Pastor Dan's Sermon Outlines

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Pastor Dan’s
Sermon Outlines

Pastor Dan Parton is pastor of
Timberline Baptist Church
512 Cañon Avenue
Manitou Springs, Colorado 80829

Whacha Guardin’?
Proverbs 4:23

Introduction: Preaching and teaching cannot always be on the positive side. Of necessity, there must be some negative things that are said. There must be warnings given, and sins must be preached against. When
the Apostle Paul was helping Timothy to be a good pastor, he said,

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (2 Timothy 4:2)

Two thirds of preaching, according to Paul, is on the negative side.

In this chapter of Proverbs, we learn that Solomon is teaching his son Rehoboam how to live. He is teaching him what his father, David, taught him,

“For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my
words: keep my commandments, and live.” (Proverbs 4:3-4)

- Dads, you would do well to do the same with your children!
– Sunday School teachers, you would do well to do the same with your students!
– Grandparents, you would do well to do the same with your grandchildren!

Here, we find a command. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23) With the help of the Holy Spirit, David knew that most of the problems we experience in this life come from the heart.

As you know (or should know), our hearts cannot be trusted. They are deceptive and desperately wicked, so says the Bible, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
(Jeremiah 17:9) God even goes on to say that a person, who puts trust in his heart, is a fool.

“He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool…”
(Proverbs 28:26)

But it is not just that the human heart is deceptive but that it is more deceptive than anything else. Jeremiah said that “The heart is deceitful above all things!” Not only that, but when the prophet says that our hearts are desperately wicked, he is telling us that the sin-sickness in our hearts are incurable. He is right! There is no human cure for the deceitfulness of our hearts. If the heart is left unguarded and unguided, it will always lead you astray!

* When our hearts are left unguarded, they determine for us how we will live our lives and how we will view life.

A heart, that is guarded, is less likely to lead you wrongly in the issues of life. Our trust is to be in the Lord with all our heart, NOT in our heart at all! “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)

The word God uses for “keep” in Proverbs 4:23, is a word He uses 63 times in the Old Testament. It means “to guard, to protect, to preserve.” It also means to keep secret so as to preserve it. David taught Solomon what Solomon now teaches Rehoboam: protect your heart, because every issue in life comes from it.

The Word of God says that all that is in the world is wrapped up in three things. 1 John 2:16 says, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” The world and its way of life seeks to have and keep a hold on you by using the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

- The lust of the flesh is the extreme desire to experience and enjoy the pleasures of the world.
– The lust of the eyes is the extreme desire to have or own something. The more you get, the more you desire to have.

The pride of life is the desire to be somebody. How tragic this is when even Christians desire to make a name for themselves. Remember, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” (Proverbs 22:1)

1.Guard your heart from the lust of the flesh. - Ecclesiastes 1:9

“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.”

- The flesh has nothing new to offer. The devil has no new tricks, just new and improved tools.
– Our flesh is at war with our spirit.

“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” (1 Peter 2:11)

“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?” (James 4:1)

Lester Roloff used to sing, “It’s a battlefield, brother, not a recreation room; it’s a fight and not a game…”
– If you do not guard your heart against the desire to experience all the pleasures of the world, you will end up experiencing them. Since the flesh wars against the spirit, to enjoy what God condemns, is sinful.

2. Guard your heart from the lust of the eyes. – Genesis 3:6

“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”

- Eve made a judgement based on the desire of her eyes.
– Joshua 7:21 tells us what happened when a man named Achan desired what his eyes wanted,

“When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.”

-If you do not guard your heart against the extreme desire to have or own something, you will end up owning the things of the world.
– Since the flesh wars against the spirit, to own what God condemns, is
sinful.

3. Guard your heart from the pride of life. – Proverbs 6:19

“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood…”

- God hates pride. Notice He mentions it FIRST in the list of things He hates.
– Example: A self-deceived woman said to H.A. Ironside, “I haven’t sinned in over 17 years!” Dr. Ironside replied, “That is truly a remarkable record, Madam. I suppose you are very proud of it!” The woman beamingly replied, “Oh, yes, I am!” How blinding is spiritual pride to one’s true condition!
– The Bible speaks of a group of Christians who said, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.” (Revelation 3:17)

- Years ago, one newspaper writer named Ralph McGill, wrote of himself,

In matters controversial,
My prescription’s very fine,
I always see both sides of things,
The one that’s wrong and mine.

