In this sermon, the preacher discusses the parable of the wedding feast from Matthew 22. He emphasizes that God has sent his servants to invite people to the wedding, but many have rejected the invitation. The preacher then highlights the famous verse, John 3:16, which speaks of God's love for the world and his gift of his only son for salvation. However, the following verses in John 3 reveal that people reject the light because they love darkness and their deeds are evil. The sermon concludes by discussing three responses to the light: rejection, neglect, and reflection.

Well, there's so many people to thank. It seems it's my goodbye to you, and I leave your town tomorrow early in the morning. But I do feel, ethically, it's right to say thank you from my heart to a good few folks. But I'll try and do that in a very short time. I'd like to thank the pastor of this church. I was list—in South Africa they call it the Ododong. Does anybody know what that means? Ododong. Anybody Dutch or German here? OK. If anything goes wrong, you blame the Ododong. That's AIDS. I don't know about that, but I like to use that word also when I have to use little notes. But I would like to thank your pastor. I have said so much about him each night, and brought him into my sermon this morning, and I don't think any more needs to be said of what I feel of him than it's still meant to be. But I do thank God for him, and I thank him for the love, the gracious way he's allowed me to take his pulpit, and the way he's suited me heart and soul. I even sense that up on the hill, there'll be many prayers answered. I just think meeting after meeting, as I look at his face, he was with me heart and soul in prayer. And he loves Christ with every breath in his body. So thank you, sir, for the gracious way you've welcomed me here and made me feel so welcome. I had the privilege of having lunch in their house here today up on the hill, a beautiful home. But the great privilege was just to have a good look at his wife. And she is Christlike and godly and lovely, and I do thank her for the kindnesses, the little things she held out for my children for me to take home. And I'm sure they have never thought they'd get Kennedy coins, is that right? Three Kennedy? I think it costs for her to go into the drawer and pull those out. She might have been keeping them for further grandchildren, but my children have three coins, and little cards and scarves for my wife. Thank you from my heart for your love and kindness, dear lady. And even the first night I met you, when we had a meal over in Harold's place and his dear wife. I do thank Harold again. He's not here to thank, but I really thanked him the other night. But his wife is here and his two boys. Thank you for your love to me as a family, wherever you are, dear Mrs. Vaughan and the two boys. Thank you for the wonderful, wonderful way you've treated me. And the moment I arrived, and God wonderfully blessed you for that, I had turkey. South Africans don't know what turkey really tastes like. You know, we hear about it, that Americans love turkey. Christmas, I thought, well, it's like Christmas in Mrs. Vaughan's home. And I really enjoyed that meal so much. And the two boys were zealous, and thank you for their love also. Now, I have written down different things here, and I'd like to thank you for the donation. We call it a donation in South Africa. You've got to forgive our reservedness. The word love offering is very American. I don't know how to say thank you for that. In South Africa, you don't speak about money from the pulpit. You might think that's a very strange culture, but I sense an incredible goodness from your heart. And an incredible liberty that you have passed. You can't speak of such a thing from the pulpit to someone who is so unworthy as me to have been held out this that you folks have had. This is about the most I've ever said in my life from the pulpit about money, so you must know I'm battling for words. But thank you. I would be the most ungrateful and unethical and unkind person to not say thank you. That you had even thought of such a thing for this poor man. And bringing me to your country, sir, was all I wanted. It was a wonderful gift given to me by God. Thank you for the love of the Christians of this town, and that this was in your heart. May God honor you for what you have so lovingly done. I hope that's the right way to say thank you for such love. And then, I would like to also thank Dr. now, I know he's a medical doctor, but I've never quite got his surname properly. He's a Bivins. Bivins, okay. I am so backward, forgive me. I know him through and through. He's a dear, dear man, and I don't know if he could have done anything. I don't know if there's anyone that could have done anything so much as this man, just without any performance. He just went ahead and did everything that you can believe a human could need. He sort of watched me, I think, from a distance as though I thought of something that was held out. He's a remarkable man, and a gift to God, to this church, and I'm sure, I'm sure God has brought him into your midst, too. Thank you, dear sir, for your kindness. And your wife has washed my clothes, and ironed my shirt, and I thank God for that kindness. The way they were put in little plastic, carefully, hanging up in my room, I just looked at it and knew the love of God in that woman, too. Thank you, dear lady, for such kindness. And then there was the secretary. I think her name is Becky. I hope so. What a very kind, and loving, and godly lady. Thank you for every little kindness you show, dear lady, wherever you are, for serving Christ the way you do. I become very conscious you serve Christ, and that's why you're there as secretary in this church. And then, oh my, I had lunch with Jeff Baumann? Baumann, okay. South Africans can never get names right. Okay, Jeff Baumann and his wife, and I was quite thrilled to see this man's incredible zeal for life. Everything excites him. And some people, you know, they look like they just want to get to heaven, and I don't blame them. But while he's got breath in his body, he doesn't want to lose anything of what's going on in the world. Technology, knowledge, my word, and yet sanctified, the whole thing sanctified. Nothing of a fleshly sort of thing, wanting to grasp and divert from the things of God. He just has a tremendous absorbing, which I don't know if I've ever quite seen. Perhaps my father was a little bit like that at one stage. Didn't want to lose a thing, opportunity. He knows everything, by the way. I said, oh, I do know one man like you, Uncle Roy. He's dead now, but dear Uncle Roy. I named my son after Uncle Roy. Uncle Roy was the one man that no matter what was being said, he knew more about it than anybody else. And he really did. It wasn't just showing off, he really did. Now I've met another man exactly like that. I doubt that there's any subject you don't know a little bit more about than most people. And it was zealous and wonderful to see your love for life, sir. And the wonderful things you've done for me, the kindnesses you and your wife showed me, that nearly gave me. By the way, quite a number of people wanted to take me for a meal. And I felt terribly wrong in saying no, but I just didn't have the