JOHN 12:32-33 "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This He said, signifying what death He should die."

So this Easter Sunday morning I would like to speak to you on the subject I’ve entitled”

AT THE THRESHOLD OF HEAVEN; ON THE EDGE OF HELL".

Introduction:

As we find ourselves bless to see another Easter Sunday, we should all know the real meaning of Easter, and the real reason for the season, it’s not about new clothes and new shoes as it once was with the older generations, but it is JESUS CHRIST, His death, burial, and resurrection, which, in turn, gives us the promise of the resurrection to live eternally with our God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when we commit our lives to Him.
First a little about the author;

In the Gospels, Mathew, Mark and Luke speak mostly of the works of Jesus. But the gospel according to John speaks mostly of the word of Jesus. In the book of John there is No genealogy recorded-neither Jesus legal lineage through Joseph (as given by Matthew), nor His personal descent through Mary (as given by Luke).

No account of Jesus birth-because He was "in the beginning,"

Nothing about His boyhood.

Nothing about His temptation.

No transfiguration.

No appointing of His disciples.

No parables.

No account of the Ascension.

No Great Commission.

Of the gospels only here in the gospel of John is He called "the Word"

The only begotten of the Father

The Lamb of God

Now my text passage is a passage of scripture where Jesus Himself predicts that if He is lifted up before men, that He will draw all men to Himself, as He said, in JOHN 12:32-33 "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This He said, signifying what death He should die."

He uses the word "lifted up" to express the manner of his death. "I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself. He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die." But notice the choice of the word to express his death. He does not say, I, when I am crucified, I, when I am hung on the tree; no, but "I, when I am lifted up:" and in the Greek there is the meaning of exaltation. "I, when I am exalted-I , when I am lifted up on high." He took the outward and visible fashion of the cross, it being a lifting of him up, to be the type and symbol of the glory with which the cross would give to him. "I, when I am lifted up."

CHRIST HAS ANOTHER LIFTING UP, not disgraceful, but truly honorable; there is a lifting of him upon the pole of the gospel, in the preaching of the Word.

Christ Jesus is to be lifted up every day; for that purpose he came into the world: "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert," even so Jesus might by the preaching of the truth be lifted up, "that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

I am aware that many in the world today, as well as you may agree that all men do not and will not accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, as we see all manner of sin and wickedness in our society, therefore causing some to doubt that Jesus will indeed "draw all men to Himself", as He said. I would like to draw your attention to the obvious truths that

All men will not accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, but All men WILL BE DRAWN TO JESUS, as He said

So then, how will Jesus "draw all men?" I believe the scene at the crucifixion of Jesus tells us the story and gives us a clue to this evident truth. Picture if you will, Jesus on the cross, there are two thieves being crucified, one on his right side and one on the left side of Jesus. The facts of the story reveal that one of the thieves ultimately rejects and mocks Jesus as the Messiah, and Savior, and the other chooses to accept his own punishment for the wrongs he had done that put him there on the cross, receiving the just dues of his crimes, yet he chooses to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, and repents of his sins, and Jesus gave His ultimate blessing, "THIS DAY YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE!" Here is the irrefutable truth, BOTH OF THE THIEVES WERE DRAWN TO JESUS! Whether by God’s divine plan or through chance of circumstance as some may argue. BOTH OF THESE MEN WERE IN THE PRESENCE AND DRAWN TO JESUS! Though we read that one accepts Him, and the other rejects Him, both were in the presence of the Son of God, and were drawn to make the most important decision of their lives, for in it held the outcome of their eternal future! The only choices are to Accept Jesus and have eternal life, or to refuse Him and face eternal death!
You might say then that one thief was "AT THE THRESHOLD OF HEAVEN," and the other was "ON THE EDGE OF HELL!", but I submit to you this day that BOTH men “WERE IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS.”

ADLIB
LUKE 16:19-31 tells us the story of a rich man who fared sumptuously every day, and a beggar named Lazarus who only asked for the crumbs of the rich man’s table to eat so that he might live. The story tells us that Lazarus died and entered into Abraham’s bosom, or paradise, and the rich man died and "lifted up his eyes in hell" and crying out to Abraham the rich man begged for just "ONE DROP of water to cool his parching tongue", yet Abraham answered him and said he could not, even if he wanted to, he could not because of the great "gulf" that God had placed preventing the access from one place to the other. The rich man then begged for Abraham to send one from the dead to warn his living brothers of the awful place of torment that he was in, yet Abraham could not, and even reminded him God had provided the prophets and preachers to preach the promises and warnings, and that they wouldn’t listen, even if one came from the dead and warned them. You might say that Lazarus was "AT THE THRESHOLD OF HEAVEN", and that the rich man was on "THE EDGE OF HEL BECAUSE THE ONLY THING THAT SEPARATED THEM WAS THE GULF THAT GOD HAD AFFIXED TO SEPARATE THEM! The rich man was able to LOOK UPON Lazarus as he now was allowed to live in peace, and the joys of our Lord and Savior!
In the Book of Joshua, chapter 24 we read how that Joshua is before the people telling them, And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

"AT THE THRESHOLD OF HEAVEN; ON THE EDGE OF HELL"...for you see, throughout the Israelites journey to the promised land, there were several occasions where God allowed many of the people to be "drawn" to Him to make the choice....choose life in Him, or death serving the world or false gods.