Those, who fall to pride, fall into the condemnation of the devil! “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.” (1 Timothy 3:6)

Conclusion:

Sadly, some Christians guard the wrong things. Instead of hating what God hates, they justify it. Their hearts are filled with all that is in the world:

– The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

We are commanded not to love the world nor its things, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1 John 2:15-6)

Hence, I ask the question, “Whacha guardin’?” Are you guarding, that is, are you protecting and preserving, the three enemies of the Christian life? Are you keeping them secret so as to preserve them? Or, are you guarding, that is, are you protecting and preserving, your heart? Are
you keeping it protected so as to preserve it?

** Don’t forget, Jesus may come back today!

“It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

Lamentations 3:22-23

Past Feeling
Ephesians 4:14-24

Introduction: The admonition here is that God’s people ought not become callous to the things of God. The word God uses for “past feeling” means to cease to feel pain or grief, to cease to feel pain at, to become cold-hearted, insensible to pain, and apathetic

“This is the way the heathen live from day-to-day, “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind…” (Ephesians 4:17)

One of the great dangers to the Christian life is that of becoming hardened to the things of God. It does happen even to the best of them:

* “Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness.” (Hebrews 3:8)
* “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” (Hebrews 3:13)
* “While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.” (Hebrews 3:15)
* “Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” (Hebrews 4:7)

There are many things that can cause our hearts to grow calloused to the things of the Lord. It happens to all of us at one time or another. I’ve never known anyone to not have a calloused heart at times. Have
you? I think not.

Today, I want to address those things that can cause our hearts to grow spiritually calloused. It is a frightening thing to wake up and come to the realization that our hearts have grown calloused concerning the things of the Lord. All of us have times of spiritual callousness. If
you have not been there yet, you will be. If you have been there already, you understand what I’m talking about. If your heart is calloused right now, you have wanted a way out. Well, here it is.

1. We first must examine the real cause for a calloused heart.

– It is not caused by what we think.

* It is not caused by rejection.
* It is not caused by denial.
* It is not caused by disapproval.
* It is not caused by dismissal.
* It is not caused by refusal.
* It is not caused by spurning.
* It is not caused by prohibition.
* It is not caused by restriction.
* It is not caused by exclusion.
* It is not caused by personal hurt.
* It is not caused by spiritual injury.
* It is not caused by disillusionment.
* It is not caused by having too much church.
* It is not caused by having too much fellowship.
* It is not caused by having too much serving the Lord.
* It is not caused by having too much of any good thing.

– For example, we hear that a person or city has become “Gospel-hardened (calloused).” This is simply not true. The preaching of the Word of God does not harden a person’s heart. It is hardened by something else
entirely.
– For example, we hear about Christian (young people) becoming hardened to the things of the Lord, because they hear too much preaching, etc.

One youth pastor told me that he believed that the young people in our churches get too much preaching. Again I say, the preaching of the Word of God does not harden a person’s heart. It is hardened by something
else entirely.

2. Some, who claim to know Jesus, refuse to hear what the Word of God says.

* Matthew 13:15, “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”
* Acts 28:27, “For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with
their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”
* Hebrews 5:11, “Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.”

– When young people get ear infections, many times, the eardrum will burst under the pressure built up inside the ear. When this happens, the eardrum heals over and a scarred eardrum is the result.

When this scar tissue forms on the eardrum, there is a loss of hearing. In the same way, spiritually speaking, there is something that causes a dullness of hearing in Christian and non-Christian people. What is it?

What caused this callousness to develop?

3. A calloused heart is caused by one thing. – Hebrews 3:13

“But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”

- One’s heart becomes calloused to the things of God through the deceitfulness of sin, that is, the deceptiveness of sin, and the misleading of sin. Hearts are hardened by SIN, not preaching!
– How foolish to think that the preaching of the Word of God can harden a person’s heart! Preaching does not harden hearts!
– Sin is deceitful in that, after continued exposure to it, you become calloused to it and begin calling it good instead of evil, light instead of darkness, and sweet instead of bitter.

* “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20)

- The Biblical conclusion is simple; if your heart is calloused to the things of God, it is because you have been messing around with sin.
– Your problem with God is not, nor ever has been, too much preaching.
Your problem is a sin problem not a preaching problem.

