Thank you very much, David, once again. It's a joy to be renewing fellowship with you again this evening around the word of the Lord and around the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We're turning tonight, please, to 1 Corinthians, chapter 16. 1 Corinthians, chapter 16. Thank the Lord we have this great and wonderful message to proclaim. 1 Corinthians chapter 16 and one of the most solemn verses in Scripture, certainly from my own experience in reading through the Scriptures over many years, there's hardly a verse of Scripture that is more solemn to me than this particular verse. 1 Corinthians chapter 16 and just one verse, verse 22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, Let him be anathema, maranatha. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, maranatha. Very often the closing remarks of the New Testament epistles are overlooked as insignificant. And the casual, careless reader, therefore, will fail to notice some of the most significant statements instructions and admonitions for the New Testament Church Age. Take for example, and this is not related to the subject in view tonight, but take for example the simple phrases at the end of the epistles instructing us to greet one another for example. and to salute one another, and greetings sent from other believers. And these are found at the end of most of the epistles by Paul, and in 1 Peter also, and we see it, for example, in verse 20 of this epistle, 1 Corinthians, and chapter 16 in verse 20, all the brethren greet you, greet ye one another with an holy kiss. And so that gives us some idea of the importance placed upon such things by the Holy Spirit of God. They're not to be overlooked. In Romans chapter 16 again, for example, there is an entire list of individual names to be greeted. And so what do we see there? A very simple lesson that common courtesy and manners are to be respected by all and to be rendered to all within the church. Why? Simply to prove that our love in Christ for one another as believers is sincere. I praise God there's always a warm welcome here in Shiloh Hall in Cookstown and may it be so in every other assembly for that's the consistent pattern that we find in the New Testament. And I just mention that by way of illustration tonight and by way of introduction. Because side by side, and this is remarkable to see, side by side with these greetings and exhortations to greet one another, we find this solemn, sudden interjection, a warning. And such warnings are found often throughout the epistles, and they're all of a similar nature. They concern individuals of evil intent who would disturb and disrupt that common bond in Christ that all genuine believers share. And how do they do it? We'll take for example Romans 16 and verse 17. Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses among you, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them. What is the doctrine which we have learned? The pure, holy doctrine of our Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ. The gospel. Only one gospel. Paul warned in Galatians chapter 1 and verse 9, If any man preach any other gospel than that ye have received, let him be accursed. And that very same warning is repeated twice in Galatians chapter 1 using almost exactly the same words. That shows how important it was to the Apostle, and thereby how important it was to the Holy Spirit that these warnings are placed in Scripture. Essentially, the warning here in 1 Corinthians chapter 16 is the same. Scripture, of course, interprets Scripture. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema. Think again of Galatians 1 and verse 9. If any man preach any other gospel than that ye have received, let him be accursed. You see, Paul had already given warning concerning some who were denying the resurrection of the dead, and thereby the resurrection of Christ in the previous chapter, chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians. And then Paul systematically demolished their arguments, proving in verse 22 of chapter 15, for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive, all believers that is. And this absolute assurance that the believer has, what does it do? Well, it causes him to love the Lord Jesus more and more. And the hope that is described from verse 51 onwards in chapter 15 tells us the following truth. Look at verse 51 of chapter 15. Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be chained. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, and we know of course that this is speaking to us of that great event that we call the rapture of the church, for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we, that is, the believers in Christ, shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. Every believer is going to be changed according to the pattern of 1 Corinthians chapter 15. And also according to the pattern of Philippians chapter 3 and verse 21 and 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 and verses 14 to 17, passages of scripture that we know so well. That our Lord Jesus Christ, for example, Philippians 3 and verse 21, shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body. And of course we need not mention what is contained in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, that passage that we know so well that speaks of the rapture of the church. Now in the light of all these exceeding great and precious promises, how could a man not love the Lord Jesus Christ? Really that is the question. How could a man love not the one who was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification? It's only a hard-hearted, Christ-rejecting sinner who could leave behind such a testimony as that. And yet we live in a world today that loves not the Lord Jesus Christ. What does it mean