Subtopic: " It's Time to Sober Up"

Text Titus:11-14: "For the grace of God that bringeth  salvation hath appeared to all men, (vs12) Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; (vs13) Looking for that blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (vs14) Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works".

St. Luke 21: 33-36 : "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. (vs34) And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting,( grossly excessively amount of something) and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.(vs35) For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.(vs36) Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man". 

Eph.5:15-21 "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,(vs16) Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (vs17)Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. (vs18) And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; (vs19)Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; (vs20)Giving thanks alway for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; (vs21)Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God."


Premise

The Pulpit Commentary; Vol.22, Page 229, a comment on Eph.5:18-19 "1. THE NEED OF SOME STIMULUS FROM BEYOND OURSELVES. (vs17-18.) This is apparent from the fact that everyone needs excitement, as it is called, to keep him moving--- something to "interrupt our quiet and ordinary state of mind with some more lively feeling, which makes us live more consciously and in a manner quicker than we do in common." We all feel this. Now, this goes to show that we are not self-contained, no matter how much we desire to be so, but we need a helping hand from outside our own personalities. Withhold food, and we perish. Withhold all stimulus from us, and we go of necessity to pieces. The whole question comes to be, therefore, where we shall get our required stimulus.

2. THE STIMULUS OF WINE IS ATTENDED WITH DANGER.(vs18) This is an inspiration which come through sense. Now, all of us need a stimulus through our senses. Food is a stimulus. A well-digested meal makes life move faster and quicker than fasting would. But this effect caused by drinking wine inspires a "riot"(Revised Version)  which is inconsistent with that unity of the Church for which the gospel calls. We should abstain from such a dangerous stimulus as this, for its effect has been hostile to the unity of spirit. But we might extend the precaution here to all those excitements of a sensual nature which exhaust and retard the spirit. As A.T Roberson says "Wine is but a specimen of a class of stimulants. All that begins from without belongs to the same class. The stimulus may be afforded by almost any enjoyment of the senses. Drunkenness may come from anything wherein is excess--- from over-indulgence in society, in pleasure, in music, and in the delight of listening to someone who has skill in public speaking, nay, even from the excitement of sermons and religious meetings. The prophet tells us of those who are drunken , and not with wine, (Isa.29:9-10, Jer.23:9-10)." Commentator Arnold, in the same way, bases upon this passage warnings against excess of bodily exercise, excess of intellectual exercise, excess even in our hours of work, excess, in a word, so far as it operates against Christian sober-mindedness.

Subtopic "Fatal Attraction"

Psa.27:4 "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple."

St. Mark 9:43-48 "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:(vs44)Where the worm dieth not, and the fire that never shall be quenched:(vs45)And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: (vs46)Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.(vs47) And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:(vs48) Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."

PREMISE

The Pulpit Commentary on page 31, comment on St. Mark 9:43-44 BETTER DIE THAN SIN "Christ is speaking here of injuries which we may do ourselves or others. Most men guard themselves carefully against physical injury. They insure against accidents, avoid miasma, and attend to the first appearance of the external assault, but is unsuspicious of treachery within. In a moral sense, it may often be said "A man's foes are they of his own household". The allusion to the hand, the foot, and the eye indicate that the causes of sin are found in our nature; that evil is natural to us as the use of these members. Sins spring from within:"Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts". When acts are repeated, habits are formed which become part of ourselves. Then these habits are allowed for and excused by others, so that we no longer get our attention directed to them as otherwise we might do, and notoriously regarded as a personal peculiarity. Yet though it seems a part of ourselves, God says, "Cut it off and cast it from thee". 

Subtopic : "He Knoweth The Way That I Take"

Text: Job 23:8-14 "Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: (vs9) On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: (vs10) But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. (vs11) My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. (vs12) Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. (vs13) But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth. (vs14) For he perfometh the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him."

Philippians 3:11-15 "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 apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. (vs13) 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, (vs14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (vs15) Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

PREMISE

The Pulpit Commentary, Vol.7,Page 404, a commentary on Job 23:10-- GOD'S KNOWLEDGE AND MAN'S DISCIPLINE. "Job has just been owning his difficulty in finding God. He searches in all directions, forward and backwards, on the left hand and on the right, and he cannot discover God (vers.8,9). But although it is so hard for him to attain to a knowledge of God, he is quite certain that God knows him. We are known by God before we think of acknowledging him, and when we are bewildered with the mystery of life all is clear and open to God. God knows the way that his servants take. (1) Past experiences. He knows what we have had to contend with, and why our lives have been vexed and tried. (2) Present circumstances. At the very moment when we have some new difficulty to face, some new height to climb, or some new snare to avoid, God is with us, perfectly understanding the whole situation. (3) Future scenes. One step is enough for us, because God knows all that lies before us. Although our way may seem to be leading to impossible regions, he who sees the end from the beginning can lead us through. If God knows our way, we have not to travel like Columbus, over untried seas. The whole route has been mapped out by God. We cannot be lost if he who knows our way is our Guide."

Text: Isa: 33:6 "And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times and strength of salvation: The fear of the Lord is his treasure."

St. John  8:31-32  "Then said Jesus to those Jews  which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples in deed; (vs32) And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free".

 Premise

The Pulpit Commentary, Vol.10, page 550, a comment on Isa.33:6. "The true source of stability and of strength is in heavenly wisdom--- that "knowledge" of God which means, not only a perception of the truth but a love of it, a delight in it, an acceptance of it as the one thing that will cleanse the heart, and that should regulate the life.

A Quote From The Writings of Charles H. Spurgeon's 2200 Quotations, page117, concerning           " knowledge"  "The knowledge of God is the great hope of sinners. Oh, if you knew him better, you would fly to him! If you understood how gracious he is, you would seek him. If you could have any idea of his holiness, you would loath your self-righteousness. If you knew anything of his power, you would not venture to contend with him. If you knew anything of his grace, you would not hesitate to yield yourself to him".