Psalms 1:4 "The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away."
Psalms 38:4 "For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me."
PROPOSITION: To use these texts and others to show How sin makes us light as chaff and heavy as lead, and also to show that Gods "fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." and also to show that sin is increadably heavy and that to die in it would sink us far lower than the grave. and also to show that through Christ we can go from being chaff to wheat, and we can also go from bearing a heavy load of guilt, to being free in Christ.
1.) In what way sin makes us light as chaff?
A. When we consider the infinite weight of the worth of Gods glory, and the horrid reality that we have "added sin to sin" and "come short of the glory of God", this shows that our character has no weight, but is like the light chaff that is driven away by the wind.
Hosea 13:3 "Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney."
B. Because sin distorts any purposes to our life and makes our life like the light chaff that is worthless, it has no value whatsoever, and is good for nothing but to be consumed by the fire,
Isaiah 33:11-12 "Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, as fire, shall devour you. And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire."
C. Because sin has no life in it only death, and the light chaff cannot reproduce it is lifeless and dead, in this way the dead chaff is a perfect picture of our spiritually dead state. a farmer may have some wheat in his barn, and other wheat in the ground, the wheat in the barn has just as much life in it as the wheat that is in the ground, but chaff has none. 1 Timothy 5:6 "But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth."
D. Because sin has no love in it, and when love is not in us, it cheapens our character and makes us like the light chaff that will be seperated from the wheat. 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing."
2.) In what way sin makes us heavy as lead.
A. Sin makes us heavy as lead when we consider the guilt we carry because of our transgressions. in the book "Pilgrims Progress" John Bunyan likens the main character in his book to a man who carries a heavy burden of unforgiven sin, In his allegory Christian (the main character) is stooped over carrying this "heavy burden" of sin until he comes to Christ.
B.Sin makes us heavy as lead when we consider that carrying this weight makes us a slave to our burden. The Egyptians made the Israelites lives "bitter with hard bondage" and sin does the same thing to us spiritually and can even affect us physically. Deuteronomy 26:6 "And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:" Jesus said that "whoever committeth sin is the servant of sin"
3.) How can we have assurance that we are wheat and not chaff?
A.When sinners repent of their iniquity and put their trust in Christ, God puts the seed of his word into them, then they are no longer the dead light chaff, but are wheat that will be gathered up into God's barn. Jeremiah 23:28 "...What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD."
4.) How can we get rid of the heavy burden of sin that enslaves us?
A. The only way we can become wheat and not the light chaff is through Christ. and the only way we can rid ourselves of the weight and burden of sin is to come to Christ. Matthew 11:28-30 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
CONCLUSION: Sin makes us light as chaff because our character is compromised, and sin makes us heavy as lead because our guilty conscience becomes our constant companion accusing us, but Christ offers us hope, he died for us and became the payment for our sin. Christ who is infinitely weighty in virtue bore the weight of our sins and offers salvation to all that will come to him.
2 Corinthians 5:21 "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