Conclusion:

Have you fallen into the trap of believing your hard heart
is because you are constantly exposed to preaching, therefore, you have become Bible-hardened? It is abundantly clear from Scripture that the hard heart is because of exposure to that which is sinful.

James 1:13-16 gives us some insight into this truth,

“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren.” (James 1:13-16)

This is where many Christians err. They first entertain their lusts. Then, they sin and justify it by their lusts. The end result is death. When you mess with sin, it will change you. When it changes you, you will justify it. You have been deceived by sin and now your heart is
calloused. You have become dull of hearing.

As I said at the onset of this message, it is a frightening thing to wake up and come to the realization that our hearts have grown calloused concerning the things of the Lord. Are you now “past feeling” concerning
the Lord?

** Don’t forget, Jesus may come back today!

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”

John 6:37

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Propitiation
Romans 3:21-31

Introduction: It has been said that there are some people whom you just cannot satisfy no matter what you do. I’ve met folks like that.

– Like the mom who thinks her daughter just cannot do anything right.
– Like the dad who thinks his son just cannot measure up.
– Like the teacher who believes his students will never amount to anything.

I’m thankful God is not that way! In fact, He is easy to satisfy. What would it take to satisfy Him? Does God’s Word give us any idea what satisfies God?

1. Does walking uprightly satisfy God? – Psalm 15:1-2

“LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.”

– Walking uprightly certainly pleases the Lord.
– We also know that walking wickedly displeases the Lord greatly,

“For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest
all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.” (Psalm 5:4-6)

- I believe God would much rather see man walking uprightly than wickedly.
– But does walking uprightly truly satisfy the Lord?

2. Does church attendance and membership satisfy God? – Acts 2:41-42

“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued
stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

– We know from Scripture that this pleases the Lord.
– After all, God purchased the church with His own blood,

“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath
purchased with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28)

- Paul even exhorts us not to forsake the assembling together like some have chosen to do,

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love
and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more,
as ye see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)
– But does church attendance and membership truly satisfy the Lord?

3. Does working for the Lord satisfy God? – Ephesians 2:10

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

– Obviously, there are not enough workers to go around.
– Much of today’s Christianity is the realization of the story of Henny Penny. Everyone wants to eat the bread, but no one wants to do what is
necessary to make the bread.
– The songwriter aptly said, “My house is full, but my field is empty.”
– We know it displeases the Lord when we quit doing His work.

* John Mark left Paul and went home for a while.
* Demas quit the ministry altogether.
* Peter also quit the ministry for a while and even took others with him.

– But does working for the Lord truly satisfy God?

We know God would be pleased if man would just do right. But the question still remains, “Do these things truly satisfy God?

1 John 2:2 says that Jesus is THE propitiation, not A propitiation, for our sins and the sins of the whole world, “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

We find this perfectly illustrated in the book of Isaiah 53, a chapter prophesying the death of the promised Messiah. (Read the chapter)

“Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is
despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our
sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:1-6)

– This is why walking uprightly does not satisfy God. “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” (Romans 3:28)
– This is why church attendance and membership cannot satisfy God.

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy
Ghost.” (Titus 3:5) The church did not satisfy God by shedding its blood. But Jesus satisfied God when He shed His own blood!
– This is why working for God will not satisfy God. “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith
s counted for righteousness.” (Romans 4:5)

Conclusion: Certainly there are things that please the Lord, but only Jesus satisfies the Lord. There is a difference. God is displeased when we place our trust for salvation only in that which pleases Him. Jesus
is the propitiation, the only sacrifice that satisfied God.

** Don’t forget, Jesus may come back today!

“It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

Lamentations 3:22-23

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Except the Lord Build the House
Psalm 127:1-5

Introduction: The 127th Psalm is the central song of the “Songs of Degrees.” Ten of these Psalms were personally penned by King Hezekiah and do not bear his name. Why? Because there was no need. He had already referred to them in Isaiah 38:20 as his very own songs, “The LORD
was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.”

Hezekiah borrowed the Holy Spirit inspired writings of King David for four of these songs, and this central song was borrowed from David’s son, King Solomon.

