Pastor John A. Railton

Pastor Railton would consider it a privilege to talk with anyone about the church, living the Christian life, how to become a Christian or any problem or discouragement you may be experiencing. Let him know and he will be glad to either come to your home or meet in the office.

 

What are the Odds?

I. LIFE NEED - What Are The Odds?

    A. The biggest lottery win in the history of the nation is over. 

        1. The record power ball jackpot came to $295.7 million. It touched off a frenzy that had people standing in line for hours, foolishly throwing away their college money, money for the down payment on a house, money that had been saved to pay bills, money to provide for their families, even their life savings. 

        2. Since there are 80.1 million possible number combinations in the lottery, your chances of winning with one ticket are 1 in 80.1 million. If you bought two tickets, you doubled your chances to 2 in 80.1 million. The odds are certainly against you. Your chances of being killed in a plane crash are much better, at 1 in 11,000,000. For even better odds, your chances of dying of a snakebite are 1 in 3,500,000. There's 1 chance in 2,000,000 that you'll die falling out of bed. That's pretty slim! Yet, many were obsessed with the lottery. 

        3. Some people call it investing. I would have to suggest that people first invest in the Lord's work by giving a tithe, by providing for their families, and being responsible with their money. If you have money to throw away after that, I can't condemn gambling from the scriptures. At the same time, one should be extremely cautious. Gambling is addictive. Statistically there is a certain percentage of the population that will get caught up in it beyond control. It ruins marriages, families, careers. It feeds greed. It promotes the attitude of getting something for nothing. It lowers many people to the level of a fantasy world where all they can think of is how they'll spend the money. There are people this weekend who need professional help, because they're depressed. They thought they would win the lottery. They were actually counting on it. 

        4. Proverbs. 23:4,5, "Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle." 

        5. In Luke 18:24,25 Jesus was speaking to a rich man, and he said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter he kingdom of God." I can't say I wouldn't like to have a lot of money. On the other hand, I would not want to pay the price. Chances are the money would get in the way of the Lord. There is no amount of money worth risking the salvation of anyone in my family. Money has a way of changing people. Maybe it wouldn't affect Alice or I, but what if it did our kids? I've got two grandkids on the way this winter. What a curse wealth would be if it kept someone out of the kingdom! 

    B. Actually, I'm Not Preaching On Gambling Or Wealth. My message is entitled, "What Are The Odds?" We've heard all kinds of statistics this week as to the odds for this or that. In most cases, like the lottery, it's a real longshot. But we're going to discover in scripture four things that are certain. There are no odds. These are things that are sure! Man has said that there are two things that are certain - death, and taxes. This is true, however the scriptures speak of at least four things that are certain. They are absolute. 

II. BIBLE LEARNING

    I encourage you to take notes. When you have opportunity to talk to your friends or family about your hope in the Lord, these things will come in handy. 

    A. All People Are Sinners! 
        1. Rom. 3:10. 
        2. Rom. 3:21-24. 
        3. Ps. 51:1-5. 
        4. I John 1:8-10. 

    Because all people are sinners . . . 

    B. Man Is Destined to Die! 

        1. Back in Genesis, before Adam and Eve had sinned, God told them, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die!" (Gen. 2:17) 
            a. "You will surely die!" That was the word of God. 
            b. Later the serpent told Eve, "You will not surely die!" This is the first lie ever told, and in fact it is perpetuated still today. Man does not have a natural immortality. Immortality is available only through the Lord. (Gen. 3) 
            c. Man is destined to die! Will you believe God, or the serpent? 

        2. Read Eccl. 7:2. 
            a. Eccl. 3:19,20 say, "Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both. As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over he animal. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return." 

        3. Twice in Ezekiel. 18:4,20a, "The soul who sins is the one who will die!" 

        4. Rom. 6:23 declares that "the wages of sin is death." 

        5. Heb. 9:27. 

        6. All people are sinners, and man is destined to die. 

    C. All People Will One Day Meet Their Maker! By the way, this doesn't happen at death. It happens at the resurrection - later. 

        1. It will either be a joyous occasion, or it will be a dreadful day of judgment. 

        2. Ps. 58:11 says, "Surely there is a God who judges the earth!" 

        3. Look again at Heb. 9:27. "And after that to face judgment." 

        4. Matt. 12:36,37. 

        5. Rom. 14:10-12. 

        6. In Rom. 2:16 Paul speaks of the day when God will judge men's secrets, through Jesus Christ. Actually God has turned all judgment over to Jesus, according to John 5:22. I'm not quite sure how it's all going to come down, but you can be sure you will meet your maker, one way or the other. 

        7. II Peter 3:3-7. 

        8. You can be sure that all men are sinners, that all are destined to die, and that one way or another, all will be judged by the Lord! 

    D. In Spite Of Men's Sin, And His Destiny With Judgment And Death, God Loves Everyone Of Us, And Offers Salvation! 

        1. John 3:16 clearly declares that "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." 

        2. Rom. 5:8 tells us, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!" 

        3. II Peter 3:8,9. This is a sure thing. God loves us dearly. He wants us to be saved for eternity. But we have to meet him on his terms. 

III. BIBLE APPLICATION

Here are his terms. 

    A. Belief - John 20:30,31. There are many gospels out there, which, as Paul puts it in II Corinthians. 11, are really no gospel at all. Acts 8:12 . . . 

    B. Repentance - We've already read in II Peter that God wants everyone to come to repentance, and that the alternative is judgment and destruction. 

    C. Baptism - Acts 8:12, Mark 16:15,16, Acts 2:38 (Belief and repentance must precede baptism.) 

    D. Obedience - I John 2:3,4, "We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says 'I know him,' but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him."  Last week, you may recall, we heard Jesus say, "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46) 

IV. LIFE RESPONSE

    A. We've sung this morning about standing on the promises of God. 

    B. We've sung about the blessed assurance that Jesus is mine. 

    C. There is assurance in the Lord. God's promises are sure! We can count on the Lord God, and his son Jesus Christ before anything else! 

    D. Heb. 2:3 asks, "How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?" 

Back to Sermons