time. I needed all the preparation. I wish I could stand up and just preach. I know some people say that, you know. One fellow says, no, I never prepare, I just stand up and speak. It's wrong to prepare. Well, we walked out of the church and someone turned to me and said, Oh, you can see he didn't prepare, he had nothing to say. I wish I could honestly just stand up and speak, but I can't, I take time. And that's why I've said sorry and forgive me, even though I think I'm the poorer for not having had lunch with each one of you. Now I would like to also thank Daniel Silverman, who's going to Israel with his dear wife, to serve God with a new heart, for the kindnesses and the time I spent with him, the zeal of his life. And Randy Richards for taking me for a haircut. I suddenly looked at my hair and I realized, no, well, something's a little bit too long back there. I'm very, very old-fashioned, you know. My children get quite frustrated. They say, but Daddy, you're too old-fashioned. There's nothing in you more modern. I don't know, but I do like a short haircut. Forgive me for that. One fellow took it a bit far in one country. I went and he cut my hair off. And I had to stand up in the pulpit and apologize and say, look, it wasn't my fault, it was the barber. And I actually warned. I said, don't go near him, he's that barber down there. I don't know if he closed business, but anyway, I did say afterwards, look, I'm sorry I said that, but just warn him not to see, just cut and cut and cut. And I stood up there and really they got a fright when they looked at me, I could see it. But this, Randy Richards took me to a haircut, and I'm very, very grateful for the kindness shown to me that day and the fellowship we had there. And then the choir. How do you thank such a wonderfully dedicated and incredibly beautiful choir? My word, what a blessing that has been to hear this church's choir. And their choir leader, his zeal, his dignity, and his sanctity. He's sanctified in the way he leads our singing and teaches and conducts this choir and orchestra. Thank you to the orchestra also, as vital as the choir. Beautiful orchestra. Thank you for dedicating your talents, your gifts to God. The pianist, the singers, the singers. Oh my, have I forgotten anything? I hope not. But if I have, you have to forgive me. Thank you for those that traveled far to get to these meetings. I believe some of the men and advanced people traveled from all over, and some of their families came along. I think if I look carefully, I'll see some of them here. But, oh there, I hear the baby. Oh no, it's not you. I know that the Mennonite people have come from far, and people from the other night that I didn't realize were here, but I do thank you all who have come so far. Shame, I'm sorry I pointed you out when your baby cried. Now you're fleeing. The greatest preacher I ever heard, one of the greatest, he was called South Africa's virgin. He was perfect in his deliverance. The only time he ever fell apart in the pulpit was to a baby in the congregation. I heard the baby crying, and I saw the sweat coming down his forehead as the baby screamed louder, and he screamed louder. In the end he was saying, point three where point one should be. And I knew this man's lost everything. A baby can do that. So, it's very kind for that dear lady to even thought of taking the baby out. The other thing I'd like to say is my wife, who has let me come to your country, I do hope one day she can see your country and meet you very godly, very godly people. And she sends out a little newsletter. I wouldn't say you must all try and receive this because it's a long way to send it, but perhaps there's one or two or three that I do know should and would like to receive it. In their hearts, you could just uphold me in their prayers. But I've got a few copies. I'd like to leave this. This is her last newsletter. Jenny sits down and does so much, you can't believe. But she writes poems. And I've got about 40, 50 copies here, believe it or not, that she's carried with me. And now that can't go around, but I'm going to leave it here I pray for somebody who really, in truth, would pray for me. And Jenny, this is the particular program that's going on. She writes a little report of what's happened and what's going to happen. And many, many, many people across my country and other countries pray for me because of this newsletter daily. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds pray every day. And it's a great privilege to know that. And this newsletter keeps them sober about what to pray for. Now Jenny sends it out. Her poetry has been used by God in the most wonderful way. Not only in my country. People printing her every poem she writes. And she comes out with a poem and puts it on the front page of the newsletter or other books or things people want to publish. They want a poem of Jenny. And she writes these poems. And so many people have met with God through these poems. Now I can't say that about any other poet. I don't really particularly love poetry, but I must say I love my wife's poetry. I get excited when I realize something is coming. And she has something from God part. I think it's the walk she has with God. And this is her ministry. And you would not believe the amount of people writing or phoning from other countries. A man in England, Scotland, phoned and said, Somebody put this into my hand, this newsletter. And I was leaving the ministry. I was so disillusioned. I was giving up. I had resigned. I was just going to get out of God's work. And this was put in my hand. And I read that poem. And I had a meeting with God such as I've never had in my entire life. Just reading their poems again. It was so encouraging to Jenny and to me. But that's what her poems are doing throughout my land. God is with her in a remarkable way. Young people particularly have been affected in an amazing way through the poems. And holding. And you see them in their Bibles. Right in their Bibles. All over. And I do thank God for that. If you'd like just to read her poems. Maybe you can pass them around. Just to read the one last poem she wrote. Then it would be good just to know to pray for Jenny also. I thank you all for loving Christ. It's been such a blessing to be up in the hill there. To see those men weeping. You know it's lovely to stand up in the pulpit. It's not easy. When you look across and there isn't anyone left that isn't. Has tears coming down their face. And you realize God has come. And I thank God. That God gave me that privilege to speak to those men up in the hill. From all over your country. But I also thank God for you. This church. I may never come back to your country. I don't know. I could be dead tomorrow. I am very aware of that. This might be my last sermon. You have nothing of certainty sir. Nothing. God these could be taking me home tonight. I may never come back to your country. But I thank God that the one occasion I came. I really thank God I came to this church. Maybe it wasn't filled up to every seat's capacity. But I do thank God when I became conscious of those sitting here. That did come. Were really, really seeking God. In the most astounding way. I was very conscious of that. And I'm sure God knew. That the churches filled wouldn't be filled. But