Human effort, without Divine unction, leads to disaster! This is the reason for Hezekiah using the word “except” twice in verse one, “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”

While Sennacherib was besieging Jerusalem, and while Rabshakeh was terrorizing Hezekiah, who was sick nigh unto death at this time, King Hezekiah had no children to continue on his throne. With Hezekiah’s seeming demise close at hand, it seemed as if God’s promise was about to
fail. (Abraham was in the same situation in Genesis 15 when he knew that he was too old to father children.) What was Hezekiah to do?

Well, he trusted in God for deliverance from his enemies and God did deliver him. He also trusted God to keep His promise to David, and God did this also. He promised Hezekiah a son in Isaiah 39:7, “And of thy
sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

Three years after this promise was given to Hezekiah, a son was born to him named Manasseh. Psalm 127 deals with trusting the Lord to build a home.

Impossible situations (like death and no children to be heir to the throne) are what trust is all about. Trust untested is not trust at all.

1. Trust involves human effort but should not be replaced by it. – Psalm 127:1

“Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”

– At the pronouncement of his death, Hezekiah had nothing to hold on to but a promise that was made to King David in 2 Samuel 7:12, “And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up
thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.”
– In other words, trust, that is, faith, is necessary to please God. Faith is obedience to the Words of God.
– The only human effort should be in obedience to the commands of God.
Unlike Abraham in Genesis 16:1-2, who, in a weak moment of having no faith, hearkened unto the voice of his also elderly wife, and tried to give the Lord a human hand in accomplishing His promise to him and his barren wife,

“Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.”

2.. Trust involves letting the Lord have His way. – Psalm 127:1

“Except the LORD build the house…”

– It is obvious that the Lord had a plan in mind for Hezekiah and his family. If that plan was to be fully realized, there would have to be a
surrendering to the will of God.
– Parents make plans for their kids with no thought of what the Lord may want.
– Dad and Mom, always give the Lord a chance to call and use your children for His work.
– There is nothing wrong with doing the will of God. I can hear a dad now, “There is no money in ministry. I want only the best for my child!”
The will of God is what is best for your child, money or no money!
– Before my children were ever born, they were given to the Lord. This is a right thing to do. This is what Hannah did before her son Samuel was born. Notice her prayer in 1 Samuel 1:10-11, “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. And she
vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give
him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.”

- You may not have done this with your kids before they were born. My parents did this with me. We did this with each one of our kids. You should still dedicate your children, yea your whole family, to the Lord.

- Letting the Lord have His way, means surrender. In 1898, Cyrus Silvester Nusbaum penned the words and music to

“His Way with Thee.”
This great hymn of the faith still speaks volumes to us today.

Would you live for Jesus, and be always pure and good?
Would you walk with Him within the narrow road?
Would you have Him bear your burden, carry all your load? Let Him have His way with thee.

Refrain

His power can make you what you ought to be;
His blood can cleanse your heart and make you free;
His love can fill your soul, and you will see
‘Twas best for Him to have His way with thee.

Would you have Him make you free, and follow at His call?
Would you know the peace that comes by giving all?
Would you have Him save you, so that you can never fall?
Let Him have His way with thee. (Refrain)

Would you in His kingdom find a place of constant rest?
Would you prove Him true in providential test?
Would you in His service labor always at your best?
Let Him have His way with thee. (Refrain)

3. Trust involves watching. – Psalm 127:1

“Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”

– The watchman was a guard, a man who spoke warning as he watched.
– He was up when others were sleeping.
– Hezekiah’s observation here is timely for all of us today.

Someone needs to guard the family today. If the Lord is not doing the building, the guarding will be in vain.
– What good does it do to guard the home if the enemy is invited into the home?

- If Hollywood, NBC, ABC, CBS, TBS, Disney, Fox, HBO, CineMax, NFL, NBA, NHL, and the like are raising your children or building your home, your
watching is in vain!

Conclusion: If God has given you a family, He has given you a responsibility. That responsibility is to rear that family in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Trusting the Lord to build your home:

– Involves human effort, but trust should not be replaced by it.
– Involves letting the Lord have His way.
– Involves watching.

What are you doing the let the Lord build your house?

** Don’t forget, Jesus may come back today!

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Isaiah 41:10

A Shiny New Ox Cart
2 Samuel 6:1-11

Introduction: What a tragic story! Can you imagine the thoughts and feelings that must have raced through the minds of the people when Uzzah fell dead having stretched forth his hand in order to keep the Ark of the
Covenant from falling to the ground? The Bible even says in verse 8 that
“…David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah…” The Bible indicates that this was a terribly frightening time, especially for David, for verse 9 says that David was afraid of the Lord that day.