here to love not the Lord Jesus Christ? Well again let us interpret Scripture with Scripture for a moment and consider Hebrews 10 and verse 29. Of how much sower punishment, suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace. It's a fearful, fearful thing. And yet that is what men and women are doing today. Every time they take the name of Christ in vain and use the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as a swear word, what are they doing? They're trampling underfoot the Son of God. That is His very name. And yet to the believer, how sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear. And that is why it is unthinkable. It is absolutely abominable to a Christian believer to hear the name of Jesus Christ blasphemed. To anyone out there listening to this message this evening, the scriptures we have read thus far are enough to show you what a fearful sin it is to blaspheme the very Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom there was no sin. He knew no sin. He did no sin. Neither was there guile found in his mouth. And we're going to consider this solemn warning. But we're also going to see how it may not be so with you. If you trust the Savior and accept the gift of God's love this evening, Romans 5 in verse 8 tells us, but God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. God commends his love to sinners. He commends his love to you. And if a man or woman decides not to love the Lord Jesus Christ, the wrath of God still abides on them. John 3 in verse 36, he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. He that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. That is essentially what this text of Scripture in 1 Corinthians chapter 16 teaches. You see, they only have themselves to blame. And my friend, at the outset of this meeting tonight, you can either choose the wrath of God or the love of God in the person of Christ. I would urge you tonight not to fall into the category of this warning because we're going to see where it leads. First of all this evening, we see the Universal Declaration. The Universal Declaration. Notice the beginning of the text. If any man, any man, it matters not who it is, And this proves two things to be true tonight. Number one, the warning is not restricted. It's for anyone, anywhere, at any time. It was not just for the Corinthian church. How can we be sure that it is a universal declaration? Because the Lord Jesus Christ died for the sins of the whole world. We know that from many scriptures, one of which is 1 John 2, verse 2. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. Our brother Bert made mention of it this morning at the Lord's Supper. Another text is 1 Timothy 1, verse 15. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief The world. Christ died for the sins of the world and for the sinners of the world to save them. Friend, that means you and me and it means anyone. Now, if any man, it's an unrestricted warning because it concerns the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Any man. And then the second truth is this. The second truth that this opening clause proves to be true is as follows. The way of salvation is not restricted. See, first of all, the warning is not restricted, but it proves also that the way of salvation is not restricted either. because our Lord Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world. We've shown that from the scriptures to be true, but the message that proclaims this glorious truth is unrestricted also. Romans 10 and verses 11 to 13, for the scripture saith, whosoever, and I mark that word whosoever, whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed, for there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever, and there's the word again, shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. Why did our Lord Jesus Christ command his disciples in Mark 16 and verses 15 to 16 to go ye into all the world and preach the gospel unto every creature, every creature? He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned. Every creature, whosoever. And so we see this thread of truth, that it is consistent in the canon of scripture. The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and we've prayed it already in the prayer meeting this evening, is the power of God unto salvation unto everyone that believeth. Romans 1 and verse 16. And so this universal declaration, this solemn warning, is written for the sake of all. In the light of this wonderful offer of mercy, salvation, and the forgiveness of sins, and the gift of everlasting life through the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the light of what God has done in the person of his Son for our sakes, to redeem and save lost sinners, the question must surely be asked, if any man, why would any man, how could any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ? And yet multitudes do. And what do they do? Well, again, this brings us to the second point. You see, not only is there a universal declaration, but furthermore, we see an individual derision here, an individual derision If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, I cannot understand it. How casually, carelessly, and callously people blasphemed the Son of God who loved them and was willing to go all the way to Calvary's center cross, bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place condemned he stood. Hebrews 12 and verse 3 tells us, consider him which endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Just as those that passed by reviled the Lord Jesus, and those that stood by him, derided him, here is a universal warning, and it becomes an individual one, if any man, man, not of any people or gathering of people, but if any man, and now we're seeing that the text is speaking of an individual person here, deciding not to love the Lord Jesus Christ. And there's a persistent nature to this refusal. