Hell Is Expanding Itself — Morris Gleiser

Join us now for the chapel hour coming to you from the campus of Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. Following the introduction by dr. Bob Wood. Our speaker will be dr. Morris Gleiser staff evangelist for Burge Terrace Baptist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Today, he'll begin a four-part soul winning series with the first message titled hell is expanding itself. The text is from Isaiah chapter 5 verses 11 through 14. This is a very very Special week for us.

Can you imagine the potential of sending thousands and thousands and thousands of young people? To all 50 states in the United States and more than 40 foreign countries. All with the knowledge of the gospel and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

The people you'll meet that'll be inquisitive. About where you go to school and about your relationship with the Lord will give you great opportunities to witness for him. We consider this week one of the most important weeks.

That takes place on this campus every year a time for our soul winning lectures. Personally, I believe that we could find no one in the world any better qualified to give us those lectures this year than dr. Morris Gleiser.

Dr. Gleiser came to know the Lord when he was six years old. Answered the call of the ministry at 18. Spent more than 14 years in ministry in Florida. Seven years as a youth pastor. Another seven years as an associate pastor.

Then he went to Arizona to work for a while. He worked in a camp ministry and traveled as an evangelist. Felt the Lord calling him back to a church ministry where he was at Tri-City Baptist Church in Kansas City.

For some time there the Lord used him greatly in that ministry and now a staff evangelist for Burge Terrace Baptist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. Brother Gleiser knows the heartbeat of the young people in America today.

He has a burden for the gospel and a burden for the right kind of preaching. He has two young men that are here his children in school today. Andy a member of the senior class and Chad a sophomore. His wife Lynn is visiting with him today.

He found her here in 1975 when he graduated from Bob Jones University. We're in for a great week this week. And the week's following will be the proof of the ministry that the Lord has given to all of us.

The Authority of Scripture in Soul Winning

To tell people about the Lord Jesus Christ you give dr Gleiser your utmost attention as he comes and preaches for us this morning. Dr. Gleiser Isaiah chapter 5 please this morning. Isaiah chapter 5. I agree with dr. Wood.

This is an extremely important week. In your life the life of the student body here, and I'm thankful to be in some small way a part of this privileged time. I Put myself as no example in front of you as someone who's a master soul winner.

I don't come to you today thinking that my years of experience as a Tremendous witness is the greatest impact that I'll have here with you during this week. Really Morris Gleiser is sitting here and learning and remembering and and being recharged in his own spiritual life.

Regarding this matter of witnessing as I trust you will be. The authority that we have about the matter of soul winning does not come from somebody's great experience. Or the authority of someone's abilities the authority comes from that Bible that sits in your lap this morning.

And every day we're going to come together and open its pages and be reminded of some things. This is gonna be a great week. I hope it'll be a week of inspiration for you. I Hope it'll be a week of of instruction.

We're going to try to do both in the limited time that we have together and I'm just thrilled to death about having this Extended time with you here in chapel now. I hope when you walk in the doors here every day that you don't carry in with you the Baggage of all the things you have to do today all the papers have to be done the tests that have to be taken or the things that have to be studied or the girl that has to be broken up with or Anything else put all that aside you can take care of that later and Think about the fact of the matter that we're here to learn something from God's Word to help you be what you need to be.

And it's my prayer that this time will be both timely and inspirational. For each one of you here and certainly also instructional the book of Isaiah gives us a Sixfold indictment upon the children of Israel.

We're not going to read all the indictments that God gives to his people through the prophet. Isaiah starts in verse 8. We're not going to start from there. I'm going to pull out one particular section of this indictment.

God condemns these folks who lived in Israel in the days of Isaiah because of their pride because of their blasphemous tongue. Because of believe it or not drunken judges that lived in their day. Because of because of their money-grabbing land-grabbing lifestyle that they live.

Because of their drunken Lazy spiritual condition. God brings a great indictment upon them. And I want you to notice one particular phrase. We'll start reading in verse 11. The Lord says woe unto them That rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink that continue until night till wine in flame them and The harp and the vial the tabret and pipe and wine are in their feasts.