Was God being unfair when He killed Uzzah for touching the Ark? Touching the Ark, was a breach of God’s law. In fact, it was outright contrary to the Divine law which had been spoken.

– “And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they
shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.” (Numbers 4:15)
– “But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders.” (Numbers 7:9)
– “At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.” (Deuteronomy 10:8)
– “Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.” (1 Chronicles 15:2)

The Lord breached Uzzah, as well-meaning as he was, because he had breached the very law of God. To many, this makes God appear unfair and unjust in His dealings with well-meaning people. Actually, this just
means that God is very serious about His Word.

One may ask what was wrong with what Uzzah did. On the surface, what he did, was noble; but it was actually disobedience. Wouldn’t it have been easier to have the Ark of God pulled on an ox cart? Yes, it would have
been easier, but it was not right. Where did David get this idea of using a new ox cart to carry the Ark? He got this idea from a heathen people who were the enemies of God, the Philistines.

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Building Materials
Matthew 7:21-29

Introduction: There is an interesting word in the Word of God not found in our opening text but found other places. It is the word “edify.” It literally means “to build a house.” When we are commanded to edify one another, we are commanded to build one another’s homes rather than tear
them down.

All of us are different places spiritually. Some, in this room, have been saved for many years and have matured accordingly. Others have been saved for a very short time and have matured according to the number of years they’ve been saved. Some have lived a life pleasing unto the Lord
from the time they were children. Others nearly ruined their lives and had to have the broken pieces divinely repaired.

Often, we think that God only uses that which is spotless and has been spotless from the beginning until now. This is simply not true. God uses the spotless, and God also uses the spotted.
– He uses the Timothys, as well as, the Pauls.
– He uses the Marys, as well as, the Marthas.
– He uses the Elizabeths, as well as, the Euodiases.
– He uses the Tabathas [Dorcases], as well as, the Syntyches.
– He uses the Mary of Bethanys, as well as, the Mary Magdalenes.

All God has to work with down here are sinners. I’m a sinner, and so are you. The only perfect Man Who ever walked the earth was Jesus, and He had the advantage of not having a sinful nature like we have. Jesus never said a sinful word, thought a sinful thought, or did a sinful deed.
We, on the other hand, have done all of those things today and probably all within the last 60 minutes (seconds).

God is in the process of building our lives. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Therefore, we are God’s project; and besides the Holy Spirit He places within us, He only
has us to work with. What are some of God’s building materials?

1. Bruised reeds. – Isaiah 42:3
“A bruised reed shall he not break…”

– The reed spoken of here was a reed used for many things. One thing in particular was that it could be made into a musical instrument similar to what we would call a whistle.
– Rather than throwing the entire reed away when it became injured and bruised, He would take it and make it into something useful like a whistle.
– As sinners, we have been bruised with sin, yet we are still useful to God. He can bring music out of a life filled with discord.

2. Smoking flax. – Isaiah 42:3
“…the smoking flax shall he not quench…”

– The flax was the material used to make candle wicks with. When the flame would go out, it would sit and smolder until it went out completely.
– So many of God’s people today need a good fire set underneath them in order to set them on fire for God. They need this because their fire has gone out.
– When God sees that our fire has gone out and only the smoking flax remains, He will fan and gently blow on the flax to cause it to burn again.
– Many Christians have become burned out, but God is not through with them. He sees your smoking flax and desires to set you on fire again for Him.

3. Marred vessels. – Jeremiah 18:1-4

“The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.”

– Sin always causes a scar. This marring does not mean that God is through with you. It just means that He may go another direction with you.
– As the clay would “resist” the hand of the potter, it would bend or break or become disfigured while the potter was working with it on the wheel.
– None of us have always been willing vessels. We resist the pressure the Potter puts on our lives. We do not like the pressure of His hand, nor do we like the heat of His kiln. So, we resist. When we resist, we become marred. The blessing is, just as the clay became marred in the hands of the potter and Israel became marred in the hand of her Potter, we also become marred…in the hand of our Potter!
– God knows this and will take what’s left and still make something that is useful for His honor and glory.

4. Fallen sparrows. – Matthew 10:29

“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.”