By the cross there was Defeat, “Now shall the ruler of this world be cast out.”
A. We are continually victims of the deceptions of Satan because we do not realize what control he has.
1. All men blindly follow delusions that Satan spreads over the world.
2. We find ourselves manipulated by satanic values, but are helpless to change apart from Christ.
B. The Bible says that the devil is the prince, the ruler of this world.
1. He is in control of human society (Luke 11:21).
2. In this example, the strong man is Satan but the stronger one is Jesus.
3. When we become Christians, we are freed from the power of Satan.
4. For the first time we can do something permanent about those habits that destroy us, hurting others.
5. At the cross the power of the devil over the human race was broken and deliverance to individuals was made possible.
There was Victory at the cross.
“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”
A. Here is the key. The power of the enemy was broken when Christ was lifted up.
1. The phrase “lifted up” here has nothing to do with praise.
2. “Lifted up” points back to the lifting up of the serpent in the wilderness (John 3:14-16).
3. When Jesus said, “If I be lifted up…” He was referring to His death on the cross.
4. It is the death of Christ that has given us victory, not praise, Praise is good. Praise is necessary. But, praise is not what gives us the ultimate victory.
5. The crucifixion of Jesus is our victory.
B. When Jesus died, He broke the enemy’s hold on us. He removed the chains that enslaved us. He broke the power of death, hell, and the grave (1 Corinthians 2:2-5).
1. Paul is saying, “I have nothing to offer you but Jesus” (Galatians 6:14).
2. The only power we have comes from Jesus’ death and resurrection.
3. Jesus paid the debt and purchased our salvation.
Conclusion:
1. The cross glorifies God. It accomplished God’s will for man- that man might be saved. It took the victory from Satan.
2. The cross judges man. If it were not for sin, the cross would not have been necessary.
3. The cross draws men to Christ. When the Israelites looked upon the brazen serpent on the staff, there deadly illness was removed- the curse upon them was removed. In the same way, when we look to the cross of Christ, our curse is removed and we are given a new life.
4. When we allow the cross of Jesus to be lifted up. Jesus will draw all men to Him and Satan once again will be defeated.

Personal Testimony

October 11, 1987, on my way to church, found myself "AT THE THRESHOLD OF HEAVEN; BUT ON THE EDGE OF HELL!" in a car wreck that took 2 lives but God thru His grace and mercy saw me thru. April 18, 2008, I found myself "AT THE THRESHOLD OF HEAVEN; BUT ON THE EDGE OF HELL!" when my house burned, I love to testify to the goodness and mercy of the great God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! That spared my life as I made my escape from that "would be" hell! My friends, and fellow Christians, there are not enough words to describe the horror or fear that can enter one’s mind while facing almost certain death, unless of course you have made the decision to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior...as you and I have been "drawn" by various means to hear about this man called Jesus, the Son of Almighty God! Have you accepted Him as your personal Savior? Have you entrusted your life body, soul, and spirit to Him? If not, please allow me to encourage you today to do so,.... for you too may soon find yourself, AT THE THRESHOLD OF HEAVEN; ON THE EDGE OF HELL!
Are YOU:"AT THE THRESHOLD HEAVEN; ON THE EDGE OF HELL?"...Are you ready to meet the Lord today?

How to reach the masses, men of every birth,
For an answer, Jesus gave the key:
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth,
Will draw all men unto Me.”

Oh! The world is hungry for the Living Bread,
Lift the Savior up for them to see;
Trust Him, and do not doubt the words that He said,
“I’ll draw all men unto me.”

Don’t exalt the preacher, don’t exalt the pew,
Preach the Gospel simple, full, and free;
Prove Him and you will find that promise is true,
“I’ll draw all men unto Me.”

Lift Him up by living as a Christian ought,
Let the world in you the Savior see;
Then men will gladly follow Him Who once taught,
“I’ll draw all men unto Me.”

Lift Him up, lift Him up;
Still He speaks from eternity:
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth,
Will draw all men unto Me.”