But they regard not the work of the Lord. Neither consider the operation of his hands. Therefore My people are gone into captivity because they have no knowledge and Their honorable men are famished and their multitude dried up with thirst.

Now notice verse 14 therefore hell hath enlarged herself and opened her mouth without measure and Their glory and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoiceth Shall descend into it. Therefore hell Hath enlarged herself.

Hell as a Place of Expanding Judgment

Anybody who's ever been involved with construction work knows that you don't build something without some type of Measurements and some type of dimensions that you have to abide by as you're building some particular project something that you're putting together.

You have dimensions of which you have to stay within. Nothing could be built without having some type of blueprint or some site and some sort of guide. So that you'll know exactly the size the width the length and the breadth and all that's involved with that particular structure.

But this verse says hell Has enlarged herself now notice it says and opened her mouth like a wild beast without Measurement. I don't know if you've ever gone through a remodeling Expansion time at your own home.

I know that one time in our life. We were remodeling our home. We were rebuilding we were we were adding on one room for my grandmother who was going to move in to live with us. And I was just a little guy and I was told I couldn't get near anything.

I couldn't get near all the construction. I couldn't get near all the boards that were laying up back there where the men were working and and the blocks and the nails and everything and I was caught up with the Attraction of it.

I would stand at the end of the hall and look down inside that room that we were building and and be amazed with what? Was happening in there? I remember the concrete slab being laid and the and the structure of the beams and the and the trusses and everything that got put up There in place until finally it was enclosed, but there was still a lot more work to be done.

And I remember standing there all observing it and thinking about it and saw a door that was to lead Outside my grandmother who was going to move in there would hardly ever use that door. But we wanted to give her that sense of independence.

And so my dad put a door there for that that room that could go outside. I remember one night. It was a Friday night. I know it was a Friday night because my father was gone to a football game and why I didn't get to go I don't know.

I was upset. I Think that maybe I was coming down with some kind of a sickness and mom as good moms will do kept me at home. And I wanted to be with dad. I love my mom, but I want to be at the ballgame.

And I was there at home with my sister and my mother. And I was stuck up in the excuse me I was privileged to stay in the front living room with my sister and I was sitting there watching Television with my sister and we were watching what I consider to be the most Ridiculous program that comes on TV and it comes on every year.

I think it's the most ridiculous thing that you could ever find on television. It's a joke I'm I'm sitting there because my sister is older than I am sitting there watching the annual Miss America beauty pageant all these Yehoos walk across the platform with their phony smiles and answer questions about world peace, you know.

And I'm thinking it might help if you got a brain first. But anyway, I'm I'm I'm watching all this take place and I'm miserable watching this. I want to be at the ballgame with my dad. Now my mom if you knew my mom.

My mom is one of the classiest. I mean that she's one of the she is a very proper lady. My mom would be comfortable Sitting at the table with royalty and she's comfortable sitting with the just plain country folk.

Just enjoying a meal with him. She is just down home. Comfortable with anybody, but she's a very proper lady never out of sorts never out of line but this night My mom was sick. And she had taken some kind of medicine that had put her nerves on edge.

You ever taken in that kind of medicine. I mean she was just kind of she was frayed and everything. Yeah, everything just kind of set her off and she was very frantic that night. And I remember she was cleaning and I'm sitting up there watching this dumb program with my sister.

When all of a sudden my mother hears something back there in that room where we were remodeling. Probably a board fell over or something. But remember my mom's nerves are on edge and My mom thought for sure somebody's breaking into our home.

And with I'm telling you if you only knew my mom this is so unnatural to her my mom lost it. She just lost it. She took off running through the living room. Screaming at the top of her lungs and ran right in front of my sister and I right out the front door.

Just screaming right outside didn't even tell us what was going on just gone. Let let the robbers have the kids. I'm out of here. Well, it doesn't take much for a girl to get excited. My sister didn't know what was going on.

But she wanted to join the fun. So she jumped up and she started screaming. She didn't know what was going on. Now. I mean it honestly the first thing I thought was good. Now I can watch what I want to watch.

