Iceberg-Straight-Ahead Part 2

Father, we come in Jesus' name and we pray. Oh Lord, cause your face to shine upon us, Lord. Father, that we would see Jesus tonight, oh God.

Father, we ask that you would send forth your Holy Spirit into each of our hearts, touching us, Lord, drawing us unto yourself, Lord. Oh Father, revealing the beauty and the love of our Heavenly Father to every heart here tonight. Father, bless the children, oh thank you for them.

Lord, may they be children who are obedient and honoring their parents and loving you, Lord. Oh Father, we pray, bless the children, Lord. And help all of us, Lord, to become as little children.

That we would receive of your fullness and goodness of your kingdom. So Father, we just commit this service to you tonight in Jesus' name, amen. You may be seated.

Thank you so much. In the early 1900s, the race was on. To who could build the biggest and most luxurious and fastest ship to cross the Atlantic.

There was two shipping companies that were competing for that title. And the one brilliant man in the shipping industry came up with the idea to build a larger ship, more luxurious than had ever been seen. And they named it the Titanic.

A luxury passenger liner, bigger and faster than anything they had seen. This ship was amazing with immense first class dining saloon, four elevators and a swimming pool. Early 1900s, amazing.

As to the safety of this ship, the Titanic had 16 compartments that included doors which could be closed from the bridge so that water could be contained in the event that the ship should have a strike on the hull and break and rupture the skin on the hull and water starting to come in. They said this is the safest ship ever built. We've got 16 watertight compartments.

This led many to say this is the unsinkable ship. This is the safest ship that has ever been built. The Titanic was one of the largest and most luxurious in the world.

It had a carrying capacity of 46,000 plus tons. They could laden that ship with many passengers and cargo up to 46,000 tons. The Titanic in its day was a very large ship of 882 feet long and 92 feet wide at its widest point.

On April 10, 1912, the Titanic set sail on its maiden voyage, traveling from Southampton, England to New York City. On the morning of April 11, the liner made its last scheduled stop in York at Queenstown in Ireland. At approximately 1.30 p.m., the ship set sail for New York City.

On board were some 2,200 plus people. Approximately 1,300 of them were passengers. On the evening of April 14, the Titanic began to approach an area known to have icebergs.

Captain Smith maintained the ship's speed of 22 knots. After all, this is the fastest ship. We're going to make news when we get into the New York harbour.

At 9.40, a warning was sent from a ship nearby that said there are ice fields in this area. At 10.55 p.m., the nearby lay liner Californian sent word that it had stopped after being surrounded by icebergs. There were two lookouts on the crow's nest that night.

Frederick Fleet and Renegade Lee. Their task was made more difficult this night by the fact that the ocean was unusually calm. Because of the calmness, there would be little evidence of any waves, you know, lapping up against an iceberg and causing a white water line there with the waves hitting the icebergs because it was just so calm.

In addition, the crow's nest binoculars were missing. At approximately 11.40 p.m., an iceberg was sighted. And First Officer William Murdoch ordered the ship hard starboard.

A manoeuvre under the order system then in place would turn the ship to port, to left, and the engines would be reversed in full power. The Titanic began to make its turn toward the left. The iceberg had been sighted dead ahead, straight ahead, and the ship began a slow turn toward the left.

And the ship scraped starboard side along the iceberg. Five of its watertight compartments toward the bow of the ship were ruptured. After accessing the damage, Andrews determined that the ship's forward compartments, as they were filling with water, and the bow of the ship kept dropping, he realized with terror that it's going to flood over top of their watertight compartment, and it will flood into the next, and so it will go in succession.

And he realized this will seal the ship's fate. The Titanic's number of lifeboats could carry only a bit over a thousand people if they were filled to capacity, far short of the number of passengers. As passengers waited to enter the lifeboats, they were entertained by the Titanic's musicians, who initially played in the first-class lounge before eventually moving to the ship's deck.

They performed until shortly before the ship sank. The last song they performed is reported to be, Nearer, My God, to Thee. None of the musicians survived the sinking.

