Without Excuse | Revelation 14:6-11 | Richard Caldwell

Scripture

• Revelation 14:6–11

About this sermon

Introduction: Perhaps the clearest testimony to the depravity of man is the amount of light that he can meet with that does him absolutely NO GOOD. It doesn’t matter how much spiritual light that an unregenerate person meets with, if left to himself, he is not benefited by that light, rather his guilt is increased because he has no appetite for it. The truth doesn’t save him in his natural state; the truth only condemns him. Man’s spiritual blindness is more than just spiritual ignorance; it is WILLFUL spiritual ignorance. ESV Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. (Rom. 1:18 ESV) “WHO BY THEIR UNRIGHTEOUSNESS SUPRESS THE TRUTH.” That is what man is by nature — he is a truth suppressor. He denies the truth, avoids the truth, disputes with the truth, substitutes for the truth, scoffs at the truth, seeks to destroy the truth, in every way SUPRESSES THE TRUTH, because he HATES THE TRUTH. ESV John 3:20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. (Jn. 3:20 ESV) So great is the wickedness of man, that when he met with the very EMBODIMENT of truth, the way, the TRUTH, and the life — the Lord Jesus Christ — he attributed what he met with to Satan. He called darkness light and light darkness. THIS IS WHY WE CAN SAY WITH FULL CONFIDENCE, THAT NOTHING CAN BRING A MAN OR WOMAN TO SAVING FAITH IN CHRIST EXCEPT THE GRACE AND POWER OF GOD. Miracles won’t do it. Crises won’t do it. Intellectual arguments won’t do it. Family pleading won’t do it. Righteous examples won’t do it. The prospect of death won’t do it. NOTHING WILL CONVINCE A MAN OR WOMAN TO BELIEVE THE TRUTH WITHOUT GOD CHANGING THE HEART. That includes witnessing ASTOUNDING events — things that no one would have ever believed unless they had seen it with their own eyes or heard it with their own ears. Our Lord taught this, and the Bible demonstrates this in multiple ways. ESV Luke 16:24 And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.' 25 But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' 27 And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house-- 28 for I have five brothers-- so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' 29 But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' 30 And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31 He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'" How do you explain the children of Israel witnessing God’s self-revelation in their deliverance, and the sobering sights and sounds of Mount Sinai, and then wanting a golden calf? How do you explain the Egyptians witnessing the plagues that God sent upon them, only to conclude that they would try to hunt down the children of Israel after agreeing to let them go? How do you explain the religious leaders of the Jews hearing of the raising of Lazarus from the dead, and reaching the conclusion that they must kill Jesus, because if they let him go on with such miracles everyone will believe in Him? How do you come face to face with God and call him a devil? MAN’S SINFULNESS. And we find another example of this in our verses. We find that those who live during the tribulation period, and follow after the antichrist, will be people who are absolutely without excuse because of a supernatural WITNESS that God will give to this world. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT MEN CAN HEAR ANGELS PREACH? Well, they will.

Topics

• Bible Study
• Prophecy & End Times