I Started to turn a channel and it dawned on me. You know, there may be some reason why these two ladies are running down the road. Maybe I'll join them. And so I walked out the front door and saw where they were and I took off and tried to catch and we were running from one neighbor to another until finally we got into one house and my Mother announced to the neighbor and to us what was going on that she thought somebody was breaking in that night was a frightening night for me.

That remodeling experience scared me to no end. But it was really ridiculous to do so. But young people this is one remodeling program that ought to concern everybody in this building this morning. The remodeling of hell.

Hell is expanding itself right now. Hell is expanding its borders without measure. And if there is a motivation that ought to stir the heart of any child of God to tell others about Christ. It ought be the reality of hell.

Hell is real this morning. Hell was built. Everlasting fire for the devil and for his angels. But hell is expanding itself today for those who've rejected Jesus Christ. Hell is a real place. Hell is the place of eternal isolation.

Think about it. A Person in hell will can be completely isolated from God for time and eternity. Isolated from God's grace. Isolated from God's goodness. Isolated from God's love. Eternal isolation. Hell is a place of eternal duration.

There's no time off in hell. There's no side door to go outside and catch your breath. There's no time off. There's no weekends off. There's no time off for good behavior. It's eternal duration will be quite painful.

And not only is it a place of eternal isolation eternal duration. It's a place of eternal affliction the affliction of fire the affliction of separation. The affliction to get this of memory. Memory. A person in hell will constantly remember the gospel message that they heard while they were on earth.

When Abraham spoke to that rich man in Luke chapter 16, he said son. Remember thou and thy lifetime had thy good things. Remember the torment of remembering a man or a woman in hell will suffer the torment.

Continually of darkness and the torment of falling. Hell is a real place and I know this is Monday morning. And I know we're just starting our week off. But I plead with everybody in this room this morning to understand that hell is expanding itself.

Unbelief and the Necessity of Faith in Christ

May God give us a burden for souls. Hell is remodeling and opening the opening its gates without measure. Why. Number one because of unbelief. You know that I can't say anything differently to you. Oh, I know there are some people who would claim that hell is nothing more than just having a bad day.

There are some people that you'll face this weekend and all the holiday Weekends that will just say hell is is when a person chooses to be in his mind separated from God. There'll be other people who'll say well now look friend.

You have your way to get to heaven and I have mine. We all have our own way. We'll see each other in heaven, and you know, that's not true. Hell is expanding itself because people do not believe. Unbelief.

Unbelief. Unbelief in what Jesus Christ and the eternal work of salvation. On the cross of Calvary the Philippian jailer rushed into the presence of Paul and Silas when the earthquake had opened up those doors.

He thought everyone was escaping and he awoke from sleep and he began to take his own life and Paul called out and said hey. Hold it. Don't do it. Why he saw a man about to take his life and Paul's burden and urge of life was to tell people of eternal life.

Wait a minute. He said don't do that. We're all okay, and that Philippian jailer fell down in front of him and he said sirs. Listen, what must I do to be saved? And Paul said the answer that everybody in this world needs to hear.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Belief in Christ. Understanding that you cannot save yourself. Understanding that your sin will take you to hell. Understanding that you're separated from God without Christ.

Put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Why is hell expanding itself because of unbelief. Now, hang on you had to understand that before I go to point two. Here's the second reason why hell is expanding itself.

The Unclear Gospel and the Christian Witness

Because of an unclear message for sake of time. Don't turn to it. But if you want to write down the text you can write down 2nd Corinthians chapter 4. 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 verses 1 to 3 and then verse 6.

Maybe you remember that text the Bible says. Paul says therefore seeing we have this ministry we faint not. He says but we've renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in crackiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully.

But by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. Now listen to verse 3 he said. But if our gospel be hid. It is hid to them that are lost. He says if our gospel be veiled.

If it's covered if it's unclear it is made unclear to those who are unsaved those that are lost. Why is hell expanding itself this morning because of an unclear message on the part of so many of God's people.