the people who did come. Were the ones he wanted to hear these particular messages. And so I'm glad and grateful to God without any doubt. That what was in his heart. Has been accomplished. Thank you for your prayers for me. Every one of you. And God wonderfully bless you. Sorry I took that long. But I felt I had to say thank you. Lord Jesus thank you for this. Series of meetings. Thank you for bringing me. From the other side of the world Lord. To this lovely, lovely land. Beautiful land of America. Thank you for these lovely people I've met. Hundreds and hundreds up there Lord. Without it's bring. Up to the names advance. Thank you for that privilege Lord. Thank you for the way they sought God. Thank you for this time Lord. In this church. For everyone I've thanked. I thank thee from my heart for them. All the goodness shown to me. Honor and blessing Lord. Now Lord. In these last moments. Before I leave this town. Have mercy on me. Wash me afresh in the blood of Jesus. In case there was any word. Any thought. Any reaction. Anything that was not utterly Christ like in my sight. Please forgive me Lord. Let me be cleansed in the blood of Jesus. As I stand in this pulpit come. Wash me. Make me clean. Come my dear God. Fill me now with the Holy Spirit. And anoint my lips. And my heart and my mind. Make thy word living. Living Lord. Living. Come speak to all hearts through thy word. For Christ's sake. And in Jesus Christ's name. I ask all these things. Amen. Jesus said. I am. The light. Of the world. He that followeth me. Shall not walk in darkness. But. Shall have the light. Of life. Now a light. Is only needed. Where there is darkness. That's why Jesus said I am the light of the world. He that followeth me. Shall not walk. In darkness. But shall have the light of life. We read in Genesis. Chapter 1 verse 1. In the beginning God created the heaven. And the earth. And the earth was without form and void. And darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said. Let there be light. And there was light. And God saw the light. That it was good. And God divided the light from the darkness. Here. The Holy Spirit moved a man. To record. That moment of time when God. Created physical light. In a world that was covered by physical darkness. But as we move to the New Testament. To men who had heard Jesus say. That he was the light of the world. The Holy Spirit moved these men. To record. That moment of time when God sent forth. Spiritual light. Into a world that was full. Of spiritual darkness. And we read in John. Chapter 1. From verse 1. In the beginning was the word. Speaking of Jesus. In the beginning was the word. And the word was with God. And the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him. And without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life. And the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness. And the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God. Whose name was John. The same came for a witness. To bear witness of the light. That all men through him might believe. He was not that light. But was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light. Which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world. And the world was made by him. And the world knew him not. He came unto his own. And his own received him not. Not as many as received him. To them gave he the power. To become the sons of God. Even to them that believe on his name. Which were born. Not of blood. Nor of the will of the flesh. Nor of the will of man. But of God. And the word was made flesh. And dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory. The glory as of the only begotten of the Father. Full of grace and truth. And then as we go through the pages of the New Testament. As we cross over the pages of this book. In the New Testament. We find that this concept of Christ being light. Spiritual light. Bursting in and dismantling. All spiritual darkness. Wherever it went. Oh, as we become conscious of the light of Christ. We see upon the pages of the whole New Testament. This revelation of Christ being the light of the world. Being expounded on. By all the apostles. Expounded upon. Even the effect of that light. Upon your life. If it ever come anywhere near you. If it ever affected you in any way. If any true spiritual light through Christ has come near upon you. In truth. The effect it would truly have upon your life. We read in 1 John chapter 1 from verse 1. That which is from the beginning. Which we have heard. Which we have seen with our eyes. Which we have looked upon. And our hands have handled of the word of life. For the life was manifested. And we have seen it. And bear witness. And show unto you that eternal life. Which was of the Father. And is manifested unto us. That which we have seen and heard. Declare we unto you. That ye also may have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship is with the Father. And with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you. That your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him. And declare unto you. That God is light. And in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him. And walk in darkness. We lie. And do not the truth. But. If we walk in darkness. 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 cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin. We deceive ourselves. And the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned. We make him a liar. And his word is not in us. His word is not in us. Now I would like to ask you. I would like for us tonight. To look at three things. That are done with the light. The light of God. Which is the Christ. The true Christ. I would like for us tonight. To look at three things. That are done with the light. And every single person in this building. Falls into the category. Of one of these three things. Firstly. Light. Rejected. Secondly. Light. Neglected. And thirdly. Light. Reflected. Light. Rejected. Light. Neglected. And light. Reflected. Firstly. Light. Rejected. This holy book. Speaks to us. Of him who has called you out of darkness. Into his marvelous light. Him who has called you out of darkness. Into his marvelous light. Into his marvelous light. From the moment Jesus Christ came into this world. And hung on the cross. God has called out through him. To all mankind. To come out of darkness. Come out of darkness. Come out. Of darkness. Into his marvelous light. But. They. Would. Not. Come. Jesus said. In Matthew 22. They. Would. Not. Come. He sent forth his servants. To call them. That were bidden to the wedding. That were invited to the wedding. And they. Would. Not. Come. Again. He sent forth other servants. Saying. Tell them which were bidden. Behold. I have prepared my dinner. My oxen. And my fat things are killed. And all things are ready. Come unto the marriage. But. They made light of it. And went their ways. One to his farm. Another to his merchandise. As if they had got forever to live. They. Would. Not. Come. Though God sent forth his servants. To call them. That were bidden. That were invited. To come. They. Would. Not. Come. Jesus said. Light rejected. Listen to this verse. That John wrote. Two chapters later. After he tells us of the light. That came to the world. Through Christ. Into this dark world. He was the light