Not a Cloud in the Sky

Well, it's good to be here tonight, friends, and I have a message you're not gonna wanna miss. This message could speak to your heart. Listen to me carefully tonight, friends, as I tell you a story.

I wanna tell you a story from the book of Genesis. Hear me now. The anti-Diluvian townspeople laughed at the old man out in the forest, fellin' trees and sawin' wood.

He was the song of drunkards as they mocked him unrelentingly. But as Noah perspired while buildin' the ark, he warned his generation for Noah was a preacher of righteousness, and he would call out to them, be ready. Hear me now.

Be ready. A storm is comin'. I tell you, a storm is comin', as he kept hammered away on that gopher wood.

But no one took him seriously. No one believed Noah's warnings that it was gonna rain. It fell on deaf ears.

No one believed Noah because there was not a cloud in the sky. And that's the tale of my message this evening, friends. Not a cloud in the sky.

People don't see their danger today as they go about their daily business. Hell doesn't frighten anyone because they can't see it. What your eye can't see, your heart can't grieve over.

A man with lung cancer won't be worried about it until a doctor's x-ray proves to him that he has it. Once he sees the black spot of cancer on that x-ray, then he's convinced and he'll seek a cure. I know what I was talkin' about, friends.

I was in the hospital and the doctors told me I had heart failure, but I refused to believe it until they ran some tests on me and proved to me that my heart was only functioning at fifty percent capacity. Then when I saw that, I grieved over my poor heart and began to take heart medication. A carefree world doesn't care a hill of beans about eternity.

You can warn them about a future judgment and you can talk about hell all day long to them and they will just laugh at you because they can't smell the smoke of hell, so it doesn't bother or concern them. They can't hear the damned in hell scream in agony. There's a verse in my Bible which speaks of this very thing.

In Ecclesiastes 8.11 we read, because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of man is fully set in them to do evil. You can give them all the warnings of the gospel, but they don't see a cloud in the sky. But when the Holy Spirit attends the preaching of God's word, then hearts come under conviction.

In the book of Acts, when Peter preached to that assembled crowd there, their hearts were stabbed with conviction. In Acts 2.37 we read, therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, O men and brethren, what shall we do? You see, friends, once they were awakened to their lost condition, then Peter could show them the way to forgiveness of sin.

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. But until these Jews fell under Holy Spirit conviction, they could not see that their hands were dirty for crucifying the Lord of glory. Before that, there was not a cloud in the sky.

Perhaps someone here tonight has been careless toward the gospel. You've been careless about eternity, careless about your own salvation because you did not see a cloud in the sky in regard to your sins. You've seen no need of a Savior because you've never seen your sins for what they are.

You've not felt the heat of hell's flames and misery because you've been ignorant to your danger of dying in your sins and being cast into everlasting perdition. As far as you've been concerned, there's not been a cloud in the sky. But hear me, friends, the truth from God is every human being is a sinner in the sight of God, and man cannot save himself.

It was sin that nailed Jesus Christ to the cross, and it was sinners who drove the nails. Like the crowd in Noah's day, judgment is common, and God must punish sin. Man cannot change their awful sinful nature, which is described in the book of Job.

How much more abominable and filthy is man? Which drinketh iniquity like water? That's what you are, friend. You can't get enough of sin. You drink it like water.

And because of man's sin, they are condemned by God's holy law. God is a God who must punish sin. The sin that's in the law must be carried out on your head.

You're guilty, guilty, guilty. God declares, the soul that sinneth, it shall die. Jesus Christ is God's son, and he is a perfect savior for sinners.

Are you a sinner? Are you a sinner in need of a savior from sin? Jesus said, I am come, not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. God promises in the gospel that all who see and know themselves to be sinners, and look away from themselves, and look in perfect confidence in him, they shall be received. Jesus declared, all that the father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

I remember the day, friends, when I couldn't see a cloud in the sky, but God conquered me and revealed to me the approaching storm of justice. He showed me I was lost and on my way to hell. And not only that, I deserved to go there.

I became a seeker that day, seeking God for mercy to save an old sinner like me. But my sky had to grow dark with the storm clouds of judgment before I saw my danger of dying in my sins and being sent to a devil's hell. The gospel is not for the satisfied.

Hear me now. It's not for the self-righteous who don't see their need. But the gospel is for the hungry, the weary, and the thirsty.

Let me ask you, friend, are you hungry for God? Are you weary of your sins? Are you thirsty for Christ? Then come to him and believe on him. The cross is the place where wicked men sought to get rid of him, but by his death it becomes the place where his saving power flows out to all who come in repentance, confessing they are sinners and own them as their savior and lord. You come to him now, friend, before it's too late.

Soon he will come in judgment on this world when his anger shall burn as an oven and then you shall meet him as your judge. In 2 Thessalonians, it declares the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power. That means you, friend, if you are not saved you will surely go to hell.

If you don't repent you will go to hell. God himself will pour out his wrath upon you for sin. You must get an interest in Christ, friend.

You must get an interest in him. Jesus is the only remedy and refuge for sin, but you must come to him for forgiveness of sin. You must get your sins under his blood.

His blood can wash away the sin, your deepest sin. In Isaiah, God declares this very thing. Come now and let us reason together.

Sayeth the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Listen to me, friend.

If God's been dealing with your soul through this message, I want you to come to Christ for salvation and forgiveness of sin. Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me.

If God's been speaking to you, friend, then don't delay. I'm gonna sing a hymn and as I sing it I want you to come to Christ Jesus. Jesus is the friend of sinners.

Jesus is the pearl of great price worth selling off for so he may be gained. You get an interest in Christ, friend. You come as I sing.

Pass me not, O gentle Savior, hear my humble cry. While on others thou art calling, do not pass me by. Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry.

While on others thou art calling, do not pass me by. Let me at that throne of mercy find a sweet relief. Kneeling there in deep contrition, help my unbelief.

Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry. While on others thou art calling, do not pass me by. Trusting only in thy merit would I seek thy face.

Heal my wounded, broken spirit. Save me by thy grace. Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry.

While on others thou art calling, do not pass me by.