PEARLS BEFORE SWINE: AM I A SWINE?
Mt. 7:6
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: “The dumbest kid in the world"
1. A young boy entered a barber shop and the barber whispered to his customer, “This is the dumbest kid in the world. Watch while I prove it to you.”
2. The barber put a dollar bill in one hand and two quarters in the other, then called the boy over and asked, “Which do you want, son?” The boy took the quarters and left.
3. “What did I tell you?” said the barber. “That kid never learns!” Later, when the customer left, he saw the same boy coming out of the ice cream store.
4. “Hey, son! May I ask you a question? Why did you take the quarters instead of the dollar bill?” The boy licked his cone and replied, “Because the day I take the dollar, the game is over! (he’ll quit giving me money).” So who was the dumber?
B. TEXT
“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces” Mt. 7:6.
C. THESIS
1. I was recently reading through the Sermon on the Mount. When I read Mt. 7:6, the Lord goaded me with a new thought: “Could it be possible that I could be a swine?” What did Jesus mean by this term?
2. When Jesus said to His disciples, “One of you shall betray Me” the disciples all asked, “Is it ME (I)?” Maybe WE should ask ourselves that question, instead of just passing over this reference.
3. So today we’re going to look at what Jesus meant by this phrase, how it was carried out in the New Testament, what are some examples of “swine” in the Bible, and how we should apply this teaching to our lives.
4. The title of this message is “Pearls Before Swine: Am I A Swine?”
I. WHAT DID JESUS MEAN BY THIS?
A. MEANING OF JESUS’ WORDS
1. These metaphors might seem like a put-down of people, but they are really a call for discernment. The “swine” – spiritually – are those who don’t value or act on the truths that have been revealed to them.
2. This is a reminder of the priceless VALUE of GOD’S TRUTH (pearls) and His plan. God’s Word tells us that we must highly value the gospel/ the truth of God.
3. The THINGS OF GOD ARE HOLY, and we should treasure them and TREAT them WITH RESPECT, honor and appreciation.
4. You could throw money, jewels, or gold to a pig and it would have no appreciation for them, but trample them. It’s the same way with spiritual valuables – they mean nothing to many people; but to the servants of God, they mean everything!
B. THIS PRINCIPLE USED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
1. PARABLES. They asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” Jesus replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them” Mt. 13:10-12. Some people’s minds or hearts are open to the truth and other people are closed to God’s truth. People who depreciate or denigrate the truths of God make themselves unworthy of them.
2. UNDER JESUS’ MINISTRY; “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town” Matt. 10:14. Don’t give it to those not open to it.
3. BOOK OF ACTS
a. ANTIOCH IN PISIDIA; “Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, ‘It was necessary that the Word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles’” Acts 13:45-46.
b. CORINTH; “Paul devoted himself...to...testifying to the Jews....But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” Acts 18:5-6.
II. SWINE-LIKE PEOPLE IN SCRIPTURE
A. ESAU
1. “See to it that no one misses the grace of God....that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. [Heb. 12:15-16, NIV, 1984]
2. This man Esau sold out his relationship with God for a bowl of chili! A can of Wolf brand chili costs about $5.87. That means he sold his right to go to heaven for $6!
3. The RSV says Esau “failed to obtain” the grace of God; Mounce says, “forfeited” the grace of God; NIV and others say he “missed” the grace of God. This means HE DIDN’T MAKE IT TO HEAVEN!
4. So what was his problem? Instant gratification. Esau wanted something “right now,” and didn’t care how it affected his relationship with God! Have you ever wanted something “right now?” [They do drugs, alcohol, sex outside marriage, want money or fame.]
5. Jesus said, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matt. 16:26.
6. You have a soul, the real you, that will live on even after your body dies. All of us will live forever, in either heaven or hell. No “fun thing” is worth missing heaven!
7. That’s like the American Indians selling Manhattan island (now New York City) for $24 in beads! It’s now worth billions or trillions. Or like selling the Hope diamond as a paperweight in a garage sale! We can't help but say, "How foolish!"
B. RICH YOUNG RULER
1. Jesus offered him a rare invitation to become one of His traveling companions & disciple. Requirement? He would have to sell his wealth & give it away, first.
2. This man weighed Christ against his money and chose his money! As someone said, “A fool and his money are soon parted.” I bet he lost it soon after!
C. LOT’S WIFE
1. This woman was led out of Sodom holding onto an angel’s hand. She knew judgment would fall on her old fallen life if she clung to it.
2. She knew ‘the truth.’ She’d seen the faith of Abraham & Sarah & had attended worship with them, but in her heart rejected it.
3. At this juncture between life and death, she still longed for that which was condemned; her heart valued evil more than good.
III. HOW DO WE APPLY THESE WORDS?
A. BE “LOVERS OF THE TRUTH”
1. Paul actually tells us we need to “LOVE THE TRUTH” or we’ll be deceived; “those who perish [are deceived], because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved” 2 Thess. 2:10. Ps. 51:6 (NIV1984), “Surely You desire truth in the inward parts.”
2. REVELATION FROM GOD IS PRECIOUS...it’s compared to silver & hidden treasure in Prov. 2:4-5.
a. “Choose...[God’s revelation] instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom [from God] is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her” Prov. 8:10-11.
b. “For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it” Mt. 13:17.
c. “Then he turned to his disciples & said privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.’” Luke 10:23-24.
3. DO YOU VALUE GOD’S TRUTH ABOVE ALL?
B. OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD THE BIBLE
1. If we are “lovers of the truth,” we WILL BE READING OUR BIBLE! We can’t say we love the truth if we don’t make it our top priority to read the Bible.
2. Being willing to hear is vital. But we must yield ourselves to the Word of God, with a submissive, humble spirit, and let it mold us. Being receptive to it is not enough -- action must follow!
3. James said, “But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (1:22). The Bible’s commands we’re not just to get bad things OUT of our lives, but we’re to put godly habits INTO OUR LIVES!
4. ILLUSTRATION. It's like the man who was loitering outside of a church. When a couple came out, he asked them, "Is church done?" The husband replied, "The sermon's been preached, but it hasn't been done yet!"
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. I remember the story of two Christians who went fishing in a rowboat. The guest noticed that the owner had written ‘faith’ on one oar, and ‘works’ on the other. "Why?"
2. The owner demonstrated. When he pulled on just the ‘faith’ oar, the boat simply circled in one direction. Then when he pulled on the ‘works’ oar, the boat circled in the opposite direction. But when he pulled on both oars the boat went forward!
3. That’s the same way it is in serving God. Yes, faith is a must for salvation, but faith alone isn’t enough. Why? Because our faith is COMPLETED by our works. If we don’t put the Word into practice, we don’t have completed faith!
B. THE CALL: “AM I A SWINE?”
1. Do you love God above all else? Do you DESIRE His knowledge more than all else?
2. Are you honoring God’s Word by READING it every day? If not, you’re a swine!
3. Are you RESPONSIVE to it? Are you a “DOER of the Word?” Are you following its instructions? Are you SUBMITTING to it and letting it MOLD you into the person GOD wants you to be?
4. PRAYER.