By 1 a.m., water was seen at the base of the grand staircase. In growing panic, several male passengers tried to board a lifeboat, causing Fifth Officer Harold Lowell to fire his pistol three times to get it under control. As the Titanic's bow continued to sink, the stern began to rise out of the water, and at about 2 a.m., the stern's propellers were clearly visible sticking up out of the water.

The front of the bow of the ship was so down deep in the water now that the propellers were sticking up out of the water. At approximately 2.18 a.m., the lights on the Titanic went out. Then, shortly after, it broke in two, with the bow going underwater.

The stern momentarily settled back in the water before rising again and eventually becoming vertical. It remained briefly in that position before beginning its final plunge. At 2.20 a.m., the stern also disappeared beneath the Atlantic, and hundreds of passengers and crew were swept into the icy water.

More than 1,500 people perished that night as they did an investigation as to why the Titanic sunk. They cited Captain Smith with failure to slow down the Titanic after receiving the ice warnings. August 15, 1985, Robert Ballard led an American-French expedition, and he had an Argo, they called this, submarine, a 16-foot submersible submarine equipped with a remote-controlled camera that could transmit live image to a monitor.

The submarine, the submersible, was sent down some 1,300 feet into the Atlantic Ocean floor. And on September 1, 1985, the first underwater images of the Titanic were recorded, as its video showed the ship, the unsinkable ship, lying upright in two pieces on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, 13,000 feet, in 13,000 feet of water. That was one of the most talked-about shipwrecks, I believe, in all of history.

There were many others, but the Titanic drew such attention because it was such a prized feat of man to build such an incredible vessel, and with such safety features, that it's called the unsinkable ship. And many wealthy billionaires, millionaires were on board that ship and perished in the sinking of the Titanic. It would probably be called one of the greatest shipwrecks in history.

I want us to look at some other shipwrecks in history. In 1 Timothy 1.19, we'll turn to some scripture in a moment, but you don't really need to turn here, I'll be brief. 1 Timothy 1.19, Paul told Timothy, holding faith and a good conscience, which some have put away concerning faith, have made shipwreck, of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander.

Holding faith and a good conscience, keeping our conscience clear, not allowing sin to go unconfessed. When the Holy Spirit of God brings conviction to our heart that we have sinned and we have grieved the Spirit of God, we clear our conscience immediately. He says, there were those that didn't do this, they did not hold a good conscience, they allowed things to start to accumulate in their conscience, and they began to weaken in their faith, and they began to question things, and finally they put away faith and they made shipwreck, Hymenaeus and Alexander, Colossians 4.14. We read about a man where it says this about his testimony, the beloved physician Luke and Demas, they greet you in the name of Jesus, they're my fellow laborers.

In Philemon 1.23, they're saluted to you, Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ, and Marcus and Aristarchus, and Demas, my fellow laborers. We labor together for the cause of Christ, Demas and Arcturus and Marcus, they're my fellow laborers, Epaphras. Then we turn to 2 Timothy, and we find this in 2 Timothy 4.9, I believe this is coming out of Paul's broken heart, he's saying, do thy diligence to come shortly to me, won't you come as quick as you can, because I have very sad news, for Demas has forsaken me.

Can you hear the grief and the sadness in his voice? Demas, my brother, my fellow laborer in Christ, has forsaken me. I'm alone, do your diligence to come to me, I need a brother by my side, won't you please come quickly? Demas has forsaken me. Somehow, he began to be lured and drawn by the world, and his love for Jesus began to cool as he strolled around in the market and saw all the beautiful, fine things his world has to offer.

Demas was going back to Egypt, he was going back to Thessalonica, that rich trading city, where there was lots of luxury and plenty to eat, and plenty of pleasures. It was a place where there was worldly attraction and allurement, and Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world. Oh, Demas! Beloved Demas! Once a fellow laborer of Paul, along with Mark and Luke, traveled together in missionary journeys, preaching the gospel, but now Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present evil world.

