Sermon Notes by Pastor Arthur H. Coleman Sr. for Sunday May 4, 2014
Texts: 1 Kings 18:21 “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God follow him: but if Ba’al, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”
2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; (vs4) and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
Psalms 17:15 "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness".
PREMISE
The Pulpit Commentary Vol.21, Pages 65-66, a comment on 2 Timothy 4 3-4--- I. THE REASON OF THE APOSTASY. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.” 1. The gospel-doctrine is sound, because it necessitates a holy life, and holds the gratification of sinful passions to be inconsistent with the hopes of salvation. 2. Evil men cannot endure it, because it is so opposed to the corruption of human nature, and therefore treat it with neglect, if not contempt. II.THE EFFECT OF THIS MORAL DISGUST AT THE GOSPEL. “but having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts.” 1. They Will Not Discard The Ministry Absolutely. They will only exchange one class of ministers for another. But they will vastly multiply the number of religious guides. 2. The Itch For Novelty Led To The Multiplication Of Teachers. They were fickle, unsettled, and uneasy. They wanted to hear new things or smooth things, such as would reflect the unreasonable notion or desire of a corrupt nature. 3. The Reason For The Whole Rabble Of Teachers That They Gathered To Themselves is to be found in their wish to have their fancies gratified--- “after their own lusts.” They wanted indulgent guides, who would flatter the pride of human nature, and not lay too great a stress upon the importance of a holy life. The sound doctrine was necessarily allied to a pure morality. III.THE RETRIBUTION THAT AWAITS ON SUCH A PERVERSION OF JUDGEMENT. “And will turn away their from the truth, and be turned aside unto fables.” 1. It Is A Solemn Fact In Divine Providence, That When Men Do Not Like To Return To The Knowledge Of The Truth , God gives them up to a reprobate mind, so that they lose all relish for sound doctrine.
2. It Is An Equally Solemn Fact That, If The Truth Is Repudiated , The Heart Will Therefore Cease To Exercise Itself About Religious Concerns. The heart cannot long remain empty. Fables rush in to occupy the place which denies a footing to truth, just a slack of religious faith has a vacuum-creating power, which superstition immediately rushes in to fill up. What a waste of soul!--- profitless fables taken in exchange for soul-saving truth!
True Satisfaction Comes When I Fully Embrace The Fact That True and Only Life Is In Him.
True :Agreeing with fact; not false. (2) Real or genuine. (3) Steady in direction, force ect. unchanging.
Satisfaction/ Satisfy means “ fully supplying or gratifying wants or wishes. A pleased or contented feeling or state of mind. To put an end to wants, needs, desires ect.”
EXPOSITION
1. True Satisfaction Comes When My Goal Is Clear In My Mind And I Submit Myself To It.---Philippians 3:9-14 “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: (vs10)That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (vs11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. (vs12) Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehended that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. (vs13) Brethern, 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, (vs14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
2. True Satisfaction Comes When I Fully Embrace The Fact That True and Only Life Is In Him.---Galatians 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.”
3.True Satisfaction Comes When I Fully Come To Terms With My Discipleship.--- St. Luke 14:26-27 “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. (vs27) And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
4. True Satisfaction Comes When I Come To Terms And Accept The Fact Of The Worthlessness Of The Carnal Things Of This World.---1 John 2:15-17 “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. (vs16) 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. (vs17) And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
5.True Satisfaction Will Come When I Truly Embrace The Secret Of True Contentment.---Hebrews 13:5-6 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said,(Josh.1:5) I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (vs6) So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
6.True Satisfaction Will Come When I Embrace The Concept Of Continual Repentance. ---1 John 1:8-9 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (vs9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
7.True Satisfaction Will Come In Direct Proportion To My Reverential Fear Of God.--- Proverbs 19:23 “The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall be satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.”
8.True Satisfaction Will Come When We Fully Embrace Our Calling and Purpose.--- 1 Peter 2:9-10 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: (vs10) Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”