– One might find it interesting here that even though God considers us more valuable than sparrows, not a single one of them can fall to the ground without God taking notice.
– There are some fallen sparrows in this room. You think perhaps that God has turned His face from you, but the good news is that if God notices a sparrow that has fallen, He also notices you.
– Because your life has fallen apart and there seems to be nothing left, you have come to the place where you believe God doesn’t notice, and God doesn’t care. Ladies and gentlemen, the reason the illustration of a sparrow was used in Matthew 10 was because a sparrow was monetarily a
most worthless bird. God did not consider a worthless bird worthless. God does not consider you worthless either.

5. Fallen people. – Mark 16:9

“Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.”

– Many have considered Mary Magdalene as a fallen woman of the street, but the Bible never says so. She was one possessed of seven devils.
After her deliverance, God used her in a mighty way.
– There is a woman in the Bible who was a prostitute, but then Jesus came and changed her life. Luke 7 tells us the story of a fallen woman whom Jesus forgave and sent on her way to sin no more.
– Jesus did not have a pristine life example to use; all He had was a fallen woman of the street. She had sold her body to wicked men who were vile enough to pay her for it. Yet, Jesus forgave her and changed her forever. Thank God for 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
– There is no sin so great that the blood of Jesus cannot wash it away!

Conclusion: There are many building materials with which God can make something valuable. There are those with feeble hands and withered limbs and backs that are stooped, yet Jesus can build something with you. He does not need a polished instrument, rather a willing instrument.

There are those here today who are bruised reeds and smoking flaxes and marred vessels and fallen sparrows and fallen people. Just as the wise man built his house upon the rock and the foolish man built his house upon the sand, both built with the materials they had. God does much the
same thing by taking the materials we have available and making us into something of value for Him. As long as you place what you have in God’s hands, your life will be builded to His honor and glory.

** Don’t forget, Jesus may come back today!

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

John 5:24 Excess Baggage
Hebrews 12:1-3

Introduction: (Enter the auditorium carrying many pieces of luggage, talking to myself, dropping suitcases, picking them up, and tripping over them as I make my way to the platform.)

“After all, you never know what you might need when you travel, so it’s always best to take it all!”

All of this to make a point. Hebrews 12:1 tells us that there are two things that will keep us from winning the race.

– Weights.
– Besetting sins.

The longer I’m saved, the more I realize that Christians carry a lot of excess baggage with them throughout their lives. Excess baggage is baggage that exceeds the allowable amount. According to United Airlines, the flight Brother Penn and I just took allowed us to check two bags and
carry on two bags. Anything exceeding this amount or the allowable size for each bag would cost an extra charge. In fact, United says in their information concerning baggage allowances, “If you check more baggage than the free baggage allowance permits, you will need to pay a charge
that will vary by destination. Contact United or a travel agent prior to your trip for specific charges and restrictions.” Excess baggage always costs you more.

I find a parallel here. As if being human were not enough baggage, Christians choose to exceed the allowable number of bags while traveling through this life. For some reason, Christians accumulate excess and overweight baggage in many areas of their lives.

1. The excess baggage of the past. – Philippians 3:13

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.”

– Your past is just exactly that, your past. The Apostle Paul tells us what he has done while admonishing us to do the same, “…forgetting those things which are behind…”
– Not everyone in this room has a pristine past life. Some of you lived like heathens before you were saved, while others chose to live like heathens after they were saved. But all of that is in the past now.
– Constantly reliving your past mistakes will hinder you from going forward.
– The Apostle Paul was guilty of quite a number of terrible crimes against the people of God, yet God forgave him and gave him a new life in Christ.
– Your sins are in the past and should be left there.

* God has removed our sins from us, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)
* God buried our sins in the depths of the sea, “He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19)
* God has forgotten our sins altogether, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:12)
* God has cast our sins behind His back, “Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.” (Isaiah
38:17)

– Not only that, but we have been forgiven of our sins because of Calvary. So, why do you keep carrying with you sins that have been removed, buried, forgotten, and placed behind God’s back? This is excess baggage you do not need.

2. The excess baggage of the present. – Ephesians 4:22

“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.”

– As a Christian, you still have the “old man” living inside of you. This is your old nature. It did not die when you got saved; it is very much alive, and the Apostle Paul taught us that it stays with us daily,
“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” (Romans 7:18)

* Christians could actually be like Jesus if they weren’t so much like the world!

