NO MAN CARED
or Insouciant Christians in a pococurante world
Text: Psa 142:4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.
Intro: This is about indifference; Indifference to God and to man. Israel’s future king was in hiding and no one cared. God had appointed and anointed David to be their king, but they didn’t care, because they were indifferent to God. If they had really cared about God, they would have been receptive to His will and to His king.
I. Note the attitude of those at the crucifixion
A. Mat 27: 36 And sitting down they watched him there;
They had marveled at His miracles, feasted on His loaves and fishes, wondered at His words, and now they await the next adventure.
B. The disciples on the road to Emmaeus.
Luke 24:21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
They had even heard that He had been seen alive and were STILL wrapped up in their own perceived personal loss!
C. John 21: 3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
This was after they had met Jesus in the closed room and again with Thomas present, eight days later!
II The situation today. (Too many churches are changing to suit the world instead of changing men to suit God.
A. Men are still ignoring the crucified one while gambling away His possessions; The most valuable of which is one’s own life and influence.
B. His disciples are still overly concerned about self and sustenance and so, don’t give Him an opportunity to prove His ability to provide.
Often, He must see to it that we fail, so that HE can give us victory.
John 21:3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
John 21: 6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
John 21: 12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
III The Results of this Attitude.
Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
In the world, iniquity abounds and among His people, love grows cold!
IV The Solution
It begins and ends with His people, for it is only through them, that others may be reached.
A. While our ACTIONS must be changed, we must begin with our attitude.
1. Matt 12: 34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
We need His mind!
Phil 2: 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
B. An aid in mind changing:
1. Imagine yourself standing on a hill called Calvary. You know it is the very spot on which He died. As you look around, you notice that at your feet, His blood stains the rocks. Would your attitude toward His death and suffering change at all?
2. Look around you now. Where are you? In Church! He bought it with His BLOOD!
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
3. Psa 24: 3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
Look at your hands. They were made fit to serve by the cleansing of the blood of Christ.
I Cor. 6: 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
I can’t show you a blood-stained rock from Calvary, but I can show you some LIVING STONES made fit for His holy temple by the washing of the blood!
Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
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Sunday, October 14, 2007
Expository
Col 3:1-7
THE NEW MAN
Introduction: Based upon Col 2:20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
Col 2:21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
Col 2:22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
Col 2:23 Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
Here are our instructions for LIVING our new life and not just BEING new creatures.
V I. Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
The opening thought of this chapter is an 'if ' based upon Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
A. After leaving Egypt behind, the Israelites would have fared much better if they had set their affections on the land before them instead of the one they had left behind.
B. How can we 'seek those things which are above'? By watching where we are going! [Wrecks are caused by not keeping one’s eyes on the road.]
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
C. Things that are 'above'; [Things which are in store for us.] Resurrection, Judgment seat, rewards, reigning with Christ, hearing "Well done----" etc.
V II. Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
A. SET; An active verb signifying something we can and should do. It is entirely up to us.
Phil 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
B. Affection--Desire brought on by exercising of the mind
V III. Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
A. One of man's greatest hindrances is looking back. Longing for the past hinders the present and endangers the future.
Phil 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,
Phil 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
B. The life ahead is much more exciting than the one left behind. How many teen-agers spend time longing for their first bike instead of dreaming of their first car?
C. This is not speaking of the nostalgia concerning 'the good ole days', but the longing for the old life of sin and trying to relive it. Dead men walking!
Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
V IV. Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
A. Christ IS, not, 'will be' our life.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
B. Contrast the promise of the new life with that of the old. 'then shall ye also appear with him in glory.'
Luke 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
V V. Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
A. Letting the old life of sin remain active in the New Man is like frog’s legs moving in the frying pan. It's weird! If the old man is dead, then mortify (kill) his parts too. Don't try to save part of him alive. These members lead us into 5 areas of evil;
1. Fornication - Sexual impurity.
2. Uncleanness- impurity, physically or morally.
3. Inordinate affection- evil passion
4. Evil concupiscence - evil longing, lust.
5. Covetousness - avarice, greed; making an idol of one's fleshly desires.
B. These can and MUST be killed and buried with the old man! God doesn't tell us to do the impossible. "I just couldn't help myself" is no excuse for sin.
Vv VI. & VII. Col 3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Col 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
A. For each of these things, God had punished Israel.
B. For these things He will judge the lost and punish them.
C. If you are no longer in Egypt, quit making bricks and bowing before Pharaoh's image!
D. Let us go the New Way with the Lord!
Josh 3:4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.
Josh 3:5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.
Josh 3:6 And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
When one is born again, it is the beginning of a journey such as he has never made before. For success in it, we MUST keep our eyes on our scout and guide!
Heb.6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
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