No people when somebody sees you over the Christmas holiday. Will they see a distinctive different type of person because you know Christ or will they receive an unclear message? Will they see somebody whose walk with the Lord is as deep and genuine as real as it ought be or will they see somebody Who's home just to make money I?

Understand the need to make some cash to pay some school bills. But you mark it down people will be able to tell if you've got a clear message of what you really believe. Will they see a clear message of somebody who's in in deep love with the Lord who bows his head before a meal and prays God to bless his life and bless that food with but to his body and giving him strength to serve him better.

Or will they see somebody who's embarrassed about being a Christian? Will they see somebody listen to the same kind of music that the world listens to. Will they see somebody attired as the world is Attired.

Will they see somebody walk their walk like the world walks, or will they see a distinct difference? I'll tell you why hell is expanding itself because our gospel is hidden to them that are lost. Verse 6 of 2nd Corinthians 4 says old young people listen to this.

It says in verse 6 for God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness. It's talking about creation for God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts. Those of us who know Christ is Savior that same powerful light that shined in creation has shined in our hearts.

Listen now to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in Jesus Christ to give the light to give the light. Somebody will go to hell because we block the light. And somebody behind us wanting to discern the light of Christ wanting to know how they can go to heaven.

They look at us and we block the light with an unclear message. Our language our lifestyle the way we carry ourselves. Oh listen young people. You will face grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins and friends and people you work with this holiday break.

They'll need to see somebody who is distinctively different. Someone who expresses to them that you believe sincerely. That Christ is the only way to salvation. Now people don't go home with a dirty heart.

Don't go home with a dirty life. Don't go home with an unclean heart. Don't go home with a testimony. That's disappointing to the cause of Christ. Hell is Expanding itself and opening its gates without measure.

The Great Commission and Concern for the Lost

Because of unbelief. Because of an unclear message and because of unconcerned. Unconcerned. Morris Gleiser needs this as much as anybody in this room needs it. Listen young people. I Wish I wish I could come up here and say hey young people.

I found a new verse that this will challenge it go Go into all the world. And preach the gospel to every creature. No new verse. Go ye therefore and teach all nations. Baptizing them in the name of the Father the Son the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things whatsoever.

I've commanded you and lo I'm with you always. No new verse. And how so they believe in him of who they have not heard and how shall they hear without a proclaimer a preacher. How shall they hear. I have a preacher friend that's in the ministry.

He said that when he was 17. He walked an aisle put his arms around his daddy who was at the altar and he simply said dad I got. I got a I got to go into the ministry. I got to be a preacher. And his dad said son, how do you know that.

And here's what his answer was, are you ready for this he said all those people Going to hell gotta preach. When I was a youth pastor in the state of Florida young people I was very busy as I suppose everybody in this room knows what busyness is all about.

I had a lot on my platter. I had a I had a sizable youth ministry. I must admit that there was a lot going on in our youth group. I was busy counseling busy with activities busy with Events of their life and I was I was just very much involved with things going on in their world.

Because of the size and structure of our ministry there in the Tampa area. I I lost my concern for lost souls. I hate to tell you but I did. I got too busy doing good things. Doing appropriate things, but I lost my burden for lost teenagers.

I was sitting in my office one morning when the report came that one of my friends on his way to our Christian school. He was bringing his his young people his own children to our school as he was driving to school.

It was a foggy, Florida morning. He did not see some teenagers horse playing around at a bus stop. That bus stop was just down the street. Listen from the church where I was working. The word came to us that our friend who was driving on that foggy, Florida Foggy road that morning as he was driving along did not see that sixteen-year-old boy get pushed out into the road.

Neither did the boy see the car coming. It was extremely foggy morning. My friend hit that boy Straight ahead lifted him up in the air and took him several feet and knocked him unconscious almost killed him.

The word came to our offices were to take in place and I asked where did that happen? The secretary said just down the road, you know where those young people live. Didn't even know and I was rebuked.

I rushed to the hospital young people praying all the way as I was going. I Didn't even know what I was going to do. I rushed in the emergency room and I found the man who was the father of this boy. I walked up to him and I said sir, you don't know me.