of the world. John said. Listen to what John says now. In chapter three. Verse sixteen. The most renowned verse in the Bible. For God. So loved. The world. That he gave. His only begotten son. That. Whosoever believeth on him. Should not. Perish. But have everlasting life. But. Do you know. The verses that follow. Are not so renowned. Because. They cost. To read. Here's. The love of God. To all mankind. That would believe in him. That whosoever believeth in him. Should not. Perish. But have everlasting life. The next verse says. For God. Sent not his son into the world. To condemn the world. As if the world. Through him. Might be saved. Then. Verse nineteen. This is the condemnation. This is the only reason. God will ever condemn you or I. This. Is the condemnation. That light has come into the world. And men loved. Darkness. Rather than light. Because. Their deeds were evil. For everyone. That doeth evil. Hateth the light. Neither cometh to the light. Lest his deeds should be reproved. That he's got to give up his sins. But. The next verse says. He that doeth truth. Cometh to the light. That his deeds may be made manifest. That they are wrought in God. That your life can be made an open book. That they are wrought in God. That salvation. When you come to the light. That your deeds may be made manifest. That they are wrought in God. Anything less. I doubt that you came to the light. You're still in darkness. Oh. These verses are fearful. When I look at this world. I realize. The awful truth of what God is saying to this man. Men loved. Darkness. Rather than light. Men. Hated the light. Neither cometh to the light. the truth. For everyone that doeth evil. Hated the light. Do you know what that means? It means literally this. Everyone. Once they've heard the gospel. That continues in sin. After God has revealed to them the gospel through Christ. Everyone that continues on the patient. Once the gospel has been presented to them. And they understand. Everyone that continues in sin. Hates. Christ. God says. It is I. you remain unrepentant. Once you've heard the gospel of Christ. God says to you. As you turn your back and go another step in sin. Without repenting. You hate Christ. Everyone that doeth evil. Hated. Hated. That's what God says of you. Neither cometh to the light. Lest disease should be reproved. Lest you've got to give up your sin. Oh. Light rejected. Terrible. Terrible thing. Though one comes from hell itself. Jesus says. Men are so determined. There are men who so determined. No matter how God cries out to them. To come out of darkness. Into his marvelous light. Though one comes from hell itself. Jesus says. There's such a people. What a breaking heart it must be for Christ to say these words. Though one comes from hell itself. To warn his loved ones. No man would ever preach such a sermon. If he has suddenly plucked out of awe. to form the ones He loved that He left behind to flee from the wrath to come, although one comes from hell itself. Men are so determined in their hearts not to turn from their sin, no matter what the cost, no matter what the consequences in eternity. They're so determined to reject life till their last breath to hold on to sin, no matter what the cost in eternity, though they know what's coming, they won't repent! No one comes from hell itself! I walked into a hospital a while back and one of our most godly ministers in our country was walking out weeping. And I said, what is it? He said, you wouldn't believe it, Keith. His loved ones, his family, weeping, said he's been struck, he's dying. Get to him, he's still unsaved. I knew him when he was a boy. He heard the gospel preached again and again. I fled down here, knowing he's dying. I got to his bedside moments before he died. I said to him, you know the way, you know the gospel, now you're dying, you're going to face God and you're still in your sin. Oh, see, God! Do you know what the man did? He knew he had seconds to live and he could have chosen eternity in those seconds. He could have and God would have listened. But he chose those seconds. He pushed my hand away and he looked at the nurse. And as he died, he told her of the evil thoughts. Men are so determined, they hate the light. Darkness! It's a terrible thing to reject Christ. Once the light is revealed to you, it's a terrible thing. It's a terrible, terrible thing. Light rejected. Light rejected. Light rejected, not only by blatant, depraved, warped sinners, but light rejected by men who come into the house of God for religion. All their lives. As blatantly as the man who never puts his foot near a church and lives in braveness. Light rejected by men who come into the house of God for religion. All their lives and go to hell. In Luke chapter 18, verse 10, Jesus tells the story of two men. Two men went up into the temple to pray. The one, a Pharisee, a very religious man. The other, a Republican, not a very religious man. The Pharisee stood and prayed and asked with himself, God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, exhaustioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this Republican. I fast twice in the week. I get tired of all that I possess. And the Republican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes into heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. God, be merciful to me, a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other, Jesus says. Here were two men who of their own free will made their way to the house of God. No one forced them, they knew this was the ordained religion of God, they knew it. No one had to convince them. Here were two men who made their way to the house of God. And the one looks on at others seeking God. He looks on at others who are willing to come to the house of God for one reason, for God. For God. To seek God to justify them from a life of sin. He looks on at people openly, publicly, forgetting about everybody, all they have in mind is to get to God. All they have in mind is to have dealings with God, to reconcile with God. He looks on at other people who are seeking God to justify them. And then he begins to reason with himself as to why he need never do such a thing, to be reconciled like this to God. Don't think these are just words coming out. He was reasoning as he looked. He was disturbed. And in a disturbed state he began to reason with God. God, he says, I thank thee that I am not as other men are. Oh, many names they have sinned. Many things he hasn't done ever in his life. Exhausted, unjust, adulterous. Even as a republican. He thought, telling God, reasoning, I fast, I fast, I'm religious. I even fast twice in the week. I get tired, he thought. I was born into a religious life. I never went out into the fruit of the world. I haven't done these things. These men are now seeking me. I haven't done these things. I'm not as other men are. Do you know that was the biggest mistake he ever made in his life? You see, in God's eyes, he was as other men are. With all his religion, he was just as other men are, in desperate need of being justified. Do you know, the first illustration given concerning what it is to reject light in the Bible, in its context, is to say these words. