1. Expecting the Impossible Alcatraz

2. Introduction—Our Text “ Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” Matthew 7:15-17

3. “ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” Matthew 7:19,20 Introduction—Our Text

4. Non-Christians Expect… Salvation without faith and repentance –“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” {Hebrews 11:6} –“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.” {Acts 17:30}

5. REMISSION of sins without BAPTISM. – “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” {Mark 16:16} – “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” {Acts 2:38} Non-Christians Expect…

6. SECURITY in Judgment without DOING HIS WILL. – “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” {Matthew 7:21} – “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” {Matthew 7:26,27} Non-Christians Expect…

7. The Local Church Expects… GROWTH without DILIGENCE. – “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever.” {2 Peter 3:18} – “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.” {Romans 10:2,3}

8. Diligence without love and conviction. – “And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ‘I believed and therefore I spoke,’ we also believe and therefore speak.” {2 Corinthians 4:13} – “And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.” {2 Corinthians 8:5} The Local Church Expects…

9. PURITY without DISCIPLINE. –“For the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a day of the Lord Jesus.” {1 Corinthians 5:5} The Local Church Expects…

10. Individual Christians Expect… HAPPINESS without HOLINESS. – “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” {Psalm 1:1-3}

11. LOVE without CHASTENING. –“For whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives... For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.” {Hebrews 12:6,10} Individual Christians Expect…

12. BLESSINGS without SACRIFICE. – “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” {Romans 12:1} – “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” {Galatians 2:20} Individual Christians Expect…

13. A CHANGED LIFE without a CHANGED HEART. – “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?” {Luke 6:45,46} – “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.” {Colossians 3:5,6} Individual Christians Expect…

14. Concluding Thoughts… It is not IMPOSSIBLE for you to be LOST! It is not IMPOSSIBLE for you to be SAVED! WHICH The Difference Is in WHICH You Choose!