Iceberg straight ahead! He departed, departed, left all that he had experienced and fellowshiped with, in the fellowship and the communion of Christ and fellow missionary laborers like Paul. I mean, you'd think whoever labored with Paul and had fellowship with Paul and heard Paul's preaching and saw the mighty acts that God did through Paul, surely they would never turn aside and turn their back on the gospel. Iceberg ahead! Love not the world.

If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Iceberg ahead! When the love of the world sets in, it's not long till people forsake Christ and they forsake the gospel. Even though they may still have an outward form of godliness, but they're denying the power of the gospel.

It's not real in their lives anymore. They're defeated in sin and they don't love the Lord Jesus with all their heart because there's a divided, double-mindedness trying to walk with one foot in the world and one foot in the kingdom of Christ and it's impossible, my friends. Don't love the world or the things that are in the world for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world.

Be not conformed to this world. Do not be pressed into its value system, its fashions, its fads, its entertainment, its idolatry with pro sports. I'm all for playing games with my grandchildren.

We have lots of fun. If you want to call that playing sports, that's okay. That's sanctified sports.

You ought to play with your children, dads. You ought to have some good fun with them. You ought to wrestle them and get them on the ground and teach them how to be a man, even in the physical things of life.

No problem. But pro sports, where they pay the people millions of dollars and they idolize them and they'll stand out in a football stadium in 40 degree weather or even 30 degree weather by the thousands. But if we had to have church out in the yard in hiding in secret in 30 degree weather, how many people would show up? Lord, have mercy upon us.

I'm talking to all of us here tonight. I believe that the American sports scene is equivalent to the idolatry that was taking place in Rome at the time of Paul. My dear brother, sister, tonight, can you name the batting average? Of your favorite ball team, the favorite players, you know all their stats, but somehow I just don't have time to read the Bible.

Your favorite football team, you know the players, you know them by name, you follow them, and when the game's going, God forbid, but some people will even be checking scores on their phones while they're sitting in church. Now God sees that, and he knows where your heart's at. You're more interested in what's happening in the worldly amusements and sports than you are in the kingdom of God.

Be honest now. What about the movies, the music, the casual, cool, hip, carefree attitude? Oh, don't be so serious. Come on.

Have a drink with us tonight. Just a little won't hurt, and that's how the alcoholic ends up on the gutter, with that first little won't hurt drink caving into peer pressure of his friends. Iceberg straight ahead.

Love not the world, for if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. The greatest shipwreck. Was Demas an example of the greatest shipwreck? Is someone here tonight going to be an example in ten years from now of the greatest shipwreck because you're not keeping your conscience clear? It's just little peepee steps.

Oh, well, that wasn't so bad. I maybe shouldn't have said that or done that, but it was just a small sin. They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, for the love of money is the root of all evil.

I had a young man tell me, by the time I'm 30, I'll be a millionaire. That was his goal. I don't believe he achieved it, but I know something he did achieve.

He achieved a loss far greater than that money would have ever been, and that was his spiritual hunger and thirst for God while he was pursuing his million. They that want to be rich, desire to be rich, they fall into many foolish and hurtful lusts, for the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, and they pierce themselves through with many sorrows. Jesus said, No servant can serve two masters.

Either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. You cannot serve God and money.

Will you be the greatest shipwreck because there's a love of money in your heart tonight? We have an example in Scripture of a disciple. Now this is amazing. A disciple whom Jesus chose, a disciple who witnessed the miracles that Jesus performed, a disciple that heard the teachings that Jesus taught, a disciple who broke bread with Jesus and the other disciples, and he walked with him.

I don't believe it's incorrect to say, he walked with Jesus just like the rest for three and a half years. You probably know who I'm talking about. His name is Judas.

Now Judas, in John 12, there was this dear woman, Mary, whose heart was still overflowing with love for Jesus, and she took the most precious, costly thing she had and lavished it on Jesus. I mean, she just lavished all her love on Jesus and demonstrated it by giving him the most valuable thing she had, a pound, a pound of spiked lard. Very costly, the Bible says, and she anointed the feet of Jesus and she wiped his feet with her hair and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.

