Something is missing

Something is missing from a lot of today’s preaching and teaching. I’ve been concerned about this for a while and addressed it from time to time. But I believe it has to be addressed again. I believe many are preaching a different message than that preached by Jesus and are even presenting a different Jesus.

“A different Jesus? A different message? C’mon, man.” Yes. People are so concerned about being all positive and nice that they have dropped some of the message of the Gospel. Today’s Jesus is all love and niceness - and any mention of judgment or wrath or hell is to be avoided.

I was beginning to wonder if maybe my understanding of this was wrong. But I am currently reading the Gospel According to Matthew, and there it is - the teaching of Jesus, the historical Christian message. I know this can be over emphasized. But it can also be ignored. It needs to simply be part of our message.

I have only read the first twelve chapters and I know there is more in rest of the Gospel, but here is a list of the times Jesus mentioned the judgment to come. And look how often He spoke of it! Clearly, Jesus believed in and taught a coming Day of Judgment. And hell. He preached this to both unbelievers and believers  But, didn’t Jesus love sinners? YES. That’s why He warned them of the coming of the great and terrible day of judgment, that they might flee from the wrath to come. That wasn’t ALL he preached, but it was part of the fabric of his message. And I will say it again, If this is not part of our message, then we are indeed preaching a different message than he did.

3:7 But when he (John the Baptist) saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

5:29  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 
30  And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 

7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

8:12  But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

10:14  And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
15  Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

11:20  Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
21  Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22  But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
23  And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
24  But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

12:36  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

12:38  Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
39  But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
40  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41  The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
42  The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.