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, there's no sign of repentance here. Like the sinner who repents and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, no, that's not a description of someone who has no love for the Savior. The sinner who is saved by the grace of God can do nothing but love the Savior, and will have that desire to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. No, here we're seeing an individual who is steadfast in their refusal to love Christ. They are set in their ways, as we would say here in Northern Ireland, the way that leadeth to destruction, the way that leadeth to destruction and damnation. Friend, it's an awful and wicked thing to love not the Lord Jesus Christ. and to die in your sin, and go to hell, the prison house of the damned, until the final judgment of the great white throne described to us in Revelation chapter 20. And experience the truth of those awful words that bring that very chapter to a conclusion. And whosoever was not found, written in the book of life, was cast into the lake of fire. Now mark that word whosoever again. That's the whosoever of eternal damnation. In Revelation chapter 20, such will be the punishment of each and every individual who rejects the Lord Jesus Christ. Friend will that be you? But then as we've seen already, there's the whosoever of eternal salvation. And here's the good news of the gospel of Christ. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. And a simple illustration of this is found in the aftermath of the sinking of the Titanic. In 1912, when the lifeboats returned with the survivors, and the names of the passengers were there on the board, as far as I can recall from what I have read. And the names of those passengers had written beside each of them, either one of two words, saved or lost. Saved or lost. Friend, which will you be tonight? A man either loves the Lord Jesus Christ or he does not. A man or a woman can give assent intellectually to the person of Christ and believe all the accounts in the Gospels without believing in him personally. Now that's nothing more than simply believing about him as an historical figure rather than the saviour of the world. They can believe everything about him but still not love him personally. No, to love the Lord Jesus Christ without doubt means to know him personally as your Saviour. And that is unspeakably wonderful. To love the Lord Jesus who loved me and gave himself for me. To know and to love the Saviour who came into the world to save sinners and who suffered and bear our own sins in his body on the tree. You see here, we see that the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ exceeds mere religion. It brings the sinner who repents of their sin and trusts Christ into a holy, living, daily walk and relationship. And we must be careful how we use that word relationship because, mind you, it's misused much today. But it brings the saved sinner into a personal, living, holy relationship and daily walk with the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Why? Because he's alive and he's risen and he's exalted at the right hand of God. The scripture tells us he was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification. And praise God he bears the marks of Calvary still. What a wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord. A wonderful Saviour to me. Friends, that is why it beggars belief. How individual people deride Him still. The individual derision. What are they doing? Again, Hebrews 10 and verse 29 gives us the answer. They have trodden underfoot the Son of God. That speaks of their contempt. They have counted His blood an unholy thing, the blood of the covenant. Remember, the Hebrew believers would have known the significance of that. That's their corruption. Trampling underfoot, the Son of God, that's their contempt. Counting His blood an unholy thing, that's their corruption. And then they have done despite unto the Spirit of grace. That's the curse that they have brought upon themselves. Showing nothing but hatred for God. and the gift of his son. Beloved, it's unspeakable. Unspeakable blasphemy. And yet that's what the world is doing today to the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Of how much sorer punishment is how that verse begins. That's their condemnation. That's their condemnation. I don't want to be numbered with that unholy band of Christ-rejecting sinners and friend neither to you. Trust Christ today and don't trample underfoot the love of God, neither the son of God. The individual derision. But thirdly this evening, we see the final decree. The final decree. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema. Cursed. That's what the word anathema means. It means accursed. Most people know the meaning of it today without an explanation. It means to be under the curse and condemnation of God forever. The consequences of not loving the Lord Jesus Christ, to be finally cut off from His love and from the love of God forever, with no hope of mercy, no hope of redemption, no hope of forgiveness. You see, love is something that is never forced upon an individual, and the love of God, and the love of the Lord Jesus Christ is no different. It's freely offered in the person of Christ, and friend, you can avail of it tonight. Redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins, is offered to you in Christ, and you can avail of it. Accept Him as your Savior, and be delivered from the wrath to come, and on the authority of the Word of God, you will be saved. But reject Him tonight. and you will be damned. And that's the simple and inescapable truth of the Holy Scriptures. And it's the simple