But I'm the youth pastor at the church just down the road from you here. And I said I've never met your son Troy. But I'm burdened about him. I want you to know that I'm going to pray that God will keep him alive.

Because I want to talk to him. The man looked at me with strange and yet somewhat grateful eyes and he said All right. Thanks. I Turned and walked out of the hospital and I went back to my office and young people I'm gonna tell you something every day of my life every moment of every day I was thinking about Troy in that hospital and all day long.

I was praying God keep him alive. Lord keep him alive. Please don't let him die Lord. I'm sorry. I never told him he lives right down the street from our church Lord I'm sorry. I never invited him to church Lord.

Keep him alive. I remember the day when I called the hospital and they told me that he'd come out of his unconscious state. I felt like there was some new hope. I Again, wept in my office and said Lord, please.

Thank you. I I pray please keep him alive. Day after day, I called the hospital and talked to nurses and found out the condition of that boy. Until finally one morning I called and they said sir, we just released him.

He's on his way home. In fact, they may be home by now they just got away and they're on their way if not there they're almost there. I waited a few more moments and asked God for his power and I got in the car and drove down.

I didn't even have to drive. I could have walked. It was just down the road. I Pulled up into that driveway of where their house was. I got out and folks I could hear laughter. I could hear talking inside the house.

Well, of course there was laughter. I Walked up to the door knocked on the door. The father came to the door. I remembered him. I knew he wouldn't remember me. I Said hi, sir. I said you don't remember me, but my name is Maurice Glaser.

I said, I'm the youth pastor down here at the church and I met you at the emergency room in the hospital a month ago. Oh, he said yeah, I Said I know. Can I see he said yeah, sure. He just got home. He opened the door.

I said sir, I prayed for this moment. He said yeah, I remember you said that Come on in. I Sat down on the couch and I met Troy whose head was still bandaged from some surgery that he had had. Big old smile from one side the other.

I looked at him. I said, how you doing Troy? He said, okay I'm a little weak, but I'm alright. I Introduced myself to him. I Said Troy, I'm sure people have asked you. Do you remember anything that happened that day?

He said, oh, yeah I get asked all the time. He said I don't remember anything. I said, well, let me ask you this. If you would have died that day, do you know what you would have done. Would you have gone to heaven?

He said I don't know. He said I thought about it. I Took my Bible young people and I showed him how he could know Christ his Savior. You know, what? Just like that. He accepted Christ a few weeks later.

I had the privilege introducing to our youth group. I Can't tell you what a joy it was to see him walk in that door. God had to wake me up. Hell almost got another one. Oh hath enlarged herself and opened her mouth without measure because of unbelief.

Because of an unclear message because of our unconcerned hold it now. Are you thinking of somebody right now? Back home. May God give us a fresh vision and burden for lost souls. Let's bow our heads for prayer.

A Prayer for a Burden for Souls

Take just a moment young people. Name that person in prayer and maybe even after chapel you need to take a little more time with the Lord do so. Don't walk away from here and just let this be nothing but another message.

Let God do a finished work in your heart. May God give us a fresh concern father. Finish this time together as you see fit. I pray Lord. Don't let me get in your way do whatever you want to do in our hearts.

Not only today, but this week Lord help us to understand that people need to put their faith in Jesus Christ. May we not muddy up the message by an unclear message on our own life in our own life. And Lord may we go home not just burdened about Relaxing not just burdened about making some cash not just burdened about being with friends and family and church friends.

Lord help us to be passionate about souls going to hell. Finish the work in our hearts. We pray do what only you can do in Jesus name. We ask you. Amen. God bless you. You've been listening to the chapel hour coming to you from the campus of Bob Jones University.

Our speaker was dr. Morris Gleiser of Burge Terrace Baptist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. If you'd like a cassette copy of today's message send a check for six dollars and fifty cents to campus store Bob Jones University Greenville, South Carolina 29614 be sure to mention the name of the speaker and today's date.

The chapel hour has been sponsored by Bob Jones University.