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. If we confess, now that's not some glib concession daily. That's one mighty encounter with Christ. I do hope you know that in the context. Where you come to God as a sinner, desperate for forgiveness of his faith or injustice. Forgive us, I think, if we say that we have not sinned. We make him a liar. We say God is a liar. It's a terrible thing, you know. No matter how religious you are, all your righteousness is as filth. Do you know that God looks upon it as filth, that you dare to believe that your righteousness can justify you? That you didn't nail Christ to the cross, that you don't need to be born again of God. You can't be saved if you don't know you're going to hell. You can't cry out to God to save you from heaven if you know you're going to hell and deserving it. It's a terrible thing to not be able to put yourself into the category of a sinner. He couldn't put himself into the category of a sinner. He couldn't do that to religion. Religion is sending millions of people to Christ if it just gives them the idea that they don't need to be born again. But except a man be born again, he says to one of the most revered religious good men in the country, he cannot see the kingdom of heaven. How is it you don't know this? Do you know my mother? My mother was a staggering woman. She was an amazing woman. When I was saved, my father was saved, my brother was saved. Here we were all now trying to get my mother saved. She was in quite a predicament. She knew that everybody coming in that house was there to preach to her. We were all hoping that they'd reach her. She knew every time we dragged her to church that we were just hoping and praying that this was going to get through. She was in quite a predicament. My mommy, one night she said to me, Keith, don't think I don't know. I'm getting it loud and clear that you think I'm going to hell. She said, but I'm not going to hell. I'm not a sinner, Keith. I just looked at her. She said, Keith, I can understand why you would have gone to hell. If you had not turned from your sin, I could understand why your brother would have gone to hell, and your father, the things he did, Keith, before he was saved. But I cannot believe that God could send me to hell. For what? I'm not a sinner. Keith, I see your father threw away his cigarette 60 a day. Gone. I haven't got cigarettes to throw away. I've never smoked a cigarette in my life. I see he smashed all the bottles. He walked out weeping and he smashed all the bottles. I appreciate that, Keith, but I have never touched alcohol once in my life. I don't even know what champagne tastes like. Ask your father. He was my childhood sweetheart. Ask anyone. They know I've never tasted alcohol. I've never touched a cigarette. I've never sworn a dirty word once in my life. Not even a questionable word. Go to my brothers, my sisters. Go to your father. Ask them, have I ever left for my lips the smallest questionable word that isn't pure and good? Not once in my life. I've never listened to a dirty joke. Even as a child to this day, if I saw there was something questionable, and you watched me, Keith, ask anyone in the world. I walk away. I've never ever listened to the end of a dirty joke. I've walked away disgusted. I have never ever been unfaithful to your father. No matter what he did to me. Men tried, Keith. I never ever thought I would ever find myself saying this to you and admitting it happened. Men tried, but I never let a man near me. I fled in disgust. I wouldn't let a man... No one has ever come near me. I've never been unfaithful to your father. Keith, you might have gone astray as a boy, but I want you now to point the finger and tell me what in my life, if there was anything, caused you to go astray. It was nothing in my life, boy. What is my sin? What do I break? What do I throw down? What do I stop? I'm not a sinner, Keith. God cannot send me to hell. I have nothing to turn and repent from that you're talking about. I'm not a sinner. Here I looked at my mother. You know, you might find this hard to believe, but I didn't argue with her. I just looked, and the tears came down my face, and I worshipped God for the mother he had given me, because, oh, she was so good. But she was so wrong. Oh, in no time God was bringing godly people into that home who didn't even know what she was arguing, and straightaway throwing out scriptures. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar. His word is not enough. God has said all have sinned. There's none righteous. No, not one. Do you want to argue about that lady? You've never done this. You thank God you're not as other people are. You've always been in church. You've always died. You were born in religion. Tell me. Not one didn't nail Christ to the cross. All we like sheep have gone astray. We've turned every one to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. There's none of us sitting here tonight, no one in the world, that didn't nail Christ to the cross. And let me tell you, your sin is nailed in there, and if that didn't happen, you would never get to heaven. If Christ hadn't died for you, even if you've never touched a cigarette in your life, you'd never get to heaven. You know, I don't know what God did to convince my mother of her sin, but suddenly, and I don't know what her sin was. I'll be honest. I don't know if you have many mothers that you can say that about. I don't know what my mother's sin was. Perhaps it was a little white lie, and all liars shall have their part in the lake of burns and fire and brimstone. To God, there's no such thing as a big sin and a small sin. Sin nails Christ to the cross, and you're born in sin. I don't know what it was that God convicted my mother of, but we saw suddenly my mother getting quieter and quieter until for weeks there was no words. And then one night she came out in a meeting, and she sobbed and she sobbed and she sobbed and she sobbed and she sobbed and she sobbed. You see, there's nothing in my hands I bring in. My mother stood up. We didn't see her smashing bottles. We didn't see her throwing away cigarettes. We didn't see her stop swearing. We didn't see her give up dirty magazines. There wasn't a magazine in my mother's life that I ever remember, not even a book that was questionable. She chose the most good classics in integrity, even what she allowed to come into her mind all her life. We didn't see her giving up or throwing things away, but do you know what we saw in my mother's life? I can't say there was a great repentance or a turning away from anything. Do you know how I knew my mother was saved? Suddenly my mother walked out of that church that night and we looked in her eyes. And for the first time in my life, I saw in my mother's eyes peace. And that's why I knew my mother was saved. But she had to get saved. She had to be born again. And I don't know what it was, but God convinced her and she sobbed, though she's never ever sworn a dirty word in her life. She sobbed like some wicked men don't sob under conviction of sin. And that's why God saved her. We saw peace flooding her eyes. We saw joy she had never ever had. Joy just coming up from that night. A joy unspeakable and full of glory. We just were worshiping God in her company for days as we looked at my mother's joy that I'd never ever known in my mother's life flowing from her heart. Suddenly we saw