I mean, her lavish love on Jesus was just affecting everybody in the house and it was a sweet savor, except the one, Judas. Why was not this ointment sold? I mean, 300 pence, over a half year's wages. Why wasn't this sold and the money received and by the way, put it in our bag so we can give it to the poor.

No, no, Jesus said, he didn't say this because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and he had the bag and bear what was put therein. You see, this love of money is very deceitful. The deceitfulness of riches choke out the word.

Judas could hear the word from the very lips of Jesus, but it was being choked out because he loved money. Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover and the chief priests and the scribes thought how they might kill Jesus, but they had a problem. The people, many, loved Jesus and were around Jesus.

Remember, the sinners came gladly to hear him, multitudes came, you know, and they were around Jesus. Well, they said, we got a problem. We have to figure out a way to get Jesus in the absence of the multitude of the people.

Then we have a very sad verse. Luke 22, 3 Then entered Satan into Judas, Judas being a number of the twelve. You see, when we love what God calls, how do I say this, when we have an unsanctified love for money and we're covetous, where it'll end up is astounding.

For three and a half years, Judas walked with Jesus and for three and a half years, he had opportunity to deal with his sin, but he wouldn't do it. That love for money blinded Judas to the depth of the pit to where sin would take him. So you can just see Judas almost, I don't know how to even say the word right, salivating, how do you say it? I don't know.

He's almost drooling, okay? He's almost drooling. Ah, the Pharisees got lots of money. I can make a killing.

I know what I'll do. After Satan entered into Judas' heart, he went his way and he communed with the chief priests and the captains how he might betray Jesus unto them even in the absence of the multitude. Ah, they were glad.

Oh, Judas, our friend Judas, what would you like? Oh, just give me some money. Well, how much would it take? How about 30 pieces of silver? It's yours, Judas. You close the deal, you got the money.

So he promised, and he saw an opportunity to betray Jesus in the absence of the multitude. Iceberg straight ahead, Judas. Your life is in grave danger.

When Judas saw that Jesus was going to be crucified and he was delivered into the hands of the authorities to be crucified, Judas, when he saw that, Jesus was condemned. It says he repented himself. And he brought again the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood.

And they said, Judas, don't you remember? A deal's a deal. Get out of our sight. We don't care.

Judas was so convicted, so condemned that he threw the 30 pieces of silver down on the floor and he went out and committed suicide. He hanged himself. Is that the greatest shipwreck? Judas walking with Jesus, talking with Jesus, communing with Jesus.

Judas going to the synagogue every Sabbath. Maybe there's somebody here tonight that's a Judas. You go to church every Sunday, you pay your tithes, but in your heart you love money.

The greatest shipwreck. A certain man named Ananias with his wife, Sapphira, sold a possession, but he kept back part of the price. Acts 5.1. He brought a certain part of the price of the money and he laid it at the apostles' feet.

Ananias, Ananias, iceberg dead ahead. But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghost and keep back part of the price of the land? Ananias, you are trying to deceive us as though you brought the entire sum of that sale price of that land. Whilst it remained, was it thy own? After it was sold, was it not in thy power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart? You have lied not to men, but to God.

And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and gave up the ghost. He died on the spot. Well, they buried Ananias and a short time later, about three hours later, his wife, not knowing what was done, came in and Peter thought, I better make sure we have purity in this church.

We better make sure that everybody's walking in honesty before God and their hearts are clean and pure from the love of money and the covetous thing. So he said to her, Have you sold the land for so much? And she said, Yeah, for so much. Peter said, How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of them that carried out your husband and buried him are at the door and they shall carry thee out.

And she fell down straightway at his feet and you were up the ghost. And she died. Is Ananias and Sapphira the greatest shipwreck? I see our time is rapidly passing.

Jesus taught very clearly, When you stand praying, forgive. If any has ought against you, hey, just forgive. Or if you have ought against any, you say, hey, that guy did me wrong.

Come on. Throw it in the cornfield. Forgive.

Release him. Let him go. Don't hold it against him.

Forgive. Because that way, your father which is in heaven may forgive you also. He'll forgive you your trespasses.

