Recently, I was privileged to preach a message at Grace Baptist Church.  Below is the outline.  I could not wait to put out some of this because of the sweeping movement in our area that is teaching youth to rely and seek experience above truth.  It is imperative that we understand that the truth of the Word of God should determine our experience.  Unfortunately, experience is sought today at the expense of truth.  How much more carnal beat, rhythm, and movement must we add to music before we say it is “too close to the world”?  When is “too far” simply too far?  Are words all that matter?  Would Christ be a part of a system He died to cause us to overcome?  Should we make heightened emotional experience the goal, or should we simply say as Paul said, “That I may win Christ”?  Is not Christ the real Goal of the Christian life?  Much of this “Experience” talk is nothing more than man attempting to manipulate emotions so that a “spiritual high” might be attained.  There is nothing spiritual about it.  It starts in the flesh, continues in the flesh, impacts the soul, but never reaches the spirit.  True worship does not begin with man in the flesh; nor does it begin in the soul.  Worship begins in the spirit of man (John 4).

The ignorance of youth and the sensitivety of the emotions is being played upon by the Popular Christian community.  If you do not know what the Scriptures say, study!  Learn, and don’t fall for the little “leaven” that leaveneth the whole lump.

We should not be looking to draw the line, since God’s Word already has drawn the line.

When I have more time, I will update the outline will more complete thoughts.  While experience is important, truth must not be compromised!  Wake up, Christians!

“The Truth of the Matter”

II Peter 1:12, 2:1 – 2, 3:17

Introduction:

The Word of God is an amazing Book.  It is the only Living Book.

Illustration:

• “There is dust enough on some of your Bibles to write “damnation” with your fingers.” – C.H. Spurgeon
• “If we understood what happens when we use the Word of God, we would use it oftener.” – Oswald Chambers

“Collecting Cookbooks”

The Wall Street Journal reported that nearly one thousand different cookbooks are published each year in America, many of them glossy, full-color and very expensive.  But at the same time, fewer and fewer people are cooking, and increasing numbers are eating in restaurants.  The reporter for the Journal interviewed one lady, who acquired sixteen cookbooks in the last four years and subscribes to two cooking magazines.  But the last time she prepared a sit-down meal was four years ago, “and,” she said, “it didn’t turn out.”

There are more Bible translations, study aids, and devotional books now than ever.  Christian publishing is a big business in America.  But for all that, people are reading and studying their Bible less and less.

“Read It Some More” – R. A. Torrey and Dr. Congdon

-       “Take some book and read it twelve times a day for a month.”

-       “Try Second Peter”

-       3 to 4 times in the morning

-       2 to 3 times at noon and dinner

-       “See how I have ruined this part of my Bible” – “Yes, but as the pages have been getting black, your life has been getting white.”

Outline of the Book of II Peter:

• Chapter One: The Christian’s Faith and Foundation:
  • Simon Peter (v. 1)
  • Special Promises (v. 4)
  • Spiritual Provision (v. 5)
  • Spiritual Problem (v. 8 – 9)
    • Barrenness
    • Blind
    • Scriptural Prophecy (v. 20 – 21)

(v. 21) – Ends speaking about prophecy which leads perfectly into chapter two

• Chapter Two: The Carnal False Prophets (3:17 speaks of the Error of the Wicked – This is a great summary)  This ERROR OF THE WICKED is described in great detail in chapter two:

1. The Error of the Wicked: Subtlety (2:1, 13 – 14, Jude v. 4, II Timothy 3:13, Genesis 3:1, Revelation 12:9, 20:2 – 3)
2. The Error of the Wicked: Sensuality (2:3, 10, 14, 18, 3:3, Jude v. 18 – 19)
3. The Error of the Wicked: Speech (2:2, 3, 10, 12, 18, 3:4, Jude v. 10, 15)
4. The Error of the Wicked: Salvation (2:21 – 22, Jude v. 12)

• Chapter Three: The Certain Future of the Christian
  • A Future that is Certain (3:4 – 10)
  • Faithful in Conversation (3:11 – 14)
  • Fervent in Continuation (3:17 – 18)

Proposition: II Timothy 2:3 – 4

It is imperative that we as believers remain steadfast in the Truth.  With all of the error around us, we must know the truth, teach the truth, and live the truth.  There are too many who have fallen away from the truth!

Here are three truths we find expressly given to the believer in II Peter:

1. The Truth about the End of Your Life (1: 12 – 15)
   1. a. “As long as I am” – The LENGTH of our Life is short!
   2. b. “This Tabernacle” – The LIVING SPACE is temporary (our body)
   3. c. “As our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me” (John 21:18 – 19) – The LORD has before proven this!

The truth about our lives is that they are short.  Our bodies are temporary.  We must not live for this world.

• Matthew 6 says to Seek first the Kingdom of God
• Colossians 3:2 teaches to Set your affections on things above
• Hebrews 11:10 says of Abraham that “he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

Illustration:

“Even in the best of health we should have death always before our eyes.  We will not expect to remain on this earth forever, but will have one foot in the air, so to speak.” – Martin Luther

1. The Truth about Experience in Your Life (1:16 – 18)
   1. Experiencing with your Eyes
   2. Experiencing with your Ears

• Experience is an important element in the Christian’s Life.
• You cannot witness to others until you have first witnessed Christ’s work in your life, meaning salvation.
• Each individual must personally experience the working of God in his or her life!

1. The Truth about the Emphasis within Your Life (v. 19 – 21)
   1. An Important Comparison: Truth & Experience
      1. Truth is more sure than Experience
      2. Experience should not be the foundation for truth.
      3. Truth must be the foundation for experience.  “Faith cometh by hearing…by the Word of God”
2. An Important Consideration (Isaiah 40: 6 – 8, I Peter 1:24 – 25, James 1:10 – 11, Psalm 90:5 – 7)
   1. Experience dies with the one who experienced it.  My witness and my experience will die with me, but there is a MORE SURE WORD.
   2. Truth lasts forever.  It is the everlasting truth of God that must be passed along from one generation to the next.

• We may speak of our experience and what we have personally witnessed, but there is a MORE SURE WORD that must be passed along.
• So much is built upon enhancing the “experience” that truth is over-ridden as the Authority (MORE SURE WORD).
• “How the TRUTH is communicated is also important.”

Illustration: Song “Happy Birthday”

• Some have made their experiences the validation for truth rather than truth the validation for experience.
• We are to “speak the truth in love.”
  • BIBLICAL COMPASSION NEVER COMPROMISES TRUTH.

Illustration:

G. Campbell Morgan (while in college began to doubt) – “I am no longer sure that this is what my father claims it to be – the Word of God.  But of this I am sure.  If it be the Word of God, and if I come to it with an unprejudiced and open mind, it will bring assurance to my soul itself.”

He later said, “The Bible found me.  I began to read and study it then, in 1883 and I have been a student ever since.”