– Christians have fallen in love with the world and with what it has to offer. Because of that, the world has become excess baggage. This excess baggage will cost you more than you expect to pay.
– For some reason, the people of God are infatuated with the world. The world offers us three enemies, and these are found in 1 John 2:16, “For
all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

* There is the excess baggage of the lust of the flesh. This is what the flesh desires over the things of the Spirit.
* There is the excess baggage of the lust of the eyes. This is what the eyes desire to have over the things of the Spirit.
* There is the excess baggage of the pride of life. This is what keeps you from being what God wants you to be.

– This baggage will always cost you more than you anticipated at first. Just as the airlines allow you a certain number of bags, they will make you pay for anything over and above that. In the same way, God allows
you to be human but forbids you from being worldly.

* “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15)
* “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

– Is there a Biblical answer to putting down this baggage? Galatians 5:16 addresses it clearly, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

3. The excess baggage of the future. – Matthew 6:25-33

“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into
barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto
you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

– There are Christians, even in this room, who carry the extra baggage of constant worry about what may happen in the future. Ladies and gentlemen, the best way to prepare for the future is to be prepared for today.
– Some Christians worry about everything, and their favorite song is “Why Pray When You Can Worry?”
– Christians, who worry about the future, find it difficult to be the kind of Christians they ought to be today. The Bible speaks of fret and worry:

* Psalm 37:1, “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.”
* Psalm 37:7, “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.”
* Psalm 37:8, “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.”
* Proverbs 24:19, “Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked.”
* Philippians 4:6, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
* And Jesus said in our text, “…take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?…”

– Christians can find more things to worry about at the drop of a hat than most any other folks I know.
– Worry reveals a lack of faith; and without faith, it is impossible to please God.

Conclusion: When I came into the auditorium carrying all of that baggage, I found myself tripping and walking awkwardly to the platform.
What excess baggage are you carrying? Please understand, when you take too much upon you to carry, it will cause you to stumble and walk without surety. As you travel through this life, just as excess baggage will cost you more when you fly, your excess baggage will cost you more than you ever thought you would pay.

** Don’t forget, Jesus may come back today!

“Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.”

Psalm 119:133

[to the top]

Doctrines Affected by New Translations
Proverbs 30:5-6

Introduction: In our last study together entitled “Every Word of God,” we began a study concerning God’s ability to preserve His Word. In that study, we found that the preservation of God’s Word is not dependent upon
man’s ability to copy God’s Word from one generation to the next. God promised that He Himself would preserve It. We found that God is true and every man is a liar. We also found that the Bible teaches clearly God’s ability to preserve His Word. We also found that every word of God is important; thus, we need an every-word Bible.

I promised that we would take a look at some doctrinal differences contained in the new translations as opposed to the 390-year-old translation of the King James Version. One such doctrinal error is found in the mistranslation of Daniel 3:25, “He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt;
and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” For example, the following versions, all taken from the so-called oldest and best manuscripts, say nearly the same thing:

– “He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the aspect of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” (Daniel 3:25, ASV; 1901 American Standard Version)
– “He answered and said, Behold! I see four men loose, walking in the middle of the fire, and there is no harm among them. And the form of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” (Daniel 3:25, MKJV; 1993 Modern King James Version)
– “He answered and said, ‘Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!'” (Daniel 3:25, NASB; 1988 New American Standard Bible)
– “He said, ‘Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.'” (Daniel 3:25, NIV; 1984 New International Version)
– “He replied, ‘But I see four men unbound, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the fourth has the appearance of a god.'” (Daniel 3:25, NRSV; 1989 New Revised Standard Version)
– “He made answer and said, Look! I see four men loose, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are not damaged; and the form of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” (Daniel 3:25, BBE; 1964 Bible in Basic English)
– “He answered, ‘But I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.'” (Daniel 3:25, RSV; 1973 Revised Standard Version)
– “He was answering and saying: ‘Look! I am beholding four able-bodied men walking about free in the midst of the fire, and there is no hurt to them, and the appearance of the fourth one is resembling a son of the gods.'” (Daniel 3:25, NWT; 1984 New World Translation) I find it interesting that the New World Translation insists on calling Jesus “a
god” rather than “the God.” John 1:1 in the NWT says, “In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.” False Bible beget false doctrines. Never forget that!