But if you do not forgive, neither will your father forgive your trespasses. Over in Matthew 18, we have that guy who owed his master, his lord, an incredible debt and he couldn't pay it. So he begged the lord and the master to have mercy on him.

And so his master did. He said, I'll forgive you the debt. And then the guy goes out and grabs another guy by the throat who owed him just a small amount, just pocket change compared to what he owed.

And he said, hey, pay me what you owe. Oh, the guy fell down and said, hey, please have mercy on me. You know, I mean, I don't have it right today, but I'll work on it.

I mean, come on, have a little compassion. He said, you need to pay me right now or I'm going to throw you in prison. And so he did.

And when the servants of the lord saw what this guy did that was forgiven this great debt, they went to the king, to the lord, and they told him all about it. And he commanded that guy that he forgave all that debt to be brought back in. And he told him, he said, shouldest thou not also have had compassion? I forgave you all that debt.

And shouldn't you have compassion on your fellow servant and have pity as I had on thee? And his lord was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due. Iceberg ahead! If ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses, so likewise shall your heavenly father do also unto you. You know, this is a very sobering teaching from our lord Jesus.

It appears like we could be fully forgiven of all our sin, which we could never pay, of course not. Forgiven, completely forgiven by the lord Jesus Christ, our heavenly father. But then we go out and we start getting cocky.

And we start getting a little arrogant and proud. And we start walking around like a peacock. And we look down on others who are still struggling in sin.

And we say, why don't you get your act together? And we start judging people. And we start condemning people. And we start not forgiving them when they fail us.

And God says, if you don't forgive, you're going to be delivered over to the tormentors. I believe that's why a lot of people have emotional problems. I believe that's why there's mental problems.

I believe that's why people can't sleep at night. I believe that's why people are in mental hospitals. Because they refuse to forgive.

Iceberg straight ahead. Forgive. Because if you don't forgive your brother who trespasses against you, neither will my heavenly father forgive you your trespasses.

And according to this teaching of the lord Jesus Christ, it looks like it could all be piled back on. Whoa. How many are wallowing in bitterness and unforgiveness.

But if you knew what my dad did, or if you knew what my boss did, or if you knew what my preacher said to me, and they're blaming everybody else. It's not my fault. We're going to look at one more major one.

Let's open our bibles to Matthew. Matthew chapter 5. I said we were going to get there. Matthew chapter 5. The greatest shipwreck.

Matthew 5. 27. Are you there? Matthew 5 verse 27. Shall we pray? Father, I ask now that you would quicken your word to each of our hearts here tonight.

I ask father this would be a night of honesty. Honesty in every heart. I ask father this would be an evening where when we hear your voice, we don't harden our heart, but we respond with an honest and a good heart.

Father, I ask that this evening you would bless your words to each of us, and I ask father that this would be a day of salvation, Lord, a day of captives being set free, of those that are in bondage being delivered, and a day of the prison house being opened, and a day of defeat to the devil, the liar, the thief, the robber, the murderer. Father, I ask in Jesus' name to be an advancement in your kingdom and a blessing of life to your children. In Jesus' name, amen.

The greatest shipwreck, ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not commit adultery, but I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already with her in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, plug it out, and cast it from thee, for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Jesus said, you have heard that it's been said in the law, thou shalt not commit adultery in the ten commandments that God gave to Moses. He gave the law to the children of Israel, and he said, thou shalt not commit adultery. But Jesus said, iceberg ahead, if you pat yourself on the back because you haven't committed physical adultery, but you look upon a woman to lust after her, you have already committed adultery with her in your heart.

In fact, Jesus said, this is so serious, it would actually be better to pluck out an eye and be saved than to go to hell. Now I want to be clear here tonight because I do know of a case where the plucking off of the hand was preached as well, and a person went and actually cut off his hand. I want to tell you here tonight, even blind men can lust after women in their heart and commit adultery.

