This sermon emphasizes the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ, comparing it to a tragic story of a man and his son swept away by the sea, illustrating how God forsook His son to bear the sins of humanity. It delves into the concept of accepting God's gift of eternal life through faith, highlighting the importance of not rejecting this offer. The sermon concludes with a call to accept this gift of salvation and to live a life dedicated to praising God for His sacrifice.

Can we bow for a moment of prayer, please? Father, thank Thee on the depth of our hearts that we can gather, united for one reason, Jesus Christ. We bless Thee for our Savior. There is nothing that we can come with to thank Thee more than for Jesus, for without him there is no salvation, there is no gift of eternal life, there is no way to God, nothing that could bring us to God. Life would be purposeless, meaningless, and end in despair at the nothingness of what lies ahead. We have something to live for because of Jesus. We have something to fight for. We have something to die for. We have a reason to give every breath in our body zealously and with joy to glorify him with every breath in our body, and that's possible if we choose to. We worship Thee tonight for Jesus and his death and his resurrected power and his promises in the sacred book. So, God, come and visit us now tonight. Through thy holy word, speak to all of our hearts. In Jesus the Christ's name, for his glory, amen. There is a baby's room in the back, and there are quite a few mothers in there with comfortable chairs. So, if you wouldn't mind taking your child, if it makes any noise for the sake of the camera that is going to probably go on to YouTube, and if you don't want your child to be heard by multitudes of people, who did that? Anyway, we won't go any further, but there is my wife there and other mothers who have comfortable chairs and toys and loudspeakers. So, if you wouldn't mind, if your child makes any disturbance, even the smallest, I would be very grateful if you took that child in. For God so loved the world, for God so loved the world that he gave, he gave his only, his only begotten son, that whosoever, whosoever believeth in him should not, should not perish, but have everlasting life, everlasting life. Years ago, I was reading the newspaper in a restaurant waiting for people in my hometown of Cape Town, South Africa, and I was startled. On the front page was a headline that literally shook my heart as I read it, and I was broken by the time I read to the end of this write-up on the front page of our main newspaper of our city. You see, it told of a man who had taken his family for a holiday to the Cape Point of Africa, where we live. Now, the Cape Point of Africa is very unique in this world for a number of reasons. The two oceans, they merge at the Cape Point, the tip of Africa. The great Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean become one, and that makes it a very rare tide in the whole world, because the tide doesn't come in a little couple of feet. As you see, the tide's coming high now. The tide comes with no warning, with a great swell, a swell that is fearful, and many multitudes of people have been swept to their death who were ignorant and oblivious of the danger of the tides of the Cape Point of Africa because of these two oceans. Now, there are warning signs everywhere for the tourists. A few million come over a year throughout that particularly most beautiful city in the world, they say our city, but for holidaymakers and in the car parks, and as you venture down onto the coves into the bay upon bay around these mountains that just stretch out, and these almost like little mountain rages going out into the sea, you see people venture on these mountains that are four times the height of this roof, but you're high and dry, low tide, and you can venture, and I have, you can venture out and out and out and enjoy the beauty of the magnificent Cape, the tip of Africa, which is very, very beautiful, rugged, and you look down from the rocks into the water coves like small bays upon bays, and you look at the whales that come to spawn. That's the big attraction is to watch these whales just come up and look up at you. It's screwing, but along the parking areas and on every cove there are big sign boards warning, because so many people have been swept to their death on those rocks, warning of these tides, that the tides come in one grace, especially spring tide. A spring tide is a dangerous time, because those small mountain ranges out into the sea are totally covered with no warning, just suddenly, you can't believe the slow the sea of these two oceans create when the tides change. Now this man in the newspaper was oblivious to the danger he put himself and his little boy, his son, in as he ventured the beauty by going on and on, the adventure with his little son, climbing over, out and out into the sea on this long range that goes all over the Cape Point, these rock formations, and he was out there far out, and he said suddenly he just saw the swell. It didn't come with any warning or far away for him to run, it was just a swell. He couldn't believe it, and he just came and took his little boy and him and took their bodies and swept them against the rocks, crushing their bodies, smashing their bodies, as they were just crushed and smashed and swept from rock formation to rock formation, and badly, badly