this book becoming the central love of her life. Other books she just laid down and she started with the Word. We knew she was saved. She loves Christ, my darling mother. Oh, here was this man. I thank thee, God, I am not as other men are. You say that? I thank thee, God, I am not as other men are! That's the biggest mistake he ever made in his entire life. You know, I have no doubt he was sinking into hell and probably crying out these words as he slipped into hell. I thank thee, I am not as other men are. Oh, the terrible thing, you know, when religion and good upbringing makes you think, I'm born a Christian. I don't have to be born a Christian. And you go to hell through religion. Though you did tithes and offerings, didn't do all the wicked things, for you to not come to a place where you will accept that you are as other men are in God's eyes. Though you haven't done a thing that he did that you condemned and that disgusted you, you're going to the same hell, no less judgment, the same torment, no less blame, sir, no less punishment. You think your sin is small. In God's eyes, the wicked adulterer and murderer is no more wicked than the sin that you do that nailed him to the cross. You read Romans 1 to find out how small sins and big sins are just thrown together as the awful, awful grief of God. You just have to have lied once, sir. You're born in sin, God says. Oh, life rejected. Life rejected, not in the blatant, depraved, warped, sinners, but life rejected by men who come into the house of God till their dying day. For religion, but reject the light. They cannot put themselves into the category of a sinner, and therefore they cannot allow God to save or find themselves capable of calling upon God to forgive them of their wickedness. In God's eyes, they cannot be saved. I wonder if more people in the West are going to hell through religion than through any other thing. They're taught, they're Christians. One minister, when I led folks to God, and they went back to him and said, we've been born again, he said, get out of my house! Nobody uses those words in my house. They said, but you're a minister. Jesus said, except a man be born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God. He says, oh, the hair on my head is standing up. I can't stand those words, get out. Can you imagine how many people are standing who won't have you say those words, and they're the teachers. Do you know how many millions will not be taught that they must be born again? It's a terrible, terrible tragedy. Light rejected. Light rejected not in my blatant, depraved, warped sinners, but light rejected by men who come into the house of God for religion and for the day. They die and go to hell because they rejected the light that God says was held out to them that they didn't want it. I'm not a sinner anymore. I'm not a sinner anymore. No, not me. I'm not a sinner. I didn't nail Christ to the cross. Do you know how blasphemous that is? Light rejected by men who actually seek God to bless them with all their hearts, desperately. And then, when God reveals to them the cost of what it is to truly be blessed by God, they reject the light. Look at 2, verse 24. Jacob was left alone. Jacob was left alone. And there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. There wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him. And he said, he said, Let me go. Let me go for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go except thou bless me. except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel. For as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. Here is a man whom the Bible turns wrestling with God in prayer. You find Iain Bound's books in Revival Praying. Leonard Ravenel, Why Revival Carries. You can go to any of the Revival books written to the Christian world. And you find they've taken this term from this particular passage of those who know what it is to wrestle with God in prayer. Prayer warriors who will not let God go. How we need to hold unto God in revival and will not get God going until he comes upon nations. And so they take this illustration of Jacob's life, who will not let God go, except God bless. This is the type of prevailing revival prayer, wrestling with God in prayer. But do you know we've been a little bit deceived by this term being taken from this passage? This man was not such a caliber of man as what we are now being led to believe by the term of him wrestling with God in prayer, not letting God go. No, this man was not such a caliber of prayer warrior. This man was fighting with God. Did you know that? This man was fighting with God over certain issues of his life. And do you know that God was not winning the battle? That's the shock of it. God was not winning the battle. And by the way, it was God he was fighting with. Many a man would say, no, it was an angel, too Caucasian, it was the angel of the Lord. It wasn't God. Don't believe that Jacob was deranged. He said, when I have seen God face to face, God would rebuke him if that wasn't the truth. No, this was a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. This was a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. As he stood, Christ appeared physically, he ate with Abraham. It was God whom Abraham fell down and worshipped. It wasn't angels that were referred to as an angel. No, it's referred to, but it is God. God, God, pre-incarnate appearance. There standing in the furnace with Daniel's three friends in the fire appeared. You could see the form. You could see visibly a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. Again and again, you see, he appeared and then saw standing in a physical form. He ate with Abraham. He ate food, he spoke. And this was Christ. This was a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. Don't doubt it. I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved. God would have rebuked him if it hadn't been God face to face. No, it was God. Don't worry about that. And virtually every scholar in the world agrees this was God. This was a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ with Jacob. It was God he was wrestling with. Here he was, wrestling with God in prayer. Fighting against God. Fighting with God over certain issues of his life. And God was not winning the battle. God was not winning the battle when he saw that he prevailed not against him. When he saw that he prevailed not against him he touched the hollow of his thigh and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him. Oh, God struck this man such a severe blow that he never ever recovered till his dying day. God, not the devil, crippled him for life. He limped. And he halted. And he limped. And he halted. He was so badly crippled that everyone could see on the hill far away that's Jacob coming. He was so crippled by the hand of God. By the hand of God. God struck this man such a severe blow he never ever recovered again physically as he was fighting with God. God struck him in love. The only reason God would ever strike a man is in love to try and make this man give up the fight for God longed to honor, to bless him more than he longed to be blessed. But God couldn't bless him. We hadn't given up the fight. So God striked him. God struck this man such a severe blow. Can I ask every one of you a