The sermon emphasizes the power of the Lamb of God to take away sin and the importance of preaching the Bible as it is to bring about change in people's lives.
This sermon emphasizes the unparalleled sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who took away the sins of the world, surpassing all other forms of atonement. It highlights the uniqueness of Christianity as a superlative religion that contrasts with all others, focusing on the infallible truth of the Bible. The message delves into the power of repentance and the transformative work of God in making the unholy holy, showcasing the ultimate miracle of spiritual regeneration through Christ.
Full Transcript
And John uttered the words that echoed down the very last corridor of hell itself and has made hell tremble ever since. He says, behold, the Lamb of God hath taken away the sin of the world. Not all the blood of beasts or Jewish oaths are slain, could give one guilty conscience, peace or wash away one's sin.
But Christ, the heavenly Lamb, took all our sins away. He lifted God and Samson could never lift. He solved a problem that Solomon with all his wisdom could never solve.
He led captivity captive. He died and rose again. And he pledged my resurrection, his resurrection, because he said, if I die and rise, you die and you'll rise again.
If I go to my father, you'll have a place in heaven with me. And the Holy Ghost came. And the whole area was stirred.
I remind you again, friends, that Christianity is not a comparative religion. It's a superlative religion. It doesn't compare with any religion in the world.
It contrasts with every other religion in the world. Sure, the Bible is infallible. Otherwise, how do you think it survived so much bad preaching? Oh, brother, let's get back and teach the book.
Teach what God says about it, about sin, about redemption, about the Holy Ghost, about his coming, about world tribulation. Why, this is the most exciting book in the whole world. And John preached and all he was preaching, shooting the arrows of God into the hearts of men and women.
Dear old George Whitfield did that one night. He said, I've got my quiver full of arrows and they're tipped with the fire of God and I'm going to shoot them. And he drew, he said, here is the first arrow and the arrow is repentance.
Here it comes. And the whole audience stepped down because, but he got them anyhow. And John was preaching something whereby Nicholson said, what did you think to my sermon on hell? He said, it's the most terrifying sermon.
Did you feel that God has made a hell for wicked men as well as the devil? Did you feel that a million ways into hell, a million roads in and no road out. That while heaven is eternal life, hell is eternal death. That while heaven is eternal life, hell is eternal darkness.
While in heaven there is no mourning or sorrow, in hell it's everlasting mourning. While in heaven they sing the song of mourning, in hell they groan and groan. The harvest is past, the summer has ended and we're not safe.
Did you feel that it was real? He said, I could almost smell the sulfur. We're afraid to tell people they've got to repent and turn their back on sin and hate their sin and love their sin. But John did it.
And man alive, he disturbed the whole non-lyrical, just the lyrical of regeneration, which is, listen, I believe in miracle. I've been in meetings that we've had and afterwards said he's sort of sick, we've been happy to pray. And I've seen God open blind eyes.
I've seen people get up out of chairs when they were crippled. I've gone to hospital and prayed for people who were dying of cancer. And one woman I prayed for is healthier than me now, not those 30 odd years ago and after.
I've seen God do that. But I want to tell you the greatest miracle that deity can do, is to take an unholy man out of an unholy world and make that unholy man holy and put him back in an unholy world and keep him holy. Amen.
That's the redemptive work of God in Christ.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Lamb of God
- A. The Lamb's power to take away sin
- B. The Lamb's ability to lift what is impossible for man to lift
- C. The Lamb's solution to the problem of sin
- II. The Contrast of Christianity
- A. Christianity is a superlative religion, not comparative
- B. Christianity contrasts with every other religion
- III. The Importance of Preaching
- A. The need to teach the Bible as it is
- B. The power of the Holy Spirit in preaching
- IV. The Reality of Hell
- A. Hell is eternal death, not eternal life
- B. Hell is a place of eternal darkness and mourning
Key Quotes
“Behold, the Lamb of God hath taken away the sin of the world.” — Leonard Ravenhill
“He lifted God and Samson could never lift. He solved a problem that Solomon with all his wisdom could never solve.” — Leonard Ravenhill
“I've seen God do that. But I want to tell you the greatest miracle that deity can do, is to take an unholy man out of an unholy world and make that unholy man holy and put him back in an unholy world and keep him holy.” — Leonard Ravenhill
Application Points
- We must preach the Bible as it is, without compromise or watering down the message.
- The greatest miracle that God can do is to take an unholy man out of an unholy world and make him holy.
- We must be willing to disturb people's complacency and call them to repentance and regeneration.
