We too must preach or evangelise with this sense of imminency and urgency. People need waking up to respond to such a message in case the opportunity passes them by. God will not indefinitely go on holding out his hands to a rebellious and indifferent people, or to ‘a disobedient and gainsaying people’ (Romans 10:21). We cannot preach the gospel in a cold and impassionate manner. Our communication needs to match the urgency of the message we preach, otherwise we do not come across as believing it ourselves, and the message does not seem genuine. Christ gives his servants permission to speak in this way, and he would not do that unless he was ready to bless those who hear the gospel. It is an indication of his readiness to bless. God, we often say, is far more willing to bless, than unbelievers are ready to ask for his blessing. Who would not feel terrible regret at not responding to an offer of help that was in such easy reach? Let the world not wake up to the possibility of salvation when the opportunity is passed.