If You Had Only Known

IF YOU HAD ONLY KNOWN

Theme; When God's Grace runs out!

Text. Luke 19:41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
Luke 19:42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
Luke 19:43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
Luke 19:44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

Intro: God has always made known to man the limits of His Grace, but only those whose hearts are tuned to the guidance of His Spirit know when the time is near..

I. Israel didn't know the opportunities that faced her because she refused to open her eyes and see Christ.

A. They had the prophets
1. Concerning His birth.
Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

2. Concerning his miracles.
Micah 7:15 According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I show unto him marvellous things.

B. They had the witness of the angelic host.
Luke 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Luke 2:15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

C. They had the pictures of the Law.

D. They had the testimony of the Father.
Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

E. They had the witness of the Holy Spirit.

F. They had the witness of the Son concerning himself.
John Chapters 3 & 4

G. Yet Israel and the world still close their eyes to the Christ.
1 Cor 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

H. The day of Israel's opportunity ended when she said, "We will not have this man to rule over us."

II. The day of the lost is appointed.
A. Today is the day of salvation.
(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

B. The lost MUST come while God gives the opportunity. When the gates of hell are opened and all restraint removed, it is too late.

C. Today the lost have the opportunity to know;
1.By the Word of God
Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
2. By the preaching of the Gospel.


D. Sooner or later, God will say,"It is enough."

III. The day of service is appointed..
A. Eph 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
This can only be done by using each day for Him.

B. There comes a time when labor is over.
John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

C. The way to serve is appointed.
2 Tim 2:5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

D. When God is done waiting on us, we become castaways.
1 Cor 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

IV. There is a day of judgment appointed.
Acts 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given
A. God will wait no longer.
Rev 10:6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

B. At a time when men do not expect it.
Ezek 11:3 Which say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.

C. 2 Pet 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
Remember they waited 120 years for the flood to occur and it finally did!

V. If they had only known!
A. The destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Foretold in Deut.28: This was why Jesus wept over the city.

B. If OUR nation could only know.
Deu 32:41 If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.

C. The torment of the damned. See Luke 16.

D. The chastising hand today and the rebuke at the judgment seat. If they had only known.

E. The tribulation about to come upon the world!