wounded and hurt. He said as he held on to his son for dear life, he hoped this would just submerge, but to his horror, when he thought it was going to submerge, it rose up higher, and the higher swell just came with such force. Now he said his arm was so severed, it was hardly left. He was hardly able to, and he held on with a severed arm onto a rock, in agony, holding on to his child with the other arm, who hung and clung to his father as the swell this force of water just came gushing against him as he held on, and the child was looking up screaming to his daddy, help, daddy, save us. But he said as he held on, the force of the second swell that arose was so great that it tore, that we held on for dear life. Every faculty, it was being in agony of body. He held on, but it tore his son up. It was so forceful, and this little boy, he just saw the little boy's eyes full of fear, being swept out into the sea, just looking at his father, and just disappearing. They never found that boy's body. Now that tragedy broke my heart as I read that. It broke my heart. And I so prayed for him and what he had to face, the loss of his child. But listen carefully now, friend. As the great swell, as the great swell of all humanity's sins rose up in terrifying judgment against Jesus, as the great swell of all humanity's sins rose up in terrifying judgment against Jesus, it was so great, it was so great that God, God forsook his son, causing him to cry out in his humanity, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why hast thou forsaken me? Why? In this holy book, God answers us. In this holy book, God answers us. He gave his only begotten son. He gave his only begotten son, John 3, 16, that he, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man, that he, by the grace of God, should taste death, would face death for every man. Hebrews 2 verse 9, the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all, this book says. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all, Isaiah 53 verse 6 says, that he might be just, that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Romans 3 verse 26, being justified freely by grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, being justified freely by grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Romans 3 verse 2 tells us, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, that means a way to God for mercy, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, through faith in his blood for the remission of sins that have passed, Romans 3 verse 25, for the blood, the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin. Hallelujah. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin. God promises in 1 John 1 verse 7, there is therefore now no condemnation. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. God promises in Romans 8 verse 1. There is no condemnation, beloved. You see, the book tells us, whose own self bear our sins in his body on the tree, whose own self bear our sins in his body on the tree, 1 Peter 2 verse 24. Staggering, staggering what God says, who will have all men to be saved. 1 Timothy chapter 2 verse 4. I love this verse. Don't ever stand in a pulpit again unless you believe it. I beg you for Christ's sake and soul's sake, who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. I believe that of this God, who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth, who gave himself a ransom for all. 1 Timothy 2 verse 4 promises us and tells us, he will in no wise turn away anyone who comes to him through Christ Jesus. That is a staggering statement. John Wesley said it's not sacrilege or blasphemous to say what it's truly meaning. He cannot, Wesley said, turn away anyone who comes to him because he tasted death for every man. God said, and I believe it, who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. He will in no wise, he cannot, turn away anyone who comes to him through Christ Jesus because Jesus died for every man, every man according to this sacred book, beloved. He hath made him to be sin. Now I've read through this book, I don't know how many times. I've never met, I've never seen a verse that has staggered my heart. I cannot comprehend this as a preacher that has preached thousands of times and thousands of pulpits over forty-eight years of preaching. I cannot comprehend this, but I'm going to preach it because God says it. He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. That's a staggering statement, 1 Corinthians 5 verse 19. He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, not having mine own righteousness, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. This holy book declares by faith to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness, the holy book promises. Isn't that lovely? Isn't God good? For by grace are ye saved through faith, not of works. It's the gift of God. The first time God can look at you in a way that he's able to save you when you're seeking him is when you come with nothing but Jesus' death. Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling. It's the first time God can look at you in a way that he's able to save you. It's blasphemous to come with other things and say this, this is gonna make God save me. No, no, nothing in my hands I bring simply to the cross. That's what God's waiting for from you and me. It's the righteousness as a result of faith by grace, not of works. Beloved, in history many great injustices have happened. In history many great injustices have happened when it comes to judgment being proclaimed on murderers, criminals. You see, many have faced the death penalty, many, not some, many have faced the death penalty for crimes, atrocious crimes, and then after they were put to death, further evidence came to light proving that they were innocent. Can you imagine dying, being put to death for crimes you didn't do, that men accused you, and made you guilty of, and pronounced you, and looked at you, and shame was upon you. Well, what horror it must be to be treated as a criminal and die for a crime you never committed. A horror in your heart. But listen carefully now, listen carefully now, friend. I know of a man who was judged for many things he didn't do. He was punished and suffered the judgment of other people's crimes. He faced the death penalty for murders he had not committed, for rapes he had not performed, for thefts he had not committed, for lies he had never told, for many great evils that he had not done. He died, the Bible says, the just for the unjust, 1 Peter 3 verse 18. But he was wounded, this book tells me, for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him with his stripes. We are healed, all we, like sheep have gone astray. We've turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all, as Isaiah 53 verse 6 tells us. The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all. You see, the wages of sin, the just penalty of sin, is death. But the gift, literally the free gift, the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The wages of sin, literally in its context, is eternal death, what God calls the second death, eternal separation from God, with the smoke of their torment, which ends up forever and ever. They have no peace day or night, and all the judgments of God were everlasting, state of the unsaved. God calls this the second death, not a physical death, but what God terms death. The wages of sin in the full context is eternal suffering and damnation, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. God promises, but you must accept that gift of eternal life by faith. You must come to God in a way that heaven cannot refuse your heart, your whole being as you come, as he looks at you in the way you come. You must accept that gift of eternal life by faith, for by grace are you saved through faith, God says, through faith, beloved. In 1830, in the United States of America, a man named George Wilson was sentenced to be hung for robbery and murder. In 1830, a man named George Wilson was sentenced to be hung for robbery and murder, but then Andrew Jackson, the president of America at that time, granted him a pardon. Now this has happened in my lifetime in many countries, especially where the president overrides the high court's penalty in judgment upon crime, but as circumstances of upbringing are considered as to what made that man what he was and what he did, mercy was shown to him that overrode even the high court of a nation. The presidential pardon in my country again and again saved many from the death penalty, as they considered this Andrew Jackson, the president of America, granted him a presidential pardon, but he shook the nation, he shook the nation and the world, and he refused to accept it. He insisted that unless he accepts it, he cannot be pardoned. No matter who offered the pardon, the attorney general eventually said, the law was silent on this matter, and he referred it to the Supreme Court of America, Chief Justice Marshall, the highest judge in the land. He gave the following decision, a pardon, a pardon is only a piece of paper, the value of which depends fully on its acceptance by the person implicated. I want to repeat that, a pardon is only a piece of paper, the value of which depends, depends fully on the acceptance by the person implicated. It is hardly to be supposed, he concluded, that one under sentence of death would refuse to accept such an offer, but if it is refused, it is no longer a pardon of any value. George Wilson must therefore be hung and face death for the crimes he has committed. Justice demands it, justice demands it. Even though he was offered complete pardon, he rejected it. When did you, when did you accept by faith? In a way, heaven couldn't refuse you this gift of eternal life. Can we bow in prayer, please? Father, have mercy on every soul here, for Christ's sake, who died for them. Now, while our heads are bowed here tonight, I'm going to ask you something that will cost you, but it will cost you a billion, zillion times more if you say no, because God may never, ever, and this is the danger with the gospel. Don't play the fool with God, sir. Don't play the fool with eternal life. I want to ask every one of you who needs desperately at God's confrontation tonight through this holy book to come and accept God's gift of eternal life in a way God won't turn you, and you know he will not if you come as you know you ought to, for conscience told us, with all your heart and soul and might, to give your life to God when you come to accept this gift of eternal life and salvation. I'm going to ask those of you who've never done this, in truth, in a way that God forgave you and you knew it, and I want you to come tonight, and God wants you to come tonight, and he won't turn you away, he's promised, if you will harden not your hearts. Now is the acceptable time, the Bible says. Today is the day of salvation. If you will harden not your hearts, isn't the day of provocation, as they did in the Old Testament, God slew them in their masses. Now I can save you. Now is the time. Tomorrow may not come, if you will harden not your hearts. You see, man can do that against God Almighty who died for them, through pride and for the choice of living in sin, no matter what the consequences. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, the Bible says. That isn't a promise, it's a warning. Call ye upon him while he's near. Is he near tonight? Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, God promises. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Call ye upon him while he's near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him. To our God we will abundantly pardon, but you have to do what God waits for. Choose to give your life to God, to obtain this gift of eternal life, through Jesus Christ, through faith. I want those of you who need to come and accept this gift by faith tonight, and you know God's waiting for you, and died for you, and longing for you. He wants you and everyone to come to salvation. If you will harden not your hearts tonight, though. I want everyone that needs to seek God tonight and say, I come, I come with every faculty of my being to accept the gift by faith of eternal life, as I give my life to thee unreservedly, and what's left of it. I want those in this building that need to do that, and know God brought them for that, to just put your hands up now while all the heads are bowed. I want you to raise your hands, and those that put their hands up, we're going to pray for, and God's waiting, and it doesn't matter about me. It's not me you're rejecting, it's God that's offering this. I'm going to ask once more, very tenderly, put your hand up tonight, and don't play the fool, and think you're going to have another chance, which you're probably not going to. May God will ever come so tenderly again to you. I'm waiting just for anyone that might put their hand up, and we're going to pray with you. Now Father, take everyone in this building that is not saved, that will face eternal damnation and judgment for refusing, for rejecting God's offer. If they die tonight before God could ever speak to them again, and somehow mercifully help them to seek thee desperately, in spite of this moment being rejected, but swiftly as soon as they can, even if they pull the car, the vehicle to the side of the road, and weep their way to heaven on the street, on the knees. But please God, don't let this message be lost on their heart. By the faithfulness of the Holy Ghost, pursue them now that they won't be able to sleep, they won't be able to find rest or joy in any sin ever again, just agony and fear. Every day that God spares them, don't let them find any peace outside of God's peace in their lives again. For the sake of their eternal soul, they will face God who will remind them of this meeting here tonight. And every one of us that are Christians, help us as never before to take the gospel of Christ with all the love of God, revealed through the way we share it by the Holy Ghost to every soul we can, with such compassion, such longing, that men will be unnerved and shaken to the depth of their soul by the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Jesus Christ's name, and oh Lord help us who were saved to remember that our days should be filled with praise for Christ, for the cross, and not months go by before we genuinely thrill in awe and wonder that Jesus did that for me, but to be perfect worshipers of God for the cross alone daily. For Christ's sake and in his name, we ask these things, amen. Can we all stand please? Someone brought you tonight, touch them on the shoulder before you leave them and say, help me, help me to find Christ in case I die tonight. Tomorrow, 10 o'clock, we meet again, if God spares you tonight. I have two sermons of just the illustrations of people, there was no tomorrow, it didn't come, but in case God spares us, tomorrow we meet again. Come, if God spares you in mercy, because there's not one day you wake up that you don't have to wake up saying, thank you for the grace of giving me another day. Then come, I dare you to come through that door, praying God speak to me in a way I'll never recover till I die. I dare you to pray that for you, no matter who you are. 10 o'clock, and then I believe we may have some meal afterwards, I don't know, like last year, and then I think if you don't go back to your far away, come back tomorrow night. I dare you to ask people to come tomorrow morning if you're from this area. I dare you to shake the devil. For God's sake, do something before you die that'll shake the devil. Invite someone out of compassion, or some other soul other than yourself, before you die. Yes. Can we bow our heads for a moment? Can you just say something to God about Jesus Christ? Even if you're a child, I want you not to speak to anybody else. Just once, say something to God from your heart about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the revelation of God's love, the only true revelation of God's perfect love for you. Say something in a few moments after the sermon. Every one of you, please, even if you're not saved yet, but he died for you, just say something to him, please. In Jesus Christ's name, we ask these things and say these things through him, to thee, Father, God Almighty. Amen.