesus Christ.” (The Purpose-Driven Church, Page 82)

But according to Jesus Christ, spreading the Good News is our MAIN purpose. Some people think of Evangelizing as a heavy burden. It’s just one more thing to feel guilty about. But that’s not the way we should be looking at it, because the call to evangelism is actually a HEAVENLY HONOR. Moreover Church is the only organization with a place for non-members.

John 1:41-42, "41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter)."

John 1:44-46, 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

John Piper sais, "When the heart no longer feels the truth of hell, the gospel passes from good news to just news. The intensity of joy is blunted and the heart spring of love is dried up.

The keener the memory of our awful rescue the more naturally we pity those in a similar plight. The more deeply we feel how undeserved and free was the grace that plucked us from the flames, the freer will be our benevolence to sinners."

Illustration: Dwight L Moody never forgot the day Kimball came behind the counter “and put his hand upon my shoulder, and talked to me about Christ and my soul. I had not felt I had a soul till then.” Moody stood astounded by the presence of this man who had known him only a few weeks yet wept over his sins. Years later Moody said, “I don’t remember what he said, but I can feel the power of that man’s hand on my shoulder tonight.” Within a few months, the young shoe store clerk surrendered his life to Christ and expressed a willingness to repent and be mentored in the faith by Edward Kimball and a few other men in Boston’s Mount Vernon Congregational Church. The young convert admitted that he soon found himself in “a conflict with my will. I had a terrible battle to surrender my will, and to take God’s will.”

Friends, start witnessing people to keep people away from hell. It is a place of darkness, agony, terror. Witnessing is not an option, but it is required. Do we care for those who are trying to get fulfillment in vain things and are distressed?

Witness is our business. Fear keeps away witnessing, but this is the time when we need to ask Lord for the support and fearlessness. Church is not our need, God fulfills our needs, We need to witness, that is Church's need.

Let us all pray!

Dear Lord, thank you for a wonderful message. Open the eyes of our heart God. If we think our friends may be going to hell or our loved ones are going to hell, we proclaim, "We want to witness." Give us strength of Lord. Help us reach out the unreached. We know, our life has a purpose, and we completely submit our lives to You dear God. Please help us reach hundreds of people and save them from entering eternal pain, terror and agony. May your word be known to them, so use us dear Lord. We rebuke any evil plan in Jesus' name and proclaim the blood of Christ's protection upon us. Prepare us father and help us be victorious of fear. We want to witness, please make a way for us. With your most precious name we ask. Amen!

We hope you enjoyed today's service. Before closing, we had a holy communion service and a beautiful song in the background. Below are few photographs and the link to the song.