question here tonight? Has God, has God struck you? Not physically. That's the last thing I can think of. Not physically. But look at everything that's happening in your life. Everything that's going wrong. You say it's the devil. It's the devil. It's the devil that's doing it. Is it the devil? Is it the devil, Josh? Is it not God? Look at your life. Is it the devil that all this is coming against you for? Are you not still fighting with God? God is not having his way in your life. You seek him but he doesn't have your way, his way. Is it not God? Ask yourself tonight. Do you know that after God struck this man such a severe blow, Jacob didn't give him the fight? You may say that's not true. He did. He gave him the fight at this point. But you read carefully, you'll see Jacob fought on. After that God struck this man such a severe blow to try and bring him to his senses, to make him give up the fight, Jacob fought on. After that God struck him so severely. God looks through this man and he's so fit to say these words. Let me go. Nothing I do is going to work, Jacob. Now let me go. Can you believe God would say that of a man who gets alone in desperation, who's desperate for God's blessing, and God now says to this man, is it possible? Let me go, Jacob. The daybreak. You fought the whole night, child. You don't mean business. I see you getting alone in desperation through circumstances I've allowed to come upon your life, that you've brought upon your life. I see you in desperation now because of everything that's coming back at you. I see you getting alone, desperately crying my help, requiring me to step into your life that's so desperate. I see. I see you seeking me. I see your tears, Jacob. But I'm telling you now, child, let me go. Let me go. The daybreak. You fight on and on, child. You're not going to give up the fight. Let me go. You don't mean business. No matter what I do to you. And then, at that point, at that point, Jacob, sensing the tragedy that was about to be written across his life for eternity, after this God who has had such dealings with him as very few people in the history of the world have ever had the dealings of God trying to honor this man, trying to bless this man, trying to help this man, trying to be with this man. Oh, after all the dealings of God and this intimate, intimate dealing that very few would ever know in eternity, after all the dealings of God and God longing to reach him and to honor him, now this God was withdrawing. Oh, the tragedy suddenly, suddenly sensing the tragedy what was about to be written across his name for eternity. Jacob clung. He did something so wonderful. He clung in such desperation to God. He clung to God in such desperation that God stopped withdrawing. God couldn't withdraw any further. He was withdrawing. He was withdrawing from honoring and blessing this man as he longed to above all other men. Oh, he stopped. I will not let thee go except thou bless me. Have your way, God. Do whatever you want. I will not let thee go except thou bless me. God looked at this man. Suddenly he knew that the whole fight was given in. Oh, now God looks. Heaven looks. A man who's suddenly given in the fight. Clinging, clinging. Desperate for God to bless his life. What was left of life for God to honor it. For God to be with him. God said something that staggers us. He says, what is thy name? What is thy name? God knew his name. Jacob knew immediately what God meant. He had never thought of it before in his life but suddenly the shame that dribbled him as he thought of his name. He realized God was saying, I want you to confess to me. I need confession. What is thy name? It's true, God. Jacob. Double dealer. Deceiver. Usurper, supplanter. That's all I am, God, to this moment. With all the revelations, with all the dealings of God, that men would shout hallelujah in our present day if we were to stand up and say one thing that was happening. With all these things, God, all I am to this moment in truth is Jacob. Double dealer. I'm a deceiver, God. Here God sees a man. The fight's given in. He yelled at, clinging, confessing. Oh, that God could find it in your life, sir. Yelled at totally from the fight. Nothing left of fight given in. Clinging. He refuses to let God go unless God has his total worth. Confessing, God, this is my life in truth. It's me. And one moment God looked at this man. In one moment, heaven looking, God took this man and made him from a pulpit to a prince. One moment, heaven came down. He suddenly was a prince of God. He wasn't made a prince of man, you know, in many reasons he was, many reasons. But this, what God did here, made him a prince spiritually. He became the holiest man of God on earth. Don't doubt that. He was suddenly made a prince spiritually. Spiritually he stood out as the prince of God. Jacob came to rejecting light. I have no doubt that Jacob was saved. I have no doubt you were saved. You're God's child. But oh, how close Jacob came to rejecting all the light God had to be able to truly honor his life and not have to rebuke him all his life. And come upon him in crushing rebuke to try and make him give up the fight and everything going wrong and despairing because of his problems that would never change to his personality until he gave in to God and got holy. Oh, how close you can come to rejecting light. Rejecting all the light God has could make you what God will not rest until you are and will never be satisfied with until you are. He will strike you in love again and again through life because you won't give up that fight. And take careful note here. God never saw fit to heal this man physically though he healed him spiritually. In case you think, like many people say today, unless you are healed, it's sin in your life or unbelief. That's a sin to say. You've got to be bordering on pretty near wicked to say so. I don't care who you are. God looked at this man in his infinite wisdom of how to deal with man and what is the best for man, what would bring out the best. God never saw fit to heal this man physically though he healed him spiritually so much so no one person sitting in this building could compare or stand in the shadow of the holiness of this man's life. He was the holiest man that lived at that moment. He walked with God as very few in history have ever walked with God. He was healed spiritually. He was right with God but he wasn't healed physically. Be careful. You cannot stand in the shadow. You cannot stand in the shadow of the people who you condemn and tell it's their sin or their unbelief that they're not healed when you pray for them. Why isn't it your sin, sir? You could pray for them. Why is it their sin? From Jacob. Do you know Elisha? Elisha did miracles such as you see in the New Testament. People risen from the dead. From the dead. Their person healed. Do you know how Elisha died? God was very careful to do this. Though he prayed and one miracle after the other that you see in the New Testament standards of miracles. Do you know how Elisha died? He didn't die at his old age. God was very careful. After he was a male, he died in his sickness. God was careful to do that with a man that had risen people from the dead in the face of God. God had risen healed, sick. Miracles, miracles. He died in his sickness. He didn't