The little word 'too' is an adverb that means excessively. If I said it was 'too warm' in here I would be saying it is 'excessively warm' in this auditorium. We use the word all the time. At times we use it too much…
Often when folks think of their personal relationship with God, they will use this little word. Perhaps young people think, "I am too young to think about God." Or others might think they are too busy to think about God. There are a few who they are too smart to think about God. But that saddest thought is found in our text this morning. One day it will be too late to think about God.
When God gave Daniel insight into the future of this world. He told him to seal the book of prophecy because it was not time to reveal those things to the world. However, in our text this morning, the Lord tells John NOT to seal it up. The reason, "the time is at hand." That means that the coming of the Lord was near.
The time of Jesus' return is drawing nearer and nearer to fulfillment as each day passes. Jesus said, "Behold I come quickly". Jesus is coming, and it's time to get ready. Jesus taught the parable of the ten virgins to show us all the importance of being ready. If we fail to heed His Word, we will be unprepared for eternity when He comes. Then it will be 'too late'.
I. Too Late to be Saved.
A. "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still."
1. We are all unjust in position.
a. "There is not a just man upon the earth" (Eccl. 7:20)
b. "There is none righteous, no, not one" (Rom. 3:10)
c. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23)
2. That may not be a popular thought in today's positive thinking rationale.
3. But it is the truth!
4. We don't have to stretch our thinking much to understand this.
5. All we have to do is look around us and we can see that the heart of man, apart from God, is evil.
B. "He that is filthy, let him be filthy still."
1. We are all filthy in practice.
2. Filthy simply means unclean…because we are unjust our actions will be unclean.
a. Even our good works are but as filthy rags (Isa. 64:6)
b. How tragic to be unjust and filthy forever
3. Only salvation can make us just and clean.
(Rom 5:1) "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:"
(1 John 1:7) "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."
a. "He that is righteous, let him be righteous still"
b. We are made righteous through faith in Christ.
(Rom 4:4-5) "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. {5} But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."
c. We are made righteous because of what Christ did for us (2 Cor. 5:21)
(2 Cor 5:21) "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
d. "He that is holy, let him be holy still"
e. Those who trust in Christ are made holy.
(1 Pet 2:9) "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:"
f. They are presented holy before the Lord.
(Col 1:22) "In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:"
4. Only salvation can make us just and clean, and only salvation can make us holy and righteous…but…
C. There is a day is coming when it will be too late to be saved.
1. Right now the door of salvation is open and available to all who will receive Christ and His finished work on Calvary as atonement for our sins.
2. But just as there came a time when God shut the door to the ark, shutting Noah and his family in and shutting the rest of the world out…
3. There is coming a day when God will say that is it…no more…and the opportunity for salvation will no longer be available.
4. It will be 'too late' to get right with God…too late to trust in Jesus Christ …too late to be saved!
II. Too Late to Live for Jesus
A. The time to live for Christ is right now.
1. God's desire is that we take up our cross daily…
2. Jesus told us that we must work while it is day…
3. He said the night cometh when no man can work. Cf John 9:4
4. Opportunity to serve Christ is something that must be seized each day.
5. How many times have we wasted and missed the opportunities God has placed before us?
6. We cannot go back and reclaim them.
B. Paul admonished us to 'redeem the time' or literally to make use of the time we have.
(Eph 5:16) "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." (Col 4:5) "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time."
1. Why is this so important?
2. Because Jesus is coming back soon…what we do for Him must be done quickly.
3. We must witness to those who need to hear the Gospel…we may not have another opportunity.
4. We must do the work that God has called us to do…we may not have more time.
5. Jesus tells us He is coming soon.
C. We will all have to give an account before Him.
1. Those who are lost, will stand before Him at the Great White Throne judgment.
2. There will be no excuses…all who have failed to trust Him as Savior will be cast into the Lake of fire for all eternity.
3. Believers will stand before Him at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
4. There we will give an account of how we used the life that He has given us.
a. How have we invested our time?
b. How have we used our talents?
c. How have we invested our treasures?
Jesus said, "Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Too late to trust Christ and be saved. Too late to do more to serve Him. Too late for all eternity. If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, it is not too late to come now. Come and be saved today. Christian, if you haven't been serving Him as you know you should, it is not too late to come now and commit yourself to Him. Don't wait until it is too late! Come now…don't delay.