So the plucking out of the eye is to be taken in a spiritual sense. But what he's saying is, it's actually that serious that in reality, it would be better to have just one eye and be saved than to spend eternity in hell with both eyes and be lost forever. It's profitable that one of thy members should perish and not thy whole body should be cast into hell.

The greatest shipwreck. This should really cause a sobriety on our hearts. Judas walked with Jesus and he shipwrecked.

Demas labored with Paul and he shipwrecked. Ananias was a part of the early church and Zepharah as well. Maybe there were some of those that the Holy Ghost fell on them in the upper room at Pentecost.

I don't know. But what I do know is that love of money blinded their hearts and minds and he shipwrecked. I'll try to be very discreet with our families together here.

Pastors who have fallen from grace and shipwrecked. Jimmy Bager was a very popular televangelist in the 1980s. That all ended when Bager was brought down by an enormous scandal that included S-abuse.

You know what I mean. The little ears don't need to hear the word. He came down with a great scandal because of S-abuse and fraud.

Pulling the money to himself that people were giving. The accusations were that he even forced himself upon underage young women and the word R was committed. And he drugged them so they might not remember or know what was done to them.

He was sentenced to 45 years in prison. Probably one of the most heartbreaking to me was this one. And we could talk of many.

Bill Gothard. Bill Gothard, famous for his homeschooling ministry, the basic life principles, his godly teachings, his relationship with the Duggar family. You probably heard that name.

However, in 2014, more than 30 women accused Bill Gothard of molestation and assault, including underage girls. The allegations included S-harassment, inappropriate touching, and R, Gothard was forced to resign from his ministry. The greatest shipwreck.

Was it Jim Bager? Was it Bill Gothard? Ravi Zacharias. Oh, oh! I'll be grieved. Lord have mercy.

Bill Gothard. Lord have mercy. After Ravi Zacharias' death, accusations started rolling in.

The world famous Christian apologist was accused of abuse He was accused of luring victims by building trust through spiritual conversation. Oh, the devil was just laughing. Luring victims by pretending to care for their soul through spiritual conversation.

A 12-page release by Ravi Zacharias' international ministries confirmed the allegations have merit. There's truth. I need to find that final one.

Even a limited review of Zacharias' electronic devices like phones, computers, so forth, revealed hundreds of images of young women. Some in total undress. And Zacharias solicited and received central graphic images a few months before his death in May of 2020 at the age of 74.

Ravi didn't just drop dead with a heart attack. Ravi had cancer. He knew apart from a miraculous healing, he has a terminal illness.

During that time of terminal illness, that bondage of that sin had such a grip on him, such a chain on him, that when it pulled on that chain, he had to follow. Sin, my brother, sister, will take you farther than you want to go, slowly but wholly taking control. And Ravi could get up before thousands and give a speech that dazzled the audience and then go and commit immoral wickedness and evil.

The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Iceberg straight ahead. Immoral lusts will take you to hell.

I wonder how many under the sound of my voice are bound by pornography. I do not mean that sometime in your past, like me at age about 14, stumbled upon it with a magazine that was brought to me by another schoolmate and I was shocked by what I saw and it's crazy how your memory could still pull those things up if you try. But thank God I've been washed in the blood.

I've been sanctified. I've been cleansed. But I wonder tonight how many are bound by internet pornography.

You see, you used to have to go to that sleazy store to get it, but now you can get it right on your phone. You can get it right in your bedroom in private where the door is shut and locked and nobody else sees you. Oh, yeah, yeah, except God.

Yeah, he sees you. I'm going to preach hard on this tonight because I don't want you to go to hell. I don't want you to be bound in your lust and unable to get free.

Pornography is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States and it's multiplied by many times globally. They say by the time a young person is maybe 10 years old, there's very few that have not been exposed already to pornography. Many are addicted to pornography.

They cannot help themselves and their minds are being warped into all kinds of wicked and depraved imaginations and actions. All right, you say, well, no, I don't do pornography. Well, let me ask you tonight.

Do you look at the Sports Illustrated to see what's going on in the sports world? And yeah, I happen to know. I don't look at it, but I happen to know. They have an issue where they put nearly nude women on in sensual poses.