die backslidden, by the way. God would have written that down. God didn't say even David's sin. It was all recorded. No, he didn't die backslidden. He died close to God, in his sickness. It was God's way of telling. At his grave, when people came to this grave, miracles continued to happen. Don't believe this man died backslidden, that he was sick when he died. He didn't die older than 50, they said. Most scholars. The New Testament, you say that's the Old Testament. New Testament. Paul says, Epaphroditus. He sends him back to the church of Philippi. I send him back to spare myself any further sorrows. And to spare you any further sorrows through this man's health, his sickness. Literally his sickness, he's saying. But esteem such, because for the work of God, he's in such a state. He doesn't send him back and say, look, this man's going off the mission to be broken and healthy, because I prayed for him, but he can't be healed, because it's unbelief and sin that come in his life. That's the only reason I could pray for someone. He had greater knowledge, Paul did. He sends him back. Epaphroditus, he says, I send him back to you to spare us, both you and me, any further sorrows through this man's suffering and sickness. Esteem him! Esteem him! God have mercy on the church that does it. That blames him for sinning. How can we have gone so far, Mark? Trophimus! Have I left at Militum sick? Paul says. Do you know what Trophimus was? You make a little study. He was so revered. He wasn't like Demas, who has forsaken me, having loved his brethren. He was not Trophimus. But Paul says that the godly, holy, revered man, Trophimus, I have left him at Militum sick. He hasn't backslidden, Paul would have said so. I haven't backslidden, Paul says, at my presence. He's just sick. Nothing wrong with my faith or his. He's sick. I've left him at Militum. Timothy! No one like Timothy! Not one man have I had like Timothy. Timothy, take a little wine for thy stomach's sake. Thy oft infirmities, the physical problems and weaknesses that were in this man's stomach. Now he doesn't say, Timothy, what's wrong with you? That you can't pray and get healed and backslidden? Timothy! No, Timothy, take, for medical reasons, a little wine for thy, my oft infirmities, for thy stomach's sake, Timothy. He didn't blame him for being backslidden. Oh, and even Paul himself. Oh, friend, be careful. God, God, as he looked at Jacob, saw fit to never heal him. Physically, though he healed him spiritually, don't doubt he was healed spiritually. You cannot stand in the shadow. You cannot even stand in the shadow of the people you stand and say have sinned in their life. And God's going to rebuke you if you dare say that, no matter who you are in the church. Light rejected, light rejected. Not only by blatant, depraved, warped sinners, but light rejected by men who come into the house of God for religion until their dying day. Light rejected by men who actually seek God to bless them. And then when God rebukes them, then the cost of what it will be to truly be blessed by God. They reject light, no matter what he does, no matter what you're doing, until he says let me go. I can never make you what I want you to be. Through light rejected, though you're saved, you'll be second best. I won't finish this sermon. Can I just say light neglected, and light reflected of all the passages I'd love to have brought there. 2 Corinthians 3 verse 18. We all with unveiled face, in the Revised Standard Version, 2 Corinthians 3 verse 18. We all with unveiled face, reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. It's not your light you reflect, it's Christ's light. There's nothing in you that man needs but to see Christ. And if you don't reject any light, any light, and you don't neglect any light, any light, you will reflect. You will reflect. Light reflects. So I cut my sermon short. Can we all stand please? Come. No appeal tonight. Light rejected. After a full week of meetings, even if you're saved, you're a grief to God. Light neglected. I believe that 99% of you, I hope with all my heart, have stood again and again through these meetings and this morning. You are going to reflect light. They will see Jesus, His light, reflected as a mirror, reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord. They'll see Christ. But we'll never forget if they see something. God bless you. As you pray for me, my wife and my children, if I ever return to your land, I hope it's but one day, to see many of you walk up to me and say, I responded in those meetings. And from that moment to this, our dear pastor will commit us all to God and pray. Don't forget to pray for me, please. I'm only a prayer away, you know, the other side of the world, exactly. But one prayer away. Only a prayer away. You pray one prayer, and God answers it immediately, the other side of the world. Don't forget those of you that might just want to read this poem of my dear wife. It's all I can leave of her here. God bless you for the privilege of having been able to preach His Word to you. I hope I can come here one day and just preach the Word. I know people wanted to bring all these illustrations. Oh, they called me and said, we want this particular sermon. But I get thrilled when people have called me and said, sir, we want two weeks of nothing but the Word. And I get thrilled when I see the whole town turning to God just through the Word. And I've never ever seen more movement by God than when I just bring the Word. Esteem the Word. And I hope God lets me come back here one day to bring more of it to you. Our pastor would please commit us to God. Now, no appeal is necessary, sir. I'd be grateful just for your prayer to offer us all. Father, we turn our hearts in praise tonight for the fact that you, the light of this world, have provided that light for us in our darkness. You've called us unto your holiness, your peace, your faith, your courage, your righteousness. You've called us unto the authority of your Word spoken, revealed, and applied. And so tonight, Father, as we prepare to go out from this place, may we go in that authority of your Word unto the authority of your Holy Spirit. I join with these in praying for our brother Keith, for his wife Jenny, for their three children, for safety in their separation, for mercy protection in their travels, for diligence in their praying. And I thank you, Father, for the way you've touched his life and others through him. And now tonight, Father, as we come to the close of this hour, we are thankful for the way our hearts can be drawn to you to ever manifest your love, be faithful witnesses of your truth, and examples of your light. And I thank you in my Savior's name. Amen. Now would you be seated, please. I want to speak to you on behalf of the heart and address to you, Brother Keith, our love and our gratitude for your coming. We know that the sacrifice was written out of Jenny and the three sons, but we thank you for coming. And we offer the sacrifice of praise to our Father for your faithfulness and for your willingness to take such a large segment out of your life and pour that into us this week. We've been enriched, we've been blessed, and we pray now that we should be faithful with light reflected, never rejected, never neglected. God bless you richly.