Beware Of The Spirit Of Emptiness

Beware of the Spirit of Emptiness May 29, 2013

Deuteronomy 16:16:17

BEWARE: THERE IS A SPIRIT OF EMPTINESS

EMPTY IS DANGEROUS

6 " Three times in a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and at the Feast of Weeks and at the Feast of Booths, and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you. Deut 16:16-17 (NASB)

Introduction:

A Man tends to be a creature of habit.

1 We are given to PESSIMISM or OPTIMISM.

a We see bad, or we see good.

b Spiritual things start as a thought. We then set a pattern of thinking.

2 I know people that can tell you every thing wrong in three counties and 100 churches. a SOME NEVER ACT IN FAITH, THEY JUST REACT TO PROBLEMS AND

MAKE MORE PROBLEMS.

b These thought patterns launch into words. Words can become traps.

aa These words establish themselves as attitudes, then behavior patterns

develop.

bb Then there becomes great danger that our behavior patterns can turn into STRONGHOLDS.

I EMPTY VESSELS MAKE MORE NOISE?

A Does it make sense to drop empty buckets into empty wells?

B SHOOTING THE SAINTS?

Years ago there was a battle by the French.

They sent ships up the Great Lake Seaway which were to meet with the land forces and do a great battle.

The ships got to the destination two weeks before the land forces.

The sailors thought they would put some fear in the people.

The sailors got bored waiting out in the harbor, so they started shooting practice. They started shooting out tree tops. They were very good.

They thought they would shoot their cannons at the huge church. There were many statues of the Saints placed around the church.

There was St. Paul’s statue, the sailors blew off his head. There was St. Peter’s statue, the sailors blew him all to pieces. They shot Mary’s beautiful statue down.

Two weeks later the land troops arrived and was expecting the ships to fire their cannons before they attacked. The cannons set silently on the decks of the ships. The sailors had wasted their ammunition shooting the SAINTS!

Now the guns were empty, the battle was lost, and France never gained dominion over Canada.

C. EMPTY:

Containing nothing.

Not inhabited or occupied.

Lacking reality, substance, meaning, or value.

Hollow.

Destitute of effective force.

IDLE, HAVING NO PURPOSE OR RESULTS.

Absence of life, activity, comfort.

II. IN THE OLD TESTAMENT PEOPLE WERE NOT TO APPROACH GOD EMPTY.16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty: 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee. Deut. 16: 16-17 (NASB)

III. WHAT WAS THE SIN OF THE FIVE VIRGINS?

1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5 Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the prudent, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the prudent answered, 'No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' 10 And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other virgins also came, saying, ' Lord, lord, open up for us.' 12 But he answered, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour. Matt 25:1-13 (NASB)

A. The five virgins were still virgins, they had kept themselves unspotted from the world. They were still pure and clean.

B. What possibly could be their sin?

C. THEY WERE EMPTY!

They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: Matthew 25:3 (NASB)