Sermon Central
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How To Lie With Statistics
Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 28, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: For the Festival of Christ the King; We rely on false comparisons or we use half-truths to justify ourselves. Far better to find justification in committing ourselves to what God is about in the world.
And while I could talk with you at great length about all we have done, I think that might be lying with statistics. It’s time for a new thrust. It’s time for a vigorous new direction. It’s time to use our human power, our dollar power, our staff power, and our spiritual power to go to the people. I don’t want to wait any longer; I cannot wait any longer. I want to go beyond our walls and into the places where people hurt. I want you to go too. The Bible says we are to go into all the world and bring the Gospel to every creature. I am tired of doing church work! I am ready to \do the work of the church! The world is burning out there, and we cannot waste time trimming candles in here! Christ has come that they may have life and have it more abundantly, and that’s what it’s all about. That’s where His victory comes.
I am not going to urge every member and every friend to give ten per cent of your income to the church. That might prompt you to lie with statistics. Instead I am going to call you to open your heart to hurting and dying people and then do what your heart tells you to do.
I am not going to worry with what we spend on the building. I’m not going to be anxious about paying the staff. I am not going to get concerned about what other churches do or how big they are. If I started to do that, I might lie with statistics. Instead I am going straight to the bottom line: that God so loved the world that He gave, He gave His only Son ... so that whoever trusts in Him might have life, everlasting life. That’s really all that matters. There’s really only one statistic worth worrying about:
"Two men went up to the temple to pray. [Of the two, 50% said], ’God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, [one out of every two] went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all [100% of those] who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all [100% of those] who humble themselves will be exalted."
Only one statistic worth watching: “Now let all the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.”