truth contained in the text that we have read tonight. If you love not the Lord Jesus Christ, it means that you have never accepted the love of God for you, but you have thrown it back. And I'm speaking reverently this evening. You have thrown it back, as it were, into the very face of Christ. just like those who spat upon him on the day of his crucifixion, to give back to God in response to the demonstration of his love, nothing but mockery, hatred, and contempt. Friend, that indeed is anathema in and of itself. No wonder the text tells us here, if any man loved not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema. In a sense, that individual has brought that anathema upon his own head. It is abomination. to reject and blaspheme the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Friend, despise the love of God in Christ, and there's nothing more that God can do or will do for your soul, but leave it to abide under the anathema of the condemnation and wrath of God forever. How does the verse conclude? If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema maranatha. Maranatha. And this is an Aramaic word meaning, our Lord cometh. Our Lord cometh. The word Anathema is Greek meaning of course as we've seen already, accursed. And so what is the text telling us here? It means that if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed, our Lord cometh. And there's the good news, the hope that every believer has. that we look to the air for the soon coming of our Lord. And such was the urgency and the uppermost truth in the Apostle's mind as he penned these words by the Holy Ghost that the Lord was coming. His coming was imminent and His coming is still imminent today. And the solemn injunction is this, that the Lord is coming soon to the air for His saints, the church, that is those who are saved by the grace of the grace of God and those who are in Christ. And if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, he'll not be rising to meet the Lord in the air. He will be accursed still, never to have another opportunity of repentance or redemption. Friend, that is a place neither you nor I would wish to find ourselves in. No, friend, we want to be with those exhorted by Jude in his epistle. But ye, beloved, building yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Friend, accept the gift of God's love in the person of Christ tonight. and be numbered with those believers described by Jude in his epistle, keeping themselves in the love of God. Friend, don't reject the Lord Jesus Christ tonight. Don't be numbered with that unholy band who love not the Lord Jesus Christ. No, you accept the gift of God's love. Accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your saviour and keep yourself in the love of God. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema. But here's the hope for us as believers. Maranatha, our Lord cometh. May the Lord bless his word to our hearts tonight for his name's sake. Shall we pray? Father in heaven, we thank thee again for thy precious holy word. We thank thee that it is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. We pray, Our Father, for any who might be listening to this message tonight, right there on the internet. We thank Thee for this ministry. We thank Thee, Father, for the opportunity to send the gospel out to the four corners of the earth, as it were. Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel unto every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned. Father, this places upon our hearts the urgency of proclaiming the glad tidings of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Our Father, we cannot understand, we cannot even begin to imagine what it is for individuals to continue rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ, loving Him not. And Father, if they love Him not, they can only hate Him. And He said, marvel not if the world hate you. If it hated me, it will hate you. Our Father, we pray, for all who will hear this message tonight, that they will not hear the message of the preacher, but rather the words of Holy Scripture. Because faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. That they might realize, Father, that while they're yet in their sin, thy wrath abides upon them. They're condemned already, but they can avail of thy great love. That love which was commended us, and that while we were yet sinners, Christ, die for us. We thank Thee, our Father, that Thy love has been demonstrated in a finished way. When our Lord Jesus Christ cried upon Calvary's cross, it is finished. We thank Thee, Father, that redemption's price was fully paid. when he made that one sacrifice for sins forever and sat down at thy right hand. Father, there's no greater demonstration or manifestation of love than that which was accomplished at the place called Calvary. Father, we thank thee that any sinner, anywhere, the whosoever will, can avail of that love tonight and pass from death unto life, can be delivered from that curse, can be delivered from that wrath that abides upon their heads, even this very night, and come into the good of thy love and eternal salvation and redemption. May it be so tonight, Father, for whoever will listen to this message, by thy grace, continue to bless the work of this assembly. We thank thee for this work in the corner of the vineyard. We thank thee for the lampstand here, our Father. Pray for our brother Bert as he will minister thy word on Wednesday. Continuing this series on the seven feasts, We thank thee for it, our Father, and we pray that liberty will be granted unto him. We pray, our Father, for thy continued blessing upon us, and bless our time of fellowship together now, and take us to our homes later in safety, for we ask it in our Saviour's precious and worthy name. Amen.