"WHERE ART THOU?"

INTRO:

1. Everybody is somewhere. No one is nowhere. Some are where they ought not to be. At the judgment some are going to be where they don't want to be.

A. I first asked this question in a sermon over 40 years ago. Nothing has changed since I first asked it. The question is the same and the answers will be the same for the people that fall into different categories before God.

2. In Gen. chapters two and three, we read the account of God creating man and woman and placing them in the garden of Eden some 6000 years or so ago.

3. We also read of His instructions to man concerning the garden and his responsibility in it.

4. We find that man was told exactly what to do or what not to do. But man disobeyed these rules.

A. When he saw what he had done and found himself naked, he went and hid himself among the trees of the garden.

5. It was on this occasion that God came into the garden and asked the question which is the subject of our study today: "Where Art Thou?" Gen. 3:9.

6. God did not ask this question because He did not know where man was, but He asked it so that man might realize the state and condition that he, himself was now in.

7. So it is with this question in our study today.

A. It is intended to cause you to EVALUATE or to RE-EVALUATE your own position before God at this time.

8. If this lesson causes one soul to learn his position before God at this time and so adjust himself, if adjustment is needed, to better prepare himself for heaven, it will be well worth every effort on my part in bringing such lesson to you.

9. Many times people think that they are in a hopeless, hapless, and helpless condition before God and therefore there is no need to try and better themselves.

10. But Paul said he was chief of sinners. Yet he was converted to great usefulness in the service of God. 1 Tim. 1:1:15-17.

11. As long as we will accept the teaching of Christ, our case is never hopeless.

12. Let us now take a look at man's position before God, state by state:

I. INFANT STATE: Isa. 40:11; Matt. 18:3,4; 2 Sam. 12:23; Matt. 19:13-15.

II. WORLD STATE: Eph. 2:11,12; Jas. 4:4; Jno. 14:;17; 17:14; 1 Jno. 2:15-17.

III. CHURCH STATE: The ekklessia, Ek=out, Kaleo=called. Called out of the world by the gospel, the Word of God. Rom. 10:13-17; 2 Thes. 2:14

A. In Prophecy: Eph. 3:8-12; Isa. 2:3; 35:8; Dan. 2:44; Matt. 16:18,19; Mk. 9:1.

B. In Reality: Lk. 24:46-49; Acts 1:4-8; 2:1-5, 41, 47; 20:28; Eph. 1:22,23; Col. 1:13

C. Unfaithful Members: Jno. 15:2; Gal. 1:6-10; 6:1-10; Heb. 10:25-31; 6:4-12; 1 Cor 10:1-13; Acts 8:9-24.

IV. HADES STATE:=The realm of the dead, place of departed spirits awaiting the Judgment. Paradise and Tartarus or Torment.

A. Note the following scriptures: Heb. 9:27; Matt. 11:23; 16:18; Lk. 16:19-31; Acts 2:27, 31; Rev. 1:18; 6:8; 20:13,14; Lk. 23:43; 2 Pet 2:4,9.

V. STATE OF HELL: Hebrew=Sheol. Greek=Gehenna.

A. Note the following scriptures: Psa. 9:17; Prov. 15:24; Matt. 7:13; 8:12; Mk. 9:43; Matt. 25:41; Rev. 14:11; 20:15; 21:8.

VI. STATE OF HEAVEN:

A. Note the following scriptures: Psa. 11:4; Mk. 16:19; Rev. chapters 21,22 if such has reference to heaven. Matt. 8:11; Jno. 14:1-3; 1 Pet. 1:4; Rev. 2:10; 1 Cor. 15:50.

CONCLUSION:

1. In view of what has been said in this study, just WHERE ARE YOU?

2. You can be right in the sight of God even now, by rendering obedience to His word.

3. Make sure that your condition before Him is acceptable to Him.

By Jim Sasser

Return to the Sermon Outlines page