(Clip) Do Not Scoff at God's Warnings
Tim Conway warns that God's repeated warnings throughout history call for urgent repentance before the door of salvation is shut forever.
This sermon emphasizes the inevitability of death and the importance of heeding God's warnings throughout history, as seen in events like the flood, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the fall of Jerusalem. It highlights the consequences of ignoring God's warnings and the urgency of responding to His call for repentance and salvation before it's too late, drawing parallels to the days of Noah and the closing of the ark's door. The message stresses the need to seek refuge in Christ, the only way of escape, before facing the final judgment.
Full Transcript
You're going out of the world some day. That day with your number on it, it's coming. You're going to die.
Where are you going? To what are you going to face on the other side? And God warns you. And He warns you by the flood. He warns you through Adam.
He warns you through the Amorites. He warns you by Sodom and Gomorrah. He warns you through a double destruction of Jerusalem.
He told those people the same thing. If you don't obey My voice, I am going to wipe you off the face of the earth. And they kept on, and they kept on, and they kept on.
Can you imagine those prophets? One prophet after another. Decade after decade, another prophet comes and warns. Death is coming.
Destruction is coming. God is going to wipe you out. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
We've heard that before. Kill that guy. Throw that guy in jail.
Where is it? And they kept saying. And it came. And the Babylonians came.
And then it happened all over again. And even Jesus came. And they killed Him.
And then the Romans came. These things are warnings. He warns you in His Word.
You must stand before Him and He is going to judge you in righteousness. Can you imagine those folks in Noah's day? I mean, see them. Hear them.
Listen to them. That day, hey, Noah's not working on the ark anymore. The door's shut.
Yeah, and the clouds are looking strange. It looks dark. And this was no ordinary rain.
And something began to happen. Something threatening. I'll tell you what had happened.
Time ran out. It was over. Mercy was exhausted.
God's patience had come to an end. And when those first drops of rain began to fall down, that door was shut. Remember how it says it in the Gospel? And the door was shut.
And those servants, those five virgins that were on the outside, when the door shut, the door shut. Today is the day of salvation. If you foolishly laugh and mock and play on and eat and drink and plant and marry, and that door gets shut and takes you, you're a fool.
You are warned. This is a warning you want to take with the utmost of your attention. Imagine that.
That door shut. God sealed them in. The one place of refuge gone.
If you let death take you and you're outside of Christ, it's gone. All the hope is gone. Who was laughing then? I don't know.
Some of them probably said, we got to get to high ground. Some probably banged and clawed on the side of that ark. It was all for naught.
They were doomed. They had crossed the point of no return. There's no more safety.
There's no more hiding place. It's too late. There was a place of salvation.
God did provide a way of escape. They laughed at it. They ignored it.
They ridiculed it. Christ is the ark. There is not another.
When He comes, the door's shut. When you die, the door's shut.
Sermon Outline
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I
- The certainty of death and judgment
- God’s warnings through history
- Examples: Flood, Amorites, Sodom and Gomorrah
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II
- The repeated rejection of God’s prophets
- The consequences of ignoring warnings
- Historical fulfillment of judgment
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III
- The urgency of responding before the door shuts
- The symbolism of Noah’s ark and the shut door
- Christ as the only ark of salvation
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IV
- The finality of judgment after death
- The folly of mocking God’s warnings
- The call to take the warning seriously today
Key Quotes
“You're going out of the world some day. That day with your number on it, it's coming.” — Tim Conway
“When He comes, the door's shut. When you die, the door's shut.” — Tim Conway
“Christ is the ark. There is not another.” — Tim Conway
Application Points
- Recognize the certainty of death and prepare your heart for judgment by trusting in Christ.
- Do not ignore or mock God's warnings but respond with repentance and faith today.
- Understand that Christ is the only refuge and ensure you are inside His ark before the door closes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main warning in this sermon?
The main warning is that God’s patience will run out and the opportunity for salvation will end, so people must repent before it is too late.
Why does Tim Conway use the story of Noah’s ark?
He uses Noah’s ark as a powerful illustration of God’s provision for salvation and the finality of the door shutting to those who reject it.
What does it mean that the door is shut?
It means the time of mercy and opportunity for salvation has ended, and those outside Christ face judgment without hope.
How can listeners apply this sermon today?
Listeners are urged to take God’s warnings seriously, repent, and accept Christ before death closes the door of salvation.
What is the significance of Christ being called the ark?
Christ is the only refuge and means of salvation from God’s judgment, just as the ark was the only safe place during the flood.