What is the greatest threat any man or woman faces?

It is not Democrats, Socialists, Communists, or Republicans. It is not uncontrolled crime or a police state; it is not ecological disaster or the projects of environmental extremists; it is not nuclear holocaust or the earth getting hit by an asteroid, it is not even global warming. All these things could lead to circumstances that we may not like, some would even result in widespread death, but even physical death is not man’s greatest enemy for that is only a transition into eternity. Where one spends eternity is important.

The greatest threat any person will face is that which will keep him from receiving God’s gift of mercy, grace and eternal life in Jesus Christ.

Certainly, things like secularism, materialism, hedonism, humanism and all the other ism’s are a great threat, however the greater threat comes from inside outsiders, those that claim to follow Christ, but in fact lead others away from Him.

These are the false prophets and false teachers that convince people that they have the truth but in reality, they are living a lie. This is why Jesus, speaks so strongly against the false prophets and teachers of His time. That is why He gave such a strong warning in Matthew 7 about those who call Him Lord and claim to do all sorts of things in His name, but He will declare to them,

“I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.”

Two weeks ago, we looked at Jesus’ warning against the scribes and

Pharisees. This coming Sunday we will see how Jesus continues His

warnings about these false spiritual leaders, and how He addresses them

directly. This Sunday we will look at why he said to them seven times, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites.”