Well, you say, but they're not nude, so, you know, and it's not pornography. I mean, it's in Sports Illustrated after all. It's an acceptable magazine.

Let me tell you, my dear brother, sister, any viewing of sensual material, whether it's in Sports Illustrated or National Geographic or Field and Stream or an automotive magazine or whatever it is, is defiling. The way people walk around today in undress, they would have been put in jail for that in 1920. I'm telling you, when you look at our history of what the women wore on the beach in 1920, was the nation all good and wholesome and moral in 1920? No, they could still sin.

And their long robes and all that sort of thing. But what I'm telling you tonight is, as the world gets more wicked and evil increases and abounds, the righteous look like they're weird. They look like they're odd.

Are you from another planet? Pornography. Michael Pearl did a little article called Pornography, The Road to Hell, a little pamphlet. Nice little boy.

Sorry to say, but you know sometimes those catalogs, you know the catalogs advertising the clothing? Oh, and they happen to have an undergarment section. Hey, I tell you what tonight, it doesn't matter. And you say, well that's not pornography if you're viewing it to satisfy a carnal lust.

It's pornography. It's defiling. It's having the same effect.

Iceberg straight ahead. Millions tonight are committing adultery by lusting through the eyes. Some are committing adultery by lusting through their ears.

They're listening to sensual material. Some are reading romance novels. Oh, they're not so bad.

But I'll tell you, do they make you feel clean? Do they make you want to worship Jesus? Or do they defile you? Sensual novels. No pictures? Oh, but they talk it up. They talk up the S Act.

And the magazines at the checkout talk about having hotter S. And it's a magazine that's supposed to be acceptable for the general population. It's poison. Make you dissatisfied in your marriage relationship because you don't just date quite like they describe it in the book.

They're liars. Iceberg straight ahead. We ought to fear sin far more than leprosy.

We ought to fear sin far more than the most infectious disease that can affect our body. We ought to fear sin more than we fear cancer. And when we see sin lurking in our lives, we ought to run to Christ Jesus in an honest and a repentant heart.

Just like we run to the doctor when we have a sense that something's wrong in our body. And we're concerned, what if it's cancer? And we go to the doctor and we get all kinds of tests to see whether we are okay or not, whether we're healthy or not, or whether we've got a terminal disease. So we ought to run to Jesus.

Lord, search me, try me, examine my heart, see if there be any disease in me, the awful disease of sin. Well, I see our time is spent. But tonight you have opportunity to avoid the iceberg.

Tonight is your opportunity to avoid the iceberg. Jesus is standing ready tonight to save you. And I love the record in 2 Corinthians 6. Where he lifts off a whole bunch of hideous sins.

And then he says, such were some of you. But ye are washed. Hallelujah.

Ye are washed. Ye are sanctified. Ye are justified.

You're forgiven. That can be your story tonight. If you'll get honest with God.

You know that it surveys in the church. Said surely the church people aren't viewing pornography like the world. And they did surveys in churches.

Evangelical churches. And you could fill it out anonymously. And they were begging people to be honest.

And they were shocked to find out the level of percentage of evangelicals that are admitting to viewing pornography. I wonder what it would be here tonight if we did a survey here tonight. When's the last time you viewed pornography? Have you said, I'll never do it again? I feel so dirty.

I feel so guilty. I'll never do it again. But you find yourself not too long later that draw is just longing and pulling at you.

And there's something within you that just has to satisfy that lust, that hunger, that thirst. And lo and behold, it happens again. Tonight there's hope for you.

Tonight you can be delivered. I know of people that were addicted and hooked to pornography for years. And tonight they're free.

And they've been free for 10 years or 20 years. That can be your testimony tonight. Love of money, covetousness, unforgiveness, lust of the eye, the pride of life, all of those things, Jesus' blood can cleanse you tonight.

And he can forgive you. But if I hide iniquity and sin in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. The choice is yours.

You can come tonight, be honest, be humble, and find forgiveness and cleansing in the precious blood of Jesus. God bless you. Thank you for your attention.