So, do the new translations, in any way, affect doctrine? Let’s make a few more comparisons. There are over 40 differences between the Received Text and the other texts which involve some doctrine of our Christian faith. These differences include omissions of portions containing a
statement expressing some point of doctrine, and substitutions of words or phrases which eliminate, or make the text contrary to well-understood doctrines of our faith. About 1/2 of these differences relate to the
attributes, work, and deity of Jesus. About 1/4 of them relate to the basis and nature of our salvation. For example:

1. The King James states in Mark 10:24, “And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!” Notice with me how it is rendered in other versions:

– “The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, ‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!'” (Mark 10:24, NIV)
– “And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, ‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!'” (Mark 10:24, RSV)
– “And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, ‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!'”
(Mark 10:24, NRSV)
– “And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus -answered again and -said to them, ‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!'” (Mark 10:24, NASB)
– “But the disciples gave way to surprise at his words. In response Jesus again said to them: ‘Children, how difficult a thing it is to enter into the kingdom of God!'” (Mark 10:24, NWT)

* Each version omitted the clause “for them that trust in riches.” This omission leaves out a vital part of Jesus’ explanation as to what it is that hinders a rich man from entering the kingdom of God. This verse relates to the doctrine of salvation, and this omission changes the verse
from dealing with rich men to dealing with people in general.

2. The King James states in Mark 15:28, “And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.” Notice with me how it is rendered in other versions:

– “_” (Mark 15:28, NIV)
– “_” (Mark 15:28, RSV)
– “_” (Mark 15:28, NRSV)
– “_” (Mark 15:28, NWT)

* The omission of Mark 15:28 involves doctrine, namely that Jesus fulfilled Old Testament predictions concerning the Messiah.

3. The King James states in John 3:13, “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” Notice with me how it is rendered in other versions:

– “No-one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven–the Son of Man.” (John 3:13, NIV)
– “No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man.” (John 3:13, RSV)
– “No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.” (John 3:13, NRSV)
– “And no one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven, even the Son of Man.” (John 3:13, NASB)
– “Moreover, no man has ascended into heaven but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man.” (John 3:13, NWT)

* The phrase “which is in heaven” is omitted by the other texts. By this clause, Jesus gave testimony to His deity.

4. The King James states in Romans 14:10, “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” Notice with me how it is rendered in other versions:

– “You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.” (Romans 14:10, NIV)
– “Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God” (Romans 14:10, RSV)
– “Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment
seat of God.” (Romans 14:10, NRSV)
– “But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.” (Romans 14:10, NASB)
– “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you also look down on your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.” (Romans 14:10, NWT)

* Other texts put “God” instead of “Christ.” The New Testament clearly teaches in several places that all judgment is committed to Christ. One such reference is John 5:22, “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.”

5. The King James states in Acts 8:37, “And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Notice with me how it is rendered in other versions:

– “_” (Acts 8:37, NIV)
– “_” (Acts 8:37, RSV)
– “_” (Acts 8:37, NRSV)
– “_” (Acts 8:37, NWT)

* It has been said, by some neo-evangelical Bible teachers, that the Bible gives no definite instructions as to when or why a person should be baptized. This is because the verse that gives the requirements, for Christian baptism, are found in the verse that is omitted from their Bibles. The entire context reads, “And as they went on their way, they
came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand
still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.” (Acts 8:36-38)

6. The King James states in 1 John 5:7, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” Notice with me how it is rendered in other versions:

– “For there are three that testify.” (1 John 5:7, NIV)
– “And the Spirit is the witness, because the Spirit is the truth.” (1 John 5:7, RSV)
– “There are three that testify.” (1 John 5:7, NRSV)
– “And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth.” (1 John 5:7, NASB)
– “For there are three witness bearers.” (1 John 5:7, NWT)

* It is obvious that the doctrine of the Trinity is affected by these other versions. This doctrine concerning God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is a cornerstone doctrine of our Christian faith.
When God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness,” in Genesis 1:26, He was referring to what we call the Trinity.

Conclusion: It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that things that are different cannot be the same. These newer versions have not cleared up “textual errors,” rather they have muddied the waters.

** Don’t forget, Jesus may come back today!

“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”

John 10:28-29

Pastor Dan’s Sermon Outlines