THE WISDOM OF THE SCRIPTURES
March 21, 1999 PM
Sermon Outline
THINGS ARENT ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM
Mt 19:30
INTRO: When I was in high school, I was fascinated with the great escape artist Houdini. I even wrote a term paper on the life of this unusual man. One thing I learned about the feats of Houdini and other illusionists is this. Things are not always as they seem. That is true, too, even in real life. Our maxims, or axioms, have a way of convincing us of certain realities when all the while reality is 180 degrees from what we supposed.
I. IN LIFE ...
A. Cannot judge a book by its cover
B. Cannot be sure what we see is what we get
C. Cannot always judge success/failure by scoreboard
1. or, maybe winners and losers
2. but not always success and failure
II. A PROBLEM STATED ... PSALM 73
A. Ps 73:2-12 The ungodly prosper!
1. what the psalmist saw was as it seemed
2. I especially note v.5 ... do we ever think this?
B. What was the reality?
1. Ps 73: 16-19 destined for destruction
2. point: how we see things may well not be the way things are
II. SOME PARADOXES ...
A. Mt 23:11 Greatness is in servitude!
1. we are caught up in who is the greatest ...?
2. the world puts a premium on greatness - and has little time for so called little people
3. but reality is that the way of greatness is the way of servitude ... note Lk 22:26,27 ... the person eating the banquet meal may not be the greatest!
B. Mk 8:35 To save your life you must lose it!
1. take care of #1" is the wisdom of the world
2. and, sure enough, that is about what folks do
3. but reality is the fact that one must lose his life in the Lords cause if he is to save his life
C. Mk 10:28-30 Give everything to have anything!
1. some folks would see this as a bad investment
2. and Peter wondered about it - but things arent always what they seem!
3. the return on the investment could not be equated to anything of material value
D. Mt 19:30 To be first you must be last
1. our world crowds to the first of the line
2. races are won by the first to cross the finish
3. first is very, very important to us!
4. but spiritual values are calculated in a very different way
5. the person whose humility is real and who is not always seeking his own earthly advantage will be in the real first place
E. If you choose to live a faithful Christian life ...
1. some will think your choice unwise - too many sacrifices - not enough me ...
2. and you may find yourself having some of the same thoughts the psalmist had
3. the temptation to go along will be strong ... because it will seem to be the only way
4. but we must keep remembering that things are not always what they seem!
5. Gods promises must be factored into the way we see things
CLOSE: The time will come when the apparent inequities will be corrected. But that is Gods business. We need to learn that reality may not always be the way things look ... and to have confidence in the promises He has made ... such as the last shall be first.
Cecil A. Hutson
21 March 1999