I Cor.11:28 & II Cor.13:5
DON’T GUESS, TAKE THE TEST
INTRO:
The owner of a large warehouse was concerned about his profit margin, and he decided to make an on site inspection. He saw a young man leaning up against a wall apparently not working. The owner said to him, "How much do you make per week?" The young man said, "$320." The owner reached into his pocket and pulled out $320 and handed the man the money and told him, "You can leave. We don’t need you around here anymore." As the young man walked away, the warehouse supervisor arrived and the owner asked him, "How long has that fellow been working for us?" The supervisor looked as the young man drove away and replied, "He doesn’t work for us; he was here making a delivery." Moral of the story: DON’T JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS. Jumping to conclusions is hazardous because the chances of missing are great. And when it comes to your salvation, jumping to conclusions is eternally hazardous; because, the place where you land is where you’ll spend all of eternity.
Paul basically told the Corinthians to take the test. Undergo a spiritual examination. Just as we go to the doctor for a physical examination; we need to go to the Word of God for a spiritual examination. [ILLUS.]—On my complete physical for employment, they asked some questions….
ETS: Paul is telling the Corinthians, "Take the test. See if you are carnal or Christ-like. See if you are lost or saved. ESS: That is what he is telling us today.
Now, there are 5 oral questions on this test, and you’ll want to get them down.
1. WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE WITH? Heart or Head?
Romans 10:9,10
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
What do you believe with? It is not enough to just say ‘I know there is a God’. James says even the
devil/demons believe, but tremble. That is a demonic faith. That’s just simply believing with your mind, not your heart. The psalmist says in 14:1, "The fool has said in his heart there is no God."
Not his head, but his heart. In his head he knows there is a God, but in his heart he refuses to believe in God. What do you believe with? Rom.10:10 again. The mouth acknowledges what the heart believes. [High wire illus.] Big difference between trust and knowledge. Jesus said, Matthew 7:13 14
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
What do you believe with? Heart? Or head?
2. WHAT DO YOU TRUST IN? Grace or Works?
Ephes. 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Folks, we are living in a day when people think if my good out weighs my bad, then I’m going to make it. If that’s you my friend you are Biblically Dead Wrong!!! Our righteousness is as filthy rags. There is none good no not one. Let me give you an example. When you see the news and see a man caught for murder or a mother who throws her baby in the trash can, you would immediately
conclude that you would never do something like that. Let me tell you, the Bible says you have the
potential to do just the same. The heart is deceitful above all and desperately wicked. You have the potential the propensity to do the same. [ILLUS]—Matthew Henry was once robbed. Here is what he said: Let me be thankful first because I was never robbed before; second, although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, because although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, it was not I who robbed. Listen we are saved by grace.
Mercy/Grace is not what God pays you because you earned it; mercy is what God gives you because you need it!!!
3. HOW DID YOU FEEL? Humble or Proud?
When you received Christ how did you feel? Were you humble? Were you repentant? Or were you proud? Are you even to this day like the Pharisee who said ‘Oh God I thank you that I’m not like this tax collector…’ OR are you like that poor tax collector who said, "Lord, have mercy on me [the] sinner. He was humble and admitted, confessed that he was a sinner. Did you know what is worse than being a sinner? Being a sinner and won’t admit it. Listen, it’s not how you see you; it’s how God sees you. And you’ll never see you the way you really are until you see God the way He is-Holy. Proverb 28:13 says, "He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." Did you know that God and men both cover sin. Men try and cover their sins with the shame of hypocrisy. God covers sin w/ the blood of Jesus. When we cover our sins God uncovers them. But when we confess them, He forgives and covers them w/ the blood of Jesus. You must come humble and broken and confess.
4. WHAT IS YOUR CHIEF GOAL IN YOUR LIFE? Serve God or Self?
Read I John 2:15-17. Jesus said in Matt.6:33 that we are to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first, then all these things will be added unto us. Paul said in Philip. 3:10
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; Who do you live to please? God or self?
5. WHO DO YOU LOVE? God & all others or God and some?
Look at I John 3:10-11, 14-15. You can’t love God and hate others. Ephes. 1:15
Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
If you have problems loving someone then you’ve got a faith problem. Is yours a life of love or a
life of hatred?
CONCL.
[ILLUS]—Grand Canyon Rescue…Readers Digest Article-July 2000, Ken Phillips tells of a tragedy. A father was playing around, and he made like he was falling over the edge. His intentions was to jump over the edge and land on a ledge just below. He missed and fell 600 feet to his death.
Listen, if you are here today without Christ, you are standing on the brink of eternity gambling with your soul. And where you will land is a place called hell. You will plunge to your eternal death. My friend don’t gamble with your soul. Don’t guess; take the test. Receive Christ today.
(Lord’s Supper)
Christian, what about you. Examine yourself before the table. What’s your temperature? Hot or Cold? Lukewarm, Jesus spew you out. See here I John 2:3-4. How’s your blood pressure? Is your spiritual arteries clogged with sin? Is your spiritual heart pumping hard against sinful ways? Then come to the best heart doctor I know-Jesus. John 14:1. How’s your appetite? Do you hide the Word in your heart? Listen, you can’t survive just on Sunday morning brunch. How’s your digestion? Are you applying God’s Word? If you just ingest all of this Word and never practice it, it’ll give you the spiritual belly ache. Are you stressed? Come cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you. Listen, take the test, don’t guess. Don’t jump to conclusions before this communion.
Royce Hendry, Sand Hill Baptist 12/2/00
